Editor's Note: The 47th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) will be held from December 10 to 13, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas, USA. As the largest and most influential breast cancer-focused academic meeting globally, the conference will unveil a series of groundbreaking research findings. A study conducted by Dr. Hui Xie and her team from The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University (Jiangsu Province Hospital)was selected for poster presentation (Abstract No: P3-01-19). The research employs proteomics to explore the degradomic characteristics of mammary tumor-adjacent adipocytes, revealing that the peptide MASP6 promotes breast cancer invasion and metastasis and may serve as a personalized biomarker and therapeutic target. This article provides an overview of the study.

• Research Title：Proteomics-Based Degradome Analysis of Mammary Tumor-Adjacent Adipocytes Reveals Adipocyte-Derived Peptide MASP6 Facilitates Breast Cancer Progression

Dr. Hui Xie：Small peptides possess unique biological activities distinct from full-length proteins and can regulate various physiological and pathological processes, such as tumor progression, immune response, and neural regulation. These peptides carry substantial cancer-specific information. Additionally, small peptides exhibit significant therapeutic potential due to their high tissue specificity, low toxicity, blood-brain barrier permeability, and low risk of drug resistance.

However, studies on the secretion patterns of adipocyte-derived peptides in mammary tissues and their effects on breast cancer cells remain limited. This research highlights that peptides derived from tumor-adjacent adipocytes can induce malignant phenotypes in breast cancer cells, forming a critical component of the molecular interaction network within the tumor microenvironment.

Given the unique advantages of peptide-based drugs—such as low molecular weight, high stability, lipophilicity, and ease of modification—MASP6 has significant potential as a personalized biomarker and therapeutic target for breast cancer, offering valuable development prospects and clinical benefits.

Dr. Hui Xie

• Chief Physician, Professor, PhD Supervisor
• Deputy Director and Ward Chief, Breast Surgery Department, Jiangsu Province Hospital
• Second-Tier Talent, Jiangsu Provincial 333 High-Level Talent Program
• Talent of the Jiangsu “Six Talent Peaks” Project
• Key Talent in Maternal and Child Health, Jiangsu Province
• Standing Member, Breast Disease Committee, China Association for Health Promotion and Education
• Standing Member, Breast Cancer Committee, China Primary Health Care Foundation
• Chair, Breast Committee, Jiangsu Association of Integrative Medicine
• Chair, Breast Microinvasive Committee, Jiangsu Social Medical Institutions Association
• Vice-Chair, Breast Cancer Expert Committee, Jiangsu Tumor Quality Control Center
• Visiting Scholar, MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Training Experience: Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Harvard Medical School), Asan Medical Center (South Korea)
• Principal Investigator for 3 National Natural Science Foundation projects and multiple provincial-level grants
• Recipient of Jiangsu Science and Technology Progress First Prize