title: P21-activated protein kinase 1 is overexpressed in gastric cancer and             induces cancer metastasis.
abstract: P21-activated protein kinase (Pak1), a main downstream effector of small             Rho GTPases, plays an important role in the regulation of cell morphogenesis,             motility, mitosis and angiogenesis. However, the role of Pak1 in gastric cancer             metastasis remains unclear. Here, we showed that Pak1 is overexpressed in gastric             cancer tissues from 74 patients by immunohistochemistry. Overexpression of Pak1             was associated with metastasis and prognosis of gastric cancer. In addition, overexpression             of Pak1 increased gastric cancer cell motility and invasion, whereas downregulation             of Pak1 expression reduced gastric cancer cell migration and invasion. In further             study, data showed that activated Pak1 inhibited stress fiber and focal adhesion             complex formation in gastric cancer cells and led to the formation of motile phenotypes.             Importantly, activated Pak1 elicited phosphorylation of the ERK and JNK-dependent             pathway in gastric cancer cell lines. In conclusion, our results suggest that             Pak1 is overexpressed in gastric cancer and plays an important role in the metastasis             of gastric cancer. The mechanism by which Pak1 induces cancer metastasis may involve             activation of ERK and JNK.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, PR China. eyelen@sina.com
authors.forename: Liang-Hui
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Min-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Guo-Yang
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yi-Zhuo
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xue-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bing-Ya
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000235:genetics; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D022502:Stress Fibers / Q000235:genetics; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases