Fig. 1

STYK1 is upregulated and STYK1 deletion alleviates pancreatic cancer progression. a Relative STYK1 mRNA level in TCGA and GETx databases of pancreatic cancer patients’ tissues. b, c Comparative IHC analysis of STYK1 expression levels between pancreatic cancer and normal tissues, with quantitative scoring. Scale bar: 200 μm. d Styk1 IHC staining patterns across normal pancreas, PanIN, and PDAC tissues in mice. Scale bar: 100 μm. e STYK1 prognostic significance in pancreatic cancer via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. f STYK1 knockdown altered PANC-1 cell growth kinetics in real-time impedance assays (16-well E-plate, n = 3). Tumor specimens from STYK1-depleted groups were photographed (g), with growth curves (h, n = 5) and final tumor weights (i, n = 5) quantified across experimental cohorts. j, k Representative H&E staining, immunohistochemical images, and the quantification of Ki67 in excised tumor tissues (n = 5). Scale bar: 100 μm. l The diagram depicts the strategy for the generation of KPC; Styk1 KO mice (KPCS). m, n Representative histological images and the quantification of H&E staining in the indicating groups. Scale bar: 40 μm. o–r Representative histological images and the quantification of sirius red or alcian blue staining in the indicating groups (n = 6). Scale bar: 40 μm. Data were represented as mean ± SD, *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001