Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is a secreted glycoprotein that was discovered in 2000 by three independent laboratories. In the ensuing two and a half decades, extensive work has been conducted to determine its physiological and pathological functions. ANGPTL4 has been shown to be involved in many biological processes, including glucose and lipid metabolism, angiogenesis, and wound healing, with implications in diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular (e.g., atherosclerosis) and renal diseases, and cancer. For instance, ANGPTL4 is upregulated in several cancers, including renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. Interestingly, ANGPTL4 has been shown to exhibit both pro-tumor—promoting tumor growth, cell survival, angiogenesis and metastasis—as well as anti-tumor activities, underscoring its complex roles in cancer biology. This review examines the comprehensive biological functions of ANGPTL4 and its contributions to disease mechanisms with a specific emphasis on cancer, as well as its potential as a therapeutic target across different types of human cancers.
血管生成素样蛋白4（ANGPTL4）是一种分泌型糖蛋白，于2000年由三个独立实验室同时发现。在随后的二十五年间，学界围绕其生理与病理功能展开了广泛研究。研究表明，ANGPTL4参与糖脂代谢、血管生成及伤口愈合等多种生物过程，并与2型糖尿病、心血管疾病（如动脉粥样硬化）、肾脏疾病及癌症等疾病密切相关。例如，在肾细胞癌、乳腺癌和结直肠癌等多种癌症中均观察到ANGPTL4表达上调。值得注意的是，ANGPTL4在肿瘤生物学中表现出双重作用：既能通过促进肿瘤生长、细胞存活、血管生成和转移发挥促癌效应，又具有抑癌活性，这凸显了其在癌症生物学中的复杂功能。本文系统综述了ANGPTL4的生物学功能及其在疾病机制中的作用，特别聚焦于癌症领域，并探讨其作为不同类型人类癌症治疗靶点的潜在价值。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家