Table 1 Phenotype and biological function of CAFs in the HCC microenvironment

α-SMA, collagen 1α, fibronectin

In vitro: promote HCC cell proliferation, invasion, EMT

In vivo: promote tumorigenesis, growth and metastasis

COMP

Sun et al. [41]

α-SMA, vimentin

In vitro: promote proliferation, invasion

IL-6, IL-8, CCL2

Mono et al. [42]

α-SMA, FAP, vimentin

In vitro: increased sorafenib resistance, proliferation rate, migration, and invasion

In vivo: promote tumorigenesis

HGF/c-Met/STAT3

IL-6/IL6R/STAT3

Li et al. [43]

α-SMA, FAP, vimentin

In vitro: promote proliferation, migration and invasion, and the expression of stemness genes

In vivo: promote tumorigenesis and HCC growth

IL-6/STAT3/notch

Xiong et al. [44]

α-SMA, PDGFR-α

Maintain and enhance the stemness of HCC cells

Notch 3 signaling

Liu et al. [45]

α-SMA, FSP1, vimentin

In vivo: promote HCC initiation and growth

FOXQ1/NDRG1/CCL26 feedback loop

Luo et al. [46]

α-SMA, FSP1, vimentin

In vitro: promote migration, invasion, EMT

In vivo: promote metastasis

CCL2/CCL5/Hh,

CCL7/CXCL16/TGF-β pathway

Liu et al. [47]

α-SMA, FAP

In vitro: promote proliferation, self-renewal

In vivo: promote tumorigenesis

HGF/c-Met/Erk/FRA1/HEY1 signaling

Lau et al. [48]

α-SMA, FAP, vimentin

In vitro: promote proliferation

In vivo: promote growth

HGF

Jia et al. [49]

α-SMA, vimentin

Promote vasculogenic mimicry

TGF-β, SDF-1

Yang et al. [50]

α-SMA, FAP, vimentin

Recruit and promote the differentiation of neutrophils, monocytes, and dendritic cells into cells with immunosuppressive phenotypes

Recruitment: SDF-1α/CXCR4 Education: IL-6/STAT3

[51,52,53]

Positive: CD90, CD73, CD105, CD29, CD44, CD166

Negative: CD34,CD31, CD45, HLA-DR

Attenuate the cytotoxic activity of NK cells (downregulation of granzyme B and perforin)

PEG2, IDO

Li et al. [54]

Positive: CD90, CD44, CD29, CD13, CD105, CD166

Negative: CD34, CD45, CD117 multipotent differentiation: adipogenic, osteogenic, and pancreatic differentiation

–

–

Sukowati et al. [55]