How Do Cysteine Cathepsins Promote Tumor Invasion?
Tumor invasion is a critical step in cancer metastasis, and cysteine cathepsins contribute to this process by degrading ECM proteins such as collagen, elastin, and laminin. This degradation weakens the structural integrity of tissues, allowing cancer cells to invade surrounding tissues and spread to distant organs. Cathepsin B, in particular, has been shown to localize at the invasive front of tumors, where it actively participates in ECM degradation.
