Epigenetic Silencing of CXCR4 Promotes Loss of Cell Adhesion in Cervical Cancer

Figure 6

Cartoon showing proposed SDF-1α/CXCR4 mediated differential autocrine/paracrine signaling in tumor microenvironment. In normal tissue microenvironment, paracrine signaling dominates over autocrine signaling leading to proper cell adhesion. In tumor (transformed cells) microenvironment, there is reduced paracrine signaling due to reduced level of CXCR4 leading to loss of cell adhesion, where autocrine signaling does not have significant effect.