Morphine is used to relieve pain in patients with cancer in terminal phases. Dickkopf‑1 (DKK1), a secreted protein, is a negative regulator of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway. Morphine and DKK1 are associated with tumorigenesis. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study evaluating the effects of these two factors simultaneously. In the present study, the effects of morphine a...

Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is an inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. However, the role of DKK1 in the progression of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not fully understood. In this study, RT-PCR and Western blot were used to examine the expression of DKK1 in a panel of ten human NSCLC cell lines and NSCLC tissues. DKK1 expression was highly transactivated in the great majority of these...

The Wnt signaling pathway plays an essential role in tumor invasion and migration. DKK1 functions as an important inhibitor of the pathway and represents a promising target for cancer therapy. The aim of the present study was to determine the role of DKK1 in endometrial carcinoma (EC) cell invasion and migration using RNA interference (RNAi) technology. Ishikawa EC cells were transfected at hig...

Several clinical studies reported that Dickkopf1 (DKK1) plasma levels are correlated with atherosclerosis. However, the impact of DKK1 on the formation and vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques remains elusive. This study investigated DKK1's effects on enlargement and destabilization of plaques by targeting endothelial cells and assessing the possible cellular mechanisms involved. The effect...

OBJECTIVE To determine the role of Wnt antagonist Dickkopf (DKK) 1 in human endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) in view of the emerging importance of Wnt pathways in vascular biology. METHODS AND RESULTS Endothelial progenitor cells have been proposed to be crucial in tumor neovascularization. Recombinant DKK1 has been tested in ECFC angiogenic properties in vitro. DKK1 enhanced ECFC pro...

BACKGROUND Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) has been reported involved in metastasis and invasion in several tumors. This study sought to investigate the prognostic value of DKK1 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and its role in promoting ICC metastasis. METHODS Tissue microarrays of 138 ICC patient samples were employed to detect DKK1, vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), a...

Secretion of Wnts by adipose cells has an important role in the control of murine adipogenesis. We present the first evidence that a Wnt antagonist, Dickkopf 1 (Dkk1), is secreted by human preadipocytes and promotes adipogenesis. DKK1 mRNA increases six hours after onset of human adipogenesis and this is followed by an increase in Dkk1 protein. With further differentiation, the mRNA and protein...

OBJECTIVES Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is a potent inhibitor of Wnt signalling, which exerts anabolic effects on bone and also takes part in the regulation of vascular cells. Our aims were to evaluate serum DKK1 in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients and to analyze its relationships with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We also evaluated the relationship between DKK1 and bone metabolism. DESIGN We conducted a...

PURPOSE To identify whether Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) could be a potential biomarker for early detection and prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer (PC). METHODS Serum was collected from 140 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and 92 control patients without pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Serological levels of DKK1 were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sensitivity and ...

Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) is a secreted protein that negatively modulates the Wnt/ catenin pathway. Lack of Dkk1 function affects head formation in frog and mice, supporting the idea that Dkk1 acts as a “head inducer” during gastrulation. We show here that lack of Dkk1 function accelerates internalization and rostral progression of the mesendoderm and that gain of function slows down both internalizati...