Fig. 7: HGF/c-Met pathway facilitates the perineural invasion of pancreatic cancer by activating the mTOR/NGF axis.

A Activating the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway upregulated NGF expression via activating mTOR. Pancreatic cancer cells can recruit nerves and facilitate cancer cell invasion of nerves by increasing the expression of NGF. On the other hand, activating the HGF/c-Met/mTOR signaling can increase the invasion and migration ability of pancreatic cancer cells by upregulating N-cadherin and Vimentin but downregulating E-cadherin. It will facilitate cancer cells invading nerves. B Pancreatic cancer cells with high expression of c-Met can invade nerves more easily and metastasize farther along the nerve. Blocking the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway suppresses cancer cell invasion nerves and metastasis along nerves to distant places.