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Pancreatic Tissue-Derived Extracellular Matrix Bioink for Printing 3D Cell-Laden Pancreatic Tissue Constructs
Published on: December 13, 2019
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The Extracellular Matrix and Pancreatic Cancer: A Complex Relationship
Maximilian Weniger1, Kim C Honselmann2, Andrew S Liss3
1Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. mweniger@mgh.harvard.edu.
Cancers
|September 12, 2018
Summary
Pancreatic cancer
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cancer Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a dense fibrotic stroma.
- The extracellular matrix (ECM) within this stroma increases interstitial pressure and mechanical stiffness.
- The ECM also provides biochemical cues that promote tumor growth and metastasis, and acts as a nutrient source for cancer cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the multifaceted role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
- To explore the ECM as a potential therapeutic target for PDAC treatment.
Main Methods:
- This review synthesizes current research on the ECM's contribution to PDAC.
- It examines preclinical and clinical investigations of ECM-targeted therapies.
Main Results:
- While stroma-depleting strategies have shown limited success, targeting the ECM directly presents promising therapeutic avenues.
- Preclinical studies indicate that ECM-targeted drugs can yield significant positive effects.
Conclusions:
- The ECM plays a critical, complex role in PDAC progression and drug resistance.
- Targeting the ECM offers a promising strategy for future pancreatic cancer therapies, with several agents in clinical trials.
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