Skip to main content
Fig. 2 | Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research

Fig. 2

From: Serological assessment of collagen fragments and tumor fibrosis may guide immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy

Fig. 2

Fibroblast and tumor microenvironment-derived collagen fragments as blood-based biomarkers. a Consequent to increased fibroblast activity and protease-mediated collagen remodeling in the tumor microenvironment (TME), specific protein fragments are released into the circulation and can be used as non-invasive biomarkers assessed in a liquid biopsy (serum or plasma). Modified from Nissen et al., J Exp Clin Cancer Res, 2019. b The neo-epitope biomarker technology is based on monoclonal antibodies, which enables assessment of remodeling of specific collagens with diverse proteases. Measurement of the pro-peptide of type III collagen (PRO-C3) reflects fibrogenesis, while MMP degraded type III collagen (C3M) reflects fibrolysis. MMP degradation of the main basement membrane protein type IV collagen (C4M) reflects tumor invasiveness while granzyme B degraded type IV collagen (C4G) reflects T cell infiltration

Back to article page