Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41867776›Full record

ArticlebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2026

Membrane Curvature Activates Src kinase and Promotes Metastatic Cancer Cell Survival.

Wei Zhang, He You, Xinzhi Zou, Chih-Hao Lu, Xingyuan Zhang, Anna Amine, Zeinab Jahed, Michael Z Lin, Bianxiao Cui

Abstract readPreprint
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

9 authors.

Wei ZhangDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
He YouDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Xinzhi ZouDepartment of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Chih-Hao LuDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Xingyuan ZhangDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Anna AmineDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Zeinab JahedDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Michael Z LinDepartment of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Bianxiao CuiDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8044-5629

Funding

Targeting cancer metastasis by inhibiting curvature-induced kinase activationR01CA311218 · NCI · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI Bianxiao Cui · 2025 to 2026
$2.0M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA311218
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Src family kinases (SFKs) play key roles in cancer metastasis. While SFKs are classically regulated by cell adhesions and transmembrane receptors, how they become activated following tumor cell detachment remains unclear. Here, we report curvature-induced kinase activation (CIKA), a distinct mechanism through which plasma membrane curvature directly promotes Src activation. Mechanistically, membrane curvature promotes the oligomerization of TOCA-family curvature-sensing proteins, inducing local biomolecular condensation. These condensates recruit Src, stabilize its open conformation, and exclude the negative regulator Csk, converting curved membrane domains into discrete kinase activation hubs. Disruption of CIKA using TOCA mutants inhibits curvature-induced Src activation and selectively impairs the viability of detached but not adherent cells. Functionally, curvature-induced Src activation promotes anchorage-independent survival, and its disruption suppresses metastatic colonization in xenograft mouse models. These findings reveal membrane curvature as a biophysical activator of Src and suggest CIKA inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy to target metastatic cancer cells.

Identifiers

PMID41867776
PMCPMC13001394

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.