Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model
Published on: March 20, 2020
Ezrin promotes breast cancer progression by modulating AKT signals
Nan Li1, Jienan Kong2, Zhenhua Lin1,3
1Department of Pathology and Cancer Research Center, Yanbian University Medical College, Yanji, 133002, China.
Background:
Ezrin, which is known as a cytoskeleton linker protein, is closely linked with the metastatic progression of cancer and is frequently abnormally expressed in aggressive cancer types. However, the possible involvement of Ezrin in metastasis and angiogenesis in breast cancer remains unclear.
Methods:
Immunohistochemical analysis of Ezrin was performed on both BC samples (n = 117) and normal epithelium samples (n = 47). In vivo and in vitro assays were performed to validate the effect of Ezrin on AKT pathway-mediated BC progression.
Results:
In this study, Ezrin was found to be upregulated in BC tissues, which was linked with aggressive tumour characteristics and poor prognosis. Moreover, we showed that Ezrin promotes BC proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic analysis showed that Ezrin interacted with AKT, and promoted its kinase activity, thereby regulating the AKT pathway in BC.
Conclusions:
In all, we propose a model for an Ezrin/AKT oncoprotein axis, which provides novel insight into how Ezrin contributes to BC progression.
Related Concept Videos
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
The Eukaryotic Promoter Region
The Eukaryotic Promoter Region
Yeast Signaling
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...

