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RNA sequencing of circulating tumour cells implicates WNT signaling in pancreatic cancer metastasis (human data)

ABSTRACT: Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) shed into blood from primary cancers include putative precursors that initiate distal metastases. While these cells are extraordinarily rare, they may identify cellular pathways contributing to the blood-borne dissemination of cancer. Here, we adapted a microfluidic device for efficient capture of CTCs from an endogenous mouse pancreatic cancer model and subjected CTCs to single-molecule RNA sequencing, identifying Wnt2 as enriched in CTCs. Expression of Wnt2 in pancreatic cancer cells suppresses anoikis, enhances anchorage-independent sphere formation, and increases metastatic propensity in vivo. The effect of Wnt2 is correlated with fibronectin upregulation, and it is mediated in part through non-canonical Wnt signaling and suppressed by inhibition of the Map3k7 (Tak1) kinase, an integrator of Wnt, BMP and TGF-beta signaling. In humans, formation of non-adherent tumour spheres by pancreatic cancer cells is associated with upregulation of multiple Wnt genes, and pancreatic CTCs revealed significant enrichment for non-canonical Wnt signaling in 5 of 11 cases. Thus, molecular analysis of CTCs may identify novel therapeutic targets to prevent the distal spread of cancer.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE40174 | GEO | 2012/08/17

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA173018

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Tumor cells dissociate from the primary site and enter into systemic circulation (circulating tu-mor cells, CTCs) either alone or Tumor cells dissociate from the primary site and enter into systemic circulation (circulating tu-mor cells, CTCs) either alone or as tumor microemboli (clusters); the latter having an increased predisposition towards forming distal metastases than single CTCs. The formation of clusters is, in part, created by contacts between cell–cell junction proteins and/or cytokine receptor pairs with other cells such as neutrophils, platelets, fibroblasts, etc. In the present study, we provide evidence for an extravesicular (EV) mode of communication between pancreatic cancer CTCs and neutrophils. Our results suggest that the EV proteome of CTCs contain signaling proteins that can modulate degranulation and granule mobilization in neutrophils and, also, contain tis-sue plasminogen activator and other proteins that can regulate cluster formation. By exposing naïve neutrophils to EVs isolated from CTCs, we further show how these changes are modulated in a dynamic fashion indicating evidence for a deeper EV based remodulatory effect on com-panion cells in clusters.as tumor microemboli (clusters); the latter having an increased predisposition towards forming distal metastases than single CTCs. The formation of clusters is, in part, created by contacts between cell–cell junction proteins and/or cytokine receptor pairs with other cells such as neutrophils, platelets, fibroblasts, etc. In the present study, we provide evidence for an extravesicular (EV) mode of communication between pancreatic cancer CTCs and neutrophils. Our results suggest that the EV proteome of CTCs contain signaling proteins that can modulate degranulation and granule mobilization in neutrophils and, also, contain tis-sue plasminogen activator and other proteins that can regulate cluster formation. By exposing naïve neutrophils to EVs isolated from CTCs, we further show how these changes are modulated in a dynamic fashion indicating evidence for a deeper EV based remodulatory effect on com-panion cells in clusters.

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RNA sequencing of circulating tumour cells implicates WNT signaling in pancreatic cancer metastasis (human data)

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