Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase: A Link Between Inflammation and Pancreatic Cancer

Even though a strong association between inflammation and cancer has been widely accepted, the underlying precise molecular mechanisms are still largely unknown. A complex signaling network between tumor and stromal cells is responsible for the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the cancer microenvironment. Tumor stromal cells such as pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and immune cells create a microenvironment that protects cancer cells through a complex interaction, ultimately facilitating their local proliferation and their migration to different sites. Furthermore, PSCs have multiple functions related to local immunity, angiogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Recently, many studies have shown that members of the phosphoinositol-3-phosphate kinase (PI3K) family are activated in tumor cells, PSCs, and tumor-infiltrating inflammatory cells to promote cancer growth. Proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines secreted by immune cells and fibroblasts within the tumor environment can activate the PI3K pathway both in cancer and inflammatory cells. In this review, we focus on the central role of the PI3K pathway in regulating the cross talk between immune/stromal cells and cancer cells. Understanding the role of the PI3K pathway in the development of chronic pancreatitis and cancer is crucial for the discovery of novel and efficacious treatment options.