In vitro and mouse studies suggest inhibiting PVRL4 could help treat cancer. A genetic screen to identify genes that promote anchorageindependent growth identified PVRL4 as a top candidate. In a series of human cell lines, PVRL4 drove cell-to-cell attachment, which was required for anchorage-independent growth. In mouse xenograft models for human breast cancer, small hairpin RNA knockdown of PVRL4 or treatment with a mAb that disrupts PVRL4-mediated cell-to-cell attachment decreased tumor

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... compared with no knockdown or treatment. Next steps include studies to understand the mechanisms by which PVRL4 is upregulated in tumors.