Role of Apelin/APJ axis in cancer development and progression.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Apelin is an endogenous peptide, which is expressed in a vast board of organs such as the brain, placenta, heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, testis, prostate and adipose tissues. The apelin receptor, called angiotensin-like-receptor 1 (APJ), is also expressed in the brain, spleen, placenta, heart, liver, intestine, prostate, thymus, testis, ovary, lungs, kidneys, stomach, and adipose tissue. The apelin/APJ axis is involved in a number of physiological and pathological processes. The apelin expression is increased in various kinds of cancer and the apelin/APJ axis plays a key role in the development of tumors through enhancing angiogenesis, metastasis, cell proliferation and also through the development of cancer stem cells and drug resistance. The apelin also stops the apoptosis of cancer cells. The apelin/APJ axis was considered in this review as an attractive therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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