Paracrine regulation of pancreatic cancer cell invasion by peripheral nerves.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The ability of cancer to infiltrate along nerves is a common clinical observation in pancreas, head and neck, prostate, breast, and gastrointestinal carcinomas. For these tumors, nerves may provide a conduit for local cancer progression into the central nervous system. Although neural invasion is associated with poor outcome, the mechanism that triggers it is unknown.

Methods

We used an in vitro Matrigel dorsal root ganglion and pancreatic cancer cell coculture model to assess the dynamic interactions between nerves and cancer cell migration and the role of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). An in vivo murine sciatic nerve model was used to study how nerve invasion affects sciatic nerve function.

Results

Nerves induced a polarized neurotrophic m

SUBMITTER: Gil Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2911041 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature