Protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1): a promising molecular target for cancer

// Xuan Liu 1, 2, * , Jiahui Yu 2, * , Shangjin Song 2 , Xiaoqiang Yue 2 and Qi Li 1 1 Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Institute, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China 2 Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Qi Li, email: Lzwf@hotmail.com Xiaoqiang Yue, email: yuexiaoqiang@163.com Keywords: PAR-1, cancer, carcinogenesis, invasion, metastasis Received: June 24, 2017      Accepted: August 27, 2017      Published: September 18, 2017 ABSTRACT PAR-1 is expressed not only in epithelium, neurons, astrocytes, immune cells, but also in cancer-associated fibroblasts, ECs (epithelial cells), myocytes of blood vessels, mast cells, and macrophages in tumor microenvironment, whereas PAR-1 stimulates macrophages to synthesize and secrete thrombin as well as other growth factors, resulting in enhanced cell proliferation, tumor growth and metastasis. Therefore, considerable effort has been devoted to the development of inhibitors targeting PAR-1. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of PAR-1’s role in cancer invasiveness and dissemination, as well as potential therapeutic strategies targeting PAR-1 signaling.