Similar Datasets
Project description:Ductal progenitor-like cells are a subpopulation of ductal cells in the adult human pancreas that have the potential to contribute to regenerative medicine. However, the microenvironmental cues that regulate their activation are poorly understood. Here, we establish a 3-dimensional suspension culture system containing six defined soluble factors in which primary human ductal and ductal progenitor-like cells can survive but do not proliferate. Expansion and polarization occur when cells are provided with a low concentration (5% v/v) of Matrigel, a sarcoma cell product enriched in many extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Screening of ECM proteins identified that collagen IV is capable of partially recapitulating the effects of Matrigel. Inhibition of integrin α1β1, a major collagen IV receptor, negates collagen IV- and Matrigel-stimulated effects. These results demonstrate that collagen IV is a key ECM protein that stimulates the expansion and polarization of human ductal and ductal progenitor-like cells via integrin α1β1 receptor signaling.
2023-05-31 | GSE233344 | GEO
Project description:Ductal progenitor-like cells are a subpopulation of ductal cells in the adult human pancreas that have the potential to contribute to regenerative medicine. However, the microenvironmental cues that regulate their activation are poorly understood. Here, we establish a 3-dimensional suspension culture system containing six defined soluble factors in which primary human ductal and ductal progenitor-like cells can survive but do not proliferate. Expansion and polarization occur when cells are provided with a low concentration (5% v/v) of Matrigel, a sarcoma cell product enriched in many extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Screening of ECM proteins identified that collagen IV is capable of partially recapitulating the effects of Matrigel. Inhibition of integrin α1β1, a major collagen IV receptor, negates collagen IV- and Matrigel-stimulated effects. These results demonstrate that collagen IV is a key ECM protein that stimulates the expansion and polarization of human ductal and ductal progenitor-like cells via integrin α1β1 receptor signaling.
2023-06-05 | GSE233785 | GEO
Project description:Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in the clonogenic growth and metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A hallmark of PDAC is the desmoplastic reaction, but the impact of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on CSCs is unknown. In order to better understand the mechanisms, we examined the impact of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on PDAC CSCs. We quantified the effect of ECM proteins, ?1-integrin, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) on clonogenic PDAC growth and migration in vitro and tumor initiation, growth, and metastasis in vivo in nude mice using shRNA and overexpression constructs as well as small molecule FAK inhibitors. Type I collagen increased PDAC tumor initiating potential, self-renewal, and the frequency of CSCs through the activation of FAK. FAK overexpression increased tumor initiation, whereas a dominant negative FAK mutant or FAK kinase inhibitors reduced clonogenic PDAC growth in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the FAK inhibitor VS-4718 extended the anti-tumor response to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in patient-derived PDAC xenografts, and the loss of FAK expression limited metastatic dissemination of orthotopic xenografts. Type I collagen enhances PDAC CSCs, and both kinase-dependent and independent activities of FAK impact PDAC tumor initiation, self-renewal, and metastasis. The anti-tumor impact of FAK inhibitors in combination with standard chemotherapy support the clinical testing of this combination.
| S-EPMC5503247 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Signaling pathways critical for embryonic development re-emerge in adult pancreas during tumorigenesis. Aspartate ?-hydroxylase (ASPH) drives embryonic cell motility/invasion in pancreatic development/differentiation. We explored if dysregulated ASPH is critically involved in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis. METHODS:To demonstrate if/how ASPH mediates malignant phenotypes, proliferation, migration, 2-D/3-D invasion, pancreatosphere formation, immunofluorescence, Western blot, co-immunoprecipitation, invadopodia formation/maturation/function, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and self-developed in vitro metastasis assays were performed. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were established to illustrate in vivo antitumor effects of the third-generation small molecule inhibitor specifically against ASPH's ?-hydroxylase activity. Prognostic values of ASPH network components were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier plots, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS:ASPH renders pancreatic cancer cells more aggressive phenotypes characterized by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), 2-D/3-D invasion, invadopodia formation/function as demonstrated by extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, stemness (cancer stem cell marker upregulation and pancreatosphere formation), transendothelial migration (mimicking intravasation/extravasation), and sphere formation (mimicking metastatic colonization/outgrowth at distant sites). Mechanistically, ASPH activates SRC cascade through direct physical interaction with ADAM12/ADAM15 independent of FAK. The ASPH-SRC axis enables invadopodia construction and initiates MMP-mediated ECM degradation/remodeling as executors for invasiveness. Pharmacologic inhibition of invadopodia attenuates in vitro metastasis. ASPH fosters primary tumor development and pulmonary metastasis in PDX models of PDAC, which is blocked by a leading compound specifically against ASPH enzymatic activity. ASPH is silenced in normal pancreas, progressively upregulated from pre-malignant lesions to invasive/advanced stages of PDAC. Expression profiling of ASPH-SRC network components independently/jointly predicts clinical outcome of PDAC patients. Compared to a negative-low level, a moderate-very high level of ASPH, ADAM12, activated SRC, and MMPs correlated with curtailed overall survival (OS) of pancreatic cancer patients (log-rank test, ps?<?0.001). The more unfavorable molecules patients carry, the more deleterious prognosis is destinated. Patients with 0-2 (n?=?4), 3-5 (n?=?8), 6-8 (n?=?24), and 9-12 (n?=?73) unfavorable expression scores of the 5 molecules had median survival time of 55.4, 15.9, 9.7, and 5.0?months, respectively (p?<?0.001). CONCLUSION:Targeting the ASPH-SRC axis, which is essential for propagating multi-step PDAC metastasis, may specifically/substantially retard development/progression and thus improve prognosis of PDAC.
