p21-activated protein kinase 1 induces the invasion of gastric cancer cells through c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase-mediated activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. The prognosis of GC is poor, mostly due to widespread metastasis. p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1), the best characterized member of an evolutionarily conserved family of serine/threonine kinases, plays an important role in the regulation of cell morphogenesis, motility, mitosis and angiogenesis. By qRT-PCR and Gelatin zymograph assay, we demonstrated in the present study that stable overexpression of Pak1 induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 mRNA expression and activity in the human MKN45 GC cell line. Conversely, knockdown of endogenous Pak1 expression by small interfering RNA (siRNA) decreased MMP-2 mRNA expression and activity in the MKN45 GC cells. Activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was required for Pak1-induced upregulation of MMP-2 mRNA level and activity. Moreover, upregulation of MMP-2 by Pak1 via the JNK pathway notably promoted the invasion of MKN45 GC cells. Overexpression of MMP-2 mRNA was once again confirmed to be associated with GC metastasis. In conclusion, our results demonstrated for the first time that Pak1 stimulated MMP-2 mRNA expression and activity in MKN45 GC cells. The JNK signaling pathway was involved in Pak1 modulation of MMP-2, which was important for MKN45 GC cell invasiveness.