Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a particularly aggressive form of cancer, with a five-year survival rate of only about 8%. Recent research from the Francis Crick Institute, led by Axel Behrens, has identified a protein called CD9 on the surface of cancer stem cells within PDAC tumors. These stem cells are pivotal in tumor initiation and progression. The study, published in Nature Cell Biology, found that reducing CD9 levels in tumor cells led to smaller tumors in mice, while increasing CD9 levels made the cancer cells more aggressive.
Further investigation revealed that CD9 enhances the uptake of glutamine, a nutrient essential for cancer cell growth and spread. This suggests that targeting CD9 could disrupt the energy supply to cancer stem cells, potentially inhibiting tumor growth. This discovery offers a promising new avenue for developing treatments aimed at improving survival rates for those afflicted by this devastating disease. Click for More Details
