Targeting the chemokine receptor CXCR4 for cancer therapies
Rueda, Ariana (Institut de Recerca Sant Pau)
Serna, Naroa (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina "Vicent Villar Palasí")
Mangues, Ramon 1957- (Institut de Recerca Sant Pau)
Villaverde Corrales, Antonio (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia)
Unzueta Elorza, Ugutz (Institut de Recerca Sant Pau)

Date:	2025
Abstract:	The C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) has emerged as a key molecular biomarker for cancer therapies due to its critical role in tumor progression and metastases by displaying a stem cells phenotype. Its overexpression has been observed in more than 20 types of cancers, including solid tumors and hematological malignancies, and it is often associated with tumor aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Being initially recognized as a co-receptor involved in HIV infection, numerous CXCR4-targeting ligands and antagonists, including small molecules, peptides and biologics have been identified over the past decades. While only few of them have been used in the context of cancer therapies, recent biotechnological advancements using CXCR4 as a molecular target are showing significant potential to revolutionize future cancer therapies. Therefore, this review highlights the biotechnological innovations developed for cancer therapy and diagnosis by targeting the chemokine receptor CXCR4. It also discusses future perspectives on emerging therapeutic strategies, ranging from the use of small molecule inhibitors that block receptor signaling to cutting-edge nanocarriers designed for the targeted delivery of innovative drugs and proteins into cancer stem cells, aiming at cell-selective precision nanomedicines.
Grants:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-116174RB-I00 Instituto de Salud Carlos III PI20/00400 Instituto de Salud Carlos III PI23/00318 Instituto de Salud Carlos III PI21/00150 Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo CB06/01/0014 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-00092 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-01140
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article de revisió ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Biotechnology ; CXCR4 ; Cancer Stem Cells ; Drug delivery ; Targeting ; Therapy
Published in:	Biomarker Research, Vol. 13 Núm. 1 (december 2025) , p. 68, ISSN 2050-7771

DOI: 10.1186/s40364-025-00778-y
PMID: 40307933

26 p, 2.4 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB)
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Institut de Recerca Sant Pau
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles