Eser S, Reiff N, Messer M, Seidler B, Gottschalk K, Dobler M, Hieber M, Arbeiter A, Klein S, Kong B, Michalski CW, Schlitter AM, Esposito I, Kind AJ, Rad L, Schnieke AE, Baccarini M, Alessi DR, Rad R, Schmid RM, Schneider G, Saur D.

Cancer Cell. 2013 Mar 18;23(3):406-20

Abstract: 

Oncogenic Kras activates a plethora of signaling pathways, but our understanding of critical Ras effectors is still very limited. We show that cell-autonomous phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1), but not Craf, are key effectors of oncogenic Kras in the pancreas, mediating cell plasticity, acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM), and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) formation. This contrasts with Kras-driven non-small cell lung cancer, where signaling via Craf, but not PDK1, is an essential tumor-initiating event. These in vivo genetic studies together with pharmacologic treatment studies in models of human ADM and PDAC demonstrate tissue-specific differences of oncogenic Kras signaling and define PI3K/PDK1 as a suitable target for therapeutic intervention specifically in PDAC.