GRB2 promotes brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway

Abstract Brain metastasis is emerging as the most serious concern for breast cancer patients. HER2-positive breast cancer is more prone to undergo brain metastasis than other subtypes; notably, there has been little improvement in the treatment of brain metastasis .Our study confirmed the relevance...

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Main Authors: Hongyu Li, Yalin Zhang, Xiao Han, Bingyu Li, Dan Liu, Gang Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99685-3
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author Hongyu Li
Yalin Zhang
Xiao Han
Bingyu Li
Dan Liu
Gang Sun
author_facet Hongyu Li
Yalin Zhang
Xiao Han
Bingyu Li
Dan Liu
Gang Sun
author_sort Hongyu Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Brain metastasis is emerging as the most serious concern for breast cancer patients. HER2-positive breast cancer is more prone to undergo brain metastasis than other subtypes; notably, there has been little improvement in the treatment of brain metastasis .Our study confirmed the relevance of HER2 status to brain metastasis risk via clinical data analysis and revealed that exerts GRB2 tumorigenic effects by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway in vivo and in vitro. Both an in situ injection model and a direct cerebral injection model were used to explore the ability of GRB2 to promote the brain metastasis. Results indicated that HER2- positive is a risk factor for brain metastasis according to clinical data. GRB2 enhances proliferation, migration, and invasion while suppressing apoptosis in HER2-positive breast cancer cells in vitro, primarily by regulating phosphorylation and alternative splicing of key proteins within the Ras/MAPK pathway. Notably, tumor cells were able to cross the blood‒brain barrier in both models assessed in this study. Thus, GRB2 is an oncogenic factor that contributes to the malignancy of HER2-positive breast cancer, GRB2 and HER2 can synergistically promote tumor cell penetration of the blood‒brain barrier and induce metastasis.
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spelling doaj-art-7bc8070fcb0841b0bfe5d36c8d01044e2025-08-20T01:48:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-99685-3GRB2 promotes brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathwayHongyu Li0Yalin Zhang1Xiao Han2Bingyu Li3Dan Liu4Gang Sun5Department of Breast Internal Medicine, Xinjiang Medical University Affiliated Tumor HospitalDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Xinjiang Medical University Affiliated Tumor HospitalDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Xinjiang Medical University Affiliated Tumor HospitalDepartment of Breast Internal Medicine, Xinjiang Medical University Affiliated Tumor HospitalDepartment of Breast Internal Medicine, Xinjiang Medical University Affiliated Tumor HospitalKey Laboratory of Oncology of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous RegionAbstract Brain metastasis is emerging as the most serious concern for breast cancer patients. HER2-positive breast cancer is more prone to undergo brain metastasis than other subtypes; notably, there has been little improvement in the treatment of brain metastasis .Our study confirmed the relevance of HER2 status to brain metastasis risk via clinical data analysis and revealed that exerts GRB2 tumorigenic effects by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway in vivo and in vitro. Both an in situ injection model and a direct cerebral injection model were used to explore the ability of GRB2 to promote the brain metastasis. Results indicated that HER2- positive is a risk factor for brain metastasis according to clinical data. GRB2 enhances proliferation, migration, and invasion while suppressing apoptosis in HER2-positive breast cancer cells in vitro, primarily by regulating phosphorylation and alternative splicing of key proteins within the Ras/MAPK pathway. Notably, tumor cells were able to cross the blood‒brain barrier in both models assessed in this study. Thus, GRB2 is an oncogenic factor that contributes to the malignancy of HER2-positive breast cancer, GRB2 and HER2 can synergistically promote tumor cell penetration of the blood‒brain barrier and induce metastasis.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99685-3HER2-positive breast cancerGRB2Ras/MAPK pathwayBrain metastasis
spellingShingle Hongyu Li
Yalin Zhang
Xiao Han
Bingyu Li
Dan Liu
Gang Sun
GRB2 promotes brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway
Scientific Reports
HER2-positive breast cancer
GRB2
Ras/MAPK pathway
Brain metastasis
title GRB2 promotes brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway
title_full GRB2 promotes brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway
title_fullStr GRB2 promotes brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway
title_full_unstemmed GRB2 promotes brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway
title_short GRB2 promotes brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer by regulating the Ras/MAPK pathway
title_sort grb2 promotes brain metastasis in her2 positive breast cancer by regulating the ras mapk pathway
topic HER2-positive breast cancer
GRB2
Ras/MAPK pathway
Brain metastasis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99685-3
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