LOXL4 In The Tumor Microenvironment: From Silent Builder to Therapeutic Target

The lysyl oxidase family (LOXS) is a family of copper-dependent amine oxidases containing five members, LOX and LOXase-like proteins (LOXL1-4)，that catalyse the cross-linking of collagen and elastin in the extracellular matrix and maintain extracellular matrix stability. Among these genes, LOXL4 is frequently shown to be significantly dysregulated in a number of common diseases，including cancer. It has been demonstrated that the LOXL4 regulates the development of disease by participating in a variety of biological activities. Recently, LOXL4 was reported to play an important role in the tumor-microenvironment and to be involved in regulating processes such as tumor proliferation, migration and immune escape. The tumour microenvironment is a central regulator of tumourigenesis , metastatic therapy and plays a dual role in angiogenesis, tumour heterogeneity and immunotherapeutic strategies. The present study focuses on a review of bioregulatory role of LOXL4 in tumours and the tumour microenvironment. In addition, we discuss the latest research progress on LOXL4 as a novel target for tumor therapy and highlight its important value as a clinical prognostic marker, providing new opitimization strategies and innovative directions for precision tumor therapy.