AUTHOR=Xie Yongjie , Liu Yang , Ding Jinsheng , Li Guangming , Ni Bo , Pang Huifang , Hu Xin , Wu Liangliang 

TITLE=Identification of DDX31 as a Potential Oncogene of Invasive Metastasis and Proliferation in PDAC

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.762372

DOI=10.3389/fcell.2022.762372

ISSN=2296-634X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest malignant tumors worldwide and has poor prognosis. DEAD box proteins31 (DDX31) participate in cellular processes involving RNA secondary structure changes. However, the functions of <italic>DDX31</italic> in PDAC remain to be elucidated.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> The key gene <italic>DDX31</italic> was identified using a combination of a risk model and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) with R software. The biological functions of <italic>DDX31</italic> in PDAC were investigated through bioinformatics analysis and <italic>in vitro</italic> experiments.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Combining with WGCNA and risk model, <italic>DDX31</italic> was identified as a potential factor of the invasive metastasis properties of PDAC, and its expression was closely related to the malignant differentiation of PDAC. The results of gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that <italic>DDX31</italic> was correlated with cell invasive metastasis and proliferation by activating <italic>MAPK</italic> signaling pathway. The inhibition of <italic>DDX31</italic> inhibited the invasion and migration of PDAC cells. Survival analysis showed that <italic>DDX31</italic> expression was negatively associated with the poor prognosis in patients with PDAC.</p><p><bold>Interpretation:</bold><italic>DDX31</italic> may be a potential factor for PDAC. The inhibition of <italic>DDX31</italic> may be a potential way to treat PDAC.</p>