Unlocking the Therapeutic Potential of Integrin-Linked Kinase Inhibitors in Bioengineered 3D Breast Tumor Stroma Models.

ABSTRACT: The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in breast cancer progression and metastasis, and the efficacy of targeted therapies is influenced by the heterogeneous nature of the TME. Interactions between breast cancer cells and their surrounding stromal cells modulate proliferation, invasion, and survival pathways, often via integrin-mediated mechanotransduction and growth factor signaling. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that has been widely established as a critical driver of breast cancer progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Its expression is frequently upregulated in breast cancer tumors and correlates with poor prognosis. Given that ILK activity is highly dependent on cell-matrix interactions that are only recapitulated in 3D

SUBMITTER: Rafik ST 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12805930 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature