Direct cell-to-cell transfer in stressed tumor microenvironment aggravates tumorigenic or metastatic potential in pancreatic cancer.

ABSTRACT: Pancreatic cancer exhibits a characteristic tumor microenvironment (TME) due to enhanced fibrosis and hypoxia and is particularly resistant to conventional chemotherapy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying TME-associated treatment resistance in pancreatic cancer are not fully understood. Here, we developed an in vitro TME mimic system comprising pancreatic cancer cells, fibroblasts and immune cells, and a stress condition, including hypoxia and gemcitabine. Cells with high viability under stress showed evidence of increased direct cell-to-cell transfer of biomolecules. The resulting derivative cells (CD44^high/SLC16A1^high) were similar to cancer stem cell-like-cells (CSCs) with enhanced anchorage-independent growth or invasiveness and acquired metabolic reprog

SUBMITTER: Jang G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9613679 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature