How Blocking Nutrient Scavenging Can Help Weaken Pancreatic Tumor Defenses
Pancreatic tumors rely on scavenging nutrients from the surrounding environment to fuel their growth. Scientists have discovered that by blocking this process, the tumor microenvironment can be reshaped to allow better access for immune cells, making immunotherapy and chemotherapy more effective in treating pancreatic cancer.
Cancer cells and tumors interact with the surrounding environment known as the tumor microenvironment to obtain extra resources for their growth. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells use a process called macropinocytosis to scavenge nutrients from the extracellular matrix, affecting the area around the tumor. Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Cancer Center found that blocking macropinocytosis reshaped the tumor microenvironment, making it more accessible to immune cells and enhancing the effectiveness of immunotherapy and chemotherapy in treating PDAC tumors in mice.
The researchers observed that blocking macropinocytosis affected fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment, leading to changes in the metabolic stress experienced by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). By preventing CAFs from using the same nutrient-scavenging strategy as PDAC tumors, a shift towards a subtype of CAF that promotes inflammation was observed, altering the tumor microenvironment.
These changes included reduced fibrosis, increased immune cell infiltration, and enhanced vascular expansion, which can aid in drug delivery. Combining a macropinocytosis inhibitor with immunotherapy and chemotherapy showed promising results in suppressing tumor growth and metastasis in mice with PDAC.
The study highlights the potential of targeting nutrient scavenging to improve cancer treatment outcomes, particularly in pancreatic cancer, which remains a significant challenge in cancer care.
According to the source: News-Medical.
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