CDC20 promotes prostate cancer progression via modulating c-MYC and PI3K-AKT signaling

Prostate cancer shows substantial variability in clinical outcomes, underscoring the need for reliable biomarkers and mechanistic insights. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data identified CDC20 as an independent prognostic factor with elevated expression in prostate cancer. Functional studies in DU145 and PC-3 cells demonstrated that CDC20 promotes cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle progression. Co-immunoprecipitation and loss-of-function analyses indicated that CDC20 interacts with c-MYC and influences PI3K-AKT signaling. In a xenograft model, CDC20 knockdown reduced tumor growth, whereas its overexpression enhanced tumor progression. These findings suggest that CDC20 contributes to prostate cancer progression, at least in part, through a c-MYC-associated PI3K-AKT signaling axis, and support its potential relevance for prognostic assessment and therapeutic targeting.