WNK2 may promote ovarian cancer progression by upregulating POU5F1B.

ABSTRACT: Ovarian cancer (OC) remains the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Our previous work showed that WNK lysine-deficient protein kinase 2 (WNK2) promotes OC cell proliferation and migration. To clarify the molecular basis of WNK2-driven OC progression, here, we performed transcriptome sequencing to identify WNK2-regulated mRNAs and noncoding RNAs. We validated candidate targets using qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses. Functional assays, including CCK-8, colony formation, and Transwell assays, evaluated the role of POU5F1B and its capacity to rescue the effects of WNK2 knockdown. POU5F1B is a promising OC therapeutic target, mediating WNK2-driven oncogenesis in xenograft models (n = 10). Because AKT acts downstream of POU5F1B, we examined AKT phosphorylation and found that POU5F1B displayed c

SUBMITTER: Li F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12863568 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature