Targeting matriptase in breast cancer abrogates tumour progression via impairment of stromal-epithelial growth factor signalling.

ABSTRACT: Matriptase is an epithelia-specific membrane-anchored serine protease that has received considerable attention in recent years because of its consistent dysregulation in human epithelial tumours, including breast cancer. Mice with reduced levels of matriptase display a significant delay in oncogene-induced mammary tumour formation and blunted tumour growth. The abated tumour growth is associated with a decrease in cancer cell proliferation. Here we demonstrate by genetic deletion and silencing that the proliferation impairment in matriptase-deficient breast cancer cells is caused by their inability to initiate activation of the c-Met signalling pathway in response to fibroblast-secreted pro-HGF. Similarly, inhibition of matriptase catalytic activity using a selective small-molecule inhibit

SUBMITTER: Zoratti GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4749267 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature