Project information
Investigating the mechanism of action of Trop-2 in cancer metastasis

Cancer is one of the most common diseases worldwide. Treatment of metastatic cancer, which spreads from primary cancer tissues to distant organs, is exceptionally challenging. Identifying molecules on the surface of cancer cells opens the possibility of targeted treatment. One such molecule is Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2, called Trop-2 or TACSTD2. Trop-2 is a transmembrane glycoprotein implicated in tumor progression, and its potential as a treatment target has led to the approval of antibody-drug conjugates for cancer therapy. Although Trop-2's role in metastasis remains unclear, our research has shown that it is regulated by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and is crucial in tumor cell plasticity. Using BioID, we characterized the Trop-2 interactome, revealing interaction partners such as desmoglein 2. Intriguingly, Trop-2 depletion led to a paradoxical reduction in primary tumor size but increased the ability of tumor cells to disseminate. This diploma thesis will investigate the context-dependent role of Trop-2 in metastasis, the paradox of Trop-2 in primary tumor progression and dissemination, and Trop-2 expression in non-tumor cell populations. We aim to elucidate the functional significance of Trop-2 and desmoglein 2 in metastasis and identify signaling pathways responsible for Trop-2-dependent paradox in metastasis.