High Motility Group Box 1 Induces Cancer Aggressiveness and Drug Resistance - Abstract
High motility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a non-histone chromosomal protein; it is a secretory protein that binds to receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in cancer cells and monocyte-lineage immune cells. HMGB1 enhances proliferation, motility, invasiveness, and survival of cancer cells. HMGB1 is associated with the repair of DNA damage induced by anticancer drugs. Importantly, it is released from necrotic cancer cells and induces regrowth of remnant cancer cells. In contrast, HMGB1 induces apoptosis in monocyte-lineage immune cells and inhibits tumor-infiltrating macrophages and dendritic cells, lymph node sinus macrophages, and liver Kupffer cells to attenuate anticancer immune responses and anti-metastatic organ defense.