AXL, along with PROS1, is overexpressed in papillary thyroid carcinoma and regulates its biological behaviour

BACKGROUND: AXL, a TAM tyrosine kinase receptor, plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of various solid tumours. This study explores the role of AXL and its ligand PROS1 in the generation and biological behaviour of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). METHODS: The expression levels of AXL in PTC cancer tissue were analysed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. The expression levels of AXL in PTC and normal thyroid cell lines were analysed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). CCK-8 was used to assess the proliferation of the PTC cell line with and without the effect of the AXL inhibitor (R428). Scratching assays played a role in evaluating the cell migration rate. RESULTS: PROS1 and AXL were expressed in TPC-1, B-CPAP, and Nthy-Ori 3–1 cells at different levels. Expression was significantly higher in PTC cell lines (TPC-1 and B-CPAP) than in the normal thyroid cell line (Nthy-Ori 3–1) (p < 0.05). In addition, AXL expression in PTC tissues was significantly higher than in adjacent normal tissues (p < 0.05). CCK-8 experiments confirmed that R428 suppresses the proliferation of PTC cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, with an increase in concentration from 0.5 to 4 μM, decreasing the inhibitory effect (p < 0.01). In addition, R428 inhibited PTC cell line migration to different degrees in a range of concentrations from 0.5 to 2 μM compared to control cells (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: PROS1 and its downstream receptor AXL expression were significantly higher in PTC than in normal thyroid cells. AXL expression was also higher in human PTC tissues than in normal thyroid tissues. Inhibiting the PROS1-AXL-mediated TAM signaling pathway via the AXL blocker R428 suppressed the proliferation and migration of human PTC cells, highlighting the role of this cascade in human PTC development and progression.