Go to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • All ...
  • Videos
  • Collections
    • In-Press Preview
    • Resource and Technical Advances
    • Clinical Research and Public Health
    • Research Letters
    • Editorials
    • Perspectives
    • Physician-Scientist Development
    • Reviews
    • Top read articles

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • In-Press Preview
  • Resource and Technical Advances
  • Clinical Research and Public Health
  • Research Letters
  • Editorials
  • Perspectives
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Reviews
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
Stromal architecture directs early dissemination in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Arja Ray, Mackenzie K. Callaway, Nelson J. Rodríguez-Merced, Alexandra L. Crampton, Marjorie Carlson, Kenneth B. Emme, Ethan A. Ensminger, Alexander A. Kinne, Jonathan H. Schrope, Haley R. Rasmussen, Hong Jiang, David G. DeNardo, David K. Wood, Paolo P. Provenzano
Arja Ray, Mackenzie K. Callaway, Nelson J. Rodríguez-Merced, Alexandra L. Crampton, Marjorie Carlson, Kenneth B. Emme, Ethan A. Ensminger, Alexander A. Kinne, Jonathan H. Schrope, Haley R. Rasmussen, Hong Jiang, David G. DeNardo, David K. Wood, Paolo P. Provenzano
View: Text | PDF
Research Article Cell biology Oncology

Stromal architecture directs early dissemination in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is an extremely metastatic and lethal disease. Here, in both murine and human PDA, we demonstrate that extracellular matrix architecture regulates cell extrusion and subsequent invasion from intact ductal structures through tumor-associated collagen signatures (TACS). This results in early dissemination from histologically premalignant lesions and continual invasion from well-differentiated disease, and it suggests TACS as a biomarker to aid in the pathologic assessment of early disease. Furthermore, we show that pancreatitis results in invasion-conducive architectures, thus priming the stroma prior to malignant disease. Analysis in potentially novel microfluidic-derived microtissues and in vivo demonstrates decreased extrusion and invasion following focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibition, consistent with decreased metastasis. Thus, data suggest that targeting FAK or strategies to reengineer and normalize tumor microenvironments may have roles not only in very early disease, but also for limiting continued dissemination from unresectable disease. Likewise, it may be beneficial to employ stroma-targeting strategies to resolve precursor diseases such as pancreatitis in order to remove stromal architectures that increase risk for early dissemination.

Authors

Arja Ray, Mackenzie K. Callaway, Nelson J. Rodríguez-Merced, Alexandra L. Crampton, Marjorie Carlson, Kenneth B. Emme, Ethan A. Ensminger, Alexander A. Kinne, Jonathan H. Schrope, Haley R. Rasmussen, Hong Jiang, David G. DeNardo, David K. Wood, Paolo P. Provenzano

×
Problems with a PDF?

This file is in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. If you have not installed and configured the Adobe Acrobat Reader on your system.

Having trouble reading a PDF?

PDFs are designed to be printed out and read, but if you prefer to read them online, you may find it easier if you increase the view size to 125%.

Having trouble saving a PDF?

Many versions of the free Acrobat Reader do not allow Save. You must instead save the PDF from the JCI Online page you downloaded it from. PC users: Right-click on the Download link and choose the option that says something like "Save Link As...". Mac users should hold the mouse button down on the link to get these same options.

Having trouble printing a PDF?

  1. Try printing one page at a time or to a newer printer.
  2. Try saving the file to disk before printing rather than opening it "on the fly." This requires that you configure your browser to "Save" rather than "Launch Application" for the file type "application/pdf", and can usually be done in the "Helper Applications" options.
  3. Make sure you are using the latest version of Adobe's Acrobat Reader.

Supplemental data - Download (13.17 MB)

Advertisement

Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN 2379-3708

Sign up for email alerts