Abstract 1406: Plk1 attenuates colon inflammation and tumorigenesis

Abstract Inflammation-associated colon cancer, linked with long-standing colon inflammation, is often seen in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Typically, these patients are diagnosed at a younger age compared to those with sporadic colon cancer. Despite some advancements, the detailed molecular mechanisms driving cancer development in IBD remain unclear. Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), a serine/threonine kinase and cell cycle regulator, is recognized as an oncogene in various cancers. Intriguingly, higher Plk1 expression correlates with better survival rates in colon cancer patients. Besides, Plk1 also elevates in IBD cases, suggesting its significant role in both colitis and colon cancer. Our study explores Plk1's role in IBD-associated colon cancer using the azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) mouse model, revealing Plk1's suppressive impact on both colitis and related colon cancer. Citation Format: Xinyi Wang, Dang he, Fengyi Mao, Yifan Kong, Chaohao Li, Sai Wu, Jia Peng, Chi Wang, Zhiguo Li, Xiaoqi Liu. Plk1 attenuates colon inflammation and tumorigenesis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1406.