The most frequent diagnosed cancer in women as well as the leading cause of cancer death is breast cancer, with the worst subtype being triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). While this subtype is the most likely to respond to chemotherapy, TNBC is also the most associated with metastasis to organs such as the brain, lungs, bones, and the liver. Research has found that increased F11R/JAM-A activity in TNBC and the transendothelial migration of the cancer cells, an initial step in metastasis. Researchers at the Medical University of Lodz, Poland began exploring the therapeutic possibilities of how the peptide antagonist of F11R/JAM‑A hinders breast cancer metastasis.

Antagonist Peptide hinders metastasis

LifeTein provided the group with the antagonistic P4D peptide designed, where they would test its effectiveness inhibiting F11R/JAM‑A. When administered in a model, P4D hindered the colony forming ability and proliferation of the TNBC breast cancer cell line. This then reduced the survival of TNBC cells due to the silencing and inhibition of F11R/JAM-A. This evidently hindered the metastasis in the mouse model used, meaning possible clinical trials could await the peptide in the future, or even the starting point of an chemically programmed antibody.

Bednarek, R., Wojkowska, D.W., Braun, M. et al. Triple negative breast cancer metastasis is hindered by a peptide antagonist of F11R/JAM‑A protein. Cancer Cell Int 23, 160 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-023-03023-4