Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39117976›Full record

ArticleMolecular and cellular biochemistry2025

PLEK2 promotes migration and invasion in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by MMP1 through IL-17 pathway.

Ke Cheng, Qiangxing Chen, Zixin Chen, Yu Cai, He Cai, Shangdi Wu, Pan Gao, Yunqiang Cai, Zhong Wu, Jin Zhou and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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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

12 authors.

Ke Cheng *Division of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Qiangxing Chen *Division of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zixin ChenDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Yu CaiDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
He CaiDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Shangdi WuDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Pan GaoDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Yunqiang CaiDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zhong WuDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Jin ZhouDivision of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Bing PengDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Xin WangDivision of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. hxwangxin2012@hotmail.com.

Funding

1.3.5 project for disciplines of excellence, West China Hospital, Sichuan University 2018HXFH015Natural Science Foundation of China 81902434, 82273018, 82272685Sichuan Science and Technology Program 2021YFS0108, 2023YFS0128
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by poor prognosis primarily due to metastasis. Accumulating evidence suggests that PLEK2 acts as an oncogene in various tumors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PLEK2 on PDAC. Expression analysis of PLEK2 was conducted using qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry in PDAC. Wound healing and transwell assays were performed to evaluate the impact of PLEK2 on cell migration and invasion. A xenograft tumor model was employed to assess the in vivo proliferation of PLEK2. Additionally, the downstream pathway of PLEK2 was analyzed through RNA-seq and confirmed by Western blot analysis. The results demonstrated the upregulation of PLEK2 expression in tumor specimens. High PLEK2 expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival and advanced TNM stages. Correlation analyses revealed positive correlations between PLEK2 and TGF-β, EGFR, and MMP1. Wound healing and transwell assays demonstrated that PLEK2 promoted PDAC cell migration and invasion, potentially through the activation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process. The in vivo experiment further confirmed that PLEK2 knockdown suppressed tumor growth. RNA-seq analysis revealed PLEK2's regulation of MMP1 and activation of p-ERK and p-STAT3, which were verified by Western blot analysis. Overall, the present study suggests that PLEK2 may play a tumor-promoting role in PDAC. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer and highlight the potential of PLEK2 as a therapeutic target.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Pancreatic DuctalCell MovementMatrix Metalloproteinase 1Membrane ProteinsNeoplasm ProteinsPancreatic NeoplasmsSignal TransductionAnimalsCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMiceMice, NudeMatrix Metalloproteinase 1Membrane ProteinsMMP1 protein, humanNeoplasm ProteinsInvasionMigrationMMP1PDACPLEK2

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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.