Gemcitabine In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Research Articles

Gemcitabine-loaded chitosan nanoparticles enhanced apoptotic and ferroptotic response of gemcitabine treatment alone in the pancreatic cancer cells in vitro.

Gemcitabine (GEM) is a first-line treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients, causing side effects and poor overall survival. Eighty percent of patients often develop resistance rapidly to GEM. Developing therapeutic approaches and increasing sensitivity to gemcitabine in PDAC has become one of the challenges in cancer research. We synthesized GEM-loaded NPs prepared with a method that combines ultrasonication and ionotropic gelation to overcome GEM-related limitations in PDAC. CFPAC-1 cells were treated with increased concentrations of GEM, empty chitosan, and GEM-loaded NPs (0.66, 1.32, 2.64, 5.32µg/ml) for up to 48h. Empty chitosan NPs did not show toxicity on L929 cells. Antioxidant enzyme activities, including glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione s-transferase (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), significantly reduced in GEM-loaded NPs compared to the GEM associated with increased oxidative stress, PPP, and glycolysis. Bcl-xL, NOXA/mcl-1, and Ca2+ levels significantly increased in GEM-loaded NP-administered cells compared to the GEM and control groups. In contrast, JNK, p38, STAT3, Akt, and CREB levels significantly decreased in the GEM-loaded NP group, addressing enhanced apoptotic response compared to the GEM alone. Increased ferroptosis activity in GEM-loaded NP-administered groups has been validated via decreased antioxidant enzyme activities, increased cytosolic Fe, Zn, Mg, and Mn levels, and reduced GPx activity compared to the GEM and control groups. For the first time in the literature, we showed biocompatible GEM-loaded NPs enhanced apoptotic and ferroptotic response in CFPAC-1 cells via downregulation of antioxidant, glycolysis, and PPP metabolism compared to the GEM alone.

6:2 Cl-PFESA, a proposed safe alternative for PFOS, diminishes the gemcitabine effectiveness in the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)/pancreatic cancer, is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of PDAC treatment. Nonetheless, the development of resistance to gemcitabine among patients is a major factor contributing to unfavorable prognostic outcomes. The resistance exhibited by tumors is modulated by a constellation of factors such as genetic mutations, tumor microenvironment transforms, environmental contaminants exposure. Currently, comprehension of the relationship between environmental pollutants and tumor drug resistance remains inadequate. Our study found that PFOS/6:2 Cl-PFESA exposure increases resistance to gemcitabine in PDAC. Subsequent in vivo trials confirmed that exposure to PFOS/6:2 Cl-PFESA reduces gemcitabine’s efficacy in suppressing PDAC, with the inhibition rate decreasing from 79.5 % to 56.7 %/38.7 %, respectively. Integrative multi-omics sequencing and molecular biology analyses have identified the upregulation of ribonucleotide reductase catalytic subunit M1 (RRM1) as a critical factor in gemcitabine resistance. Subsequent research has demonstrated that exposure to PFOS and 6:2 Cl-PFESA results in the upregulation of the RRM1 pathway, consequently enhancing chemotherapy resistance. Remarkably, the influence exerted by 6:2 Cl-PFESA exceeds that of PFOS. Despite 6:2 Cl-PFESA being regarded as a safer substitute for PFOS, its pronounced effect on chemotherapeutic resistance in PDAC necessitates a thorough evaluation of its potential risks related to gastrointestinal toxicity.

Enhanced Anti-tumor Effect of Flavopiridol in Combination With Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Cancer.

The efficacy of current chemotherapies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still unsatisfactory. Flavopiridol inhibits multiple cyclin-dependent kinases, causing cell cycle arrest and inducing cancer cell apoptosis. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of flavopiridol and gemcitabine in PDAC in vitro and in vivo. PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 cell lines were treated with gemcitabine and flavopiridol alone, in combination, and sequentially, and cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the cell cycle were evaluated. Proteins related to cell cycle progression (cyclin A, CDK2, E2F-1, and p53) were quantified using western blotting. A xenograft mouse model was generated, and the effects of gemcitabine and flavopiridol, administered alone or in combination, were evaluated by measuring tumor volume and apoptosis degree using the TUNEL assay. Sequential administration of gemcitabine and flavopiridol suppressed PDAC cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. Flavopiridol treatment led to an increase in the number of cells in the S and a decrease in those in the G0/G1 phases. Gemcitabine increased and decreased the number of S- and G2/M-phase cells, respectively. Furthermore, flavopiridol treatment decreased cyclin A and CDK2 expression and increased E2F-1 expression. In a xenograft mouse model, the combined administration of gemcitabine and flavopiridol demonstrated the most significant reduction in tumor volume and induction of apoptosis. Flavopiridol potentiates the anti-tumor activity of gemcitabine by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Its synergistic inhibition of PDAC cell proliferation, when combined with gemcitabine, positions flavopiridol as a promising candidate for cancer treatment.

FTO-mediated LINC01134 stabilization to promote chemoresistance through miR-140-3p/WNT5A/WNT pathway in PDAC

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer most frequently detected at an advanced stage that limits treatment options to systemic chemotherapy, which has provided only marginal positive clinical outcomes. Currently, the first-line chemotherapeutic agent for PDAC is gemcitabine (GEM). However, the chemotherapy resistance to GEM is often overlooked in the clinical treatment of PDAC due to the lack of effective biological markers. Therefore, it is crucial to find new prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for patients with PDAC. In this study, we identified a novel regulatory mechanism in the development of resistance to GEM in PDAC. Here, we report that LINC01134 was significantly upregulated in primary tumors from PDAC patients. In vitro and in vivo functional studies revealed that LINC01134 promotes PDAC resistance to GEM through facilitating stem cell features and modulating the cell cycle. Mechanistically, LINC01134 interactes with tumor suppressor miR-497-5p in PDAC cells. Increased LINC01134 downregulates miR-140-3p to promotes the oncogenic WNT5A expression. Moreover, m6A demethylase FTO participated in the upregulation of LINC01134 by maintaining LINC01134 mRNA stability through YTHDF2. Taken together, the present study suggested FTO-mediated LINC01134 stabilization to promote chemotherapy resistance to GEM through miR-140-3p/WNT5A/WNT pathway in PDAC. Our study identified new prognostic markers and new therapeutic targets for patients with PDAC.

Combination Therapy with a Bispecific Antibody Targeting the hERG1/β1 Integrin Complex and Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents an unmet medical need. Difficult/late diagnosis as well as the poor efficacy and high toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs result in dismal prognosis. With the aim of improving the treatment outcome of PDAC, we tested the effect of combining Gemcitabine with a novel single chain bispecific antibody (scDb) targeting the cancer-specific hERG1/β1 integrin complex. First, using the scDb (scDb-hERG1-β1) in immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blot (WB) analysis and immunofluorescence (IF), we confirmed the presence of the hERG1/β1 integrin complex in primary PDAC samples and PDAC cell lines. Combining Gemcitabine with scDb-hERG1-β1 improved its cytotoxicity on all PDAC cells tested in vitro. We also tested the combination treatment in vivo, using an orthotopic xenograft mouse model involving ultrasound-guided injection of PDAC cells. We first demonstrated good penetration of the scDb-hERG1-β1 conjugated with indocyanine green (ICG) into tumour masses by photoacoustic (PA) imaging. Next, we tested the effects of the combination at either therapeutic or sub-optimal doses of Gemcitabine (25 or 5 mg/kg, respectively). The combination of scDb-hERG1-β1 and sub-optimal doses of Gemcitabine reduced the tumour masses to the same extent as the therapeutic doses of Gemcitabine administrated alone; yielded increased survival; and was accompanied by minimised side effects (toxicity). These data pave the way for a novel therapeutic approach to PDAC, based on the combination of low doses of a chemotherapeutic drug (to minimize adverse side effects and the onset of resistance) and the novel scDb-hERG1-β1 targeting the hERG1/β1 integrin complex as neoantigen.

Prognostic Significance of Integrin Subunit Alpha 2 (ITGA2) and Role of Mechanical Cues in Resistance to Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

PDAC is an extremely aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis and remarkable therapeutic resistance. The dense extracellular matrix (ECM) which characterizes PDAC progression is considered a fundamental determinant of chemoresistance, with major contributions from mechanical factors. This study combined biomechanical and pharmacological approaches to evaluate the role of the cell-adhesion molecule ITGA2, a key regulator of ECM, in PDAC resistance to gemcitabine. The prognostic value of ITGA2 was analysed in publicly available databases and tissue-microarrays of two cohorts of radically resected and metastatic patients treated with gemcitabine. PANC-1 and its gemcitabine-resistant clone (PANC-1R) were analysed by RNA-sequencing and label-free proteomics. The role of ITGA2 in migration, proliferation, and apoptosis was investigated using hydrogel-coated wells, siRNA-mediated knockdown and overexpression, while collagen-embedded spheroids assessed invasion and ECM remodeling. High ITGA2 expression correlated with shorter progression-free and overall survival, supporting its impact on prognosis and the lack of efficacy of gemcitabine treatment. These findings were corroborated by transcriptomic and proteomic analyses showing that ITGA2 was upregulated in the PANC-1R clone. The aggressive behavior of these cells was significantly reduced by ITGA2 silencing both in vitro and in vivo, while PANC-1 cells growing under conditions resembling PDAC stiffness acquired resistance to gemcitabine, associated to increased ITGA2 expression. Collagen-embedded spheroids of PANC-1R showed a significant matrix remodeling and spreading potential via increased expression of CXCR4 and MMP2. Additionally, overexpression of ITGA2 in MiaPaCa-2 cells triggered gemcitabine resistance and increased proliferation, both in vitro and in vivo, associated to upregulation of phospho-AKT. ITGA2 emerged as a new prognostic factor, highlighting the relevance of stroma mechanical properties as potential therapeutic targets to counteract gemcitabine resistance in PDAC.

RETSAT associates with DDX39B to promote fork restarting and resistance to gemcitabine based chemotherapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BackgroundSevere hypoxia is a prominent character of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) microenvironment. In the process of gemcitabine based chemotherapy, PDAC cells are insulted from replication stresses co-induced by hypoxia and gemcitabine. However, PDAC cells get outstanding abilities to resist to such harsh conditions and keep proliferating, causing a major obstacle for current therapy. RETSAT (Retinol Saturase) is defined as a hypoxia convergent gene recently, with high expression in PDAC hypoxic sectors. This study aimed to explore the roles of RETSAT in replication stress resistance and hypoxia adaptation in PDAC cells, and decipher the underlying mechanism.MethodsThe expression of RETSAT was examined in TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas), human pancreatic cancer microarray, clinical specimens and cell lines. Functions of RETSAT were studied by means of DNA fiber assay and comet assay in monolayer cultured PDAC cell lines, three dimensional spheroids, patient derived organoids and cell derived xenograft mouse models. Mechanism was investigated by using iPOND (isolate proteins on nascent DNA) combined with mass spectrometry, immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting.ResultsFirst, we found the converse relationship of RETSAT expression and PDAC chemotherapy. That is, PDAC patients with high RETSAT expression correlated with poor survival, while ones holding low RETSAT expression were benefitted more in Gemcitabine based chemotherapy. Second, we identified RETSAT as a novel replication fork associated protein. HIF-1α signaling promotes RETSAT expression under hypoxia. Functionally, RETSAT promoted fork restarting under replication stress and maintained genomic stability. Third, we uncovered the interaction of RETSAT and R-loop unwinding helicase DDX39B. RETSAT detained DDX39B on forks to resolve R-loops, through which avoided fork damage and CHK1 initiated apoptosis. Targeting DDX39B using chemical CCT018159 sensitized PDAC cells and organoids to gemcitabine induced apoptosis, highlighting the synergetic application of CCT018159 and gemcitabine in PDAC chemotherapy.ConclusionsThis study identified RETSAT as a novel replication fork protein, which functions through interacting with DDX39B mediated R-loop clearance to promote fork restarting, leading to cellular resistance to replication stresses co-induced by tumor environmental hypoxia and gemcitabine in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Resistance to Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Physiopathologic and Pharmacologic Review.

Simple SummaryPDAC is one of the most malignant tumors and its treatment, whether surgery or chemotherapy, has shown poor results. Resistance to gemcitabine and other chemotherapeutic drugs is an essential factor in this failure. This review analyzes the molecular causes of gemcitabine resistance and discusses the possibilities of new approaches aimed at decreasing, delaying or even reversing chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer.Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a very aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis and inadequate response to treatment. Many factors contribute to this therapeutic failure: lack of symptoms until the tumor reaches an advanced stage, leading to late diagnosis; early lymphatic and hematic spread; advanced age of patients; important development of a pro-tumoral and hyperfibrotic stroma; high genetic and metabolic heterogeneity; poor vascular supply; a highly acidic matrix; extreme hypoxia; and early development of resistance to the available therapeutic options. In most cases, the disease is silent for a long time, andwhen it does become symptomatic, it is too late for ablative surgery; this is one of the major reasons explaining the short survival associated with the disease. Even when surgery is possible, relapsesare frequent, andthe causes of this devastating picture are the low efficacy ofand early resistance to all known chemotherapeutic treatments. Thus, it is imperative to analyze the roots of this resistance in order to improve the benefits of therapy. PDAC chemoresistance is the final product of different, but to some extent, interconnected factors. Surgery, being the most adequate treatment for pancreatic cancer and the only one that in a few selected cases can achieve longer survival, is only possible in less than 20% of patients. Thus, the treatment burden relies on chemotherapy in mostcases. While the FOLFIRINOX scheme has a slightly longer overall survival, it also produces many more adverse eventsso that gemcitabine is still considered the first choice for treatment, especially in combination with other compounds/agents. This review discusses the multiple causes of gemcitabine resistance in PDAC.

Method To Visualize the Intratumor Distribution and Impact of Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Multimodal Imaging.

Gemcitabine (dFdC) is a common treatment for pancreatic cancer; however, it is thought that treatment may fail because tumor stroma prevents drug distribution to tumor cells. Gemcitabine is a pro-drug with active metabolites generated intracellularly; therefore, visualizing the distribution of parent drug as well as its metabolites is important. A multimodal imaging approach was developed using spatially coregistered mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), imaging mass cytometry (IMC), multiplex immunofluorescence microscopy (mIF), and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining to assess the local distribution and metabolism of gemcitabine in tumors from a genetically engineered mouse model of pancreatic cancer (KPC) allowing for comparisons between effects in the tumor tissue and its microenvironment. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) enabled the visualization of the distribution of gemcitabine (100 mg/kg), its phosphorylated metabolites dFdCMP, dFdCDP and dFdCTP, and the inactive metabolite dFdU. Distribution was compared to small-molecule ATR inhibitor AZD6738 (25 mg/kg), which was codosed. Gemcitabine metabolites showed heterogeneous distribution within the tumor, which was different from the parent compound. The highest abundance of dFdCMP, dFdCDP, and dFdCTP correlated with distribution of endogenous AMP, ADP, and ATP in viable tumor cell regions, showing that gemcitabine active metabolites are reaching the tumor cell compartment, while AZD6738 was located to nonviable tumor regions. The method revealed that the generation of active, phosphorylated dFdC metabolites as well as treatment-induced DNA damage primarily correlated with sites of high proliferation in KPC PDAC tumor tissue, rather than sites of high parent drug abundance.

NUCB1 Suppresses Growth and Shows Additive Effects With Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma via the Unfolded Protein Response.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer with poor patient prognosis. A cellular stress response mechanism called the unfolded protein response (UPR) has been implicated in PDAC progression. More recently, nucleobindin 1 (NUCB1), a calcium-binding protein, has been shown to control the UPR but its precise role in PDAC has not been explored. Here, we found that downregulation of NUCB1 was associated with poor prognosis in patients with PDAC. Functionally, NUCB1 overexpression suppressed pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and showed additive effects with gemcitabine (GEM) in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, by controlling ATF6 activity, NUCB1 overexpression suppressed GEM-induced UPR and autophagy. Last but not least, we uncovered METTL3-mediated m6A modification on NUCB1 5′UTR via the reader YTHDF2 as a mechanism for NUCB1 downregulation in PDAC. Taken together, our study revealed crucial functions of NUCB1 in suppressing proliferation and enhancing the effects of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells and identified METTL3-mediated m6A modification as a mechanism for NUCB1 downregulation in PDAC.

The RNA-binding protein MEX3A is a prognostic factor and regulator of resistance to gemcitabine in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer. Most patients present with advanced disease at diagnosis, which only permits palliative chemotherapeutic treatments. RNA dysregulation is a hallmark of most human cancers, including PDAC. To test the impact of RNA processing dysregulation on PDAC pathology, we performed a bioinformatics analysis to identify RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) associated with prognosis. Among the 12 RBPs associated with progression-free survival, we focused on MEX3A because it was recently shown to mark an intestinal stem cell population that is refractory to chemotherapeutic treatments, a typical feature of PDAC. Increased expression of MEX3A was correlated with higher disease stage in PDAC patients and with tumor development in a mouse model of PDAC. Depletion of MEX3A in PDAC cells enhanced sensitivity to chemotherapeutic treatment with gemcitabine, whereas its expression was increased in PDAC cells selected upon chronic exposure to the drug. RNA-sequencing analyses highlighted hundreds of genes whose expression is sensitive to MEX3A expression, with significant enrichment in cell cycle genes. MEX3A binds to its target mRNAs, like cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), and promotes their stability. Accordingly, knockdown of MEX3A caused a significant reduction in PDAC cell proliferation and in progression to the S phase of the cell cycle. These findings uncover a novel role for MEX3A in the acquisition and maintenance of chemoresistance by PDAC cells, suggesting that it may represent a novel therapeutic target for PDAC.

Abstract 2269: The anti-IL1RAP antibody CAN04 increases tumor sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy

Abstract Interleukin-1 (IL1) receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) is a co-receptor of the IL1 receptor (IL1R1) and is required for IL1 signaling. IL1RAP is overexpressed in various solid tumors, both on cancer cells and in the tumor microenvironment. CAN04 is a fully humanized antibody that binds IL1RAP with high affinity (Kd = 1.10 pM), disrupts IL1α and IL1β signaling (IC50 = 3.9 and 4.1 nM respectively) and is glycoengineered to mediate an enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC, EC50 < 1 nM). Currently, CAN04 is in development for non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), two indications with high expression of IL1RAP and where IL1 signaling has been proven important for tumor development. IL1 has been implicated in the resistance to certain chemotherapy regimens, including gemcitabine in PDAC. However, less is known about the relationship between IL1 and platinum-based chemotherapy, which is commonly used both in NSCLC and PDAC. In order to study effects of IL1RAP targeting in combination with platinum compounds we used the syngeneic MC38 tumor model with a mouse surrogate CAN04 antibody (mCAN04). This antibody blocks IL1α and IL1β signaling and induces Antibody-Dependent Cellular Phagocytosis (ADCP) of IL1RAP-positive cells. In MC38 tumors, IL1RAP is found both on MC38 tumor cells and on infiltrating cells in the tumor stroma. Treatment of MC38 tumors showed a strong synergistic effect between mCAN04 and cisplatin, carboplatin or oxaliplatin (up to 3 times stronger tumor growth inhibition compared to either therapy alone). Interestingly, we also observed a decreased weight loss in the combination arms indicating a reduced platinum-related toxicity. Platinum doublets, such as cisplatin/gemcitabine, are used as standard of care in NSCLC. IL1RAP is abundantly expressed in NSCLC and both IL1α and IL1β is present in the tumor stroma. We investigated a NSCLC patient-derived xenograft that express IL1RAP, IL1R1, IL1α and IL1β. In vitro, this model responds to IL1 stimulation with an increase in e.g. IL6 expression, which can be blocked completely by addition of CAN04. When combining CAN04 with cisplatin or carboplatin in this model an increased effect could be seen which was more than additive (up to 3 times either treatment alone). Again, a reduced weight loss was detected in the combination arms compared to treatment with the platinum compounds alone. Finally, the CAN04/cis/gem triplet showed an even stronger efficacy compared to either chemotherapy alone or the cis/gem doublet. In summary, targeting IL1RAP with CAN04 blocks IL1 mediated inflammatory signaling and synergize with platinum-based chemotherapy to increase the anti-tumor effect and reduce toxicity. CAN04 is currently in phase II studies in NSCLC and PDAC in combination with chemotherapy (CANFOUR, NCT03267316), these data underscore the rationale for targeting IL1RAP with chemotherapy. Citation Format: Camilla Rydberg Millrud, Karin von Wachenfeldt, Hanna Håkansson Falk, Göran Forsberg, David Liberg. The anti-IL1RAP antibody CAN04 increases tumor sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 2269.

Precise and efficient silencing of mutant KrasG12D by CRISPR-CasRx controls pancreatic cancer progression.

