Relationship between the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and the dissociation of pancreatic cancer cells: Involvement of ERK1/2 in the dissociation status of cancer cells.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2 (MEK2), the upstream kinase of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) was previously isolated as cancer cell dissociation related factor. In this study, to further clarify the regulatory mechanism of cancer cell dissociation, two hamster (PC-1.0 and PC-1) and human (Capan-2 and AsPC-1) pancreatic cancer cell lines were analyzed immunocytochemically with anti-ERK1, anti-ERK2 and anti-phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) antibodies. U0126 (a MEK1/2 inhibitor) significantly suppressed ERK2 and p-ERK1/2 expressions in PC-1.0 and AsPC-1 cells (P<0.05). Cancer cell dissociation factor (DF) markedly induced ERK2 and p-ERK1/2 expressions in PC-1 and Capan-2 cells (P<0.05), and the induced ERK2 and p-ERK1/2 expressions were inhibited by subsequent U0126-treatment (P<0.05). Simultaneously, light microscopic images showed that DF clearly induced cell dissociation in PC-1 and Capan-2 cells, while U0126-treatment induced cell aggregation in these pancreatic cancer cells. ERK2 activation is closely involved in cell dissociation of pancreatic cancer cells.