1
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Wu Q, Mao H, Jiang Z, Tang D. Tumour-associated neutrophils: Potential therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer immunotherapy. Immunology 2024; 172:343-361. [PMID: 38402904 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant tumour of the digestive system with poor therapeutic response and low survival rates. Immunotherapy has rapidly developed in recent years and has achieved significant outcomes in numerous malignant neoplasms. However, responses to immunotherapy in PC are rare, and the immunosuppressive and desmoplastic tumour microenvironment (TME) significantly hinders their efficacy in PC. Tumour-associated neutrophils (TANs) play a crucial role in the PC microenvironment and exert a profound influence on PC immunotherapy by establishing a robust stromal shelter and restraining immune cells to assist PC cells in immune escape, which may subvert the current status of PC immunotherapy. The present review aims to offer a comprehensive summary of the latest progress in understanding the involvement of TANs in PC desmoplastic and immunosuppressive functions and to emphasise the potential therapeutic implications of focusing on TANs in the immunotherapy of this deleterious disease. Finally, we provide an outlook for the future use of TANs in PC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihang Wu
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Han Mao
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhengting Jiang
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Dong Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou, China
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2
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Boelaars K, Rodriguez E, Huinen ZR, Liu C, Wang D, Springer BO, Olesek K, Goossens-Kruijssen L, van Ee T, Lindijer D, Tak W, de Haas A, Wehry L, Nugteren-Boogaard JP, Mikula A, de Winde CM, Mebius RE, Tuveson DA, Giovannetti E, Bijlsma MF, Wuhrer M, van Vliet SJ, van Kooyk Y. Pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts modulate macrophage differentiation via sialic acid-Siglec interactions. Commun Biol 2024; 7:430. [PMID: 38594506 PMCID: PMC11003967 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06087-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances in cancer immunotherapy, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unresponsive due to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by the abundance of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Once identified, CAF-mediated immune inhibitory mechanisms could be exploited for cancer immunotherapy. Siglec receptors are increasingly recognized as immune checkpoints, and their ligands, sialic acids, are known to be overexpressed by cancer cells. Here, we unveil a previously unrecognized role of sialic acid-containing glycans on PDAC CAFs as crucial modulators of myeloid cells. Using multiplex immunohistochemistry and transcriptomics, we show that PDAC stroma is enriched in sialic acid-containing glycans compared to tumor cells and normal fibroblasts, and characterized by ST3GAL4 expression. We demonstrate that sialic acids on CAF cell lines serve as ligands for Siglec-7, -9, -10 and -15, distinct from the ligands on tumor cells, and that these receptors are found on myeloid cells in the stroma of PDAC biopsies. Furthermore, we show that CAFs drive the differentiation of monocytes to immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages in vitro, and that CAF sialylation plays a dominant role in this process compared to tumor cell sialylation. Collectively, our findings unravel sialic acids as a mechanism of CAF-mediated immunomodulation, which may provide targets for immunotherapy in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Boelaars
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ernesto Rodriguez
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Zowi R Huinen
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chang Liu
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pulmonary Medicine, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Di Wang
- Leiden University Medical Center, Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Babet O Springer
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Katarzyna Olesek
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Goossens-Kruijssen
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas van Ee
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dimitri Lindijer
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willemijn Tak
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aram de Haas
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laetitia Wehry
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joline P Nugteren-Boogaard
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aleksandra Mikula
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte M de Winde
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Reina E Mebius
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Medical Oncology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, AIRC Start-Up Unit, Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Pisa, Italy
| | - Maarten F Bijlsma
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, location University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Manfred Wuhrer
- Leiden University Medical Center, Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sandra J van Vliet
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yvette van Kooyk
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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3
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Mahadevia H, Uson Junior PLS, Wang J, Borad M, Babiker H. An overview of up-and-coming immune checkpoint inhibitors for pancreatic cancer. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2024; 25:79-90. [PMID: 38193476 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2304125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway as well as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) have demonstrated substantial potential in several malignancies. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC) still carries a high mortality despite tremendous advances in the anti-cancer arsenal. AREAS COVERED In this review, we discuss completed and ongoing studies on various ICIs in PC. ICIs have not yielded significant benefits as monotherapy. However, the combination with currently utilized therapies as well as with several other newer forms of therapy has delineated encouraging results. Larger trials are currently underway to definitively characterize the utility of ICIs in the treatment algorithm of PC. ICIs are approved for cancers with mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high tumors (MSI-H) as a tumor-agnostic treatment strategy usually referred to as hot tumors. EXPERT OPINION Studies evaluating different drugs to transform the tumor microenvironment (TME) from 'cold' to 'hot' have not shown promise in PC. There still needs to be more prospective trials evaluating the efficacy of the combination of ICIs with different therapeutic modalities in PC that can augment the immunogenic potential of those 'cold' tumors. Exploratory biomarker analysis may help us identify those subsets of PC patients who may particularly benefit from ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himil Mahadevia
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Pedro Luiz Serrano Uson Junior
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Mitesh Borad
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Hani Babiker
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Zhang B, Sun J, Guan H, Guo H, Huang B, Chen X, Chen F, Yuan Q. Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing revealed the molecular characteristics and prognostic roles of neutrophils in pancreatic cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:9718-9742. [PMID: 37728418 PMCID: PMC10564426 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer, one of the most prevalent tumors of the digestive system, has a dismal prognosis. Cancer of the pancreas is distinguished by an inflammatory tumor microenvironment rich in fibroblasts and different immune cells. Neutrophils are important immune cells that infiltrate the microenvironment of pancreatic cancer tumors. The purpose of this work was to examine the complex mechanism by which neutrophils influence the carcinogenesis and development of pancreatic cancer and to construct a survival prediction model based on neutrophil marker genes. We incorporated the GSE111672 dataset, comprising RNA expression data from 27,000 cells obtained from 3 patients with PC, and conducted single-cell data analysis. Thorough investigation of pancreatic cancer single-cell RNA sequencing data found 350 neutrophil marker genes. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), GSE28735, GSE62452, GSE57495, and GSE85916 datasets to gather pancreatic cancer tissue transcriptome data, and consistent clustering was used to identify two categories for analyzing the influence of neutrophils on pancreatic cancer. Using the Random Forest algorithm and Cox regression analysis, a survival prediction model for pancreatic cancer was developed, the model showed independent performance for survival prognosis, clinic pathological features, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity. Multivariate Cox analysis findings revealed that the risk scores derived from predictive models is independent prognostic markers for pancreatic patients. In conclusion, based on neutrophil marker genes, this research created a molecular typing and prognostic grading system for pancreatic cancer, this system was very accurate in predicting the prognosis, tumor immune microenvironment status, and pharmacological treatment responsiveness of pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Jiaao Sun
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Hewen Guan
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Hui Guo
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Bingqian Huang
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Qihang Yuan
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
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5
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Xu X, Cui L, Zhang L, Yang L, Zhuo Y, Li C. Saikosaponin d modulates the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages by deactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in murine models of pancreatic cancer. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 122:110579. [PMID: 37433245 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) poses a major obstacle to traditional and immunomodulatory cancer therapies and is closely associated with macrophage polarization. Saikosaponin d (SSd), a major active component of triterpene saponins derived from Bupleurum falcatum, has anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities. However, whether SSd can regulate immune cells during the development of the TME in PDAC remains unknown. In the present study, we aimed to analyze the role of SSd in regulating immune cells in the PDAC TME, especially the polarization of macrophages, and examine the related mechanisms. An orthotopic PDAC cancer model was used to investigate the antitumor activities and the regulation of immune cells in vivo. In vitro, bone marrow mononuclear (BM-MNC) cells and RAW 264.7 cells were used to induce the M2 macrophage phenotype and examine the effects and molecular mechanism of SSd on M2 macrophage polarization. The results revealed that SSd could directly inhibit the apoptosis and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, modulate the immunosuppressive microenvironment and reactivate the local immune response, especially by decreasing the shift toward M2 macrophage polarization by downregulating phosphorylated STAT6 levels and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, 740-Y-P (PI3K activator) was used to verify that SSd inhibited M2 polarization in RAW264.7 cells via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study provided experimental evidence of the antitumor effect of SSd, especially in the regulation of M2 macrophage polarization, and demonstrated that SSd may be a promising therapeutic agent in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinsheng Xu
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Department, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Nankai Clinical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lihua Cui
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Acute Abdomen Disease Associated Organ Injury and ITCWM Repair, Institute of Acute Abdominal Diseases of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Nankai Clinical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lanqiu Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Acute Abdomen Disease Associated Organ Injury and ITCWM Repair, Institute of Acute Abdominal Diseases of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Nankai Clinical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Acute Abdomen Disease Associated Organ Injury and ITCWM Repair, Institute of Acute Abdominal Diseases of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Nankai Clinical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuzhen Zhuo
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Acute Abdomen Disease Associated Organ Injury and ITCWM Repair, Institute of Acute Abdominal Diseases of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Nankai Clinical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Caixia Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Acute Abdomen Disease Associated Organ Injury and ITCWM Repair, Institute of Acute Abdominal Diseases of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Nankai Clinical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
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6
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Beelen NA, Aberle MR, Bruno V, Olde Damink SWM, Bos GMJ, Rensen SS, Wieten L. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity-inducing antibodies enhance the natural killer cell anti-cancer response against patient-derived pancreatic cancer organoids. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1133796. [PMID: 37520563 PMCID: PMC10375290 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1133796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pancreatic cancer is associated with poor prognosis, and limited treatment options are available for the majority of patients. Natural killer (NK) cells in combination with antibodies inducing antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) could be a highly effective new therapeutic option in pancreatic cancer. Accurate predictive preclinical models are needed to develop successful NK cell immunotherapy. Tumor organoids, in vitro 3D organ-like structures that retain important pathophysiological characteristics of the in vivo tumor, may provide such a model. In the current study, we assessed the cytotoxic potential of adoptive NK cells against human pancreatic cancer organoids. We hypothesized that NK cell anti-tumor responses could be enhanced by including ADCC-triggering antibodies. Methods We performed cytotoxicity assays with healthy donor-derived IL-2-activated NK cells and pancreatic cancer organoids from four patients. A 3D cytotoxicity assay using live-cell-imaging was developed and enabled real-time assessment of the response. Results We show that NK cells migrate to and target pancreatic cancer organoids, resulting in an increased organoid death, compared to the no NK cell controls (reaching an average fold change from baseline of 2.1±0.8 vs 1.4±0.6). After 24-hours of co-culture, organoid 2D growth increased. Organoids from 2 out of 4 patients were sensitive to NK cells, while organoids from the other two patients were relatively resistant, indicating patient-specific heterogeneity among organoid cultures. The ADCC-inducing antibodies avelumab (anti-PD-L1) and trastuzumab (anti-HER2) increased NK cell-induced organoid cell death (reaching an average fold change from baseline of 3.5±1.0 and 4.5±1.8, respectively). Moreover, combination therapy with avelumab or trastuzumab resulted in complete disintegration of organoids. Finally, inclusion of ADCC-inducing antibodies was able to overcome resistance in NK-organoid combinations with low or no kill. Discussion These results support the use of organoids as a relevant and personalized model to study the anti-tumor response of NK cells in vitro and the potential of ADCC-inducing antibodies to enhance NK cell effector function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky A. Beelen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, Netherlands
- GROW-School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Merel R. Aberle
- Department of Surgery and School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Virginia Bruno
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Steven W. M. Olde Damink
- Department of Surgery and School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of General, Visceral- and Transplantation Surgery, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gerard M. J. Bos
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, Netherlands
- GROW-School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Sander S. Rensen
- Department of Surgery and School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Lotte Wieten
- GROW-School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Transplantation Immunology, Tissue Typing Laboratory, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, Netherlands
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7
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Giustarini G, Teng G, Pavesi A, Adriani G. Characterization of 3D heterocellular spheroids of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma for the study of cell interactions in the tumor immune microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1156769. [PMID: 37519820 PMCID: PMC10375712 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1156769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest malignancies nowadays. The available chemo- and immunotherapies are often ineffective in treating PDAC due to its immunosuppressive and highly desmoplastic tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), which is hardly reproduced in the existing preclinical models. The PDAC TIME results from a peculiar spatial organization between different cell types. For this reason, developing new human models recapitulating the tissue organization and cell heterogeneity of PDAC is highly desirable. We developed human 3D heterocellular tumor spheroids of PDAC formed by cancer cells, endothelial cells, pancreatic stellate cells (PSC), and monocytes. As a control, we formed spheroids using immortalized epithelial pancreatic ductal cells (non-cancerous spheroids) with cellular heterogeneity similar to the tumor spheroids. Normal spheroids containing endothelial cells formed a complex 3D endothelial network significantly compromised in tumor spheroids. Monocyte/macrophages within the 4-culture tumor spheroids were characterized by a higher expression of CD163, CD206, PD-L1, and CD40 than those in the non-cancerous spheroids suggesting their differentiation towards an immunosuppressive phenotype. The heterocellular tumor spheroids presented a hypoxic core populated with PSC and monocytes/macrophages. The 4-culture tumor spheroids were characterized by spatial proximity of PSC and monocytes to the endothelial cells and a cytokine signature with increased concentrations of CXCL10, CCL2, and IL-6, which have been observed in PDAC patients and associated with poor survival. Further, 4-culture tumor spheroids decreased the concentrations of T-cell chemoattracting cytokines, i.e., CCL4, CCL5, and CXCL9, when compared with the non-cancerous spheroids, revealing a critical immunosuppressive feature of the different types of cells forming the tumor spheroids. Our results showed that the 4-culture tumor spheroids better resembled some critical features of patients' PDAC TIME than monoculture tumor spheroids. Using the proposed human 3D spheroid model for therapy testing at the preclinical stage may reveal pitfalls of chemo- and immuno-therapies to help the development of better anti-tumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Giustarini
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Germaine Teng
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andrea Pavesi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Giulia Adriani
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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8
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Lin HJ, Liu Y, Caroland K, Lin J. Polarization of Cancer-Associated Macrophages Maneuver Neoplastic Attributes of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3507. [PMID: 37444617 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence links the phenomenon of enhanced recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages towards cancer bulks to neoplastic growth, invasion, metastasis, immune escape, matrix remodeling, and therapeutic resistance. In the context of cancer progression, naïve macrophages are polarized into M1 or M2 subtypes according to their differentiation status, gene signatures, and functional roles. While the former render proinflammatory and anticancer effects, the latter subpopulation elicits an opposite impact on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. M2 macrophages have gained increasing attention as they are largely responsible for molding an immune-suppressive landscape. Through positive feedback circuits involving a paracrine manner, M2 macrophages can be amplified by and synergized with neighboring neoplastic cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and non-cell autonomous constituents in the microenvironmental niche to promote an advanced disease state. This review delineates the molecular cues expanding M2 populations that subsequently convey notorious clinical outcomes. Future therapeutic regimens shall comprise protocols attempting to abolish environmental niches favoring M2 polarization; weaken cancer growth typically assisted by M2; promote the recruitment of tumoricidal CD8+ T lymphocytes and dendritic cells; and boost susceptibility towards gemcitabine as well as other chemotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huey-Jen Lin
- Department of Medical & Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Willard Hall Education Building, 16 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Yingguang Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Liberty University, 306 Liberty View Lane, Lynchburg, VA 24502, USA
| | - Kailey Caroland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 108 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jiayuh Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 108 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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9
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Wang Z, He R, Dong S, Zhou W. Pancreatic stellate cells in pancreatic cancer: as potential targets for future therapy. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1185093. [PMID: 37409257 PMCID: PMC10318188 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1185093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a strongly malignant gastrointestinal carcinoma characterized by late detection, high mortality rates, poor patient prognosis and lack of effective treatments. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify novel therapeutic strategies for this disease. Pancreatic stellate cells, which constitute a significant component of the mesenchymal cellular layer within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, play a pivotal role in modulating this environment through their interactions with pancreatic cancer cells. This paper reviews the mechanisms by which pancreatic stellate cells inhibit antitumor immune responses and promote cancer progression. We also discuss preclinical studies focusing on these cells, with the goal of providing some theoretical references for the development of new therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengfeng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ru He
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University Medical College, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shi Dong
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University Medical College, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wence Zhou
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University Medical College, Lanzhou, China
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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10
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Zhu YH, Zheng JH, Jia QY, Duan ZH, Yao HF, Yang J, Sun YW, Jiang SH, Liu DJ, Huo YM. Immunosuppression, immune escape, and immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer: focused on the tumor microenvironment. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023; 46:17-48. [PMID: 36367669 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00741-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common type of pancreatic cancer, is characterized by poor treatment response and low survival time. The current clinical treatment for advanced PDAC is still not effective. In recent years, the research and application of immunotherapy have developed rapidly and achieved substantial results in many malignant tumors. However, the translational application in PDAC is still far from satisfactory and needs to be developed urgently. To carry out the study of immunotherapy, it is necessary to fully decipher the immune characteristics of PDAC. This review summarizes the recent progress of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of PDAC and highlights its link with immunotherapy. We describe the molecular cues and corresponding intervention methods, collate several promising targets and progress worthy of further study, and put forward the importance of integrated immunotherapy to provide ideas for future research of TME and immunotherapy of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Heng Zhu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Hao Zheng
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Qin-Yuan Jia
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Zong-Hao Duan
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Fei Yao
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Wei Sun
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shu-Heng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 800 Dongchuan Road, 200240, People's Republic of China.
| | - De-Jun Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yan-Miao Huo
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Lin H, Ye Z, Xu R, Li XE, Sun B. The transcription factor JUN is a major regulator of quiescent pancreatic stellate cell maintenance. Gene X 2023; 851:147000. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.147000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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12
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Wang T, Yang J, Mao J, Zhu L, Luo X, Cheng C, Zhang L. ITGA5 inhibition in pancreatic stellate cells re-educates the in vitro tumor-stromal crosstalk. MEDICAL ONCOLOGY (NORTHWOOD, LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 40:39. [PMID: 36469173 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-022-01902-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
The interaction between pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) promotes aggressive progression of pancreatic cancer, and disrupting the tumor-stromal crosstalk is a promising therapeutic strategy. Integrin α5 (ITGA5) is specifically overexpressed in pancreatic cancer stroma and activated PSCs. ITGA5 acts as a mediator in PCCs-PSCs interaction, but its role in regulating biological behaviors of PSCs and PCCs is still not quite clear. In this study, ITGA5 in PSCs was inhibited using its specific inhibitor AV3 peptide or siRNA knockdown technique. Pancreatic cancer SW1990 cells conditioned medium (SW1990-CM) and an indirect co-culture system were used to mimic the environment of the in vitro tumor-stromal crosstalk. Our results showed that ITGA5 inhibition impaired the proliferation and migration of PSCs, but enhanced autophagy. After co-culture with PSCs, SW1990 cells gained some cancer stem cells (CSCs)-like characteristics, such as increased drug resistance, migration and invasion ability, but PSCs with ITGA5 knockdown were incapable of producing these effects. The present results suggested that ITGA5 was involved in the development of the malignant biological behaviors of PSCs and PCCs, and ITGA5 inhibition in PSCs might benefit the treatment of pancreatic cancer by re-educating PCCs-PSCs interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Juanli Mao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Lizhi Zhu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Xiu Luo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Chao Cheng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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13
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Chi H, Peng G, Wang R, Yang F, Xie X, Zhang J, Xu K, Gu T, Yang X, Tian G. Cuprotosis Programmed-Cell-Death-Related lncRNA Signature Predicts Prognosis and Immune Landscape in PAAD Patients. Cells 2022; 11:cells11213436. [PMID: 36359832 PMCID: PMC9658590 DOI: 10.3390/cells11213436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In terms of mortality and survival, pancreatic cancer is one of the worst malignancies. Known as a unique type of programmed cell death, cuprotosis contributes to tumor cell growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Cuprotosis programmed-cell-death-related lncRNAs (CRLs) have been linked to PAAD, although their functions in the tumor microenvironment and prognosis are not well understood. This study included data from the TCGA-PAAD cohort. Random sampling of PAAD data was conducted, splitting the data into two groups for use as a training set and test set (7:3). We searched for differentially expressed genes that were substantially linked to prognosis using univariate Cox and Lasso regression analysis. Through the use of multivariate Cox proportional risk regression, a risk-rating system for prognosis was developed. Correlations between the CRL signature and clinicopathological characteristics, tumor microenvironment, immunotherapy response, and chemotherapy sensitivity were further evaluated. Lastly, qRT-PCR was used to compare CRL expression in healthy tissues to that in tumors. Some CRLs are thought to have strong correlations with PAAD outcomes. These CRLs include AC005332.6, LINC02041, LINC00857, and AL117382.1. The CRL-based signature construction exhibited outstanding predictive performance and offers a fresh approach to evaluating pre-immune effectiveness, paving the way for future studies in precision immuno-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chi
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Gaoge Peng
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of General Surgery (Hepatobiliary Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Fengyi Yang
- Department of General Surgery (Hepatobiliary Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Xixi Xie
- School of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Jinhao Zhang
- School of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Tao Gu
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Xiaoli Yang
- Department of General Surgery (Hepatobiliary Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
- Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
- Correspondence: (X.Y.); (G.T.); Tel.: +86-150-8687-8251 (X.Y.); +86-182-4436-2063 (G.T.)
| | - Gang Tian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Correspondence: (X.Y.); (G.T.); Tel.: +86-150-8687-8251 (X.Y.); +86-182-4436-2063 (G.T.)
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14
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Yang Z, Xie Z, Wan J, Yi B, Xu T, Shu X, Zhao Z, Tang C. Current Trends and Research Hotspots in Pancreatic Stellate Cells: A Bibliometric Study. Front Oncol 2022; 12:896679. [PMID: 35719926 PMCID: PMC9198254 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.896679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) play crucial roles in acute/chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. In this study, bibliometric analysis was used to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the literature related to PSCs from 1998-2021 to summarize the current trends and research topics in this field. Methods Relevant literature data were downloaded from the Science Citation Index Expanded Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) on April 07, 2021, using Clarivate Analytics. Biblioshiny R packages, VOSviewer, Citespace, BICOMB, gCLUTO, and the Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology (http://bibliometric.com) were used to analyze the manually selected data. Results A total of 958 relevant studies published in 48 countries or regions were identified. The United States of America (USA) had the highest number of publications, followed by the People's Republic of China, Germany, and Japan. Tohoku University (Japan), the University of New South Wales (Australia), the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (USA), Technical University of Munich (Germany), and University of Rostock (Germany) were the top five institutions with most publications. Nine major clusters were generated using reference co-citation analysis. Keyword burst detection revealed that progression (2016-2021), microenvironment (2016-2021), and tumor microenvironment (2017-2021) were the current frontier keywords. Biclustering analysis identified five research hotspots in the field of PSCs during 1998-2021. Conclusion In this study, a scientometric analysis of 958 original documents related to PSCs showed that the research topics of these studies are likely in the transition from acute/chronic pancreatitis to pancreatic cancer. The current research trends regarding PSCs are related to pancreatic cancer, such as tumor microenvironment. This study summarizes five research hotspots in the field of PSCs between 1998 and 2021 and thus may provide insights for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoming Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Zhiqin Xie
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Wan
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Bo Yi
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Xiaorong Shu
- Medical Records Statistics Center, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Zhijian Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Caixi Tang
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, China
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15
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Cytoglobin attenuates pancreatic cancer growth via scavenging reactive oxygen species. Oncogenesis 2022; 11:23. [PMID: 35504863 PMCID: PMC9065067 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-022-00389-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a highly challenging malignancy with extremely poor prognosis. Cytoglobin (CYGB), a hemeprotein involved in liver fibrosis and cancer development, is expressed in pericytes of all organs. Here, we examined the role of CYGB in the development of pancreatic cancer. CYGB expression appeared predominately in the area surrounding adenocarcinoma and negatively correlated with tumor size in patients with pancreatic cancer. Directly injecting 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene into the pancreatic tail in wild-type mice resulted in time-dependent induction of severe pancreatitis, fibrosis, and oxidative damage, which was rescued by Cygb overexpression in transgenic mice. Pancreatic cancer incidence was 93% in wild-type mice but only 55% in transgenic mice. Enhanced CYGB expression in human pancreatic stellate cells in vitro reduced cellular collagen synthesis, inhibited cell activation, increased expression of antioxidant-related genes, and increased CYGB secretion into the medium. Cygb-overexpressing or recombinant human CYGB (rhCYGB) -treated MIA PaCa-2 cancer cells exhibited dose-dependent cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, diminished cell migration, and reduction in colony formation. RNA sequencing in rhCYGB-treated MIA PaCa-2 cells revealed downregulation of cell cycle and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. An increase in MIA PaCa-2 cell proliferation and reactive oxygen species production by H2O2 challenge was blocked by rhCYGB treatment or Cygb overexpression. PANC-1, OCUP-A2, and BxPC-3 cancer cells showed similar responses to rhCYGB. Known antioxidants N-acetyl cysteine and glutathione also inhibited cancer cell growth. These results demonstrate that CYGB suppresses pancreatic stellate cell activation, pancreatic fibrosis, and tumor growth, suggesting its potential therapeutic application against pancreatic cancer.
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16
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Hamada S, Matsumoto R, Masamune A. Pancreatic Stellate Cells and Metabolic Alteration: Physiology and Pathophysiology. Front Physiol 2022; 13:865105. [PMID: 35370770 PMCID: PMC8967348 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.865105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic stellate cells play a pivotal role in the development of pancreatic fibrosis. A wide variety of external stimuli can cause PSC activation accompanied by metabolic changes, which alters the tissue microenvironment by producing extracellular matrix proteins, cytokines, growth factors, and other mediators. Several metabolites aggravate fibrosis and inflammation by acting as key activating factors for PSCs. In other words, PSCs sense systemic metabolic changes. The detrimental effects of PSC activation on normal pancreatic cells, especially islet cells, further complicate metabolic imbalance through the dysregulation of glucose metabolism. PSC activation promotes cancer by altering the metabolism in pancreatic cancer cells, which collaborate with PSCs to efficiently adapt to environmental changes, promoting their growth and survival. This collaboration also contributes to the acquisition of chemoresistance. PSCs sequester chemotherapeutic agents and produce competing molecules as additional resistance mechanisms. The application of these metabolic targets for novel therapeutic strategies is currently being explored. This mini-review summarizes the role of PSCs in metabolic regulation of normal and cancerous cells.
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17
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Gong X, Liu Y, Zheng C, Tian P, Peng M, Pan Y, Li X. Establishment of a 4-miRNA Prognostic Model for Risk Stratification of Patients With Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:827259. [PMID: 35186758 PMCID: PMC8851918 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.827259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinomas (PAADs) often remain undiagnosed until later stages, limiting treatment options and leading to poor survival. The lack of robust biomarkers complicates PAAD prognosis, and patient risk stratification remains a major challenge. To address this issue, we established a panel constructed by four miRNAs (miR-4444-2, miR-934, miR-1301 and miR-3655) based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Human Cancer Metastasis Database (HCMDB) to predicted the prognosis of PAAD patients. Then, a risk prediction model of these four miRNAs was constructed by using Cox regression analysis with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. This model stratified TCGA PAAD cohort into the low-risk and high-risk groups based on the panel-based risk score, which was significantly associated with 1-, 2-, 3-year OS (AUC=0.836, AUC=0.844, AUC=0.952, respectively). The nomogram was then established with a robust performance signature for predicting prognosis compared to clinical characteristics of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients, including age, gender and clinical stage. Moreover, two GSE data were validated the expressions of 4 miRNAs with prognosis/survival outcome in PC. In the external clinical sample validation, the high-risk group with the upregulated expressions of miR-934/miR-4444-2 and downregulated expressions of miR-1301/miR-3655 were indicated a poor prognosis. Furthermore, the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, clone formation, transwell and wound healing assay also confirmed the promoting effect of miR-934/miR-4444-2 and the inhibiting effect of miR-1301/miR-3655 in PC cell proliferation and migration. Taken together, we identified a new 4-miRNA risk stratification model could be used in predicting prognosis in PAAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Gong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Big Data Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chenglong Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peikai Tian
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Minjie Peng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yihang Pan
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Big Data Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaowu Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Immunity and Diseases, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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18
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TNFSF9 promotes metastasis of pancreatic cancer by regulating M2 polarization of macrophages through Src/FAK/p-Akt/IL-1β signaling. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 102:108429. [PMID: 34906856 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The effect of tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 9 (TNFSF9) on the metastasis of pancreatic cancer (PC) and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. We studied the expression of TNFSF9 in pancreatic cancer and its relationship with immune cells. We further explored the effect of TNFSF9 on pancreatic cancer metastasis by inducing macrophage polarization, and evaluated the expression of Src/FAK/p-Akt/IL-1β signals in macrophages after knocking down TNFSF9. The data shows that TNFSF9 expression is elevated in pancreatic cancer and is related to the poor prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. In addition, TNFSF9 may induce the M2 polarization of macrophages through Src/FAK/p-Akt/IL-1β signals, thereby promoting the migration of pancreatic cancer cells. In conclusion, our data reveals that TNFSF9 may become a predictive biomarker of pancreatic cancer and provides a new intervention target for the immunotherapy of pancreatic cancer.
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19
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Goulart MR, Stasinos K, Fincham REA, Delvecchio FR, Kocher HM. T cells in pancreatic cancer stroma. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:7956-7968. [PMID: 35046623 PMCID: PMC8678814 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i46.7956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly devastating disease with a dismal 5-year survival rate. PDAC has a complex tumour microenvironment; characterised by a robust desmoplastic stroma, extensive infiltration of immunesuppressive cells such as immature myeloid cells, tumour-associated macrophages, neutrophils and regulatory T cells, and the presence of exhausted and senescent T cells. The cross-talk between cells in this fibrotic tumour establishes an immune-privileged microenvironment that supports tumour cell escape from immune-surveillance, disease progression and spread to distant organs. PDAC tumours, considered to be non-immunogenic or cold, express low mutation burden, low infiltration of CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocytes that are localised along the invasive margin of the tumour border in the surrounding fibrotic tissue, and often display an exhausted phenotype. Here, we review the role of T cells in pancreatic cancer, examine the complex interactions of these crucial effector units within pancreatic cancer stroma and shed light on the increasingly attractive use of T cells as therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Goulart
- Centre for Tumour Biology Barts Cancer Institute-A CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Konstantinos Stasinos
- Centre for Tumour Biology Barts Cancer Institute-A CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
- Barts and the London HPB Centre, The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London E1 1BB, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Elizabeth Ann Fincham
- Centre for Tumour Biology Barts Cancer Institute-A CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca R Delvecchio
- Centre for Tumour Biology Barts Cancer Institute-A CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
- Centre for Experimental Medicine and Rheumatology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Hemant M Kocher
- Centre for Tumour Biology Barts Cancer Institute-A CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
- Barts and the London HPB Centre, The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London E1 1BB, United Kingdom
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20
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Hester R, Mazur PK, McAllister F. Immunotherapy in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Beyond "Copy/Paste". Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:6287-6297. [PMID: 34193514 PMCID: PMC8639640 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-0900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has dramatically changed the cancer treatment landscape during the past decade, but very limited efficacy has been reported against pancreatic cancer. Several factors unique to pancreatic cancer may explain the resistance: the well-recognized suppressive elements in the tumor microenvironment, the functional and structural barrier imposed by the stroma components, T-cell exhaustion, the choice of perhaps the wrong immune targets, and microbial factors including gut dysbiosis and the unexpected presence of tumor microbes. Furthermore, we discuss various strategies to overcome these barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Hester
- Division of Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Pawel K. Mazur
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Florencia McAllister
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Corresponding Author: Florencia McAllister, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Pressler Street, CPB6.3500, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail:
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21
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Li HB, Yang ZH, Guo QQ. Immune checkpoint inhibition for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: limitations and prospects: a systematic review. Cell Commun Signal 2021; 19:117. [PMID: 34819086 PMCID: PMC8611916 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00789-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is an extremely malignant tumor with the lowest 5-year survival rate among all tumors. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), as the most common pathological subtype of pancreatic cancer, usually has poor therapeutic results. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can relieve failure of the tumor-killing effect of immune effector cells caused by immune checkpoints. Therefore, they have been used as a novel treatment for many solid tumors. However, PDAC is not sensitive to monotherapy with ICIs, which might be related to the inhibitory immune microenvironment of pancreatic cancer. Therefore, the way to improve the microenvironment has raised a heated discussion in recent years. Here, we elaborate on the relationship between different immune cellular components in this environment, list some current preclinical or clinical attempts to enhance the efficacy of ICIs by targeting the inhibitory tumor microenvironment of PDAC or in combination with other therapies. Such information offers a better understanding of the sophisticated tumor-microenvironment interactions, also providing insights on therapeutic guidance of PDAC targeting. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Bo Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang Province China
| | - Zi-Han Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang Province China
| | - Qing-Qu Guo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang Province China
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22
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Wandmacher AM, Mehdorn AS, Sebens S. The Heterogeneity of the Tumor Microenvironment as Essential Determinant of Development, Progression and Therapy Response of Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4932. [PMID: 34638420 PMCID: PMC8508450 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is commonly diagnosed at advanced stages and most anti-cancer therapies have failed to substantially improve prognosis of PDAC patients. As a result, PDAC is still one of the deadliest tumors. Tumor heterogeneity, manifesting at multiple levels, provides a conclusive explanation for divergent survival times and therapy responses of PDAC patients. Besides tumor cell heterogeneity, PDAC is characterized by a pronounced inflammatory stroma comprising various non-neoplastic cells such as myofibroblasts, endothelial cells and different leukocyte populations which enrich in the tumor microenvironment (TME) during pancreatic tumorigenesis. Thus, the stromal compartment also displays a high temporal and spatial heterogeneity accounting for diverse effects on the development, progression and therapy responses of PDAC. Adding to this heterogeneity and the impact of the TME, the microbiome of PDAC patients is considerably altered. Understanding this multi-level heterogeneity and considering it for the development of novel therapeutic concepts might finally improve the dismal situation of PDAC patients. Here, we outline the current knowledge on PDAC cell heterogeneity focusing on different stromal cell populations and outline their impact on PDAC progression and therapy resistance. Based on this information, we propose some novel concepts for treatment of PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Maxi Wandmacher
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, 24105 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Anne-Sophie Mehdorn
- Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building C, 24105 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Susanne Sebens
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30 Entrance 1, 24105 Kiel, Germany
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23
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Neutrophil in the Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11081170. [PMID: 34439836 PMCID: PMC8394314 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a malignancy with a poor prognosis and low survival rates. PDAC is characterized by a fibroinflammatory tumor microenvironment enriched by abundant fibroblasts and a variety of immune cells, contributing to its aggressiveness. Neutrophils are essential infiltrating immune cells in the PDAC microenvironment. Recent studies have identified several cellular mechanisms by which neutrophils are recruited to tumor lesion and promote tumorigenesis. This review summarizes the current understanding of the interplay between neutrophils, tumor cells, and other components in the PDAC tumor microenvironment. The prognosis and therapeutic implications of neutrophils in PDAC are also discussed.
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24
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Du W, Pasca di Magliano M, Zhang Y. Therapeutic Potential of Targeting Stromal Crosstalk-Mediated Immune Suppression in Pancreatic Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:682217. [PMID: 34290984 PMCID: PMC8287251 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.682217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The stroma-rich, immunosuppressive microenvironment is a hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Tumor cells and other cellular components of the tumor microenvironment, such as cancer associated fibroblasts, CD4+ T cells and myeloid cells, are linked by a web of interactions. Their crosstalk not only results in immune evasion of PDA, but also contributes to pancreatic cancer cell plasticity, invasiveness, metastasis, chemo-resistance, immunotherapy-resistance and radiotherapy-resistance. In this review, we characterize several prevalent populations of stromal cells in the PDA microenvironment and describe how the crosstalk among them drives and maintains immune suppression. We also summarize therapeutic approaches to target the stroma. With a better understanding of the complex cellular and molecular networks in PDA, strategies aimed at sensitizing PDA to chemotherapy or immunotherapy through re-programing the tumor microenvironment can be designed, and in turn lead to improved clinical treatment for pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Du
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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25
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Fincham REA, Delvecchio FR, Goulart MR, Yeong JPS, Kocher HM. Natural killer cells in pancreatic cancer stroma. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:3483-3501. [PMID: 34239264 PMCID: PMC8240050 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i24.3483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains one of medicine's largest areas of unmet need. With five-year survival rates of < 8%, little improvement has been made in the last 50 years. Typically presenting with advance stage disease, treatment options are limited. To date, surgery remains the only potentially curative option, however, with such late disease presentation, the majority of patients are unresectable. Thus, new therapeutic options and a greater understanding of the complex stromal interactions within the tumour microenvironment are sorely needed to revise the dismal outlook for pancreatic cancer patients. Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial effector units in cancer immunosurveillance. Often used as a prognostic biomarker in a range of malignancies, NK cells have received much attention as an attractive target for immunotherapies, both as cell therapy and as a pharmaceutical target. Despite this interest, the role of NK cells in pancreatic cancer remains poorly defined. Nevertheless, increasing evidence of the importance of NK cells in this dismal prognosis disease is beginning to come to light. Here, we review the role of NK cells in pancreatic cancer, examine the complex interactions of these crucial effector units within pancreatic cancer stroma and shed light on the increasingly attractive use of NK cells as therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Elizabeth Ann Fincham
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Romana Delvecchio
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle R Goulart
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Joe Poe Sheng Yeong
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Hemant M Kocher
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
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26
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Exosomal microRNA in Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment: From Bench to Bedside. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112777. [PMID: 34204940 PMCID: PMC8199777 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States and over 90% of the patients suffer from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC is the most lethal gastrointestinal malignancies and only 10% of the people survive more than 5 years, therefore, novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies are an immediate necessity. Studies have demonstrated microRNAs in bodily fluids that are bound with membranes (exosomes) can act as stable biomarkers both for disease development and metastasis. The diagnostic, prognostic, as well as therapeutic roles of exosomal microRNAs in pancreatic cancer have been discussed in this review. Abstract Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) accounts for more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases. PDAC is one of the most lethal gastrointestinal malignancies with an overall five-year survival rate of ~10%. Developing effective therapeutic strategies against pancreatic cancer is a great challenge. Novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies are an immediate necessity to increase the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. So far, studies have demonstrated microRNAs (miRNAs) as sensitive biomarkers because of their significant correlation with disease development and metastasis. The miRNAs have been shown to be more stable inside membrane-bound vesicles in the extracellular environment called exosomes. Varieties of miRNAs are released into the body fluids via exosomes depending on the normal physiological or pathological conditions of the body. In this review, we discuss the recent findings on the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic roles of exosomal miRNAs in pancreatic cancer.
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27
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Tao X, Xiang H, Pan Y, Shang D, Guo J, Gao G, Xiao GG. Pancreatitis initiated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Pathophysiology explaining clinical evidence. Pharmacol Res 2021; 168:105595. [PMID: 33823219 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant lethal disease due to its asymptomatic at its early lesion of the disease and drug resistance. Target therapy associated with molecular pathways so far seems not to produce reasonable outcomes. Understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation-initiated tumorigenesis may be helpful for development of an effective therapy of the disease. A line of studies showed that pancreatic tumorigenesis was resulted from pancreatitis, which was caused synergistically by various pancreatic cells. This review focuses on those players and their possible clinic implications, such as exocrine acinar cells, ductal cells, and various stromal cells, including pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils, mast cells, adipocytes and endothelial cells, working together with each other in an inflammation-mediated microenvironment governed by a myriad of cellular signaling networks towards PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xufeng Tao
- Department of Pharmacology at School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Hong Xiang
- Clinical Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yue Pan
- Department of Pharmacology at School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Dong Shang
- Clinical Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Junchao Guo
- Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ge Gao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Gary Guishan Xiao
- Department of Pharmacology at School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China; The UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Functional Genomics and Proteomics Laboratory, Osteoporosis Research Center, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.
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28
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Bulle A, Lim KH. Beyond just a tight fortress: contribution of stroma to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:249. [PMID: 33122631 PMCID: PMC7596088 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00341-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel effective treatment is direly needed for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Therapeutics that target the driver mutations, especially the KRAS oncoprotein and its effector cascades, have been ineffective. It is increasing clear that the extensive fibro-inflammatory stroma (or desmoplasia) of PDAC plays an active role in the progression and therapeutic resistance of PDAC. The desmoplastic stroma is composed of dense extracellular matrix (ECM) deposited mainly by the cancer-associated-fibroblasts (CAFs) and infiltrated with various types of immune cells. The dense ECM functions as a physical barrier that limits tumor vasculatures and distribution of therapeutics to PDAC cells. In addition, mounting evidence have demonstrated that both CAFs and ECM promote PDAC cells aggressiveness through multiple mechanisms, particularly engagement of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program. Acquisition of a mesenchymal-like phenotype renders PDAC cells more invasive and resistant to therapy-induced apoptosis. Here, we critically review seminal and recent articles on the signaling mechanisms by which each stromal element promotes EMT in PDAC. We discussed the experimental models that are currently employed and best suited to study EMT in PDAC, which are instrumental in increasing the chance of successful clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashenafi Bulle
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and The Alvin J. Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Kian-Huat Lim
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and The Alvin J. Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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29
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Li M, Guo H, Wang Q, Chen K, Marko K, Tian X, Yang Y. Pancreatic stellate cells derived exosomal miR-5703 promotes pancreatic cancer by downregulating CMTM4 and activating PI3K/Akt pathway. Cancer Lett 2020; 490:20-30. [PMID: 32585413 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Exosomes play important role in tumor microenvironment, and mediate the crosstalk between pancreatic cancer (PC) cells and matrix components including pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) to regulate pancreatic cancer progression. Here we isolated primary PSCs from PC patients, and demonstrated that PSC-derived exosomes could be internalized by PC cells to promote cell proliferation. Furthermore, we identified that miR-5703 in the exosomes acted as a driver of cell proliferation and its inhibitor suppressed the function of exosomes to promote PC cell proliferation. miR-5703 directly bound to the 3'UTR of CMTM4 and downregulated its expression. CMTM4 knockdown promoted PC cell proliferation, while overexpression of CMTM4 suppressed PC cell proliferation both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we revealed that CMTM4 suppressed PI3K/Akt pathway via downregulating PAK4. In conclusion, our results suggest that PSC-derived exosomal miR-5703 could target CMTM4 in PC cells and promote cell proliferation due to PAK4 activated PI3K/Akt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhe Li
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
| | - Huahu Guo
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
| | - Kornmann Marko
- Clinic of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, 89081, Germany.
| | - Xiaodong Tian
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
| | - Yinmo Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
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30
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Jiang J, Bai J, Qin T, Wang Z, Han L. NGF from pancreatic stellate cells induces pancreatic cancer proliferation and invasion by PI3K/AKT/GSK signal pathway. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:5901-5910. [PMID: 32294802 PMCID: PMC7214160 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a continuously high lethal disease, and the tumour microenvironment plays a pivotal role during PC progression. Herein, we focus on that the Nerve growth factor (NGF)/Tropomyosin-related kinase A (TrkA), in pancreatic stellate cells-pancreatic cancer cells (PSCs-PC cells) co-culture system, influences PC proliferation and invasion. The model of PC cells and PSCs was directly co-cultured in a no-touch manner, using the Transwell as the co-culture system. NGF and TrkA expression was measured in cultured system by real-time PCR, immunofluorescence, Western blotting analysis or ELISA. Small interfering RNA transfection was used to regulate the expression of TrkA in PC cells. The promotion of cancer invasion was investigated using Matrigel Transwell assay. In our study, NGF/TrkA is overexpressed in PSCs-PC cells co-culture system and promotes the invasion and proliferation of PC cells. And the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related genes are influenced by si-TrkA. What's more, NGF/TrkA regulates the PC cell proliferation and invasion via activation of PI3K/AKT/GSK signalling. The present study demonstrated NGF/TrkA promoted the PC cell proliferation and invasion in the co-culture system by the activation of the PI3K/AKT/GSK signal cascade, providing a potential therapeutic target for PC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Jun Bai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Tao Qin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Liang Han
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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31
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Pausch TM, Aue E, Wirsik NM, Freire Valls A, Shen Y, Radhakrishnan P, Hackert T, Schneider M, Schmidt T. Metastasis-associated fibroblasts promote angiogenesis in metastasized pancreatic cancer via the CXCL8 and the CCL2 axes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5420. [PMID: 32214219 PMCID: PMC7096431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62416-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The characteristic desmoplastic stroma of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a key contributor to its lethality. This stromal microenvironment is populated by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that interact with cancer cells to drive progression and chemo-resistance. Research has focused on CAFs in the primary tumour but not in metastases, calling into question the role of analogous metastasis-associated fibroblasts (MAFs). We infer a role of MAFs in murine hepatic metastases following untargeted treatment with the anti-angiogenic drug sunitinib in vivo. Treated metastases were smaller and had fewer stromal cells, but were able to maintain angiogenesis and metastasis formation in the liver. Furthermore, sunitinib was ineffective at reducing MAFs alongside other stromal cells. We speculate that cancer cells interact with MAFs to maintain angiogenesis and tumour progression. Thus, we tested interactions between metastatic pancreatic cancer cells and fibroblasts using in vitro co-culture systems. Co-cultures enhanced fibroblast proliferation and induced angiogenesis. We identify carcinoma-educated fibroblasts as the source of angiogenesis via secretions of CXCL8 (aka IL-8) and CCL2 (aka MCP-1). Overall, we demonstrate that metastasis-associated fibroblasts have potential as a therapeutic target and highlight the CXCL8 and CCL2 axes for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Pausch
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elisa Aue
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Naita M Wirsik
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aida Freire Valls
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ying Shen
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Praveen Radhakrishnan
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thilo Hackert
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Schneider
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmidt
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
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