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Li TJ, Li H, Zhang WH, Xu SS, Jiang W, Li S, Gao HL, Han X, Xu HX, Wu CT, Wang WQ, Yu XJ, Liu L. Human splenic TER cells: A relevant prognostic factor acting via the artemin-GFRα3-ERK pathway in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Int J Cancer 2020; 148:1756-1767. [PMID: 33236361 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Splenectomy is routinely performed during distal or total pancreatectomy (DP or TP) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but information about its oncological value is limited. TER cells, nonimmune cells discovered in the spleens of tumour-bearing mice, are elicited by tumours and promote tumour progression, while their role in the clinical outcomes of patients with PDAC remains unclear. In our study, postoperative specimens from 622 patients who underwent DP or TP with splenectomy were analysed by flow cytometry or immunofluorescence, and the relationship between splenic TER cell count and clinical parameters was calculated. We also purified human TER cells for functional experiments and mechanistic studies. We found that TER cell numbers were increased only in the spleens of patients with PDAC but not in PDAC tissue and adjacent pancreatic tissue. High splenic TER cell counts independently predicted poor prognosis (P < .001) and indicated large tumour size, lymph node metastasis, advanced 8th AJCC/mAJCC stage and high CA19-9 classification (all P < .050) in patients with PDAC. Mechanistic analysis showed that TER cells express artemin, which facilitates the proliferation and invasion of PDAC cells by activating GFRα3-ERK signalling. Our study reveals that TER cell count is an indicator of poor prognosis of PDAC, while splenectomy during pancreatic surgery might provide oncological benefits in addition to ensuring the radical resection of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Jiao Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wu-Hu Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai-Shuai Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wang Jiang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - He-Li Gao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuan Han
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua-Xiang Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chun-Tao Wu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Quan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xian-Jun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.,Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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