THE ROLE OF THE AXL RECEPTOR IN THE MIGRATION PROPERTIES OF HUMAN BLADDER CANCER CELLS

Abstract

Receptors of the TAM family are a novel and promising target for anticancer therapy as they are involved in the process of epithelial to mesenchymal transition and were found to be overexpressed in cancer cells. Activated AXL receptor of the TAM family was found to advance the survival of tumor cells, stimulate invasion in neoplasms, therapeutic resistance, and motility, making it a target for the anticancer research. Although it is well-known that Axl receptor is a promising target for anticancer therapy, their role in migration properties in specified tumor types is not distinctly defined. Bladder tumor is the 10th most common cancer type in the world and accounted for 573 000 new cases in 2020. This thesis project analyzed the effect of the Axl receptor and its activation by ligand GAS6 on the human bladder cancer cells. The findings suggested the correlation between increased migration of the Axl positive cells in the presence of GAS6, and the involvement of the other growth factors in the absence of the ligand. Further research into AXL/GAS6 signaling mechanisms is needed for deeper understanding of the human cancer cells migration.