Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Establishment of a Clinic-based Biorepository
07:50

Establishment of a Clinic-based Biorepository

Published on: May 29, 2017

p63, Sharp1, and HIFs: master regulators of metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer

Stefano Piccolo1, Elena Enzo, Marco Montagner

  • 1Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.

Cancer Research
|August 6, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Sharp1 protein suppresses metastasis in aggressive triple-negative breast cancers by degrading hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF), thus reducing malignant cell activity and improving patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Metastasis is a primary driver of cancer mortality.
  • Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with limited treatment options.
  • The molecular mechanisms underlying TNBC metastasis are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Sharp1 in suppressing metastasis of aggressive triple-negative breast cancers.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which Sharp1 affects hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) and malignant cell behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized molecular biology techniques to study Sharp1 function in TNBC models.
  • Investigated the interaction between Sharp1 and hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF).
  • Assessed the impact of Sharp1 on cancer cell behavior and metastatic potential.

Main Results:

  • Sharp1 was identified as a suppressor of metastasis in aggressive TNBC.
  • Sharp1 promotes the degradation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF).
  • Blunting HIF activity by Sharp1 reduces malignant cell behavior associated with metastasis.

Conclusions:

  • Sharp1 plays a critical role in inhibiting metastasis in aggressive TNBC.
  • Targeting the Sharp1-HIF pathway may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for TNBC.
  • Further research into Sharp1 function could lead to improved treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

More Related Videos

Three-Dimensional (3D) Tumor Spheroid Invasion Assay12:19

Three-Dimensional (3D) Tumor Spheroid Invasion Assay

Published on: May 1, 2015

The Use of Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells in an In Vitro Invasion Assay as a Measure of Oncogenic Cell Behavior08:12

The Use of Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells in an In Vitro Invasion Assay as a Measure of Oncogenic Cell Behavior

Published on: June 12, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
Metastasis02:30

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply01:24

Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply

Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits.  Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl hydroxylase and factor...