Identifying and validating PLAU as a potential prognostic biomarker for PDAC.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a prevalent cancer with a high mortality rate. This study aims to identify and validate biomarkers for early PDAC diagnosis. We employed the GEO2R online tool to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs), construct protein interaction networks, and perform functional enrichment analysis, survival prognosis analysis, and expression level validation. We identified 260 DEGs, comprising 165 upregulated genes and 95 downregulated genes. Following functional enrichment and survival analysis, we selected plasminogen activator urokinase (PLAU) for the RNA and protein level verification and preliminary cell phenotype analysis. We found that PLAU knockdown inhibits the proliferation and survival of pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, PLAU may serve as a potential biomarker, offering new strategies for understanding PDAC's pathological mechanisms.