Calcium insensitivity of FA-6, a cell line derived from a pancreatic cancer associated with humoral hypercalcemia, is mediated by the significantly reduced expression of the Calcium Sensitive Receptor transduction component p38 MAPK
2006

Calcium Sensitivity in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Sample size: 6 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Morgan Richard, Fairfax Benjamin, Pandha Hardev S

Primary Institution: Postgraduate Medical School, University of Surrey, UK

Hypothesis

The low levels of p38 MAPK expression in FA-6 cells reduce their sensitivity to high concentrations of calcium.

Conclusion

FA-6 pancreatic cancer cells are less sensitive to high calcium levels due to low expression of p38 MAPK.

Supporting Evidence

  • FA-6 cells have low levels of p38 MAPK expression compared to T3M-4 cells.
  • Transfecting FA-6 cells with p38 MAPK increases their sensitivity to calcium.
  • High calcium concentrations inhibit T3M-4 cell proliferation but not FA-6 cell proliferation.

Takeaway

Some pancreatic cancer cells don't react to high calcium levels because they don't have enough of a certain protein called p38 MAPK.

Methodology

The study involved comparing the expression of p38 MAPK in two pancreatic cancer cell lines, FA-6 and T3M-4, using qPCR and western blotting.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1476-4598-5-51

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