Elevated expression levels of the protein kinase DYRK1B induce mesenchymal features in A549 lung cancer cells.

Background: The protein kinase DYRK1B is a negative regulator of cell proliferation but has been found to be overexpressed in diverse human solid cancers. While DYRK1B is recognized to promote cell survival and adaption to stressful conditions, the consequences of elevated DYRK1B levels in cancer cells are largely uncharted.

Methods: To elucidate the role of DYRK1B in cancer cells, we established a A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell model featuring conditional overexpression of DYRK1B.