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. 2019 Sep 23;9(24):7168–7183. doi: 10.7150/thno.36830

Figure 4.

Figure 4

PAI-1 expression in pancreatic cancer cells is upregulated by the KRAS/ERK pathway. A, PAI-1 protein expression in different pancreatic cancer cell lines was determined by Western blotting. B, PAI-1 concentration in the CM of different pancreatic cancer cell lines was measured by ELISA. The bar graph depicts PAI-1 concentration in culture medium. * P < 0.05; *** P < 0.001, significant difference between cell lines, one-way ANOVA. C, PAI-1 and KRAS expression in PANC-1, KRAS knockdown PANC-1 (PN kdKRAS), BxPC-3, and BxPC-3 overexpressing mutant KRAS (Bx ovKRAS) was compared using Western blotting. D, PAI-1 secretion in the CM of PANC-1, PN kdKRAS, BxPC-3, and Bx ovKRAS was analyzed by ELISA. The bar graphs depict PAI-1 concentration in the CM. * P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01 versus parental control cells, unpaired t-test. E and F, After treatment with the MEK/ERK inhibitor U0126 (20 μg/mL) for 24 hours, expression of ERK, phosphorylated ERK, and PAI-1 in PANC-1, Mia PaCa-2, and Bx ovKRAS cells was analyzed by Western blotting, and PAI-1 levels in the CM of PANC-1 and Bx ovKRAS cells were determined by ELISA. The bar graphs depict PAI-1 concentration in the CM. * P < 0.05 versus unstimulated controls, unpaired t-test.