Inhibition of focal adhesion kinase enhances antitumor response of radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer through CD8+ T cells.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly malignancy, due in large part to its resistance to conventional therapies, including radiotherapy (RT). Despite RT exerting a modest antitumor response, it has also been shown to promote an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Previous studies demonstrated that focal adhesion kinase inhibitors (FAKi) in clinical development inhibit the infiltration of suppressive myeloid cells and T regulatory (T regs) cells, and subsequently enhance effector T cell infiltration. FAK inhibitors in clinical development have not been investigated in combination with RT in preclinical murine models or clinical studies. Thus, we investigated the impact of FAK inhibition on RT, its potential as an RT sensitizer and immunomodulator in a m

SUBMITTER: Osipov A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7877172 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature