# SLX4IP and a novel regulatory network in breast cancer metastasis and dormancy

> **NIH NIH F30** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $32,860

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
In spite of significant clinical advancement, breast cancer (BC) continues to be a leading cause of global
cancer mortality. In almost all cases, this is attributable not to progression of the primary tumor, but rather to
the development of secondary malignancies in distant organs, a process termed metastasis. Indeed, one-third
of BC patients will develop metastatic disease, and over 90 percent of BC-related deaths are attributable to
metastasis. Confounding the development of treatments for metastasis is the ability of disseminated tumor
cells (DTCs) to acquire a dormant phenotype within metastatic niches. To date, few specific regulators of
dormancy have been identified, and no targeted therapies exist to treat metastasis. Moreover, dormant DTCs
may be resistant to systemic chemotherapies, which are the current standards of care for metastatic BC,
because these cells persist in a quiescent state. The proposed study will rigorously interrogate the function of
SLX4IP, a novel regulator of metastatic dormancy, at the intersection of multiple pathways implicated in tumor
progression, including telomere length homeostasis and the transduction of growth-promoting signals in the
metastatic niche. To accomplish this goal, this study will incorporate a diverse array of biochemical, molecular,
genetic, and pharmacologic techniques, including, but not limited to: protein-protein interaction mapping;
quantitative fluorescence microscopy; and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in in vitro and in vivo models of BC
dormancy. Additionally, this study will assess the clinical utility of SLX4IP as a prognostic biomarker for
metastatic BC. These experiments will provide crucial insights into the mechanisms underlying BC dormancy,
thereby establishing a foundation for the development and clinical implementation of therapies that improve
survival and long-term outcomes for BC patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9861225
- **Project number:** 5F30CA213892-04
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Nathaniel James Robinson
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $32,860
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-03-01 → 2020-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9861225

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9861225, SLX4IP and a novel regulatory network in breast cancer metastasis and dormancy (5F30CA213892-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9861225. Licensed CC0.

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