Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Growing Desmoplastic Three-Dimensional Pancreatic Cancer Spheroids from Co-Culture
03:42

Growing Desmoplastic Three-Dimensional Pancreatic Cancer Spheroids from Co-Culture

Published on: September 27, 2024

IGF1-R signals through the RON receptor to mediate pancreatic cancer cell migration

Dawn V Jaquish1, Peter T Yu, David J Shields

  • 1Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, San Diego, CA 92093-0987, USA.

Carcinogenesis
|May 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Pancreatic cancer cells utilize the RON receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) to mediate migration in response to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). This study reveals a novel interaction between RON and IGF-1R, highlighting RON

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) RON is overexpressed in most pancreatic cancers, but its function is unclear.
  • Previous research linked RON to resistance against insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1-R) therapies in childhood sarcoma.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of RON in pancreatic cancer cell biology.
  • To identify novel proteins interacting with RON in pancreatic cancer cells.

Main Methods:

  • Multidimensional protein identification analysis to find RON interactants.
  • Confirmation of IGF-1R interaction with RON in pancreatic cancer cell lines.
  • Scratch assays to assess cell migration and RON-dependent signaling.

Main Results:

  • Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) was identified as an interacting partner of RON.
  • IGF-1 rapidly phosphorylates RON, but signaling is unidirectional (RON does not activate IGF-1R).
  • IGF-1-induced pancreatic cancer cell migration is dependent on RON signaling, involving STAT-3 activation.

Conclusions:

  • A novel interaction between RON and IGF-1R is defined in pancreatic cancer.
  • RON acts as a key mediator of IGF-1R signaling, consistent across epithelial and mesenchymal cancers.
  • Further research is needed to explore RON's role in therapeutic resistance and identify biomarkers.

More Related Videos

In Vitro Modeling of Cancerous Neural Invasion: The Dorsal Root Ganglion Model08:23

In Vitro Modeling of Cancerous Neural Invasion: The Dorsal Root Ganglion Model

Published on: April 12, 2016

Related Concept Videos

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a superfamily...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho01:24

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However, invadopodia can...