Breast Cancer Therapy-Resistance Mechanism Identified
February 1, 2021
Scientists at the University of Turku Bioscience Center in Finland have recently identified that a protein trafficking receptor studied mainly in neurons, plays an essential role in breast cancer metastasis. The research team observed that the Sortilin-related receptor (SorLA) functionally contributes to the most reported therapy-resistant mechanism by which the cell-surface receptor HER3 counteracts HER2 targeting therapy in HER2-positive cancers. Moreover, the Finnish researchers showed that removing SorLA from cancer cells sensitized anti-HER2 resistant breast cancer brain metastasis to targeted therapy. Findings from the new study were published recently in
HER2 protein is a strong driver of tumor growth. HER2 amplification occurs in about 20% of breast cancers and overexpression or amplification of HER2 is also commonly found in bladder and gastric cancers. HER2 targeting therapies, such as Herceptin, are
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IMAGE: SORLA removal sensitizes metastatic breast cancer cells to HER2 targeting therapy. Aggressive metastatic breast cancer cells growing in the brains of fish embryos. The tumors are resistant to anti-HER2 therapy. view more
Credit: Ilkka Paatero from Turku Bioscience
SORLA is a protein trafficking receptor that has been mainly studied in neurons, but it also plays a role in cancer cells. Professor Johanna Ivaska s research group at Turku Bioscience observed that SORLA functionally contributes to the most reported therapy-resistant mechanism by which the cell-surface receptor HER3 counteracts HER2 targeting therapy in HER2-positive cancers. Removing SORLA from cancer cells sensitized anti-HER2 resistant breast cancer brain metastasis to targeted therapy.