Modulation of tumor microenvironment by chemopreventive natural products

The role of extracellular vesicles from placenta and endometrium in pregnancy: Insights from tumor biology

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane-bound particles secreted by various cell types that play a critical role in intercellular communication by packaging and delivering biomolecules. In recent years, EVs have emerged as essential messengers in mediating physiological and pathological processes in tumor biology. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in tumor generation, progression, and metastasis. In this review, we provide an overview of the impact of tumor-derived EVs on both tumor cells and the TME. Moreover, we draw parallels between tumor biology and pregnancy, as successful embryo implantation also requires intricate intercellular communication between the placental trophecepiblast and the endometrial epithelium. Additionally, we discuss the involvement of EVs in targeting immune responses, trophoblast invasion, migration, and angiogenesis, which are shared biological processes between tumors and pregnancy. Specifically, we highlight the effects of placenta-derived EVs on the fetal-maternal interface, placenta, endometrium, and maternal system, as well as the role of endometrium-derived EVs in embryo-endometrial communication. However, challenges still exist in EVs research, including the standardization of EVs isolation methods for diagnostic testing, which also apply to reproductive systems where EVs-mediated communication is proposed to take place. Through this review, we aim to deepen the understanding of EVs, particularly in the context of reproductive biology, and encourage further investigation in this field.

The inhibitory effect of Gremlin-2 on adipogenesis suppresses breast cancer cell growth and metastasis

BACKGROUND

Gremlin-1 (GREM1) and Gremlin-2 (GREM2) are bone morphogenetic protein antagonists that play important roles in organogenesis, tissue differentiation, and tissue homeostasis. Although GREM1 has been reported to be involved in promoting various cancers, little has been reported about effects of GREM2 on cancer. Recently, it has been reported that GREM2 can inhibit adipogenesis in adipose-derived stromal/stem cells. However, as an inhibitor of adipogenesis, the role of GREM2 in cancer progression is not well understood yet.

METHODS

Pre-adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells overexpressing mock or Grem2 were established using a lentiviral transduction system and differentiated into adipocytes-mock and adipocytes-Grem2, respectively. To investigate the effect of adipocyte-Grem2 on breast cancer cells, we analyzed the proliferative and invasion abilities of spheroids using a 3D co-culture system of breast cancer cells and adipocytes or conditioned medium (CM) of adipocytes. An orthotopic breast cancer mouse model was used to examine the role of adipocytes-Grem2 in breast cancer progression.

RESULTS

Grem2 overexpression suppressed adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells. Proliferative and invasion abilities of spheroids formed by co-culturing MTV/TM-011 breast cancer cells and adipocytes-Grem2 were significantly reduced compared to those of spheroids formed by co-culturing MTV/TM-011 cells and adipocytes-mock. Compared to adipocytes-mock, adipocytes-Grem2 showed decreased mRNA expression of several adipokines, notably IL-6. The concentration of IL-6 in the CM of these cells was also decreased. Proliferative and invasive abilities of breast cancer cells reduced by adipocytes-Grem2 were restored by IL-6 treatment. Expression levels of vimentin, slug, and twist1 in breast cancer cells were decreased by treatment with CM of adipocytes-Grem2 but increased by IL-6 treatment. In orthotopic breast cancer mouse model, mice injected with both MTV/TM-011 cells and adipocytes-Grem2 showed smaller primary tumors and lower lung metastasis than controls. However, IL-6 administration increased both the size of primary tumor and the number of metastatic lung lesions, which were reduced by adipocytes-Grem2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that GREM2 overexpression in adipocytes can inhibit adipogenesis, reduce the expression and secretion of several adipokines, including IL-6, and ultimately inhibit breast cancer progression.

Apigenin in cancer therapy: Prevention of genomic instability and anticancer mechanisms

The incidence of cancer has been growing worldwide. Better survival rates following the administration of novel drugs and new combination therapies may concomitantly cause concern regarding the long-term adverse effects of cancer therapy, for example, second primary malignancies. Moreover, overcoming tumour resistance to anticancer agents has been long considered as a critical challenge in cancer research. Some low toxic adjuvants such as herb-derived molecules may be of interest for chemoprevention and overcoming the resistance of malignancies to cancer therapy. Apigenin is a plant-derived molecule with attractive properties for chemoprevention, for instance, promising anti-tumour effects, which may make it a desirable adjuvant to reduce genomic instability and the risks of second malignancies among normal tissues. Moreover, it may improve the efficiency of anticancer modalities. This paper aims to review various effects of apigenin in both normal tissues and malignancies. In addition, we explain how apigenin may have the ability to protect usual cells against the genotoxic repercussions following radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of apigenin on tumours will be discussed.

Can Natural Products Targeting EMT Serve as the Future Anticancer Therapeutics?

Cancer is the leading cause of death and has remained a big challenge for the scientific community. Because of the growing concerns, new therapeutic regimens are highly demanded to decrease the global burden. Despite advancements in chemotherapy, drug resistance is still a major hurdle to successful treatment. The primary challenge should be identifying and developing appropriate therapeutics for cancer patients to improve their survival. Multiple pathways are dysregulated in cancers, including disturbance in cellular metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, or epigenetic alterations. Over the last two decades, natural products have been a major research interest due to their therapeutic potential in various ailments. Natural compounds seem to be an alternative option for cancer management. Natural substances derived from plants and marine sources have been shown to have anti-cancer activity in preclinical settings. They might be proved as a sword to kill cancerous cells. The present review attempted to consolidate the available information on natural compounds derived from plants and marine sources and their anti-cancer potential underlying EMT mechanisms.

Natural Compounds Targeting Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts against Digestive System Tumor Progression: Therapeutic Insights

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are critical for cancer occurrence and progression in the tumor microenvironment (TME), due to their versatile roles in extracellular matrix remodeling, tumor–stroma crosstalk, immunomodulation, and angiogenesis. CAFs are the most abundant stromal component in the TME and undergo epigenetic modification and abnormal signaling cascade activation, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and Wnt pathways that maintain the distinct phenotype of CAFs, which differs from normal fibroblasts. CAFs have been considered therapeutic targets due to their putative oncogenic functions. Current digestive system cancer treatment strategies often result in lower survival outcomes and fail to prevent cancer progression; therefore, comprehensive characterization of the tumor-promoting and -restraining CAF activities might facilitate the design of new therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarize the enormous literature on natural compounds that mediate the crosstalk of CAFs with digestive system cancer cells, discuss how the biology and the multifaceted functions of CAFs contribute to cancer progression, and finally, pave the way for CAF-related antitumor therapies.

Exosomal non-coding RNAs: Emerging roles in bilateral communication between cancer cells and macrophages

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a dynamic network of cellular organization that comprises diverse cell types and significantly contributes to cancer development. As pivotal immune stromal cells in the TME, macrophages are extensively heterogeneous and exert both antitumor and protumor functions. Exosomes are nanosized extracellular membranous vesicles with diameters between 30 and 150 nm. By transferring multiple bioactive substances such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, exosomes play an important role in the communication between cells. Recently, growing evidence has demonstrated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are enriched in exosomes and that exosomal ncRNAs are involved in the crosstalk between cancer cells and macrophages. Furthermore, circulating exosomal ncRNAs can be detected in biofluids, serving as promising noninvasive biomarkers for the early diagnosis and prognostic prediction of cancer. Exosome-based therapies are emerging as potent strategies that can be utilized to alleviate tumor progression. Herein, the present knowledge of exosomal ncRNAs and their vital roles in regulating the interplay between cancer cells and macrophages, as well as their clinical applications are summarized.

Modulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) by melatonin

The tumor microenvironment (TME) includes a number of non-cancerous cells that affect cancer cell survival. Although CD8+ T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells suppress tumor growth through induction of cell death in cancer cells, there are various immunosuppressive cells such as regulatory T cells (Tregs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), etc., which drive cancer cell proliferation. These cells may also support tumor growth and metastasis by stimulating angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and resistance to apoptosis. Interactions between cancer cells and other cells, as well as molecules released into EMT, play a key role in tumor growth and suppression of antitumoral immunity. Melatonin is a natural hormone that may be found in certain foods and is also available as a drug. Melatonin has been demonstrated to modulate cell activity and the release of cytokines and growth factors in TME. The purpose of this review is to explain the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cancer cell resistance as a result of interactions with TME. Next, we explain how melatonin affects cells and interactions within the TME.

Deubiquitinating Enzymes Orchestrate the Cancer Stem Cell-Immunosuppressive Niche Dialogue: New Perspectives and Therapeutic Potential

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are sparks for igniting tumor recurrence and the instigators of low response to immunotherapy and drug resistance. As one of the important components of tumor microenvironment, the tumor associated immune microenvironment (TAIM) is driving force for the heterogeneity, plasticity and evolution of CSCs. CSCs create the inhibitory TAIM (ITAIM) mainly through four stemness-related signals (SRSs), including Notch-nuclear factor-κB axis, Hedgehog, Wnt and signal transducer and activator of transcription. Ubiquitination and deubiquitination in proteins related to the specific stemness of the CSCs have a profound impact on the regulation of ITAIM. In regulating the balance between ubiquitination and deubiquitination, it is crucial for deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) to cleave ubiquitin chains from substrates. Ubiquitin-specific peptidases (USPs) comprise the largest family of DUBs. Growing evidence suggests that they play novel functions in contribution of ITAIM, including regulating tumor immunogenicity, activating stem cell factors, upregulating the SRSs, stabilizing anti-inflammatory receptors, and regulating anti-inflammatory cytokines. These overactive or abnormal signaling may dampen antitumor immune responses. The inhibition of USPs could play a regulatory role in SRSs and reversing ITAIM, and also have great potential in improving immune killing ability against tumor cells, including CSCs. In this review, we focus on the USPs involved in CSCs signaling pathways and regulating ITAIM, which are promising therapeutic targets in antitumor therapy.

Natural Compounds as Metabolic Modulators of the Tumor Microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a heterogenous assemblage of malignant and non-malignant cells, including infiltrating immune cells and other stromal cells, together with extracellular matrix and a variety of soluble factors. This complex and dynamic milieu strongly affects tumor differentiation, progression, immune evasion, and response to therapy, thus being an important therapeutic target. The phenotypic and functional features of the various cell types present in the TME are largely dependent on their ability to adopt different metabolic programs. Hence, modulating the metabolism of the cells in the TME, and their metabolic crosstalk, has emerged as a promising strategy in the context of anticancer therapies. Natural compounds offer an attractive tool in this respect as their multiple biological activities can potentially be harnessed to ‘(re)-educate’ TME cells towards antitumoral roles. The present review discusses how natural compounds shape the metabolism of stromal cells in the TME and how this may impact tumor development and progression.

Metabolism pathways of arachidonic acids: mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets

The arachidonic acid (AA) pathway plays a key role in cardiovascular biology, carcinogenesis, and many inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, arthritis, etc. Esterified AA on the inner surface of the cell membrane is hydrolyzed to its free form by phospholipase A2 (PLA2), which is in turn further metabolized by cyclooxygenases (COXs) and lipoxygenases (LOXs) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes to a spectrum of bioactive mediators that includes prostanoids, leukotrienes (LTs), epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (diHETEs), eicosatetraenoic acids (ETEs), and lipoxins (LXs). Many of the latter mediators are considered to be novel preventive and therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancers, and inflammatory diseases. This review sets out to summarize the physiological and pathophysiological importance of the AA metabolizing pathways and outline the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of AA related to its three main metabolic pathways in CVD and cancer progression will provide valuable insight for developing new therapeutic drugs for CVD and anti-cancer agents such as inhibitors of EETs or 2J2. Thus, we herein present a synopsis of AA metabolism in human health, cardiovascular and cancer biology, and the signaling pathways involved in these processes. To explore the role of the AA metabolism and potential therapies, we also introduce the current newly clinical studies targeting AA metabolisms in the different disease conditions.

CXCL10 is a Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Infiltration Related Prognostic Biomarker in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is the 10th most common cancer worldwide and the outcomes for patients with the disease remain extremely poor. Precision biomarkers are urgently needed to increase the efficiency of early diagnosis and to improve the prognosis of patients. The tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor immune infiltration are thought to impact the occurrence, progression, and prognosis of PAAD. Novel biomarkers excavated originating from the TME and immune infiltration may be effective in predicting the prognosis of PAAD patients. In the current study, the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms were applied to estimate the division of immune and stromal components and the proportion of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in 182 PAAD cases downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Intersection analyses of the Protein-Protein Interaction networks and Cox regression analysis identified the chemokine (CXC-motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10) as a predictive biomarker. We verified that CXCL10 in the TME negatively correlates with prognosis in PAAD and positively correlates with tumor cell differentiation. GSE62452 from the GEO database and cumulative survival analysis were performed to validate CXCL10 expression as an independent prognostic indicator. We also found that memory B cells, regulatory T cells, and macrophages M0 and M1 were correlated with the expression of CXCL10 indicating that expression of CXCL10 influenced the immune activity of the TME. Our data suggest that CXCL10 is beneficial as a prognostic indicator in PAAD patients and highlights the potential for immune targeted therapy in the treatment of PAAD.

Gremlin-1 Promotes Metastasis of Breast Cancer Cells by Activating STAT3-MMP13 Signaling Pathway

Gremlin-1 (GREM1), one of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists, can directly bind to BMPs. GREM1 is involved in organogenesis, tissue differentiation, and organ fibrosis. Recently, numerous studies have reported the oncogenic role of GREM1 in cancer. However, the role of GREM1 in metastasis of breast cancer cells and its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The role of GREM1 in breast cancer progression was assessed by measuring growth, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells. An orthotopic breast cancer mouse model was used to investigate the role of GREM1 in lung metastasis of breast cancer cells. GREM1 knockdown suppressed the proliferation of breast cancer cells, while its overexpression increased their growth, migration, and invasion. Cells with Grem1-knockdown showed much lower tumor growth rates and lung metastasis than control cells. GREM1 enhanced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13). A positive correlation between GREM1 and MMP13 expression was observed in breast cancer patients. GREM1 activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) transcription factor involved in the expression of MMP13. Our study suggests that GREM1 can promote lung metastasis of breast cancer cells through the STAT3-MMP13 pathway. In addition, GREM1 might be a promising therapeutic target for breast cancer metastasis.

Molecular Insights into the Multifunctional Role of Natural Compounds: Autophagy Modulation and Cancer Prevention

Autophagy is a vacuolar, lysosomal degradation pathway for injured and damaged protein molecules and organelles in eukaryotic cells, which is controlled by nutrients and stress responses. Dysregulation of cellular autophagy may lead to various diseases such as neurodegenerative disease, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and malignancies. Recently, natural compounds have come to attention for being able to modulate the autophagy pathway in cancer prevention, although the prospective role of autophagy in cancer treatment is very complex and not yet clearly elucidated. Numerous synthetic chemicals have been identified that modulate autophagy and are favorable candidates for cancer treatment, but they have adverse side effects. Therefore, different phytochemicals, which include natural compounds and their derivatives, have attracted significant attention for use as autophagy modulators in cancer treatment with minimal side effects. In the current review, we discuss the promising role of natural compounds in modulating the autophagy pathway to control and prevent cancer, and provide possible therapeutic options.

Natural products remodel cancer-associated fibroblasts in desmoplastic tumors

Desmoplastic tumors have an abundance of stromal cells and the extracellular matrix which usually result in therapeutic resistance. Current treatment prescriptions for desmoplastic tumors are usually not sufficient to eliminate the malignancy. Recently, through modulating cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) which are the most abundant cell type among all stromal cells, natural products have improved chemotherapies and the delivery of nanomedicines to the tumor cells, showing promising ability to improve treatment effects on desmoplastic tumors. In this review, we discussed the latest advances in inhibiting desmoplastic tumors by modeling CAFs using natural products, highlighting the potential therapeutic abilities of natural products in targeting CAFs for cancer treatment.

Gremlin-1 augments the oestrogen-related receptor α signalling through EGFR activation: implications for the progression of breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Gremlin-1 (GREM1), one of the bone morphogenetic protein antagonists, is involved in organogenesis, tissue differentiation and kidney development. However, the role of GREM1 in cancer progression and its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.

METHODS

The role of GREM1 in breast cancer progression was assessed by measuring cell viability, colony formation, 3D tumour spheroid formation/invasion and xenograft tumour formation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, a luciferase reporter assay and flow cytometry were performed to investigate the molecular events in which GREM1 is involved.

RESULTS

GREM1 expression was elevated in breast cancer cells and tissues obtained from breast cancer patients. Its overexpression was associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients, especially those with oestrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumours. GREM1 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells and xenograft mammary tumour growth, while its overexpression enhanced their viability, growth and invasiveness. Oestrogen-related receptor α (ERRα), an orphan nuclear hormone receptor, directly interacted with the GREM1 promoter and increased the expression of GREM1. GREM1 also enhanced the promoter activity of ESRRA encoding ERRα, comprising a positive feedback loop. Notably, GREM1 bound to and activated EGFR, a well-known upstream regulator of ERRα.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that the GREM1-ERRα axis can serve as a potential therapeutic target in the management of cancer, especially ER-negative tumour.

Extracellular vesicle long non-coding RNA-mediated crosstalk in the tumor microenvironment: Tiny molecules, huge roles

Emerging evidence has shown that dynamic crosstalk among cells in the tumor microenvironment modulates the progression and chemotherapeutic responses of cancer. Extracellular vesicles comprise a crucial form of intracellular communication through horizontal transfer of bioactive molecules, including long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), to neighboring cells. Three main types of extracellular vesicles are exosomes, microvesicles and apoptotic bodies, exhibiting a wide range of sizes and different biogenesis. Over the last decade, dysregulation of extracellular vesicle lncRNA has been revealed to remodel the tumor microenvironment and induce aggressive phenotypes of tumor cells, thereby facilitating tumor growth and development. This review will focus on extracellular vesicle lncRNA-mediated crosstalk between tumor cells and recipient cells, including tumor cells as well as stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment, and overview the mechanisms by which lncRNA are selectively sorted into extracellular vesicles, which may pave the way for their clinical application in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Creating and screening natural product libraries

Covering: up to 2020The National Cancer Institute of the United States (NCI) has initiated a Cancer Moonshot program entitled the NCI Program for Natural Product Discovery. As part of this effort, the NCI is producing a library of 1 000 000 partially purified natural product fractions which are being plated into 384-well plates and provided to the research community free of charge. As the first 326 000 of these fractions have now been made available, this review seeks to describe the general methods used to collect organisms, extract those organisms, and create a prefractionated library. Importantly, this review also details both cell-based and cell-free bioassay methods and the adaptations necessary to those methods to productively screen natural product libraries. Finally, this review briefly describes post-screen dereplication and compound purification and scale up procedures which can efficiently identify active compounds and produce sufficient quantities of natural products for further pre-clinical development.

