Publications by authors named "Faith R Avritt"

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) continues to have a dismal prognosis. The poor survival of patients with PDA has been attributed to a high rate of early metastasis and low efficacy of current therapies, which partly result from its complex immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Previous studies from our group and others have shown that tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are instrumental in maintaining immunosuppression in PDA.

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Article Synopsis
  • Oncogenic KRAS is a key mutation in pancreatic cancer that not only affects tumor cells but also influences the surrounding tumor microenvironment, which remains poorly understood.
  • In this study, researchers used genetically engineered mice and advanced techniques like mass cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate how oncogenic KRAS impacts pancreatic fibroblasts.
  • Findings reveal that KRAS signaling reprograms fibroblasts to become active players in inflammation, enhancing protumorigenic macrophage activity and hindering tissue repair, opening doors for potential therapeutic strategies targeting these stromal pathways.
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