| S-EPMC6937817 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The adult pancreas has considerable capacity to regenerate in response to injury. We hypothesized that after partial pancreatectomy (Px) in adult rats, pancreatic-duct cells serve as a source of regeneration by undergoing a reproducible dedifferentiation and redifferentiation. We support this hypothesis by the detection of an early loss of the ductal differentiation marker Hnf6 in the mature ducts, followed by the transient appearance of areas composed of proliferating ductules, called foci of regeneration, which subsequently form new pancreatic lobes. In young foci, ductules express markers of the embryonic pancreatic epithelium - Pdx1, Tcf2 and Sox9 - suggesting that these cells act as progenitors of the regenerating pancreas. The endocrine-lineage-specific transcription factor Neurogenin3, which is found in the developing embryonic pancreas, was transiently detected in the foci. Islets in foci initially resemble embryonic islets in their lack of MafA expression and lower percentage of beta-cells, but with increasing maturation have increasing numbers of MafA(+) insulin(+) cells. Taken together, we provide a mechanism by which adult pancreatic duct cells recapitulate aspects of embryonic pancreas differentiation in response to injury, and contribute to regeneration of the pancreas. This mechanism of regeneration relies mainly on the plasticity of the differentiated cells within the pancreas.
| S-EPMC2915881 | biostudies-other
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by an extensive desmoplastic stromal response. Fibroblast activation protein-? (FAP) is best known for its presence in stromal cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Our aim was to assess whether FAP expression was associated with the prognosis of patients with PDAC and to investigate how FAP expressing CAFs contribute to the progression of PDAC.FAP expression was immunohistochemically assessed in 48 PDAC specimens. We also generated a fibroblastic cell line stably expressing FAP, and examined the effect of FAP-expressing fibroblasts on invasiveness and the cell cycle in MiaPaCa-2 cells (a pancreatic cancer cell line).Stromal FAP expression was detected in 98% (47/48) of the specimens of PDAC, with the intensity being weak in 16, moderate in 19, and strong in 12 specimens, but was not detected in the 3 control noncancerous pancreatic specimens. Patients with moderate or strong FAP expression had significantly lower cumulative survival rates than those with negative or weak FAP expression (mean survival time; 352 vs. 497 days, P?=?0.006). Multivariate analysis identified moderate to strong expression of FAP as one of the factors associated with the prognosis in patients with PDAC. The intensity of stromal FAP expression was also positively correlated to the histological differentiation of PDAC (P?<?0.05). FAP-expressing fibroblasts promoted the invasiveness of MiaPaCa-2 cells more intensively than fibroblasts not expressing FAP. Coculture with FAP-expressing fibroblasts significantly activated cell cycle shift in MiaPaCa-2 cells compared to coculture with fibroblasts not expressing FAP. Furthermore, coculture with FAP expressing fibroblasts inactivated retinoblastoma (Rb) protein, an inhibitor of cell cycle progression, in MiaPaCa-2 cells by promoting phosphorylation of Rb.The present in vitro results and the association of FAP expression with clinical outcomes provide us with a better understanding of the effect of FAP-expressing CAFs on the progression of PDAC.
| S-EPMC4556412 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Desmoplasia describes the deposition of extensive extracellular matrix and defines primary pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). The acellular component of this stroma has been implicated in PDA pathogenesis and is being targeted therapeutically in clinical trials. By analyzing the stromal content of PDA samples from numerous annotated PDA data sets and correlating stromal content with both anatomic site and clinical outcome, we found PDA metastases in the liver, the primary cause of mortality to have less stroma, have higher tumor cellularity than primary tumors. Experimentally manipulating stromal matrix with an anti-lysyl oxidase like-2 (anti-LOXL2) antibody in syngeneic orthotopic PDA mouse models significantly decreased matrix content, led to lower tissue stiffness, lower contrast retention on computed tomography, and accelerated tumor growth, resulting in diminished overall survival. These studies suggest an important protective role of stroma in PDA and urge caution in clinically deploying stromal depletion strategies.
