Selected Grantee Publications

Tumor Explants Elucidate a Cascade of Paracrine SHH, WNT, and VEGF Signals Driving Pancreatic Cancer Angiosuppression

Hasselluhn et al., Cancer Discovery. 2024.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37966260/

This study presents a key mechanism that prevents pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) from undergoing neoangiogenesis, which affects its development, pathophysiology, metabolism, and treatment response. Using human and murine PDAC explants, which effectively retain the complex cellular interactions of native tumor tissues, and single-cell regulatory network analysis, the study identified a cascade of three paracrine pathways bridging between multiple cell types and acting sequentially, Hedgehog to WNT to VEGF, as a key suppressor of angiogenesis in KRAS-mutant PDAC cells. This study provides an experimental paradigm for dissecting higher-order cellular interactions in tissues and has implications for PDAC treatment strategies. Supported by ORIP (S10OD012351, S10OD021764), NCI, and NIDDK.