PAK in Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Vasculature: Implications for Therapeutic Response

Overview

Journal Cells

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Biophysics
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology

Date 2023 Dec 9

PMID 38067120

Authors

Arian Ansardamavandi

Mehrdad Nikfarjam

Hong He

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Angiogenesis has been associated with numbers of solid tumours. Anti-angiogenesis drugs starve tumours of nutrients and oxygen but also make it difficult for a chemo reagent to distribute into a tumour, leading to aggressive tumour growth. Anti-angiogenesis drugs do not appear to improve the overall survival rate of pancreatic cancer. Vessel normalisation is merging as one of the new approaches for halting tumour progression by facilitating the tumour infiltration of immune cells and the delivery of chemo reagents. Targeting p21-activated kinases (PAKs) in cancer has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth and improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. Inhibition of PAK enhances anti-tumour immunity and stimulates the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockades. Inhibition of PAK also improves Car-T immunotherapy by reprogramming the vascular microenvironment. This review summarizes current research on PAK's role in tumour vasculature and therapeutical response, with a focus on pancreatic cancer.

Citing Articles

The Important Role of p21-Activated Kinases in Pancreatic Exocrine Function.

Ramos-Alvarez I, Jensen R Biology (Basel). 2025; 14(2).

PMID: 40001881 PMC: 11851965. DOI: 10.3390/biology14020113.

Regulation of Vascular Injury and Repair by P21-Activated Kinase 1 and P21-Activated Kinase 2: Therapeutic Potential and Challenges.

Han C, Zhu M, Liu Y, Yang Y, Cheng J, Li P Biomolecules. 2025; 14(12.

PMID: 39766303 PMC: 11674331. DOI: 10.3390/biom14121596.

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