Induction of apoptotic processes in Capan-1 pancreatic carcinoma cells by restoration of p16INK4a expression

Early invasive growth and metastasis are features of pancreatic cancer that rely on resistance to anoikis, an apoptosis program activated upon loss of adequate matrix anchorage. Re-expression of the tumor suppressor p16 reversed anoikis resistance of pancreatic cancer cells. This conversion to an anoikis-susceptible phenotype was found to be associated with a striking loss of GNE mRNA expression, prompting us to address the role of GNE in pancreatic cancer in more detail. GNE catalyzes a rate-limiting key step of the sialic acid biosynthesis and may have additional functions in the nucleus.

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Kemmner W, Kessel P, Sanchez-Ruderisch H, Möller H, Hinderlich S, Schlag PM, Detjen K