Blockade of Stromal Gas6 Alters Cancer Cell Plasticity, Activates NK Cells, and Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer Metastasis.

ABSTRACT: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is one of the deadliest cancers due to its aggressive and metastatic nature. PDA is characterized by a rich tumor stroma with abundant macrophages, fibroblasts, and collagen deposition that can represent up to 90% of the tumor mass. Activation of the tyrosine kinase receptor AXL and expression of its ligand growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) correlate with a poor prognosis and increased metastasis in pancreatic cancer patients. Gas6 is a multifunctional protein that can be secreted by several cell types and regulates multiple processes, including cancer cell plasticity, angiogenesis, and immune cell functions. However, the role of Gas6 in pancreatic cancer metastasis has not been fully investigated. In these studies we find that, in pancreatic tu

SUBMITTER: Ireland L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7056881 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature