PIM3

PIM3 encodes a serine/threonine Pim kinase that supports tumor-cell survival by phosphorylating Bad and blocking Bad-mediated apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells^[1]. Mechanistically, PIM3 links survival signaling to apoptosis control, because PIM3 silencing or kinase inactivation reduces proliferation and increases apoptosis in pancreatic, hepatoma, and colon cancer models^[1][2][3]. In disease models, PIM3 promotes pancreatic tumor growth and neovascularization through increased pSTAT3^Tyr705^, pSurvivin^Thr34^, HGF, EGF, FGF-2, and VEGF^[3]. Compared with related isoforms, PIM3 shows a distinct experimental role because PIM3, but not PIM1 or PIM2 knockdown, downregulates STAT3^Tyr705^ phosphorylation in prostate cancer cells^[4]. For research applications, PIM kinase inhibition with SGI-1776 suppresses PDAC growth, alters cell-cycle behavior, and sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine^[5].