High glucose promotes cell proliferation and enhances GDNF and RET expression in pancreatic cancer cells.

Hyperglycemia promotes pancreatic cancer progression, while the underlying mechanism is uncertain. We investigated the cell proliferation, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and its tyrosine kinase receptor RET expression in BxPC-3 and MIA PaCa-2 cells when exposed to different concentrations of glucose. Proliferation of both cells was effected by glucose in a concentration-dependent manner. Definite expression of GDNF and RET was detected in both cells. Glucose concentrations could alter the expression of GDNF and RET in a concentration-dependent manner, correspondingly with the alterations of cell proliferation. Up-regulation of GDNF and RET ligand-receptor interaction might participate in the glucose-induced cancer progression.