Figure 7
From: SMAD4 Loss triggers the phenotypic changes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells
A Model of phenotypic alteration involving SMAD4 loss in PDAC cells. SMAD4 wild type PDAC cells exhibits more fibroblast-like morphology, which high express Nestin, SMA, CD44 gene, with the increase of activation of p38 MAPK and TGFβ1 signaling, and acquisition of a more high expression levels for the c-Jun, c-Fos, Hes1 NF-κb transcription factor genes. In contrast, inactivation of SMAD4 in PDAC cells exhibits more well differentiate epithelial like (cobblestone) morphology and leads to an overall increase in E-cadherin, CD133, VEGF, EGFR and Sp-1 expressions with high levels of activation p-44/42 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.