Inhibition of primary breast tumor growth and metastasis using a neuropilin-1 transmembrane domain interfering peptide

Abstract

The transmembrane domains (TMD) in membrane receptors play a key role in cell signaling. As previously shown by us a peptide targeting the TMD of neuropilin-1 (MTP-NRP1), blocks cell proliferation, cell migration and angiogenesis in vitro, and decreases glioblastoma growth in vivo. We now explored the clinical potential of MTPNRP1 on breast cancer models and demonstrate that MTP-NRP1 blocks proliferation of several breast cancer lines including the MDA-MB-231, a triple negative human breast cancer cell line. In models with long term in vivo administration of the peptide, MTPNRP1 not only reduced tumor volume but also decreased number and size of breast cancer metastases. Strikingly, treating mice before tumors developed protected from metastasis establishment/formation. Overall, our results report that targeting the TMD of NRP1 in breast cancer is a potent new strategy to fight against breast cancer and related metastasis.