Plastic Stabilizers Promote Breast Cancer Progression
Researchers (Huo et al.) published March 6, 2026 in PLoS Computational Biology report that exposure to common plastic stabilizers 2,6-DTB, TBHQ, and UV-328 associates with breast cancer progression. Using network toxicology, LASSO/SVM selection of 69 candidate genes reduced to five core targets (GSK3B, MAPK14, PARP1, PIM1, TRDMT1); molecular docking, MD simulations, and in vitro assays show PSs bind and upregulate MAPK14/PIM1/TRDMT1, promoting proliferation and migration.
Key Points
- 1Identified 69 PS-related breast cancer genes, optimized five core targets GSK3B, MAPK14, PARP1, PIM1, TRDMT1
- 2Demonstrated PSs 2,6-DTB, TBHQ, UV-328 bind cores (docking < -5 kcal/mol) and upregulate MAPK14/PIM1/TRDMT1
- 3Show enhanced breast cancer cell proliferation and migration in vitro, linking PS exposure to tumor progression risk
Scoring Rationale
Strong computational and experimental evidence supports mechanistic link, but findings are preclinical and limited to three stabilizers.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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