Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38292173›Full record

ArticleGenes & diseases2024

Regulation of AMPK activation by extracellular matrix stiffness in pancreatic cancer.

Xin Xu, Yuan Fang, Somaira Nowsheen, Ye-Xiong Li, Zhenkun Lou, Min Deng

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Genes & diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Mechanical Cues Regulate Cargo Sorting and Export at the Golgi.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. The role of AMPK in pancreatic cancer: from carcinogenesis to treatment.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2025
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Xin XuState Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
Yuan FangDepartment of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China.
Somaira NowsheenDepartment of Dermatology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.
Ye-Xiong LiState Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
Zhenkun LouDepartment of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Min DengState Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNMayo Clinic in Arizona · USSun Yat-sen University · CNUniversity of San Diego · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) sits at a central node in the regulation of energy metabolism and tumor progression. AMPK is best known to sense high cellular ADP or AMP levels, which indicate the depletion of energy stores. Previous studies have shown that the low expression of phosphorylated AMPK is associated with a poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer. In this study, we report that AMPK is also highly sensitive to extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness. We found that AMPK is activated in cells when cultured under low ECM stiffness conditions and is functionally required for the metabolic switch induced by ECM stiffness. This regulation of AMPK requires the Hippo kinases but not LKB1/CaMKKβ. Hippo kinases directly phosphorylate AMPKα at Thr172 to activate AMPK at low ECM stiffness. Furthermore, we found AMPK activity is inhibited in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with high ECM stiffness and is associated with a poor survival outcome. The activation of Hippo kinases by ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 in combination with the mitochondrial inhibitor metformin synergistically activates AMPK and dramatically inhibits PDAC growth. Together, these findings establish a novel model for AMPK regulation by the mechanical properties of ECMs and provide a rationale for simultaneously targeting the ECM stiffness-Hippo kinases-AMPK signaling and low glucose-LKB1-AMPK signaling pathways as an effective therapeutic strategy against PDAC.

Indexed as

AMPK activityCellular metabolic switchECM stiffnessHippo kinase signalingPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Identifiers

PMID38292173
PMCPMC10825306
OpenAlexW4384157241

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.