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Inactivation of CDKN2A-ARF Promotes p53-Independent Remodeling of the PDAC Tumor Microenvironment [RNA-Seq]

ABSTRACT: The CDKN2A locus, which is frequently deleted in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), encodes two tumor suppressors, ARF and INK4A, that may influence tumorigenesis through distinct mechanisms. Distinguishing their individual contributions to cancer could help improve the understanding of PDAC pathogenesis and potentially uncover targetable vulnerabilities. Moreover, while ARF is known to enhance p53 function, defining its p53-independent activities could elucidate new processes that drive PDAC development. Here, we sought to understand ARF function in PDAC suppression. Analysis of gene expression and mutational patterns in human PDAC TCGA data indicated that CDKN2AARF and CDKN2AINK4A are commonly both affected by point mutations and/or deletions, suggesting that their combined inactivation contributes to PDAC development. In genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), Arf inactivation accelerated KRASG12D-driven PDAC development, both in the presence and absence of Trp53, demonstrating that ARF is a PDAC suppressor and can act in a p53-independent manner. Transcriptomic analyses of PDACs supported a p53-independent role for ARF, with ARF deficiency promoting extracellular matrix, collagen synthesis/assembly, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition gene expression programs. Accordingly, ARF-deficient PDACs displayed extensive remodeling of the tumor microenvironment (TME), associated with collagen deposition, increased tissue stiffness, and higher fibroblast content – hallmarks of aggressive and treatment-resistant PDAC stroma. Together, this study shows how ARF deficiency associated with CDKN2A inactivation sculpts the PDAC TME in a p53-independent fashion. Given the central role of the TME in PDAC progression and therapeutic resistance, these findings may provide insight critical for improving therapeutic interventions for PDAC.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE319318 | GEO | 2026/02/18

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Immunotherapeutics represent highly promising agents with the potential to improve patient outcomes in a variety of cancer types. Unfortunately, single-agent immunotherapy has achieved limited clinical benefit to date in patients suffering from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This may be due to the presence of a uniquely immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) present in PDACs, which creates a barrier to effective immune surveillance. Critical obstacles to immunotherapy in PDAC tumors include the dense desmoplastic stroma that acts as a barrier to T-cell infiltration and the high numbers of tumor-associated immunosuppressive cells. We have identified hyperactivated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity in neoplastic PDAC cells as a significant regulator of the fibrotic and immunosuppressive TME. We found that FAK activity was elevated in human PDAC tissues and correlates with high levels of fibrosis and poor CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell infiltration. Single-agent FAK inhibition (VS-4718) dramatically limited tumor progression, resulting in a doubling of survival in the p48-Cre/LSL-KrasG12D/p53Flox/+ (KPC) mouse model of human PDAC. This alteration in tumor progression was associated with dramatically reduced tumor fibrosis, decreased numbers of tumor-infiltrating immature myeloid cells and immunosuppressive macrophages. We postulated that these desirable effects of FAK inhibition on the TME might render PDAC tumors more sensitive to immunotherapy. Accordingly, we found that VS-4718 rendered the previously unresponsive KPC mouse model responsive to anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 antagonists leading to a nearly tripling of survival times. These data suggest that FAK inhibition increases immune surveillance by overcoming the fibrotic and immunosuppressive PDAC TME thus rendering tumors more responsive to immunotherapy. We treated KP orthotopic tumor-bearing mice with vehicle and FAK inhibitor (FAKi) for 14 days, then extracted total RNA from tumor tissues.

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Inactivation of CDKN2A-ARF Promotes p53-Independent Remodeling of the PDAC Tumor Microenvironment [RNA-Seq]

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