This novel mechanism linking upregulated NF45 expression to increased 14-3-3ε/Rac1/Tiam1 signalling and subsequent growth and invasion in ESCC may aid in identification of new therapeutic targets for this disease.
Overall, our study demonstrates that targeting RAC1 with an inhibitor overcomes cisplatin resistance in ESCC by suppressing glycolytic enzymes, which provides a promising strategy for treatment of ESCC in clinical practice.
The results in this study indicate, for the first time, that Rac-1 is involved in the invasion and metastatic progression of ESCC and may be a potential marker for evaluating the prognosis of ESCC patients and a therapy target for ESCC.