I'm focusing on the Ras/Raf/MapK/Erk pathway and I'm expecting to see both when I treat with a MEK inhibitor in pancreatic cell cancer line. While I dramatically reduced levels of pERK, there's VERY little cell death. Does this mean that apoptotic pathways aren't necessarily rescued in this case or it is a technical issue where I should leave my cells in the treatment for longer than my current timepoint?
Map kinases are not the only pathway involved in cell survival.
You should check also the PI3K/Akt pathway and the Wnt/B-cathenin.
Check your survivin level after inhibiting map kinases.
Not all the tumors are map kinase dependent.
Hi Luna,
as Tomas said, your results means that MAPK pathway is not critical for cell survival in your cell line in the tested conditions. This does't mean that this pathway is not anti-apoptotic, but only that you are not in the right conditions to see it. Maybe you can awake the anti-apoptotic role of this pathway by adding another pro-apoptotic stimulation or by combining it with other drugs. Or simply it could be that your cancer cell found a way to become independent from MAPK pathway.
Anyway, how long did you test MAPK inhibition?
Paolo
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Medicine
- Oncology
- Cancer Research
- Cancer Biology