MLK4 regulates macrophage-induced gene expression changes associated with extracellular matrix remodeling, cell adhesion, and invasion

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are key mediators of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression, yet the molecular mechanisms by which they promote malignancy remain incompletely defined. To gain insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in macrophage-driven induction of breast cancer proliferation and the role of MLK4 signaling, we performed expression profiling using mRNA-seq. Our result highlights MLK4’s role in promoting EMT and ECM reorganization during the cross-talk between cancer cells and macrophages. We analyzed SUM149PT cells with and without MLK4 silencing, under co-culture conditions with THP-1-derived M2 macrophages.