Researchers at the University of California San Diego announced on March 31 that they have identified a new function for the inflammatory protein TYK2 in regulating how breast cancer spreads. The study found that TYK2 plays a part in mechanotransduction, which is the process by which cells sense and respond to their physical environment. This discovery could help scientists better understand how breast cancer moves from one part of the body to another and may lead to new ways to treat the disease.
The findings are important because they show that drugs targeting TYK2, which are currently being studied as treatments for autoimmune diseases, might also affect breast cancer progression. Researchers say this raises questions about how these drugs could influence patients who have or are at risk for certain types of breast cancer.
According to the study, understanding how TYK2 acts as a suppressor of metastasis could lead to improved therapies for breast cancer. The research also suggests that patients with specific noninvasive forms of breast cancer may face a higher risk of developing invasive disease if treated with TYK2 inhibitors. As a result, experts recommend closer screening for these patients when using such medications.
"Our findings have significant implications for the clinical use of TYK2 inhibitors and underscore the importance of considering the mechanical microenvironment in cancer therapy," said Jing Yang, PhD, corresponding author and professor of pharmacology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Yang is also affiliated with Moores Cancer Center.
The broader impact may include changes in how doctors monitor and treat individuals receiving TYK2 inhibitors, especially those with early-stage or noninvasive forms of breast cancer.
