In cancer, collagen binding to DDR1 receptors triggers signals that help tumor cells spread and invade other tissues, which is a key step in cancer progression.

“DDR1 activates EMT via stimulating the protein expression of N-cadherin and vimentin and phosphorylation of Pyk2 and MKK7 in prostate cancer. In vitro 3D cell culture demonstrated that the DDR1 enhances chemo-resistance by the STAT3 and NF-kB signaling pathway in Jurkat cells and T47D breast cancer cells. The collagen-bound DDR1 upregulates MMP2,9,10, Hes1, Hey2, N-Cadherin, vimentin, XIAP, COX-2 and Bcl-xl, and downregulates E-cadherin expression through RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK1/2, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Pyk2/MKK7, FAK/p130CAS/JNK1/c-JUN, NF-kb and STAT3 downstream signaling mediators.”