Roles on collagen type Ⅷ α1 chain in tumors

As a representative member of the short-chain collagen family within the extracellular matrix (ECM), in recent years, the collagen type VIII alpha 1 chain (COL8A1) has been demonstrated to play a crucial regulatory role in the tumor microenvironment. Multiple clinical cohort studies have revealed that COL8A1 is frequently overexpressed across various malignancies, including breast cancer, gastric adenocarcinoma, papillary thyroid carcinoma, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. Its expression level is significantly correlated with shortened overall survival and progression-free survival in patients. Functional studies indicate that COL8A1 facilitates malignant progression through multiple mechanisms, such as promoting tumor proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and inducing chemotherapy resistance. Although accumulating experimental evidence supports the tumor-promoting effects of COL8A1, the precise molecular regulatory network underlying these effects remains to be fully elucidated. This review aims to summarize the role of COL8A1 in tumorigenesis and progression, with a focus on its interactions with key cellular signaling pathways, and to evaluate the potential of COL8A1 as a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target.