RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Sortilin-related receptor is a druggable therapeutic target in breast cancer JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2021.03.09.434556 DO 10.1101/2021.03.09.434556 A1 Hussein Al-Akhrass A1 Mika Pietilä A1 Johanna Lilja A1 Ella-Maria Vesilahti A1 Johanna M. Anttila A1 Heidi M. Haikala A1 Pauliina M. Munne A1 Juha Klefström A1 Emilia Peuhu A1 Johanna Ivaska YR 2021 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/03/09/2021.03.09.434556.abstract AB In breast cancer, the currently approved anti-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-2 (HER2) therapies do not fully meet the expected clinical goals due to therapy resistance. Identifying alternative HER2-related therapeutic targets could offer means to overcome these resistance mechanisms. We have previously demonstrated that an endosomal sorting protein, sortilin-related receptor (SorLA), regulates the traffic and signaling of HER2 and HER3, thus promoting resistance to HER2-targeted therapy in breast cancer. This study aims to assess the feasibility of targeting SorLA using a monoclonal antibody. Our results demonstrate that anti-SorLA antibody (SorLA ab) alters the resistance of breast cancer cells to HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab in vitro and in ovo. We found that SorLA ab and trastuzumab combination therapy also inhibits tumor cell proliferation and tumor cellularity in a mouse xenograft model of HER2-positive breast cancer. In addition, SorLA ab inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer patient-derived explant three-dimensional cultures. These results provide for the first time proof-of-principle that SorLA is a druggable target in breast cancer.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.