The Interplay between MicroRNAs and Cellular Components of Tumour Microenvironment (TME) on Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Progression

Cellular components of the tumour microenvironment (TME) are recognized to regulate the hallmarks of cancers including tumour proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis, as well as chemotherapeutic resistance. The linkage between miRNA, TME, and the development of the hallmarks of cancer makes miRNA-mediated regulation of TME a potential therapeutic strategy to complement current cancer therapies. Despite significant advances in cancer therapy, lung cancer remains the deadliest form of cancer among males in the world and has overtaken breast cancer as the most fatal cancer among females in more developed countries. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop more effective treatments for NSCLC, which is the most common type of lung cancer. Hence, this review will focus on current literature pertaining to antitumour or protumourigenic effects elicited by nonmalignant stromal cells of TME in NSCLC through miRNA regulation as well as current status and future prospects of miRNAs as therapeutic agents or targets to regulate TME in NSCLC.

Regulatory signaling network in the tumor microenvironment of prostate cancer bone and visceral organ metastases and the development of novel therapeutics

This article describes cell signaling network of metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) to bone and visceral organs in the context of tumor microenvironment and for the development of novel therapeutics. The article focuses on our recent progress in the understanding of: 1) The plasticity and dynamics of tumor–stroma interaction; 2) The significance of epigenetic reprogramming in conferring cancer growth, invasion and metastasis; 3) New insights on altered junctional communication affecting PCa bone and brain metastases; 4) Novel strategies to overcome therapeutic resistance to hormonal antagonists and chemotherapy; 5) Genetic-based therapy to co-target tumor and bone stroma; 6) PCa-bone-immune cell interaction and TBX2-WNTprotein signaling in bone metastasis; 7) The roles of monoamine oxidase and reactive oxygen species in PCa growth and bone metastasis; and 8) Characterization of imprinting cluster of microRNA, in tumor–stroma interaction. This article provides new approaches and insights of PCa metastases with emphasis on basic science and potential for clinical translation. This article referenced the details of the various approaches and discoveries described herein in peer-reviewed publications. We dedicate this article in our fond memory of Dr. Donald S. Coffey who taught us the spirit of sharing and the importance of focusing basic science discoveries toward translational medicine.

Effects of Natural Polyphenols on the Expression of Drug Efflux Transporter P-Glycoprotein in Human Intestinal Cells

The drug efflux transporter P-glycoprotein, which is encoded by MDR1 (ABCB1), plays important roles in drug absorption, distribution, and elimination. We previously reported that dietary polyphenols such as quercetin, curcumin, honokiol, magnolol, caffeic acid phenetyl ester (CAPE), xanthohumol, and anacardic acid inhibit P-glycoprotein-mediated drug transport. In the present study, we investigated the effects of polyphenols on the expression of P-glycoprotein using human intestinal epithelial LS174T cells and a reporter plasmid expressing 10.2 kbp of the upstream regulatory region of MDR1. Honokiol, magnolol, CAPE, xanthohumol, and anacardic acid activated the MDR1 promoter in LS174T cells, and the cellular uptake of rhodamine 123 and calcein-AM, fluorescent substrates of P-glycoprotein, decreased in polyphenol-treated LS174T cells. These results suggest that dietary natural polyphenols can induce the drug efflux transporter P-glycoprotein and have the potential to promote food-drug interactions.

Modulating secreted components of tumor microenvironment: A masterstroke in tumor therapeutics

The microenvironment in which cancer resides plays an important role in regulating cancer survival, progression, malignancy and drug resistance. Tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of heterogeneous number and types of cellular and non-cellular components that vary in relation to tumor phenotype and genotype. In recent, non-cellular secreted components of microenvironmental heterogeneity have been suggested to contain various growth factors, cytokines, RNA, DNA, metabolites, structural matrix and matricellular proteins. These non-cellular components have been indicated to orchestrate numerous ways to support cancer survival and progression by providing metabolites, energy, growth signals, evading immune surveillance, drug resistance environment, metastatic and angiogenesis cues. Thus, switching action from pro-cancer to anti-cancer activities of these secreted components of TME has been considered as a new avenue in cancer therapeutics and drug resistance. In this report, we summarize the recent pre-clinical and clinical evidences to emphasize the importance of non-cellular components of TME in achieving precision therapeutics and biomarker study.