Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40379759›Full record

ArticleOncogene2025

Phosphorylation of USP32 by CDK5 regulates Rap1 stability and therapeutic resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Yanxia Jiang, Dexiang Ji, Wen Chen, Yuanzhe Zhu, Ming Luo, Rui Zou, Yilun Fu, Ping Huang, Qing Shi, Dejie Wang and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Oncogene, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Deubiquitination of Vangl by USP6 and USP32 Regulates Planar Cell Polarity Signaling.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Article
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

11 authors.

Yanxia Jiang *Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Dexiang Ji *Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Wen Chen *Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Nanchang, 330029, Jiangxi, China.
Yuanzhe ZhuDepartment of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Ming LuoDepartment of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Rui ZouDepartment of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Yilun FuDepartment of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Ping HuangDepartment of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Qing ShiDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
Dejie WangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Gastroenterology, Angiocardiopathy and Neurosciences, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China. Wang.dejie@mayo.edu.
Zhiwang SongDepartment of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China. Song.zhiwang@mayo.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9342-9612

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal human cancer. Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy remains the cornerstone for advanced PDAC. However, resistance to chemotherapy greatly limits its clinical therapeutic efficacy. Accordingly, the identification of novel therapeutic targets to overcome chemoresistance and improve prognosis is urgently needed. Screening of deubiquitinase family members, tandem affinity purification, mass spectrometry, and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis were performed to predict the interactions and function of the CDK5-USP32-Rap1 axis in PDAC. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to elucidate the regulatory mechanism and biological roles of this axis in glycolytic reprogramming and chemoresistance in PDAC. Finally, TCGA database analysis and immunohistochemistry were performed to determine the expression and clinical significance of CDK5, USP32, and Rap1 in PDAC tissues. USP32 was identified as a bona fide deubiquitinase of Rap1. USP32 deubiquitinates and stabilizes Rap1, thereby promoting glycolytic reprogramming and chemoresistance in PDAC cells. Moreover, we unexpectedly found that CDK5-mediated phosphorylation of USP32 is required for its deubiquitinase activity toward Rap1 and drives malignant phenotypes of PDAC. Additionally, these functions can be significantly inhibited by pharmacological inhibition (roscovitine) or genetic ablation of CDK5. Importantly, combining a CDK5 inhibitor with gemcitabine has a synergetic anticancer effect. Indeed, the effectiveness of targeting CDK5 to sensitize PDAC cells to gemcitabine was confirmed in a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model. CDK5 and USP32 expression is markedly elevated in PDAC samples and positively associated with Rap1 expression. Increased expression of CDK5, USP32, and Rap1 is significantly associated with poorer prognosis in PDAC. We identified the previously unrecognized oncogenic function and clinical importance of the CDK5-USP32-Rap1 axis, providing preclinical evidence for potential new combination strategies for PDAC therapy.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Pancreatic DuctalCyclin-Dependent Kinase 5Drug Resistance, NeoplasmPancreatic NeoplasmsTelomere-Binding ProteinsUbiquitin ThiolesteraseAnimalsCell Line, TumorDeoxycytidineFemaleGemcitabineGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMicePhosphorylationShelterin ComplexCDK5 protein, humanCyclin-Dependent Kinase 5DeoxycytidineGemcitabineShelterin ComplexTelomere-Binding ProteinsTERF2IP protein, humanUbiquitin Thiolesterase

Identifiers

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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.