Fibronectin fragments generated by pancreatic trypsin act as endogenous inhibitors of pancreatic tumor growth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The pancreatic microenvironment has a defensive role against cancer but it can acquire tumor-promoting properties triggered by multiple mechanisms including alterations in the equilibrium between proteases and their inhibitors. The identification of proteolytic events, targets and pathways would set the basis for the design of new therapeutic approaches.

Methods and results

Here we demonstrate that spheroids isolated from human and murine healthy pancreas and co-transplanted orthotopically with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in mouse pancreas inhibited tumor growth. The effect was mediated by trypsin-generated fibronectin (FN) fragments released by pancreatic spheroids. Tumor inhibition was observed also in a model of acute pancreatitis associated with tr

SUBMITTER: Resovi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10411016 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature