PIM-1 contributes to the malignancy of pancreatic cancer and displays diagnostic and prognostic value.
The effects of PIM-1 on the progression of pancreatic cancer remain unclear, and the prognostic value of PIM-1 levels in tissues is controversial. Additionally, the expression levels and clinical value of PIM-1 in plasma have not been reported.



The effects of PIM-1 on biological behaviours were analysed. PIM-1 levels in tissues and plasma were detected, and the clinical value was evaluated.



We found that PIM-1 knockdown in pancreatic cancer cells suppressed proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest, enhanced apoptosis, resensitized cells to gemcitabine and erlotinib treatment, and inhibited ABCG2 and EZH2 mRNA expression. Our results indicated that PIM-1 and the EGFR pathway formed a positive feedback loop. We also found that PIM-1 expression in pancreatic cancer tissues was significantly upregulated and that a high level of expression was negatively associated with prognosis (P = 0.025, hazard ratio [HR] =2.113, 95 % confidence interval: 1.046-4.266). Additionally, we found that plasma PIM-1 levels in patients with pancreatic cancer were significantly increased and could be used in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. High plasma PIM-1 expression was an independent adverse prognostic factor for pancreatic cancer (P = 0.037, HR = 1.87, 95 % CI: 1.04-3.35).



Our study suggests that PIM-1 contributes to malignancy and has diagnostic and prognostic value in pancreatic cancer.
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.|Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250012, China.
Jianwei
J
Xu
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Guangbing
G
Xiong
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Zhe
Z
Cao
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Hua
H
Huang
Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China.
Tianxiao
T
Wang
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Lei
L
You
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Li
L
Zhou
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Lianfang
L
Zheng
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Ya
Y
Hu
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China. tpingzhang@yahoo.com.|, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China. tpingzhang@yahoo.com.
Taiping
T
Zhang
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China. zhao8028@263.net.|, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China. zhao8028@263.net.
Yupei
Y
Zhao
D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D051573:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000093542:Gemcitabine
C116614:ABCG2 protein, human; D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; C498409:EZH2 protein, human; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; C496634:PIM1 protein, human; D051573:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1; D000093542:Gemcitabine
Biomarkers; Chemoresistance; PIM kinases; Pancreatic cancer; Targeted therapy