title: PKM2 gene regulates the behavior of pancreatic cancer cells via mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.
abstract: The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of the PKM2 gene on the proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis of Panc‑1 and Sw1990 pancreatic cancer cells via its interaction with the mitogen‑activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathways. The expression levels of PKM2 protein in pancreatic cancer cells and the corresponding normal tissues was determined with western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis of PKM2 expression was carried out in paraffin‑embedded sections of pancreatic cancer tissue. Two human pancreatic cancer cell lines were cultured in vitro, and a small interfering RNA (siRNA) was designed for the PKM2 gene and transfected into the cells. Cell proliferation was measured via an MTT assay, cell migration and invasion was measured via Transwell® chambers, and the effect of PKM2 on apoptosis was detected from B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2) and Bcl‑2‑associated X protein expression levels. Protein expression levels of the MAPK pathway proteins extracellular signal‑regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 and c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase (JNK) and their phosphorylated forms were measured via western blot analysis. The expression level of PKM2 was significantly upregulated in the pancreatic cancer tissue compared with that of the corresponding normal tissue. Downregulation of PKM2 expression reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cell lines, while increasing the levels of apoptosis. Additionally, the expression levels of the phosphorylated‑(p‑)ERK1/2 and p‑p38 of the MAPK pathway in the PKM2 siRNA groups were markedly downregulated compared with those of the controls; however, the expression levels of ERK1/2, p38, JNK, p‑p38 and p‑JNK had no significantly changes compared with those of the control groups. In summary, the PKM2 gene has an important role in the proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis of Panc‑1 and Sw1990 pancreatic cancer cells, which may be associated with the expression of ERK1/2 and p38 of the MAPK signaling cascade.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jiake
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tieliang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Weiliang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wenjiao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Sujun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yongfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097810:Thyroid Hormone-Binding Proteins
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D000097810:Thyroid Hormone-Binding Proteins