Journal: Frontiers in Oncology

Article Title: Acidic microenvironment promotes pancreatic cancer cell survival via Akt phosphorylation-mediated suppression of apoptosis

doi: 10.3389/fonc.2026.1889708

Figure Lengend Snippet: Effects of Akt and ERK1/2 inhibition on cell proliferation under acidic conditions. (A, B) Effects of the Akt inhibitor MK-2206 on the proliferation of PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells cultured for 72 h under Normal pH or Low pH conditions. (C, D) Effects of the ERK1/2 inhibitor SCH772984 on the proliferation of PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells cultured for 72 h under Normal pH or Low pH conditions. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM from three independent experiments, each performed in triplicate.

Article Snippet: The Akt inhibitor MK-2206 and the ERK1/2 inhibitor SCH772984 were purchased from MedChemExpress LLC (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA) and dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; Nacalai Tesque, Kyoto, Japan).

Techniques: Inhibition, Cell Culture

Journal: Frontiers in Oncology

Article Title: Acidic microenvironment promotes pancreatic cancer cell survival via Akt phosphorylation-mediated suppression of apoptosis

doi: 10.3389/fonc.2026.1889708

Figure Lengend Snippet: IC 50 values of the Akt inhibitor MK-2206 under Normal pH and Low pH conditions.

Article Snippet: The Akt inhibitor MK-2206 and the ERK1/2 inhibitor SCH772984 were purchased from MedChemExpress LLC (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA) and dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; Nacalai Tesque, Kyoto, Japan).

Techniques:

Journal: Frontiers in Oncology

Article Title: Acidic microenvironment promotes pancreatic cancer cell survival via Akt phosphorylation-mediated suppression of apoptosis

doi: 10.3389/fonc.2026.1889708

Figure Lengend Snippet: Effects of Akt inhibition on cell cycle phase distribution. Cell cycle analysis of PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells cultured for 72 h with or without MK-2206 under Normal pH or Low pH conditions. (A) The G 0 /G 1 population appeared to be increased by MK-2206 under both Normal pH (p < 0.001) and Low pH conditions (p < 0.01). Under MK-2206 treatment, the G 0 /G 1 population appeared to be higher under Low pH than under Normal pH conditions (p < 0.001). (B) The G 0 /G 1 population appeared to be increased by MK-2206 under both Normal pH (p < 0.001) and Low pH conditions (p < 0.01). Under MK-2206 treatment, the G 0 /G 1 population appeared to be higher under Low pH than under Normal pH conditions (p < 0.001). Statistical comparisons among multiple groups were performed using two-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test. For clarity, statistical significance is described in the text rather than indicated in the graphs.

Article Snippet: The Akt inhibitor MK-2206 and the ERK1/2 inhibitor SCH772984 were purchased from MedChemExpress LLC (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA) and dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; Nacalai Tesque, Kyoto, Japan).

Techniques: Inhibition, Cell Cycle Assay, Cell Culture

Journal: Frontiers in Oncology

Article Title: Acidic microenvironment promotes pancreatic cancer cell survival via Akt phosphorylation-mediated suppression of apoptosis

doi: 10.3389/fonc.2026.1889708

Figure Lengend Snippet: Effects of Akt inhibition on the expression levels of proteins regulating the G 1 -to-S phase transition. Representative cropped immunoblot images of Cyclin D1, CDK4, CDK6, and p21 expression and Rb phosphorylation are shown for PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells cultured for 24 h with or without MK-2206 under Normal pH or Low pH conditions. (A, F) Cyclin D1 expression in PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells, respectively. (B, G) CDK4 expression in PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells, respectively. (C, H) CDK6 expression in PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells, respectively. (D, I) Rb phosphorylation in PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells, respectively. Representative cropped immunoblot images of phospho-Rb, total Rb, and β-actin are shown. (E, J) p21 expression in PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells, respectively. All immunoblot images are representative of three independent experiments.

Article Snippet: The Akt inhibitor MK-2206 and the ERK1/2 inhibitor SCH772984 were purchased from MedChemExpress LLC (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA) and dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; Nacalai Tesque, Kyoto, Japan).

Techniques: Inhibition, Expressing, Sublimation, Western Blot, Phospho-proteomics, Cell Culture

Journal: Frontiers in Oncology

Article Title: Acidic microenvironment promotes pancreatic cancer cell survival via Akt phosphorylation-mediated suppression of apoptosis

doi: 10.3389/fonc.2026.1889708

Figure Lengend Snippet: Effects of Akt inhibition on apoptosis and the expression levels of proteins regulating apoptosis. (A, B) Apoptosis analysis of PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells cultured for 72 h with or without MK-2206 under Normal pH or Low pH conditions. Statistical comparisons among multiple groups were performed using two-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test. **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001; ns, not significant. (C–F) Representative cropped immunoblot images of Bad, Bax, and Bcl-xL expression are shown for PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells cultured for 24 h with or without MK-2206 under Normal pH or Low pH conditions. (C, E) Bad and Bax expression in PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells, respectively. (D, F) Bcl-xL expression in PK-59 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells, respectively. All immunoblot images are representative of three independent experiments.

Article Snippet: The Akt inhibitor MK-2206 and the ERK1/2 inhibitor SCH772984 were purchased from MedChemExpress LLC (Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA) and dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; Nacalai Tesque, Kyoto, Japan).

Techniques: Inhibition, Expressing, Analysis, Cell Culture, Western Blot