Cancer Cells Mimic White Blood Cells to Metastasize: NHRI Deciphers Target-Driving Protein
A National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) team discovered that cancer cells mimic white blood cells, moving like amoebas to enter and exit blood vessels and metastasize to distant tissues. This process is driven by the overexpression of the transmembrane protein MYADM, which is significantly correlated with high recurrence rates and low patient survival in various cancers. The team has developed preliminary monoclonal antibodies and proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), and confirmed that blocking MYADM significantly reduces cancer cell dissemination, offering a new potential target for cancer therapy.
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- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 16:21
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Taipei, April 13 (CNA) 90% of cancer patients die from cancer cell metastasis. A National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) team has discovered that cancer cells mimic white blood cells, crawling like amoebas to enter and exit blood vessels to metastasize to distant tissues. The key lies in the overexpression of the transmembrane protein MYADM. This research result has been published in an international journal.
The NHRI held a press conference today to announce the research findings, explaining that it is the first time MYADM expression has been found to be related to cancer malignancy in human cells. They also stated that they have preliminarily developed monoclonal antibodies and proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), hoping to become new tools for cancer treatment.
NHRI President Shih-Hsiang Tu explained that cancer cells are very cunning, adept at disguise and metastasis; and 90% of cancer patient deaths are caused by metastasis. Therefore, it is necessary to find more precise factors and better methods to provide better medical care.
Dr. Dai-Lung Cha, corresponding author of this study and distinguished investigator and director of the NHRI's National Institute of Cancer Research, explained that when the body is inflamed, white blood cells migrate in an amoeba-like manner, forming spherical protrusions on the cell membrane to adapt to complex and dense tissue environments and move efficiently.
Dr. Cha said that it has long been known that the process of cancer cells migrating from the primary site into the blood and lymphatic systems to distant sites such such as bones is similar to the movement of white blood cells. Cancer cells deform and crawl within small blood vessels, and at locations where blood vessels are defective, they extend pseudopods to enter distant tissues. However, the academic community has not understood why cancer cells behave this way.
Dr. Cha and Assistant Professor Yi-Ta Tsai's research team from the Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, found that the expression of leukocyte migration-associated genes (LTAG) in cancer cells is related to their malignancy. They defined an "LTAG score" based on this and analyzed 1400 related regulatory genes, finding that 14 of them were related to the LTAG score, with MYADM being the gene with the highest predictive power. The more the transmembrane protein generated by this gene is expressed, the significantly lower the patient's survival rate.
Dr. Cha explained that this study confirmed that high expression of MYADM is significantly correlated with high postoperative recurrence rates and low patient survival in various cancers, including breast cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer, and lymphoma, making cancer cells "gain help from Satan."
The research team also used various mouse models to confirm that blocking MYADM protein expression can significantly reduce the metastatic ability of cancer cells and may trigger cancer cell apoptosis signals, indicating potential for drug development.
The team also analyzed that overexpressed MYADM protein promotes the release and activation of RhoA protein, which drives the formation of cell membrane protrusions and allows cancer cells to survive longer in the circulatory system, increasing the chance of successful metastasis.
Dr. Cha explained that some pharmaceutical companies are already developing cancer drugs such as RhoA inhibitors, but they lack biomarkers to predict applicability. This research result also shows that MYADM is expected to become a usable biomarker for related drugs.
This research result was published last year in "Cancer Research," a prestigious journal under the American Association for Cancer Research. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150413
The NHRI held a press conference today to announce the research findings, explaining that it is the first time MYADM expression has been found to be related to cancer malignancy in human cells. They also stated that they have preliminarily developed monoclonal antibodies and proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), hoping to become new tools for cancer treatment.
NHRI President Shih-Hsiang Tu explained that cancer cells are very cunning, adept at disguise and metastasis; and 90% of cancer patient deaths are caused by metastasis. Therefore, it is necessary to find more precise factors and better methods to provide better medical care.
Dr. Dai-Lung Cha, corresponding author of this study and distinguished investigator and director of the NHRI's National Institute of Cancer Research, explained that when the body is inflamed, white blood cells migrate in an amoeba-like manner, forming spherical protrusions on the cell membrane to adapt to complex and dense tissue environments and move efficiently.
Dr. Cha said that it has long been known that the process of cancer cells migrating from the primary site into the blood and lymphatic systems to distant sites such such as bones is similar to the movement of white blood cells. Cancer cells deform and crawl within small blood vessels, and at locations where blood vessels are defective, they extend pseudopods to enter distant tissues. However, the academic community has not understood why cancer cells behave this way.
Dr. Cha and Assistant Professor Yi-Ta Tsai's research team from the Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, found that the expression of leukocyte migration-associated genes (LTAG) in cancer cells is related to their malignancy. They defined an "LTAG score" based on this and analyzed 1400 related regulatory genes, finding that 14 of them were related to the LTAG score, with MYADM being the gene with the highest predictive power. The more the transmembrane protein generated by this gene is expressed, the significantly lower the patient's survival rate.
Dr. Cha explained that this study confirmed that high expression of MYADM is significantly correlated with high postoperative recurrence rates and low patient survival in various cancers, including breast cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer, and lymphoma, making cancer cells "gain help from Satan."
The research team also used various mouse models to confirm that blocking MYADM protein expression can significantly reduce the metastatic ability of cancer cells and may trigger cancer cell apoptosis signals, indicating potential for drug development.
The team also analyzed that overexpressed MYADM protein promotes the release and activation of RhoA protein, which drives the formation of cell membrane protrusions and allows cancer cells to survive longer in the circulatory system, increasing the chance of successful metastasis.
Dr. Cha explained that some pharmaceutical companies are already developing cancer drugs such as RhoA inhibitors, but they lack biomarkers to predict applicability. This research result also shows that MYADM is expected to become a usable biomarker for related drugs.
This research result was published last year in "Cancer Research," a prestigious journal under the American Association for Cancer Research. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150413