{"title":"The WASP/WAVE Protein Family in Breast Cancer and Their Role in the Metastatic Cascade.","authors":"Rhiannon Yannan Yu, Wen G Jiang, Tracey A Martin","doi":"10.21873/cgp.20495","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) and the WASP family verprolin-homologous protein (WAVE) family are essential molecules that connect GTPases to the actin cytoskeleton, thereby controlling actin polymerisation through the actin-related protein 2/3 complex. This control is crucial for forming actin-based membrane protrusions necessary for cell migration and invasion. The elevated expression of WASP/WAVE proteins in invasive breast cancer cells highlights their significant role in promoting cell motility and invasion. This review summarises the discovery, structural properties, and activation mechanisms of WASP/WAVE proteins, focuses on the contribution of the WASP/WAVE family to breast cancer invasion and migration, particularly synthesises the results of nearly a decade of research in this field since 2015. By exploring promising therapeutic strategies for breast cancer, including small molecule inhibitors and biological agents, this review stresses the potential for developing anticancer drugs that target the WASP/WAVE family and associated pathways, intending to improve the prognosis for patients with metastatic breast cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":9516,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"22 2","pages":"166-187"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11880927/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cancer Genomics & Proteomics","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.21873/cgp.20495","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GENETICS & HEREDITY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) and the WASP family verprolin-homologous protein (WAVE) family are essential molecules that connect GTPases to the actin cytoskeleton, thereby controlling actin polymerisation through the actin-related protein 2/3 complex. This control is crucial for forming actin-based membrane protrusions necessary for cell migration and invasion. The elevated expression of WASP/WAVE proteins in invasive breast cancer cells highlights their significant role in promoting cell motility and invasion. This review summarises the discovery, structural properties, and activation mechanisms of WASP/WAVE proteins, focuses on the contribution of the WASP/WAVE family to breast cancer invasion and migration, particularly synthesises the results of nearly a decade of research in this field since 2015. By exploring promising therapeutic strategies for breast cancer, including small molecule inhibitors and biological agents, this review stresses the potential for developing anticancer drugs that target the WASP/WAVE family and associated pathways, intending to improve the prognosis for patients with metastatic breast cancer.
期刊介绍:
Cancer Genomics & Proteomics (CGP) is an international peer-reviewed journal designed to publish rapidly high quality articles and reviews on the application of genomic and proteomic technology to basic, experimental and clinical cancer research. In this site you may find information concerning the editorial board, editorial policy, issue contents, subscriptions, submission of manuscripts and advertising. The first issue of CGP circulated in January 2004.
Cancer Genomics & Proteomics is a journal of the International Institute of Anticancer Research. From January 2013 CGP is converted to an online-only open access journal.
Cancer Genomics & Proteomics supports (a) the aims and the research projects of the INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ANTICANCER RESEARCH and (b) the organization of the INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES OF ANTICANCER RESEARCH.