Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40192514›Full record

ArticleAdvanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)2025

PCSK9 Promotes the Malignancy of Triple-negative Breast Cancer Cells by Reducing Cholesterol Levels at the Plasma Membrane to Activate EGFR and HER3.

Tianhong Li, Renfei Wu, Kathy Qian Luo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  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

3 authors.

Tianhong LiDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2181-1782
Renfei WuDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China.
Kathy Qian LuoDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7454-9547

Funding

Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Centre for Precision Oncology SP2021-00001-FSCPOMinistry of Education Frontiers Science Centre for Precision Oncology SP2023-00001-FSCPOScience and Technology Development Fund (FDCT), Macao S.A.R, China 0004/2021/AKPScience and Technology Development Fund (FDCT), Macao S.A.R, China 0147/2020/A3
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous and clinically aggressive disease with the highest mortality rate among all subtypes of breast cancer. To discover new driver genes for metastatic TNBC, this work compares the transcription profiles of MDA-MB-231-GFP cells and 231-GFP-derived lung metastatic cells (4-11). Results reveal that proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is highly upregulated in 4-11 cells. Knockdown of PCSK9 greatly decreases the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of 4-11 cells, whereas overexpression of PCSK9 significantly enhances tumor maliganancy. Mechanistically, the binding of PCSK9 to the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) results in decreased LDLR at the plasma membrane, which further decreases cholesterol and lipid raft in the plasma membrane and activates human epidermal growth factor receptor 1 and 3 (EGFR and HER3). Subsequently, phosphorylated EGFR and HER3 activate the Src/ERK/c-Jun to increase the levels of cyclin D3 and vimentin and thereby enhance cell growth and metastasis. Metadata analyses also reveal that TNBC patients with high PCSK9 expression exhibited worse clinical outcomes. Taken together, these findings not only reveal a novel mechanism by which PCSK9 promotes the malignant potential of TNBC but also indicate that PCSK9 is a potential therapeutic target for treating TNBC patients.

Indexed as

Cell MembraneCholesterolErbB ReceptorsProprotein Convertase 9Receptor, ErbB-3Triple Negative Breast NeoplasmsAnimalsCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMiceCholesterolEGFR protein, humanERBB3 protein, humanErbB ReceptorsPCSK9 protein, humanProprotein Convertase 9Receptor, ErbB-3EGFRlipid raftPCSK9proliferation and metastasistriple‐negative breast cancer

Identifiers

PMID40192514
PMCPMC12120737

What Socratic holds

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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 Socratic graph.