# Profilin biology in breast cancer

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2021 · $348,585

## Abstract

Breast cancer the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in women, ranks second among
cancer deaths in women in the United States. The vast majority of these deaths are due to
metastasis. Dysregulated expression and/or activity of actin-regulatory proteins contribute to the
motile phenotype that enables metastatic dissemination of breast cancer cells. The goal of this
study is to gain fundamental mechanistic insights into how profilin1, a major regulator of actin
cytoskeleton, influences cell signaling at the membrane-cytosol interface that are important for
early steps of breast cancer metastasis. We propose two specific aims in the project. In Aim 1,
we will elucidate how profilin1’s binding to cell membrane alters membrane phosphoinositide
dynamics in cells. In aim 2, we will further establish a causal connection between profilin1-
dependent modulation of membrane phosphoinositide signaling and phosphoinositide-directed
pro-migratory signaling axis in regulating metastatic dissemination of breast cancer cells from the
primary tumor. These studies will utilize a comprehensive experimental approach combining high-
resolution live cell imaging of lipid biosensors, imaging of membrane diffusion dynamics of
proteins at the single molecule level, intravital imaging of cancer cell dissemination and clinical
sample analyses. A succesful completion of this study will provide novel mechanisms for breast
cancer dissemination.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10120846
- **Project number:** 1R01CA248873-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** PARTHA ROY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $348,585
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10120846

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10120846, Profilin biology in breast cancer (1R01CA248873-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10120846. Licensed CC0.

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