MAL2 interacts with IQGAP1 to promote pancreatic cancer progression by increasing ERK1/2 phosphorylation

Bin Zhang; Jun Xiao; Xiang Cheng; Tao Liu

doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.02.146

MAL2 interacts with IQGAP1 to promote pancreatic cancer progression by increasing ERK1/2 phosphorylation

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2021 May 21:554:63-70. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.02.146. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Authors

Bin Zhang¹, Jun Xiao¹, Xiang Cheng², Tao Liu³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
² Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China. Electronic address: squall4453@163.com.
³ Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China. Electronic address: uniontao@hust.edu.cn.

PMID: 33780861
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.02.146

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is a digestive tract malignancy characterized by an occult onset and rapid progression. The genetic heterogeneity of pancreatic cancer is closely related to its highly malignant biological behavior. The myelin and lymphocyte protein 2 (MAL2) is upregulated in multiple cancers at the transcriptional level. However, the exact role of MAL2 in pancreatic cancer remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that MAL2 protein and mRNA levels were upregulated in pancreatic cancer. MAL2 overexpression was significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer. We further showed that MAL2 interacted with IQGAP1 to increase ERK1/2 phosphorylation levels, which promoted pancreatic cancer progression. Therefore, these results suggest that MAL2 could be a novel therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

Keywords: ERK; IQGAP1; MAL2; Pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cell Line, Tumor
Cell Proliferation / physiology
Computational Biology
Databases, Genetic
Humans
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / genetics
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism*
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / genetics
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism*
Myelin and Lymphocyte-Associated Proteolipid Proteins / genetics
Myelin and Lymphocyte-Associated Proteolipid Proteins / metabolism*
Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics
Pancreatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
Phosphorylation
Prognosis
Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
Survival Rate
ras GTPase-Activating Proteins / genetics
ras GTPase-Activating Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1
MAL2 protein, human
Myelin and Lymphocyte-Associated Proteolipid Proteins
ras GTPase-Activating Proteins
MAPK1 protein, human
MAPK3 protein, human
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3