Polo-like kinase 1 is involved in apoptosis, invasion, and metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background: Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is overexpressed in different types of carcinomas, and it is widely pursued as a novel target for treatment of neoplasms. However, the role of Plk1 in invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer has not been reported. Methods: In order to evaluate whetherPlk1 can potentially serve as a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer, we herein explore and discuss the relationship between the inhibition of Plk1 by RNA interference (RNAi) and invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells. For this, three pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1, BxPC-3, and PANC-1) were studied. Plk1-specific short hairpin RNAs (shPlk1) were introduced into these cell lines by viral transduction. Results: We found that Plk1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in the shPlk1 group. Moreover, knockdown of Plk1 expression by shPlk1 promoted apoptosis, while cell invasion and metastasis potentials were significantly reduced. Conclusions: Plk1 expression levels were closely correlated with proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer, and inhibition of Plk1 expression by RNAi could promote cell apoptosis and suppress metastasis and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. Furthermore, Plk1 might constitute novel target for treatment of pancreatic cancer, with inhibition of Plk1 potentially providing a new strategy for the prevention of pancreatic cancer invasion and metastasis.