Genetic linkage analysis suggested that GKAP, a scaffold protein of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR), was a potential modifier of invasion in a mouse model of pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer (PanNET). Here we establish that GKAP governs invasive growth and treatment response of PanNET via its pivotal role in regulating the NMDAR pathway activity. Combining genetic knockdown of GKAP and pharmacological inhibition of NMDAR, we distilled gene expression signatures orchestrated by the NMDAR-GKAP axis, in addition to identifying two downstream effectors FMRP and HSF-1. Additionally, GKAP, FMRP, and HSF1 are functionally implicated in invasiveness of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Finally, gene expression signatures in tumors with low NMDAR activity are significantly associated with favorable patient prognosis in several cancer types. SOURCE: A Bhutkar MIT

Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE102598: GKAP acts as a genetic modulator of NMDAR signaling to govern tumor invasiveness