Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40563561›Full record

ArticleCancers2025

Truncated DAPK Variants Restore Tumor Suppressor Activity and Synergize with Standard Therapies in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.

Monika Raab, Khayal Gasimli, Balázs Győrffy, Samuel Peña-Llopis, Sven Becker, Mourad Sanhaji, Klaus Strebhardt

Erratum issuedAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. 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

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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Monika RaabDepartment of Gynecology, Medical School, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Khayal GasimliDepartment of Gynecology, Medical School, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1874-0341
Balázs GyőrffyDepartment of Bioinformatics, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary.ORCID 0000-0002-5772-3766
Samuel Peña-LlopisTranslational Genomics, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-3847-1353
Sven BeckerDepartment of Gynecology, Medical School, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Mourad SanhajiDepartment of Gynecology, Medical School, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8202-0694
Klaus StrebhardtDepartment of Gynecology, Medical School, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Funding

German Cancer Aid 70116875
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesDeath-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a crucial role in cancer by regulating apoptosis through interactions with TP53. Aberrant expression of DAPK1 was shown in certain types of human cancer contributing to tumor progression and chemoresistance. This study aimed to investigate the role of DAPK1 in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of restoring its kinase activity, including the use of truncated DAPK1 variants, to overcome chemoresistance and enhance tumor suppression.

methodsGene expression analysis was performed on ovarian cancer tissues compared to benign controls to assess DAPK1 downregulation and its epigenetic regulation. Prognostic relevance was evaluated in a cohort of 1436 HGSOC patient samples. Functional restoration of DAPK1 was conducted in HGSOC cell lines and patient-derived primary tumor cells using vector-based expression or in vitro-transcribed (IVT) DAPK1 mRNA, including the application of truncated DAPK1 (ΔDAPK1) forms. To assess apoptosis, Caspase activation assays, 2D-colony formation assays, and cell survival assays were performed. To analyze the reactivation of DAPK1 downstream signaling, phosphorylation of p53 at Ser20 and the expression of p53 target proteins were examined. Chemosensitivity to Paclitaxel and Cisplatin was quantified by changes in IC

resultsDAPK1 expression was significantly downregulated in ovarian cancer compared to benign tissue, correlating with epigenetic silencing, and showed prognostic value in early-stage HGSOC. Restoration of DAPK1 activity, including ΔDAPK1 variants, led to phosphorylation of p53 Ser20, increased expression of p53 target proteins, and Caspase-dependent apoptosis. Reactivation of DAPK1 sensitized both established HGSOC cell lines and patient-derived ascites cells to Paclitaxel and Cisplatin. These effects occurred through both p53-dependent and p53-independent pathways, enabling robust tumor suppression even in p53-mutant contexts.

conclusionsReactivation of DAPK1, particularly through truncated variants, represents a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome chemoresistance in HGSOC. The dual mechanisms of tumor suppression provide a strong rationale for developing DAPK1-based therapies to enhance the efficacy of standard chemotherapy, especially in patients with chemoresistant or p53-deficient tumors. Future work should focus on optimizing delivery approaches for DAPK1 variants and assessing their synergistic potential with emerging targeted treatments in clinical settings.

Indexed as

DAPK1 IVT-mRNAdeath-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1)drug resistancehigh-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC)mammalian vector-based DAPK1 expressionMDM2p53tumor suppressor

Identifiers

PMID40563561
PMCPMC12190691

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