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Updated: Jan 25, 2026

An Orthotopic Resectional Mouse Model of Pancreatic Cancer
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An Orthotopic Resectional Mouse Model of Pancreatic Cancer

Published on: September 24, 2020

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STING agonist inflames the pancreatic cancer immune microenvironment and reduces tumor burden in mouse models

Weiqing Jing1, Donna McAllister2, Emily P Vonderhaar2

  • 1, Department of Medicine, Milwaukee, USA.

Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer
|May 1, 2019
PubMed

Insights

A STimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) agonist revitalized immune-cold pancreatic tumors in mice. This immunotherapy promoted T cell activity and decreased suppressive cells, significantly improving survival in pancreatic cancer models.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Cancer Therapy

Background:

  • Pancreatic cancer exhibits an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment, hindering therapeutic efficacy.
  • This immunosuppression creates a significant barrier to effective treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of a STimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) agonist to overcome immune suppression in pancreatic cancer.
  • To determine if STING agonist treatment can "reignite" immunologically inert pancreatic tumors.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a murine transgenic pancreatic cancer cell line that models human disease.
  • Administered STING agonist treatment to tumor-bearing mice.
  • Analyzed changes in tumor architecture, immune cell profiles, and survival rates.

Main Results:

  • STING agonist treatment significantly altered tumor architecture and immune cell composition.
  • Increased the number and activity of cytotoxic T cells while decreasing regulatory T cells within tumors.
  • Reprogrammed macrophages to immune-activating phenotypes and upregulated costimulatory molecules on dendritic cells.

Conclusions:

  • STING agonist therapy effectively inhibits pancreatic cancer progression by converting "cold" tumors into "hot" ones.
  • This approach promotes the trafficking and activation of tumor-killing T cells, offering a promising therapeutic avenue.
  • The study demonstrates STING agonist's potential to enhance anti-tumor immunity in pancreatic cancer.
Keywords:
CXCL10Cancer proliferationCytotoxic T cellsImmune activationSTING agonistTumor infiltrating lymphocytesTumor selectivity

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