The Role of Tumor Metastases Suppressor Gene, Drg-1, in Breast Cancer
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the US. Because metastatic disease is the major cause of death it is crucial to understand the mechanism by which tumor cells metastasize to the distant organs so that we can identify a better therapeutic target. During this funding period we had a breakthrough finding that the metastasis suppressor gene NDRG1 can directly interact with the Wnt receptor LRP6 and block the Wnt signaling. This inhibition leads to down-regulation of the ATF3 gene and thus suppressing metastases. We also found that a combination of NDRGI, PTEN and ATF3 is a good prognostic marker for breast cancer patients. These results suggest that the Wnt and ATF3 pathways are a potential therapeutic target for patients with metastatic disease. We will focus our next year's effort on further clarification of the NDRG1 pathway.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA492901
Entities
People
- Kounosuke Watabe
Organizations
- Southern Illinois University