Exploring Actin Filaments and the Effect of Rock in Gemcitabine Resistant Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in US¹, with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 5%.^1,2,3 Due to the lack of effective screening and biomarkers, the mechanisms of pancreatic cancer remain unclear. Actin is the major component of the cytoskeleton, which is involve on morphology, motility and division of the cell. ROCK, a Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase, plays a role in actin filaments in different ways. In this study, the role of actin filaments and the effect of ROCK inhibitor in resistant pancreatic cancer cells were explored. A difference in actin filaments was observed with fluorescence microscope as the resistance to the drug increased. The MTT Assay concluded that the ROCK inhibitor makes the pancreatic cancer cells more resistant to the drug. These outcomes provide the possibility that actin filaments are involved in drug resistance of pancreatic cancer.