title: Furin promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells via Hippo-YAP pathway.
abstract: Furin, a well-characterized proprotein convertase, plays an important role in many diseases and links to tumor metastasis. However, the role of furin in pancreatic cancer progression remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we found that furin promotes the growth and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pancreatic cancer cells. First, we found that furin knockdown significantly inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration in BxPC3 and SW1990 cells, while furin overexpression promoted the above behavior in PANC1 and PaTu8988 cells. Further evidence revealed that furin knockdown resulted in the upregulation of E-cadherin (epithelial marker), and the downregulation of N-cadherin and Vimentin (mesenchymal markers) in BxPC3 and SW1990 cells, whereas furin overexpression remarkably led to the opposite effects in PANC1 and PaTu8988 cells. Furthermore, our data showed that Furin knockdown, furin inhibitor D6R or overexpression significantly affected YAP phosphoration level and total YAP protein level, indicating that furin was involved in Hippo-YAP pathway. It is suggested that furin promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells probably via Hippo-YAP pathway and may be a potential target for anti-pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Youli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hailang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Junbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dawei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound Diagnosis, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Baoding
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wanxin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fengyi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015536:Down-Regulation; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D045683:Furin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090683:Hippo Signaling Pathway; D006801:Humans; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism; D000091102:YAP-Signaling Proteins
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D015703:Antigens, CD; C513384:CDH1 protein, human; C050361:CDH2 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014746:Vimentin; D000091102:YAP-Signaling Proteins; C088374:YAP1 protein, human; C000597783:hexa-D-arginine; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C468731:FURIN protein, human; D045683:Furin