Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 2, 2025

Author Spotlight: Decoding RNA Methylation's Role in Pancreatic Cancer - A Single-Base Resolution Study
Published on: July 7, 2023
Neurons Release Serine to Support mRNA Translation in Pancreatic Cancer
Robert S Banh1, Douglas E Biancur1, Keisuke Yamamoto1
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Abstract:
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors have a nutrient-poor, desmoplastic, and highly innervated tumor microenvironment. Although neurons can release stimulatory factors to accelerate PDAC tumorigenesis, the metabolic contribution of peripheral axons has not been explored. We found that peripheral axons release serine (Ser) to support the growth of exogenous Ser (exSer)-dependent PDAC cells during Ser/Gly (glycine) deprivation. Ser deprivation resulted in ribosomal stalling on two of the six Ser codons, TCC and TCT, and allowed the selective translation and secretion of nerve growth factor (NGF) by PDAC cells to promote tumor innervation. Consistent with this, exSer-dependent PDAC tumors grew slower and displayed enhanced innervation in mice on a Ser/Gly-free diet. Blockade of compensatory neuronal innervation using LOXO-101, a Trk-NGF inhibitor, further decreased PDAC tumor growth. Our data indicate that axonal-cancer metabolic crosstalk is a critical adaptation to support PDAC growth in nutrient poor environments.
Related Concept Videos
MicroRNAs
MicroRNAs
Leaky Scanning
Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...
Regulated mRNA Transport
Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...

