Flap endonuclease-1 promotes pancreatic cancer progression via AKT/mTOR signaling pathway
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies. While flap endonuclease-1 (FEN1) has been implicated in various cancers, its role in PC remains unclear. AIM To investigate the biological functions and mechanisms of FEN1 in PC progression. METHODS FEN1 expression and its prognostic significance were analyzed using Gene Expression Omnibus, The Cancer Genome Atlas, and Genotype-Tissue Expression databases. FEN1 was knocked down or overexpressed in PC cell lines using lentiviral vectors. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were assessed in vitro , while tumorigenicity was evaluated in nude mouse xenografts. Molecular mechanisms were explored through RNA-sequencing and validated by western blot analysis. RESULTS FEN1 was significantly upregulated in PC tissues and correlated with poor prognosis. FEN1 promoted PC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro , as well as xenograft tumor growth in vivo . Mechanistically, FEN1 regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition through the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. CONCLUSION FEN1 functions as an oncogenic driver in PC progression via the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target.
Authors: Yu Xia, Na Guo, Cheng-Lou Zhu, Jie-Yun Gao, Ming-Xu Da
Institutions: Lanzhou University, Gansu Provincial Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412354572