The Solute Carrier Superfamily as Therapeutic Targets in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a challenging and malignant cancer, primarily originates from the exocrine cells of the pancreas. The superfamily of solute carrier (SLC) transporters, consisting of more than 450 proteins divided into 65 families, is integral to various cellular processes and represents a promising target in precision oncology. As therapeutic targets, SLC transporters are explored through an integrative analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression profiles of SLCs were systematically analyzed using mRNA data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and protein data from the Human Protein Atlas (HPA). Survival analysis was examined to evaluate the prognostic significance of SLC transporters for overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Genetic alterations were examined using cBioPortal, while structural studies were performed with AlphaFold and AlphaMissense to predict functional impacts. Furthermore, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was carried out to identify oncogenic pathways linked to SLC transporter expression. RESULTS: = 0.003) were strongly associated with unfavorable OS, highlighting their connection to poor prognosis in PDAC. GSEA highlighted that these four transporters are significantly involved in key oncogenic pathways, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), TNF-α signaling, and angiogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: The study identifies four SLCs as therapeutic targets in PDAC, highlighting their crucial role in essential metabolic pathways. These findings lay the groundwork for developing next-generation metabolic anti-cancer treatment to improve survival for PDAC patients.
Source: Genes
Authors: Sang Yeon Cho, Hyuk Soo Eun, Jaejeung Kim, Yun Dam Ko, Woo Sun Rou, Jong Seok Joo
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W4409567052