Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40021642›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Structure-based discovery of hydrocarbon-stapled paxillin peptides that block FAK scaffolding in cancer.

Lauren Reyes, Lena Naser, Warren S Weiner, Darren Thifault, Erik Stahl, Liam McCreary, Rohini Nott, Colton Quick, Alex Buchberger, Carlos Alvarado and 11 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Mechanobiology and Resolution of Lung Fibrosis.Annual review of physiology · 2026
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Lauren Reyes *University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Lena Naser *University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Warren S Weiner *University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Darren Thifault *School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85284, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9710-1307
Erik StahlUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Liam McCrearyUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-3011-8475
Rohini NottUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Colton QuickFAKnostics, LLC, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Alex BuchbergerSchool of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85284, USA.
Carlos AlvaradoUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Andrew RiveraUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Joseph A MillerUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Ruchi KhatiwalaUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Brian R CherryThe Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
Ronald NelsonUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4245-0432
Jose M Martin-GarciaCrystallography & Structural Biology, Institute of Physical Chemistry Blas Cabrera, Madrid, 28006, Spain.
Nicholas StephanopoulosSchool of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85284, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7859-410X
Raimund FrommeSchool of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85284, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4835-1080
Petra FrommeSchool of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85284, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0953-4909
William CanceUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
Timothy MarloweUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA. tmarlowe@arizona.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9383-9803

Funding

VITAMIN AP30CA023074 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · PI Dan Theodorescu · 1985 to 2026
$110.2M
Chemical synthesis of G protein-coupled receptors using sequential DNA-templated reactionsDP2GM132931 · NIGMS · ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS · PI STEPHANOPOULOS, NICHOLAS · 2018 to 2018
$2.2M
Development of Non-Catalytic Peptide Inhibitors of Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) for Use in MelanomaR42CA240124 · NCI · FAKNOSTICS, LLC · PI MARLOWE, TIMOTHY A · 2021 to 2023
$2.0M
Focal Adhesion Kinase - Tumor Biology and TherapeuticsR37CA065910 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · PI Timothy A Marlowe · 2022 to 2026
$1.6M
Discovery of Novel Peptidic Inhibitors of the Non-Catalytic Function of Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK)R41CA240124 · NCI · FAKNOSTICS, LLC · PI CANCE, WILLIAM G, MARLOWE, TIMOTHY A · 2019 to 2019
$290k
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA023074NCI NIH HHS R37 CA065910NCI NIH HHS R41 CA240124NCI NIH HHS R42 CA240124NIGMS NIH HHS DP2 GM132931U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) P30CA023074U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) R37CA065910U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) R41CA240124U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) R42CA240124
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) scaffold provides FAK-targeted cancer therapeutics with greater efficacy and specificity than traditional kinase inhibitors. The FAK scaffold function largely involves the interaction between FAK's focal adhesion targeting (FAT) domain and paxillin, ultimately regulating many hallmarks of cancer. We report the design of paxillin LD-motif mimetics that successfully inhibit the FAT-paxillin interaction. Chemical and biochemical screening identifies stapled peptide 1907, a high affinity binder of the FAT four-helix bundle with ~100-fold greater binding affinity than the native LD2-sequence. The X-ray co-crystal structure of the FAT-1907 complex is solved. Myristoylated 1907-analog, peptide 2012, delocalizes FAK from focal adhesions, induces cancer cell apoptosis, reduces in vitro viability and invasion, and decreases tumor burden in B16F10 melanoma female mice. Enzymatic FAK inhibition produces no comparable effects. Herein, we describe a biologically potent therapeutic strategy to target the FAK-paxillin complex, a previously deemed undruggable protein-protein interaction.

Indexed as

Focal Adhesion Kinase 1Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine KinasesPaxillinPeptidesAnimalsAntineoplastic AgentsApoptosisCell Line, TumorCrystallography, X-RayFemaleFocal AdhesionsHumansHydrocarbonsMelanoma, ExperimentalMiceMice, Inbred C57BLAntineoplastic AgentsFocal Adhesion Kinase 1Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine KinasesHydrocarbonsPaxillinPeptidesProtein Kinase InhibitorsPTK2 protein, human

Identifiers

PMID40021642
PMCPMC11871066

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.