Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 6, 2026

Characterization of Cell Membrane Extensions and Studying Their Roles in Cancer Cell Adhesion Dynamics
08:11

Characterization of Cell Membrane Extensions and Studying Their Roles in Cancer Cell Adhesion Dynamics

Published on: March 26, 2018

8.0K

The functions and regulations of DAPK in cancer metastasis

Hsin-Yi Chen1, Yu-Ru Lee, Ruey-Hwa Chen

  • 1Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology & Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science & Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Apoptosis : an International Journal on Programmed Cell Death
|October 30, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) acts as a metastasis suppressor, inhibiting cancer spread through multiple mechanisms. Its downregulation in cancers correlates with increased metastasis and recurrence, highlighting its critical role.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Metastasis is a leading cause of cancer mortality, yet its mechanisms are not fully understood.
  • Recent research identifies death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) as a potential metastasis suppressor.
  • DAPK downregulation is observed in various metastatic cancers via multiple regulatory pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular mechanisms by which DAPK suppresses cancer metastasis.
  • To explore the role of DAPK in different stages of the metastatic process.
  • To understand DAPK's influence on both tumor and stromal cells.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on DAPK's role in cancer metastasis.
  • Analysis of studies investigating DAPK's involvement in cell death pathways (apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis).
  • Examination of DAPK's regulation of cytoskeleton and cell motility.

Main Results:

  • DAPK downregulation is linked to metastatic recurrence in certain cancers.
  • DAPK inhibits both early and late stages of metastasis in animal models.
  • DAPK influences cell death, morphology, motility, and stromal cell function.

Conclusions:

  • DAPK possesses multiple anti-metastatic functions, acting through diverse cellular mechanisms.
  • DAPK's suppressive role extends to influencing the tumor microenvironment.
  • Understanding DAPK's intricate mechanisms is crucial for developing novel anti-metastasis therapies.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment11:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment

Published on: June 9, 2023

2.3K
Combined Use of Tail Vein Metastasis Assays and Real-Time In Vivo Imaging to Quantify Breast Cancer Metastatic Colonization and Burden in the Lungs10:32

Combined Use of Tail Vein Metastasis Assays and Real-Time In Vivo Imaging to Quantify Breast Cancer Metastatic Colonization and Burden in the Lungs

Published on: December 19, 2019

10.4K

Related Concept Videos

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,...
2.5K
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...
3.6K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
4.7K
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...
5.2K
Metastasis02:30

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
5.5K
MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
7.4K