Targeting Common but Complex Proteoglycans on Breast Cancer Cells and Stem Cells Using Evolutionary Refined Malaria Proteins

Abstract : In the past year of the project we have successfully produced recombinant VAR2CSA that binds with high affinity and high specificity to breast cancer cells and breast cancer tissue biopsies. We have demonstrated that the protein binds to distinct secondary modified proteoglycans exclusively present on breast cancer cells and that targeting these with recombinant VAR2CSA interferes with key functions of the cancer cell like growth, migration and invasion.