Rationale: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease with few therapeutic targets and rare effective treatments. Over 90% of PDAC tumors bear a Kras mutation, and the single-site mutation G12D (KrasG12D) is most prevalent.Methods: Here, we applied the CRISPR-CasRx system to silence the mutant KrasG12D transcript in PDAC cells. We also used a capsid-optimized adenovirus-associated virus 8 vector (AAV8) to deliver the CRISPR-CasRx system into PDAC orthotopic tumors and patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDX).Results: Our data showed that guided by a KrasG12D-specific gRNA, CasRx is able to precisely and efficiently silence the mutant KrasG12D expression in PDAC cells. The knockdown of mutant KrasG12D by CasRx abolishes the aberrant activation of downstream signaling induced by mutant KrasG12D and subsequently suppresses the tumor growth and improves the sensitivity of gemcitabine in PDAC. Additionally, delivering CasRx-gRNA via AAV8 into the orthotopic KrasG12D PDAC tumors substantially improves the survival of mice without obvious toxicity. Furthermore, targeting KrasG12D through CasRx suppresses the growth of PDAC PDXs. In conclusion, our study provides a proof-of-concept that CRISPR-CasRx can be utilized to target and silence mutant KrasG12D transcripts and therefore inhibit PDAC malignancy.

The Effect of Gemcitabine on Cell Cycle Arrest and microRNA Signatures in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

Gemcitabine, an inhibitor of DNA synthesis, is the gold standard chemotherapeutic agent for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in cancers, including PDAC. However, less is known about the effect of gemcitabine on PDAC cells and miRNA expression in PDAC. We evaluated the effect of gemcitabine on the cell cycle of PDAC cells in vitro and in vivo and on the miRNA expression profile. Effects of gemcitabine on PK-1 and PK-9 cell growth were evaluated using a cell counting kit-8 assay. Xenografted mouse models were used to assess gemcitabine effects in vivo. Gemcitabine inhibited the proliferation and tumour growth of PK-1 cells, and induced S phase cell cycle arrest. Numerous miRNAs were altered upon gemcitabine treatment of PK-1 cells and xenograft models. Altered miRNAs may serve as potential therapeutic targets for improving the efficacy of gemcitabine in PDAC.

Abstract 1234: Zoledronic acid-induced suppression of invasive phenotypes of pancreatic cancer cells is mediated through downregulation of CYR61/CCN1

Abstract Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth most common cancer in the United States. Till date PDAC has shockingly poor outcome, as it can not be detected at an early stage and has a very aggressive phenotype that is resistant to standard therapies. Previous reports from our lab have depicted that the effect of most commonly used drug to treat PDAC, Gemcitabine, has limited effect and develops resistance due to the presence of a ECM oncoprotein, CYR61/CCN1. Depletion of CYR61/CCN1 protein suppresses invasive phenotypes and remarkably improves the treatment outcome of Gemcitabine in PDAC in-vitro and in-vivo. Hence, a potent synthetic chemical inhibitor of CYR61/CCN1 is essential to make it druggable. Objective: Zoledronic acid (ZOL) is a FDA approved medication used to treat many bone diseases including osteoporosis, high blood calcium and bone breakdown due to cancer and Paget’s disease of bone. Moreover, earlier studies have shown that ZOL significantly blocks pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion. Thus, in this proposed study, we investigated whether ZOL blocks CYR61/CCN1 expression in PDAC cells to inhibit invasive phenotypes. Results: Pancreatic cell lines (Panc-1 and AsPC-1) were treated with various concentrations of ZOL for different times points. Cells have shown no signs of stress physically as well as in molecular level. CYR61/CCN1 expression decreased significantly in a time and dose dependent manner at both transcriptional and translational level in PDAC cells and mouse (G12D/+; p53R172H/+; PdxCretg/+ -KPC) primary tumor-derived organoids. We compared the phenotypic alteration resulting due to CYR61/CCN1 downregulation and they reflect reduced stemness, low cell migration and cell proliferation. We treated the cells with exogenous human recombinant CYR61/CCN1 protein along with ZOL treatment and the cells regained/rescued their parental phenotype significantly. This led us to identify the CYR61/CCN1 as a target of ZOL in PDAC cells. Additionally, we found that ZOL treatment or CYR61/CCN1 depletion significantly reduces the expression of PD-L1 (encoded by the CD274 gene), which plays a role in suppressing immune system in many cancers including PDAC. As ZOL can reduce the levels of CYR61/CCN1 and PD-L1, that could act as an added advantage to use this drug in PDAC via suppressing CYR61/CCN1. Additionally, ZOL with targeted-nano-carriers were equally effective in regulation of CYR61/CCN1. Conclusion: Our results suggest that ZOL could be repurposed as a CYR61/CCN1 inhibitor in PDAC in-vitro and in-vivo. Additionally, ZOL has the ability to block PD-L1 activity that could prove beneficial towards pancreatic cancer treatment. Furthermore, our studies suggest that CYR61/CCN1 is druggable for PDAC and beyond. Citation Format: Arnab Ghosh, Sandipto Sarkar, Sonia Ghosh, Priyanka Ray, Mohi Quadir, Sushanta K. Banerjee, Snigdha Banerjee. Zoledronic acid-induced suppression of invasive phenotypes of pancreatic cancer cells is mediated through downregulation of CYR61/CCN1 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1234.

