First Author | Celesti G | Year | 2013 |
Journal | Br J Cancer | Volume | 109 |
Issue | 9 | Pages | 2424-33 |
PubMed ID | 24084767 | Mgi Jnum | J:316031 |
Mgi Id | MGI:6832372 | Doi | 10.1038/bjc.2013.565 |
Citation | Celesti G, et al. (2013) Early expression of the fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Br J Cancer 109(9):2424-33 |
abstractText | BACKGROUND: In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 contributes to perineural invasion (PNI). We investigated whether CX3CR1 expression occurs early in PDAC and correlates with tumour features other than PNI. METHODS: We studied CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression by immunohistochemistry in 104 human PDAC and coexisting Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia (PanIN), and in PdxCre/LSL-Kras(G12D) mouse model of PDAC. CX3CR1 expression in vitro was studied by a spheroid model, and in vivo by syngenic mouse graft of tumour cells. RESULTS: In total, 56 (53.9%) PDAC expressed CX3CR1, 70 (67.3%) CX3CL1, and 45 (43.3%) both. CX3CR1 expression was independently associated with tumour glandular differentiation (P=0.005) and PNI (P=0.01). Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasias were more frequently CX3CR1+ (80.3%, P<0.001) and CX3CL1+ (86.8%, P=0.002) than matched cancers. The survival of PDAC patients was better in those with CX3CR1+ tumour (P=0.05). Mouse PanINs were also CX3CR1(+) and -CL1(+). In vitro, cytokines significantly increased CX3CL1 but not CX3CR1 expression. Differently, CX3CR1 was upregulated in tumour spheroids, and in vivo only in well-differentiated tumours. CONCLUSION: Tumour differentiation, rather than inflammatory signalling, modulates CX3CR1 expression in PanINs and PDAC. CX3CR1 expression pattern suggests its early involvement in PDAC progression, outlining a potential target for interfering with the PanIN transition to invasive cancer. |