Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants
07:39

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

219

Activated PyK2 and Its Associated Molecules Transduce Cellular Signaling from the Cancerous Milieu for Cancer

Dongun Lee1, Jeong-Hee Hong1

  • 1Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology, Gachon University, 155 Getbeolro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|December 23, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PyK2) is upregulated in cancer, promoting cell migration and metastasis. Inhibiting PyK2 offers a promising strategy for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PyK2) is a key protein kinase involved in cellular signaling pathways.
  • PyK2 is ubiquitously expressed and activated by stimuli like acidic pH and Src kinases.
  • Its dysregulation, including overexpression and increased phosphorylation, is linked to cancer progression and metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of PyK2 in the cancer microenvironment.
  • To explore molecules and conditions that influence PyK2 activation in cancer cells.
  • To highlight PyK2 as a therapeutic target for inhibiting cancer metastasis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on PyK2 activation mechanisms in cancer.
  • Analysis of the cancer milieu, including acidification and associated molecules.
  • Examination of PyK2's impact on various cancer types and metastasis.

Main Results:

  • PyK2 upregulation and phosphorylation are critical for tumorigenesis and cancer cell migration.
  • Acidification, chemical reagents, proteins, chemokines, calcium channels, and oxidative molecules modulate PyK2 activity.
  • PyK2 plays a significant role in cancer metastasis across different cancer types.

Conclusions:

  • PyK2 is a crucial mediator of cancer cell development and metastasis.
  • Targeting PyK2 presents a viable therapeutic strategy to attenuate cancer progression.
  • Understanding PyK2's interactions within the cancer microenvironment is key for developing effective treatments.
Keywords:
PyK2PyK2-interactive proteinsacidic milieumetastasismigration

More Related Videos

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

11.0K
Lung Tumor Cell Recruitment Assay04:28

Lung Tumor Cell Recruitment Assay

Published on: February 26, 2019

5.4K

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...
3.9K
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...
3.8K
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...
5.6K
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,...
2.4K
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...
5.8K
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...
6.4K