Human antigen R mediated post-transcriptional regulation of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins in pancreatic cancer

Figure 6 Human antigen R is an important regulator of pancreatic cancer cell growth and survival. Human antigen R (HuR) can function through the regulation of the stability or translation of target mRNAs that encode multiple cancer-related proteins as inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). HuR can bind to IAPs and HO-1 and stabilize them, leading to an increased cell growth. However, when HuR is silenced, IAP2 overexpression is altered that could be modulated by HO-1 and a production of the COX-2 metabolites: prostaglandin E2 and carbon monoxide. Additionally, IAPs inhibit caspase activation and/or activity. IAPs: Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins; HuR: Human antigen R; HO-1: Heme oxygenase-1; COX-2: Cyclooxygenase-2; PGE₂: Prostaglandin E2; CO: Carbon monoxide.