Fig. 7

Proposed mechanistic scheme: MELK is critical for metastasis, mitotic progression, and programmed death of LUAD. MELK promoted EMT by regulating expression of Slug and Twist1. In addition, MELK promoted cell cycle by regulating PLK1-CDC25C-CDK1 pathway. In contrast, Inhibiting MELK arrested cell cycle and induced apoptosis-mediated pyroptosis