| S-EPMC7456216 | biostudies-literature
Project description:INTRODUCTION:Extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) is a secreted glycoprotein with putative functions in cell proliferation, angiogenesis and differentiation. Expression of ECM1 in several types of carcinoma suggests that it may promote tumor development. In this study, we investigated the role of ECM1 in oncogenic cell signaling in breast cancer, and potential mechanisms for its effects. METHODS:In order to find out the functional role of ECM1, we used the recombinant human ECM1 and viral transduction systems which stably regulated the expression level of ECM1. We examined the effect of ECM1 on cell proliferation and cell signaling in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, tissues and sera of patients with breast cancer were used to confirm the effect of ECM1. RESULTS:ECM1 protein was increased in trastuzumab-resistant (TR) cells, in association with trastuzumab resistance and cell proliferation. Through physical interaction with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), ECM1 potentiated the phosphorylation of EGFR and extracellular signal-regulated kinase upon EGF treatment. Moreover, ECM1-induced galectin-3 cleavage through upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 not only improved mucin 1 expression, but also increased EGFR and human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 protein stability as a secondary signaling. CONCLUSIONS:ECM1 has important roles in both cancer development and trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer through activation of EGFR signaling.
| S-EPMC4308848 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAs) are desmoplastic and can undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition to confer metastasis and chemoresistance. Studies have demonstrated that phenotypically and functionally distinct stromal cell populations exist in PDAs. Fibroblast activation protein-expressing (FAP-expressing) cells act to enhance PDA progression, while ?-smooth muscle actin myofibroblasts can restrain PDA. Thus, identification of precise molecular targets that mediate the protumorigenic activity of FAP+ cells will guide development of therapy for PDA. Herein, we demonstrate that FAP overexpression in the tumor microenvironment correlates with poor overall and disease-free survival of PDA patients. Genetic deletion of FAP delayed onset of primary tumor and prolonged survival of mice in the KPC mouse model of PDA. While genetic deletion of FAP did not affect primary tumor weight in advanced disease, FAP deficiency increased tumor necrosis and impeded metastasis to multiple organs. Lineage-tracing studies unexpectedly showed that FAP is not only expressed by stromal cells, but can also be detected in a subset of CD90+ mesenchymal PDA cells, representing up to 20% of total intratumoral FAP+ cells. These data suggest that FAP may regulate PDA progression and metastasis in cell-autonomous and/or non-cell-autonomous fashions. Together, these data support pursuing FAP as a therapeutic target in PDA.
| S-EPMC5841864 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundExtensive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is a hallmark of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDA). We investigated fragments of collagen types III (C3M, PRO-C3), VI (PRO-C6), and VIII (C8-C), and versican (VCANM) in plasma as biomarkers for predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with mPDA treated with pegvorhyaluronidase alfa, a biologic that degrades the ECM component hyaluronan (HA), in a randomized phase 2 study (HALO109-202).MethodsHALO109-202 comprised a discovery cohort (Stage 1, n?=?94) and a validation cohort (Stage 2, n?=?95). Plasma ECM biomarkers were analyzed by ELISAs. Univariate Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier plots evaluated predictive associations between biomarkers, PFS and OS in patients treated with pegvorhyaluronidase alfa plus nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine (PAG) versus nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine (AG) alone.ResultsPFS was improved with PAG vs. AG in Stage 1 patients with high C3M/PRO-C3 ratio (median cut-off): median PFS (mPFS) 8.0 vs. 5.3 months, P?=?0.031; HR?=?0.40; 95% CI 0.17-0.92). High C3M/PRO-C3 ratio was validated in Stage 2 patients by predicting a PFS benefit of PAG vs. AG (mPFS: 8.8 vs. 3.4 months, P?=?0.046; HR?=?0.46; 95% CI 0.21-0.98). OS was also improved in patients with high C3M/PRO-C3 ratio treated with PAG vs. AG (mOS 13.8 vs 8.5 months, P?=?0.009; HR?=?0.35; 95% CI 0.16-0.77). Interestingly, high C3M/PRO-C3 ratio predicted for a PFS benefit to PAG vs. AG both in patients with HA-low tumors (HR?=?0.36; 95% CI 0.17-0.79) and HA-high tumors (HR?=?0.20; 95% CI 0.06-0.69).ConclusionsThe C3M/PRO-C3 ratio measuring type III collagen turnover in plasma has potential as a blood-based predictive biomarker in patients with mPDA and provides additional value to a HA biopsy when applied for patient selection.Trial registrationNCT01839487. Registered 25 April 2016.
| S-EPMC7819178 | biostudies-literature