DLL1 protein

Over 70% of breast cancers (BC) are estrogen receptor-positive (ER+). The Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (DLL1) is a key player in ER+ BCs development and aggressiveness and its overexpression are associated with poor prognosis. In this study, Portuguese researchers developed a novel anti-DLL1 antibody that inhibited tumor growth and liver metastases in a xenograft mouse model. The data suggests that anti-DLL1 immunotherapy can be a promising strategy for ER+ BC treatment.

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Mais de 70% dos cancros da mama são positivos para o recetor de estrogénio (ER+ BC). A expressão elevada da proteína DLL1 nestes tumores está associada a maior agressividade e por conseguinte a pior prognóstico. Neste estudo, investigadores portugueses desenvolveram um anticorpo capaz de impedir a formação de metástases hepáticas em modelos animais xenotransplantados. Este estudo sugere a inibição da proteína DLL1 como uma nova abordagem no tratamento de cancros da mama positivos para o recetor de estrogénio.

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Downregulation of DLL1 protein (a ligand of the Notch signaling pathway) decreases the carcinogenic properties of cancer cells from various human breast cancer subtypes in different manners. This study, developed by scientists from iBET, contributes to the knowledge of the mechanisms involved in the pathobiology of breast cancer and to the development of new therapies to target this disease.

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