New Cellular Communication Mechanism Identified as Major Driver of Aggressive Breast Cancer Growth and Metastasis

Åbo Akademi University researchers discover a new mechanism where Jagged1 protein reshapes tumor tissue to drive breast cancer growth and metastasis.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 2:33 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Åbo Akademi University

The Discovery of a Pathological Communication Highway

A research group led by Professor Cecilia Sahlgren at Åbo Akademi University has identified a previously unknown mechanism that directs the adverse remodeling of tumor tissue during breast cancer progression. The discovery, published in the journal Science Advances, centers on how cancer cells communicate with surrounding healthy cells to reshape their environment. While early-stage breast cancer often carries a positive prognosis, the transition to metastatic disease remains a primary cause of mortality. This study suggests that the ability of cancer cells to cooperate with their surroundings is a decisive factor in whether a tumor remains localized or becomes aggressively invasive.

The Role of Jagged1 in Hormone Receptor Negative Cancer

The research focuses on a specific protein called Jagged1, which previous studies had noted was highly expressed in aggressive, hormone receptor-negative breast cancers. Until now, the exact functional role of Jagged1 in the progression of the disease remained a mystery. Doctoral researcher Marjaana Parikainen explains that the team has now confirmed that Jagged1 actively increases tumor growth and significantly worsens survival outcomes. By utilizing data from breast cancer patients and advanced cancer model systems, the researchers were able to map how this protein serves as a primary signal for tissue destruction.

Activation of Fibroblasts and Extracellular Matrix Remodeling

The study reveals that when breast cancer cells express Jagged1 on their surface, they trigger a response in nearby fibroblasts, the cells responsible for maintaining the structural network of the body known as the extracellular matrix. These Jagged1-activated fibroblasts begin to overproduce collagen and other structural molecules. More importantly, these fibroblasts modify the architecture of the matrix, creating highly aligned fibers. These straightened fibers act as a physical highway, providing a clear path for cancer cells to migrate away from the primary tumor and begin the process of metastasis.