T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms via mitogen-activated protein kinase axis activation

Figure 3 Inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling by T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase knockdown in BON-1 cells. A: Volcano plot of differentially expressed genes in short hairpin T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK) and short hairpin negative control groups, highlighting significant gene expression changes. TOPK is specifically marked; B: Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis of downregulated genes in TOPK knockdown cells, showing significant involvement in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) axis; C: Protein-protein interaction network analysis of downregulated genes involved in the MAPK signaling pathway; D: Western blot analysis showing reduced phosphorylation levels of MAPK kinase 1/2, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and ribosomal S6 kinases in TOPK knockdown cells. TOPK: T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase; MAPK: Mitogen-activated protein kinase; TGF: Transforming growth factor; GO: Gene Ontology; KEGG: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes; PPI: Protein-protein interaction; shNC: Short hairpin negative control; shTOPK: Short hairpin T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase; MEK: Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase; ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase; RSK: Ribosomal S6 kinase; GSK-3β: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta; p: Phosphorylated.