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Gamma secretase inhibition promotes hypoxic necrosis in mouse pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Cook, Natalie 
Frese, Kristopher K 
Bapiro, Tashinga E 
Jacobetz, Michael A 
Gopinathan, Aarthi 

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a highly lethal disease that is refractory to medical intervention. Notch pathway antagonism has been shown to prevent pancreatic preneoplasia progression in mouse models, but potential benefits in the setting of an established PDA tumor have not been established. We demonstrate that the gamma secretase inhibitor MRK003 effectively inhibits intratumoral Notch signaling in the KPC mouse model of advanced PDA. Although MRK003 monotherapy fails to extend the lifespan of KPC mice, the combination of MRK003 with the chemotherapeutic gemcitabine prolongs survival. Combination treatment kills tumor endothelial cells and synergistically promotes widespread hypoxic necrosis. These results indicate that the paucivascular nature of PDA can be exploited as a therapeutic vulnerability, and the dual targeting of the tumor endothelium and neoplastic cells by gamma secretase inhibition constitutes a rationale for clinical translation.

Description

Keywords

Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases, Animals, Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Proliferation, Cyclic S-Oxides, Deoxycytidine, Drug Synergism, Drug Therapy, Combination, Endothelial Cells, Humans, Hypoxia, Mice, Mice, Mutant Strains, Necrosis, Pancreatic Neoplasms, Protease Inhibitors, Receptors, Notch, Signal Transduction, Thiadiazoles, Translational Research, Biomedical, Gemcitabine

Journal Title

J Exp Med

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0022-1007
1540-9538

Volume Title

209

Publisher

Rockefeller University Press
Sponsorship
Cancer Research UK (15678)