Key Protein May Be New Target in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

WOODBURY, N.Y., April 17, 2019 – Pancreatic cancer can be difficult to treat and often responds poorly to chemotherapy due to the presence of tumor cells in the dense protective tissue called stroma. A research funded by the Pancreatic Cancer Collective, a partnership between the Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer, led by Dr. Tony Hunter of the Salk Institute, was published today at Nature and found that the interaction between stellate cells of the pancreas (PSC) and pancreatic cancer cells could be "exploitable" due to the presence of a key protein and lead to the development of new targeted strategies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

The tumor microenvironment, which exists in the stroma, contains many cells, but mainly consists of PSCs, which interact with pancreatic cancer cells and lead to tumor progression and metastasis. Dr. Hunter's research is focused on further investigation of the interaction between cancer stem cells and pancreatic cancer cells and the key protein known as Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF). , responsible for the activation of cancer stem cells in cancer cells.

In a normal pancreas, LIF protein levels were not detectable, but they were considerably higher in the tissues of patients with ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In cancerous tissues of the human pancreas and mouse, the LIF level was elevated in activated PCS cells and indicates that PSCs are responsible for LIF production.

"If we can block the LIF pharmacologically or genetically, we may be able to slow down tumor progression and metastasis, which will facilitate the administration of chemotherapy and prolong survival," said Dr. Hunter.

###

This research was funded by the Standing Cancer Pancreatic Cancer Dream Team and by the Pancreatic Cancer Dream Team of the SU2C-Cancer Research UK-Lustgarten Foundation. Other contributors to this article include Daniel Von Hoff, Dream Team Leader, and Erkut Borazanci, Team Investigator Physician (Translational Genomics Research Institute, a division of City of Hope, and Honor Health); and Dream team co-leader Ronald M. Evans and team researcher Michael Downes. PhD (Salk Institute for Biological Studies); and Tannishtha Reya, team researcher, PhD (UC San Diego School of Medicine).

Dr. Hunter and his team have found that the level of LIF in the blood determines the patient's response to treatment. Patients with high blood-LIF levels will have a lower response to chemotherapy treatment and may have more advanced disease progression than patients with lower LIF levels. Her research showed that in LIF-deficient mice, pancreatic cancer cells in tumors were significantly smaller and that tumor size was further reduced when chemotherapy was used, suggesting that LIF plays a role in resistance to chemotherapy.

This research suggests that the presence of high levels of LIF is correlated with disease progression and tumor response to chemotherapy, revealing that it might be useful as a biomarker to indicate the therapeutic response of A patient.

The Pancreatic Cancer Collective is an initiative of the Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer aimed at improving outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer. Together, these major cancer research organizations will attract new collaborators. improve the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer with the help of large data; find new treatments for pancreatic cancer; and support the next generation of pancreatic cancer investigators. Engaging leaders of opinion, researchers, institutions and companies, the Collective will innovate and accelerate research at the forefront of science. For more information, visit http: // www.pancréatiquecancercollective.org

The Lustgarten Foundation is the largest private US funder for pancreatic cancer research. Based in Woodbury, NY, the Foundation supports research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer, facilitates dialogue within the medical and scientific community, and educates the public about the disease through awareness campaigns and brainstorming. funds. Since its inception, the Lustgarten Foundation has dedicated $ 154 million to research and brought together the best scientific minds in the hope that one day a cure can be found. With separate funding for administrative expenses, 100% of your donation goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. For more information, visit http: // www.lustgarten.org.

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to quickly bring new treatments to patients and save lives now. SU2C, a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501 (c) (3) charity, was established in 2008 by film and media leaders who use industry resources to incite the public to support a new collaborative model of cancer research and to increase awareness of cancer prevention and progress in the fight against cancer. As a scientific partner of SU2C, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a scientific advisory board led by Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, conduct review processes competitive and rigorous in order to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee the administration of grants, and provide an expert review of research progress.

Current members of the SU2C Founders and Consultants Council include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Williams, Ellen Ziffren and Kathleen Lobb. The late Laura Ziskin and Noreen Fraser are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, has been President and CEO of SU2C since 2011.