Fig. 7.

The sympathetic-cAMP-FAK signaling pathway mediates psychological depression-induced prostate cancer invasion and metastasis. Depression induces signaling from the sympathetic nerve and increases levels of norepinephrine, which facilitates prostate cancer invasion and metastasis by FAK activation. The activation of FAK further mediates paxillin-induced cytoskeleton remodeling and MMP-induced ECM remodeling, resulting in a vicious circle of FAK activation. These effects may be blocked using β2AR inhibitors propranolol (PRO) and ICI118 551, and FAK inhibitor PF562 271