Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein (PTHrP): An Emerging Target in Cancer Progression and Metastasis

PTHrP was first discovered as the most common mediator of malignancy-associated hypercalcemia. Subsequently, the discovery of its ubiquitous expression in normal tissues unraveled its role as a physiological autocrine/paracrine regulator. The significance of PTHrP in cancer is not confined to malignancy-associated hypercalcemia, and sufficient evidence now also supports its role in skeletal metastasis through its modulation of bone turnover. Furthermore, our own studies have recently shown the critical role of PTHrP in breast cancer initiation, growth, and metastasis. More recently, we have provided new evidence that overexpression of PTHrP is associated with higher incidence of brain metastasis and decreased overall survival in triple-negative breast cancer patients. Further mechanistic studies in human and mouse model are necessary to fully understand the role of PTHrP in tumor progression and metastasis.