Radiation promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and invasion of pancreatic cancer cell by activating carcinoma-associated fibroblasts.

ABSTRACT: The tumor microenvironment is of crucial importance affecting treatment and prognosis. High degree of carcinoma-associated fibroblast (CAF) infiltration occurs in pancreatic cancer, though its effect on radiotherapy remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that radiation enhanced the migration- and invasion-promoting capacity of CAFs both in vitro and in vivo in a lung metastasis model. Radiation exposure increased the expression of CXCL12 by CAFs. CAF-derived CXCL12 promoted tumor cell EMT and invasion directly, acting through CXCR4 on pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, we showed that CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling promoted pancreatic cancer cell EMT and invasion by activating the P38 pathway. Therefore, our study concluded that radiation promoted pancreatic cancer cell invasion and EMT

SUBMITTER: Li D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5088285 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature