“Unraveling EMILIN-1: A Multifunctional ECM Protein with Tumor-Suppressive Roles” Mechanistic Insights into Cancer Protection Through Signaling Modulation and Lymphangiogenesis Control

EMILIN-1 (Elastin Microfibril Interface Located Protein 1) is an extracellular matrix homotrimeric glycoprotein belonging to the EMILIN/Multimerin family, with both structural and regulatory roles, increasingly recognized for its tumor-suppressive functions. Initially identified for its involvement in elastogenesis and vascular homeostasis, EMILIN-1 has gradually emerged as a key player in cancer biology. It exerts its anti-tumor activity through both direct and indirect mechanisms: by regulating tumor cell proliferation and survival and by modulating lymphangiogenesis and the associated inflammatory microenvironment. At the molecular level, EMILIN-1 inhibits pro-oncogenic signaling pathways, such as ERK/AKT and TGF-β, via its selective interaction with α4/α9 integrins. In the tumor microenvironment, it contributes to tissue homeostasis by restraining aberrant lymphatic vessel formation, a process closely linked to tumor dissemination and immune modulation. Notably, EMILIN-1 expression is frequently reduced or its structure altered by proteolytic degradation in advanced cancers, correlating with disease progression and poor prognosis. This review summarizes the current knowledge on EMILIN-1 in cancer, focusing on its dual function as an active extracellular matrix regulator of intercellular signaling. Particular attention is given to its mechanistic role in the control of cell proliferation, underscoring its potential as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target in oncology.