Fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer: molecular and clinical perspectives

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2023

Authors

Rebelo, R (Author) Other; Xavier, CPR (Author) Other; Giovannetti, E (Author) Other; Helena Vasconcelos, MH (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Trends in Molecular Medicine

Vol. 29

Pages: 439-453

ISSN: 1471-4914

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Y-9T7

DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.03.002

Abstract (EN): Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are highly abundant cells in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment (TME) that mod-ulate desmoplasia. The formation of a dense stroma leads to immunosuppression and therapy resistance that are major causes of treatment failure in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Recent evidence suggests that several sub-populations of CAFs in the TME can interconvert, explaining the dual roles (antitumorigenic and protumorigenic) of CAFs in PDAC and the contradictory results of CAF-targeted therapies in clinical trials. This highlights the need to clarify CAF heterogeneity and their interactions with PDAC cells. This review fo-cuses on the communication between activated PSCs/CAFs and PDAC cells, as well as on the mechanisms underlying this crosstalk. CAF-focused therapies and emerging biomarkers are also outlined.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15