The Role of Actin-Binding Proteins in Breast Cancer Progression

Actin and actin-binding proteins (ABPs) regulate fundamental processes in cancer progression, including migration, invasion, and metastasis. Despite increasing evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies, the role and prognostic significance of actin and ABPs in breast cancer remain unclear due to the lack of a comprehensive review. This review, conducted in 2024 following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, systematically searched PubMed and Scopus using MeSH terms and text words to identify English-language original studies on actin and actin-binding proteins (ABPs) in breast cancer progression. Inclusion criteria were applied during title/abstract screening and full-text review, focusing on studies reporting cell migration, invasion, or metastasis. A total of 176 studies were included, comprising in vitro and in vivo models that investigated ABPs such as Fascin, Cofilin, and Mena, along with key signaling pathways like Rho GTPase, PI3K, and MAPK/ERK. Extracted data included cell lines, interventions, signaling pathways involved in actin or ABP regulation, the mechanism by which each intervention impacted actin remodeling or ABP expression, and outcomes such as migration, invasion, or metastasis. Prominent ABPs such as fascin, cofilin, and Mena were found to influence actin cytoskeletal dynamics, cell motility, and metastatic behavior. Findings highlight the prognostic relevance of ABPs and their therapeutic potential, although clinical translation remains limited by biological complexity and lack of standardized detection tools.