Cancer metastasis can cause higher morbidity than the primary tumor. Hence, researchers target metastasis-inducing proteins like S100A4 to prevent the migration of cancer cells and improve patient survival. In such an effort, researchers established proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) by binding US-10113, an S100A4 inhibitor, with thalidomide to induce proteasomal mechanism in rat and human triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. PROTAC specifically eliminated S100A4 with about 20,000-fold more efficiency than US-10113 at blocking cell migration.
In addition, experimental and spontaneous lung metastases were reduced by injecting PROTAC and mouse TNBC cells into an experimental mouse model with low doses. This study reported that destructive targeting of S100A4 provides the first realistic chemotherapeutic approach to inhibit metastasis selectively. Additionally, by slowing the…
