Collagen VI in cancer and its biological mechanisms

• This review extensively discusses the key role of collagen VI in cancer.
• Collagen VI promotes tumor progression by affecting both tumor cell and stromal cell.
• Collagen VI is a potent promoter of chemotherapy resistance.
• Collagen VI is a potential biomarker for cancer diagnosis.
• The article highlights a feasible anticancer strategy by suppressing collagen VI.

Collagen VI is a widely distributed extracellular matrix protein highly expressed in a variety of cancers that favors tumor growth and progression. A growing number of studies indicate that collagen VI directly affects malignant cells by acting on the Akt–GSK-3β–β-catenin–TCF/LEF axis, enhancing the production of protumorigenic factors and inducing epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Moreover, it affects the tumor microenvironment by increasing the recruitment of macrophages and endothelial cells, thus promoting tumor inflammation and angiogenesis. Furthermore, collagen VI promotes chemotherapy resistance and can be regarded as a potential biomarker for cancer diagnosis. Collectively, these findings strongly support a role for collagen VI as an important regulator in tumors and provide new targets for cancer therapies.