Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40643553›Full record

ArticleCells2025

Role of Kindlin-2-Expressing Extracellular Vesicles in the Invasiveness of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Tumor Cells.

Neelum Aziz Yousafzai, Mark F Santos, Yeaji Kim, Nofar Avihen Schahaf, Kim Zielke, Lucia Languino, Khalid Sossey-Alaoui, Aurelio Lorico

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cells, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

8 authors.

Neelum Aziz YousafzaiSchool of Medicine, The MetroHealth System, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Mark F SantosCollege of Medicine, Touro University Nevada, Henderson, NV 89014, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6347-8576
Yeaji KimSchool of Medicine, The MetroHealth System, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Nofar Avihen SchahafCollege of Medicine, Touro University Nevada, Henderson, NV 89014, USA.
Kim ZielkeCollege of Medicine, Touro University Nevada, Henderson, NV 89014, USA.
Lucia LanguinoDepartment of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Khalid Sossey-AlaouiSchool of Medicine, The MetroHealth System, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2410-7633
Aurelio LoricoCollege of Medicine, Touro University Nevada, Henderson, NV 89014, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0644-7375

Funding

TNBC in AA WomenR01CA226921 · NCI · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · PI SOSSEY-ALAOUI, KHALID · 2019 to 2023
$2.3M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA226921
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Metastatic breast cancer (BC) is a major cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Its progression is influenced by extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by BC cells, which modulate distant tissue environments to promote metastasis. We previously identified the oncogenic protein Kindlin-2 (K2) as a key driver of BC metastasis, including its role in the nucleus in regulating cell senescence. Here, we investigated whether K2-containing EVs facilitate both autologous (cancer-to-cancer) and heterologous (cancer-to-stroma) communication to promote metastasis. We found that 10-15% of EVs from metastatic BC cells contained K2, while this subpopulation was nearly absent in the EVs from K2-knockout (KO) cells, indicating selective packaging. These EVs transferred K2 to recipient K2-KO cells, where they accumulated in the nucleus. Using a 3D tumorsphere assay, we showed that K2+ EVs enhanced cancer cell invasiveness. Moreover, K2+ EVs activated fibroblasts into a cancer-associated phenotype, increasing α-SMA and FAP expression. Conditioned media from these activated fibroblasts further boosted cancer cell invasion. These results show that EV-associated K2 is actively transferred to recipient cells and regulates metastasis through nuclear signaling, suggesting K2+ EVs are critical mediators of BC progression and potential targets for therapy.

Indexed as

Extracellular VesiclesMembrane ProteinsNeoplasm ProteinsTriple Negative Breast NeoplasmsCell Line, TumorFemaleFibroblastsHumansNeoplasm InvasivenessFERMT3 protein, humanMembrane ProteinsNeoplasm Proteinsbreast cancerexosomesextracellular vesicleskindlinmetastasisnuclear transportnucleus

Identifiers

PMID40643553
PMCPMC12248540

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.