Abstract 3021: The role of survivin splice variants in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma Gemcitabine resistance

Abstract Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease with poor prognosis and an increased chemoresistance. Dysfunction in alternative splicing has been associated with chemoresistance in many cancers. Alternative splicing of survivin mRNA generates six splicing isoforms some of which are associated with cancer progression and chemoresistance. Survivin is a member of the inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) family and a cell cycle-associated oncoprotein overexpressed in almost all cancers. Interestingly, some of these survivin splice variants are proapoptotic (2α and 2β) while others are antiapoptotic (survivin, Δex3, 3α and 3β). It has been reported that increased levels of survivin 2β and 3β play a role in chemoresistance in ovarian cancers and other tumors, but this has not been studied in pancreatic cancer. Our recent RT-qPCR data also show an overexpression of all survivin splice variants in chemoresistant PDAC cell lines compared to the chemo-sensitive cell line. We, therefore, hypothesize that increased expression of survivin splice variants 2β and 3β contribute to chemo-resistance in PDAC. To test this hypothesis, we repeatedly selected the resistant cells from the normally chemosensitive MiaPaca2 cell line after exposure to gemcitabine. We then assessed the levels of survivin splice variants in the new cell line (gemcitabine-resistant MiaPaca2). Using the Alamar blue assay, we confirmed that Panc1 and gemcitabine-resistant MiaPaca2 are more resistant to gemcitabine compared to MiaPaca2 cells. We also observed a statistically significant overexpression of survivin 2β and 3β in gemcitabine-resistant cell lines compared to the more sensitive MiaPaca2 cells. To further test our hypothesis, we will knockdown survivin 2β and 3β in Panc1 and gemcitabine-resistant MiaPaca2, and/or overexpress these splice variants in MiaPaca2 cells then assess response to gemcitabine. The outcomes of this study might create new biomarkers for predicting the clinical outcomes of gemcitabine treatment and generate new therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Janviere Kabagwira, Amber Gonda, Mei Li Kwong. The role of survivin splice variants in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma Gemcitabine resistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3021.

Down-regulation of miR-30a-5p is Associated with Poor Prognosis and Promotes Chemoresistance of Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

MicroRNA-30a-5p (miR-30a-5p) plays an important role in many biological and pathological processes, and therefore has been studied extensively. However, its expression and function in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain unclear. Furthermore, whether miR-30a-5p affects sensitivity of PDAC cells to gemcitabine (GEM) is worthy of further exploration. The results showed that miR-30a-5p expression in pancreatic cancer was decreased and the down-regulated expression correlated with poor prognosis, while up-regulating miR-30a-5p suppressed tumor cell proliferation, cell cycle and increased apoptosis. MiRNA expression profiles between gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells and parental pancreatic cancer cells showed significant change of miR-30a-5p expression. Besides, up-regulating miR-30a-5p in PDAC significantly increased the chemosensitivity of gemcitabine. Furthermore, FOXD1 is a direct target of miR-30a-5p and the miR-30a-5p/FOXD1/ERK axis may play an important role in the development of gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer. In summary, our study showed that miR-30a-5p increases the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer to gemcitabine, and it may be a potential therapeutic target to overcome gemcitabine resistance.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: The BET inhibitor I-BET762 inhibits pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell proliferation and enhances the therapeutic effect of gemcitabine

