MUC13-Associated Molecular Interactome in Pancreatic Cancer

Mucin-13 (MUC13) has emerged as a critical molecular player involved in tumorigenesis, cancer progression, metastasis, and evasion of immune surveillance, including in pancreatic cancer. In this report, we identified MUC13 molecular interactome using an integrated immunoprecipitation and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (accession no. of protein data JPST004189) approach combined with systems network biology to determine its plausible functional protein-protein interaction network and associated oncogenic mechanisms. This study reveals a total of 54 key MUC13 interactor proteins (including cyclin-dependent kinase 1, catenin delta 1, Caludin-1, ErbB3-binding protein 1, basic transcription factor 3, tight junction protein 1, etc.). Interestingly, the majority of these interacting proteins is associated with oncogenic and immune checkpoint pathways. These proteins participate in the regulation of programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1, T cell receptor signaling, and posttranslational protein processing and modifications in the endoplasmic reticulum. In addition, this study suggests that MUC13 may be involved in other cellular processes such as apoptosis, autophagy, senescence, calcium signaling, microRNA activity, lysosomal function, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. Taken together, this study provides the first comprehensive elucidation of the MUC13-associated molecular interactome, which may contribute to pancreatic cancer progression and metastasis. These findings may facilitate the development of new strategies to inhibit pancreatic cancer progression via disrupting MUC13-associated oncogenic molecular network.