A research group led by Professor Ayami Matsushima of the Faculty of Sciences, who participates in the Environmental Plastics Research Complex (EPReC), an SIF program operated by the Environment and Food Unit, together with Professor Wong and colleagues at Kanazawa University, has successfully visualized in real time the “shape” and “motion” of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) molecules bound to the breast cancer drug fulvestrant using high-speed atomic force microscopy (high-speed AFM).
ERα is a nuclear receptor that receives estrogen, a female sex hormone, and regulates gene transcription, playing a central role in the progression of breast cancer. This study demonstrates that fulvestrant alters the state and dynamics of the receptor itself, thereby directing it toward degradation. These findings are expected to provide new insights into the development of next-generation breast cancer therapeutics.
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