As one of the most fatal malignancies, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has significant resistance to the currently available treatment approaches. Gemcitabine, the standard chemotherapeutic agent for locally advanced and metastatic PDAC, has limited efficacy, which is attributed to innate/acquired resistance and the activation of prosurvival pathways. Here, we investigated the in vitro efficacy of I-BET762, an inhibitor of the bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) family of proteins, in treating PDAC cell lines alone and in combination with gemcitabine (GEM). The effect of these two agents was also examined in xenograft PDAC tumors in mice. We found that I-BET762 induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and cell death and suppressed cell proliferation and metastatic stem cell factors in PDAC cells. In addition, the BH3-only protein Bim, which is related to chemotherapy resistance, was upregulated by I-BET762, which increased the cell death triggered by GEM in PDAC cells. Moreover, GEM and I-BET762 exerted a synergistic effect on cytotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, Bim is necessary for I-BET762 activity and modulates the synergistic effect of GEM and I-BET762 in PDAC. In conclusion, we investigated the effect of I-BET762 on PDAC and suggest an innovative strategy for PDAC treatment.

A Phase II Study of Pelareorep (REOLYSIN®) in Combination with Gemcitabine for Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis, with 1 and 5-year survival rates of ~18% and 7% respectively. FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine in combination with nab-paclitaxel are standard treatment options for metastatic disease. However, both regimens are more toxic than gemcitabine alone. Pelareorep (REOLYSIN®), a proprietary isolate of reovirus Type 3 Dearing, has shown antitumor activity in clinical and preclinical models. In addition to direct cytotoxic effects, pelareorep can trigger antitumor immune responses. Due to the high frequency of RAS mutations in PDAC, we hypothesized that pelareorep would promote selective reovirus replication in pancreatic tumors and enhance the anticancer activity of gemcitabine. Chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced PDAC were eligible for the study. The primary objective was Clinical Benefit Rate (complete response (CR) + partial response (PR) + stable disease (SD) ≥ 12 weeks) and secondary objectives include overall survival (OS), toxicity, and pharmacodynamics (PD) analysis. The study enrolled 34 patients; results included one partial response, 23 stable disease, and 5 progressive disease. The median OS was 10.2 months, with a 1- and 2-year survival rate of 45% and 24%, respectively. The treatment was well tolerated with manageable nonhematological toxicities. PD analysis revealed reovirus replication within pancreatic tumor and associated apoptosis. Upregulation of immune checkpoint marker PD-L1 suggests future consideration of combining oncolytic virus therapy with anti-PD-L1 inhibitors. We conclude that pelareorep complements single agent gemcitabine in PDAC.

AB075. P047. Human pancreatic stellate cells secreted fibronectin promote chemoresistance to gemcitabine in PDAC

: The pancreatic stellate cell (PSC) is the primary cell type of the desmoplastic stroma of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A prominent characteristic of PDAC that contributes to its malignant features is the presence of a dense stroma which is composed of various extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as fibronectin (FN) and collagens. PSCs interact with cancer cells and influence the progression of the disease through a complex network of signaling molecules involving ECM proteins. Gemcitabine remains a cornerstone of PDAC treatment in all stages of the disease despite suboptimal clinical effects partly linked to the development of chemoresistance within weeks of treatment initiation. We investigated PSC populations isolated from different human PDACs and examined the effects of PSC-conditioned medium (PSC-CM) on the chemosensitivity of different commercial human pancreatic cancer cell lines: AsPC-1, BxPC-3, Capan-2, HPAF-II, Mia PaCa-2, Panc-1 and SW-1990. The PSC-CM induced varying degree of resistance to cytotoxic activities of gemcitabine among the cancer cell lines examined. Secretome analysis of PSC-CM identified 5,245 peptides corresponding to 687 different proteins (532 of them with more than one peptide), including several ECM-related proteins with the highest number of peptides observed for FN. A FN inhibitor, synthetic Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) peptide, blocked the development of PSC-CM induced chemoresistance in cancer cells, suggesting that the use of FN blocking agents in addition to the gemcitabine-based chemotherapy could counteract chemoresistance and provide better clinical outcomes.