Sweet bystander becomes a villain

Abstract

Cancer![Figure][1] An immunofluorescence image of a pancreas in a mouse model of pancreatic disease CREDIT: DANNIELLE ENGLE, COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY Patients with pancreatic cancer often have elevated blood levels of CA19-9, a carbohydrate antigen present on many proteins. CA19-9 is thus commonly used as a biomarker for diagnosing and monitoring disease progression. In a study of mice, Engle et al. found that CA19-9 may be more than an innocent bystander that marks the presence of pancreatic disease; it may play a causal role in disease (see the Perspective by Halbrook and Crawford). Transgenic mice expressing the human enzymes that add CA19-9 to proteins developed severe pancreatitis that could be reversed by treatment with CA19-9 antibodies. When the transgenic mice also harbored a Kras oncogene, they went on to develop pancreatic cancer. These unexpected observations suggest new avenues for the treatment of pancreatic disease. Science , this issue p. [1156][2]; see also p. [1132][3] [1]: pending:yes [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaw3145 [3]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aax9341