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Background: Integrins provide potentially useful targets at which to direct intervention therapy to halt cancer progression.One integrin, called αVβ6, is restricted to epithelial cells and has been implicated in tumour growth.Aberrant activation of the ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway has also been shown to be a feature of many human cancers.We have previously reported that the cytoplasmic tail of the β6 integrin subunit binds directly to the kinase ERK2 (Ahmed et al, Oncogene, 2002, 21:1370-1380).Aim: To examine the ability of synthetic peptides based on the β6-ERK2 binding domain to inhibit cancer cell proliferation.Methods: Cancer cell lines were obtained from the ATCC.In vitro cell proliferation was assessed using the MTT assay.Activated phospho-ERK was determined by means of ELISA and tumour growth was assessed in Balb/c nude mice.Results: The synthetic peptides inhibited serum-stimulated ERK activation, cell proliferation in vitro for a range of cancer cell lines and tumour growth in vivo.Conclusion: INTER-Ks novel compounds may serve as anti-cancer drugs when used either alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy.