Fig. 1

Extracellular matrix (ECM) and the inflamed tumor microenvironment. The TME is an intricate milieu of cells hosting the tumor, including infiltrating myeloid and lymphoid cells, stromal and mesenchymal cells, and ECM components. Matrix remodeling shapes the inflamed immune microenvironment. Tumor-infiltrating Tregs and regulatory myeloid cells, including MDSCs, TAMs and TANs, promote a tolerogenic TME. Tumor-infiltrating CTLs, dendritic cells, matrix components (like CAFs, HA, HSPGs, SLRPs, and VCAN), matrikines (e.g., versikine) and matrix-remodeling enzymes (MMPs and ADAMTSs) play a vital role in the generation and amplification of the host immune response. Abbreviations: TME; tumor microenvironment, ECM; extracellular matrix, CTL; cytotoxic lymphocytes, Treg; regulatory T cells, TAM 1 and 2; tumor-associated macrophages types 1 and 2, TAN 1 and 2; tumor-associated neutrophils types 1 and 2, MDSC; myeloid-derived-suppressor cells, PDL1; programmed cell death protein ligand 1, CAFs; cancer-associated fibroblasts, SLRPs; small leucine-rich proteoglycans, HA; hyaluronan, HSPGs; heparin sulfate proteoglycans, VCAN; versican, MMPs; matrix metalloproteinases, ADAMTSs, A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs