Abstract B075: Functional characterization of TGF-β-dependent cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer using novel in vitro and in vivo models
Authors: Cheng Priscilla S.W. , Jihad Muntadher , Manansala Judhell S. , Luo Weike , Mucciolo Gianluca , Teles Sara Pinto , Biffi Giulia 
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by abundant cancer- associated fibroblasts (CAFs) which contribute to a tumor-promoting, chemotherapy-resistant and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). However, CAF-ablating therapeutic strategies have thus far failed in clinical trials. One potential reason is that PDAC CAFs are heterogeneous and plastic. It was recently discovered that myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs) and inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) can originate from pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) via TGF-β and IL-1 signaling, respectively. However, their functional heterogeneity remains to be elucidated. We hypothesize that distinct CAF subtypes exhibit different tumor-promoting roles mediated by targetable signaling mechanisms. To this end, we aimed at characterizing the functions of TGF- β-dependent myCAFs in shaping the TME and influencing PDAC progression. Methods: We generated novel myCAF-depleted PDAC mouse models by orthotopically injecting PDAC organoids derived from KPC (Kras LSL-G12D/+ ; Trp53 LSL-R172H/+ ; Pdx1-Cre) mice into Fap-Tgfbr2 knockout (Fap-tTA; Rosa26 LSLtdTom/+ ; tet-O-Cre; Tgfbr2 fl/fl ) mice. The pancreatic tumors were analyzed by flow cytometry, histology and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq). In a complementary approach, we generated myCAF-enriched PDAC mouse models by orthotopically co-injecting KPC PDAC organoids and novel TGF-β-driven ‘myCAF-locked’ murine PSCs. In addition, to further dissect myCAF-malignant cell signaling crosstalk, KPC PDAC organoids and myCAF-locked PSCs were co-cultured and then flow-sorted for bulk RNA- sequencing. Results: MyCAF-depleted PDAC tumors from Fap-Tgfbr2 knockout mice had a significant decrease in myCAFs, and a significant expansion of iCAFs, compared to control mice. Additionally, Masson’s trichrome staining indicated significant reduction in collagen content in the TME upon myCAF depletion. Moreover, scRNAseq analysis revealed that myCAF depletion shaped the composition of innate immune cells, including macrophages and neutrophils. Notably, although primary tumor growth was not altered, liver and lung metastases decreased, while diaphragm metastases and ascites increased, in myCAF-depleted PDAC mice. Conversely, liver and lung metastases increased, while diaphragm metastases and ascites decreased in myCAF-enriched PDAC mouse models, suggesting that TGF-β-dependent myCAFs play a role in promoting distant metastases. In line with this, transcriptomic analysis of PDAC organoids co-cultured with myCAF-locked PSCs showed enrichment of pathways in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, hypoxia, VEGF, WNT and cell-matrix interactions. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that TGF-β-dependent CAFs are not only largely responsible for collagen deposition in PDAC, but also possess immune-modulating properties. Moreover, our study supports a role of TGF-β-dependent CAFs in promoting PDAC metastasis to the liver and the lungs, potentially through upregulating pro-metastatic pathways in the malignant cells.

Citation Format: Priscilla S.W. Cheng, Muntadher Jihad, Judhell S. Manansala, Weike Luo, Gianluca Mucciolo, Sara Pinto Teles, Giulia Biffi. Functional characterization of TGF-β-dependent cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer using novel in vitro and in vivo models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research; 2024 Sep 15-18; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(17 Suppl_2):Abstract nr B075.