Author : Carmen Fernanda Ramos Delgado
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (124 download)
Book Synopsis Exploring PI3K Signalling Dynamics in Pancreatic Cancer by : Carmen Fernanda Ramos Delgado
Download or read book Exploring PI3K Signalling Dynamics in Pancreatic Cancer written by Carmen Fernanda Ramos Delgado and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PI3Ks are enzymes that catalyse the phosphorylation of inositol phospholipids in the 3-position of the inositol ring. These substrates and products are involved in multiple cellular processes such as cell growth, proliferation, cell motility and cellular trafficking. In mammals, there are 8 isoforms of PI3Ks and they are grouped into three classes (class I, II and III) depending on their structure and substrate specificity. Class I PI3Ks are the best characterised and the most commonly implicated in cancer. Current evidence on the oncogenic roles of class II and class III PI3Ks is limited. The PI3K/Akt signalling pathway is frequently hyperactivated in cancers and is usually correlated to a poor prognosis, particularly in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). More than 90% of PDAC cases are driven by activating mutations in Kras, which then activate downstream effector-signalling pathways, including the PI3K pathway. PDAC is one of the most lethal cancers, characterised by a late-stage diagnosis, a rapid progression and limited therapeutic options. There is a dire need to find new biomarkers and to design novel therapeutics for PDAC management. Previous studies from the team demonstrated that PI3Kalpha, a class I PI3K, is crucial in the initial stages of PDAC. Nonetheless, its role during PDAC progression remains unknown. My PhD aims to elucidate PI3K signalling dynamics in PDAC. I focused on characterising the role of PI3Kalpha in PDAC progression and on determining its suitability as a therapeutic target. Additionally, I show preliminary data on the role of Vps34, a class III PI3K, in acinar cell physiology and its possible role in pancreatic carcinogenesis. The pharmacological and genetic inactivation of PI3Kalpha in vitro demonstrate that this PI3K isoform regulates parameters that drive pancreatic tumour cell progression regardless of oncogenic mutations. These effects are organ-specific; depending on the organ context, another class I PI3K isoform could drive the cancer progression. These results were then validated in vivo in the KPC mouse model used for preclinical testing of PDAC. KPC mice with high levels of cfDNA and a detected tumour via ultrasound imaging were treated with the PI3Kalpha-specific inhibitor, BYL-719. Likewise, I compared the pharmacological inhibition of PI3Kalpha with the genetic inactivation of PI3Kalpha in the pancreatic epithelium of KPC mice. Targeting PI3Kalpha in vivo, pharmacologically and genetically, decreases tumour volume, increases life expectancy and delays metastatic dissemination. To further support the anti-metastatic effect of PI3Kalpha, a tail vein assay was performed and the mice were also given BYL-719. This last experiment reproduced the previous results obtained with the other mouse models, reinforcing the role of PI3Kalpha in decreasing metastatic dissemination. Besides delaying metastatic dissemination, PI3Kalpha also decreased the infiltration of protumoral macrophages, suggesting a role for this isoform in shaping the immune response. [...].
