{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,21]],"date-time":"2026-04-21T06:40:42Z","timestamp":1776753642174,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]],"date-time":"2025-08-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754352000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Sapienza University of Rome","award":["RM124190DF37F422"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RM124190DF37F422"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are aggressive malignancies characterized by a poor prognosis and resistance to conventional therapies. Mounting evidence suggests the pivotal role of epithelial\u2013mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance in these cancers. Protein induced by vitamin K absence II (PIVKA-II)\u2014a valuable HCC detector\u2014has ultimately emerged as a potentially relevant biomarker in PDAC, serving as both a serum biomarker and a prognostic indicator. This study investigates the putative link between PIVKA-II expression and the EMT process in HCC and PDAC. Using a Western blot analysis and electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA), we quantified PIVKA-II serum levels alongside two canonical EMT markers\u2014Vimentin and E-cadherin\u2014in selected cohorts. Emerging data suggest a dual, context-dependent role for PIVKA-II. Beyond its diagnostic value in both malignancies, its co-expression with EMT markers points to a potential mechanistic involvement in tumor invasiveness and phenotypic plasticity. Notably, the selective detection of E-cadherin in HCC implies limited EMT activation and a preservation of the epithelial phenotype, whereas the higher expression of Vimentin in PDAC reflects a more substantial shift toward EMT. We provide a comprehensive analysis of key molecular markers, their involvement in EMT-driven pathophysiological mechanisms, and their potential as novel diagnostic tools.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms26157581","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,6]],"date-time":"2025-08-06T07:45:11Z","timestamp":1754466311000},"page":"7581","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Differential Associations of PIVKA-II with Epithelial and Mesenchymal Features in HCC and PDAC"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8629-0971","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonella","family":"Farina","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00181 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4629-5222","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gaia","family":"Cicolani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00181 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Valentina","family":"Viggiani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00181 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Matteo","family":"Maini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00181 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Angeloni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00181 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5124-3219","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emanuela","family":"Anastasi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00181 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"629","DOI":"10.1007\/s10555-023-10084-4","article-title":"Hepatocellular carcinoma: Molecular mechanism, targeted therapy, and biomarkers","volume":"42","author":"Wang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cancer Metastasis Rev."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Perez, V.M., Kearney, J.F., and Yeh, J.J. 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