Title:Role of Wnt/β-catenin Signaling in Drug Resistance of Pancreatic Cancer
Volume: 18
Issue: 17
Author(s): Jiujie Cui, Weihua Jiang, Shuyi Wang, Liwei Wang and Keping Xie
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Wnt/β-catenin signaling, angiogenesis, chemoresistance, pancreatic cancer
Abstract: Pancreatic cancer is characterized by its intrinsic resistance to cytotoxic agents. But the underlying molecular mechanism is
unclear. Studies demonstrate that angiogenesis, presence of highly resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs), dysregulation of cell cycle and
apoptosis are main aspects of mechanisms of pancreatic cancer chemoresistance. Interestingly, recent investigations of Wnt/β-catenin
signaling suggest roles for the signaling in these four aspects and the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. Conceivably, the dysregulation
of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in pancreatic cancer chemoresistance. Though researchers have proven it in some other
cancer types, however, there is no direct evidence for this reasoning in pancreatic cancer. Designing effective experiment setups to define
the function and mechanism of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in pancreatic cancer chemoresistance and subsequently targeting the signaling to
improve the sensitivity of chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer require a full understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Wnt/β-catenin
signaling pathway in angiogenesis, maintaining of highly resistant CSCs, regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer.