Epigenetic plasticity cooperates with cell-cell interactions to direct pancreatic tumorigenesis.

Publication Type Academic Article
Authors Burdziak C, Alonso-Curbelo D, Walle T, Reyes J, Barriga F, Haviv D, Xie Y, Zhao Z, Zhao C, Chen H, Chaudhary O, Masilionis I, Choo Z, Gao V, Luan W, Wuest A, Ho Y, Wei Y, Quail D, Koche R, Mazutis L, Chaligné R, Nawy T, Lowe S, Pe'er D
Journal Science
Volume 380
Issue 6645
Pagination eadd5327
Date Published 05/12/2023
ISSN 1095-9203
Keywords Carcinogenesis, Epigenesis, Genetic, Pancreas, Pancreatic Neoplasms
Abstract The response to tumor-initiating inflammatory and genetic insults can vary among morphologically indistinguishable cells, suggesting as yet uncharacterized roles for epigenetic plasticity during early neoplasia. To investigate the origins and impact of such plasticity, we performed single-cell analyses on normal, inflamed, premalignant, and malignant tissues in autochthonous models of pancreatic cancer. We reproducibly identified heterogeneous cell states that are primed for diverse, late-emerging neoplastic fates and linked these to chromatin remodeling at cell-cell communication loci. Using an inference approach, we revealed signaling gene modules and tissue-level cross-talk, including a neoplasia-driving feedback loop between discrete epithelial and immune cell populations that was functionally validated in mice. Our results uncover a neoplasia-specific tissue-remodeling program that may be exploited for pancreatic cancer interception.
DOI 10.1126/science.add5327
PubMed ID 37167403
PubMed Central ID PMC10316746
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