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Vimentin in cancer and its potential as a molecular target for cancer therapy

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Abstract

Vimentin, a major constituent of the intermediate filament family of proteins, is ubiquitously expressed in normal mesenchymal cells and is known to maintain cellular integrity and provide resistance against stress. Vimentin is overexpressed in various epithelial cancers, including prostate cancer, gastrointestinal tumors, tumors of the central nervous system, breast cancer, malignant melanoma, and lung cancer. Vimentin’s overexpression in cancer correlates well with accelerated tumor growth, invasion, and poor prognosis; however, the role of vimentin in cancer progression remains obscure. In recent years, vimentin has been recognized as a marker for epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although EMT is associated with several tumorigenic events, vimentin’s role in the underlying events mediating these processes remains unknown. By virtue of its overexpression in cancer and its association with tumor growth and metastasis, vimentin serves as an attractive potential target for cancer therapy; however, more research would be crucial to evaluate its specific role in cancer. Our recent discovery of a vimentin-binding mini-peptide has generated further impetus for vimentin-targeted tumor-specific therapy. Furthermore, research directed toward elucidating the role of vimentin in various signaling pathways would reveal new approaches for the development of therapeutic agents. This review summarizes the expression and functions of vimentin in various types of cancer and suggests some directions toward future cancer therapy utilizing vimentin as a potential molecular target.

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Acknowledgments

We apologize to the authors of many other relevant studies that are not cited because of space limitations. Work in the authors’ laboratory was supported by Grants from the National Institutes of Health to Dr. Shulin Li (NIH RO1CA120895).

Conflict of interest

We declare that none of the authors has a financial interest related to this work.

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  1. Department of Pediatrics, Unit 853, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holocombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Arun Satelli & Shulin Li

  2. UTMD, Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Shulin Li

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  1. Arun Satelli
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Correspondence to Shulin Li.

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Satelli, A., Li, S. Vimentin in cancer and its potential as a molecular target for cancer therapy. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 68, 3033–3046 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-011-0735-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-011-0735-1

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