Pfn1i

Pfn1i is a novel small molecule inhibitor designed to disrupt the interaction between profilin-1 (Pfn1) and actin. Profilin-1 is an actin-binding protein that is transcriptionally upregulated in the tumor-associated vascular endothelial cells of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), where its expression correlates with poor clinical prognosis. By inhibiting the Pfn1-actin interaction, Pfn1i suppresses tumor angiogenesis, induces tumor cell death, and reduces the infiltration of immune cells (predominantly macrophages) into the tumor microenvironment. Developed by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, Pfn1i has demonstrated the ability to inhibit tumor growth and aggressiveness in various genetic models of human ccRCC, providing a proof-of-concept for Pfn1 as a therapeutic target in kidney cancer.