Publications by authors named "J L Leatherman"

Unlabelled: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) carries an extremely poor prognosis, in part resulting from cellular heterogeneity that supports overall tumorigenicity. Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) are key determinants of PDAC biology and response to systemic therapy. While CAF subtypes have been defined, the effects of patient-specific CAF heterogeneity and plasticity on tumor cell behavior remain unclear.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The ABC transporter gene family produces proteins that create channels in cell membranes and utilize ATP to transport substances across cells, playing a key role in processes like toxin removal and drug resistance in cancer stem cells.
  • - In this study, researchers explored the expression of ABC transporters within the Drosophila testis and identified six transporters that showed tissue-specific expression patterns, but not exclusively in stem cells as initially expected.
  • - A comparison between the expression data from their own tests and the Fly Cell Atlas revealed a weak correlation, emphasizing the importance of using multiple techniques when studying gene expression.
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Background And Aims: Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 ( IDH1 )-mutant cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly lethal subtype of hepatobiliary cancer that is often resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies. We evaluated the effects of IDH1 mutations in CCA cells on the tumor immune microenvironment and identified opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Approach And Results: Analysis of 2606 human CCA tumors using deconvolution of RNA-sequencing data identified decreased CD8+ T cell and increased M2-like tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) infiltration in IDH1 -mutant compared to IDH1 wild-type tumors.

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  • * In a Phase II clinical trial, 27 patients received entinostat followed by nivolumab, resulting in an objective response rate of 11% and a median response duration of over 10 months, although the primary endpoint for overall effectiveness was not reached.
  • * The combination treatment led to significant immune profile changes, including increased dendritic cell activity and enhanced inflammatory response, suggesting potential for improving treatment strategies in PDA despite
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Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are associated with improved response in solid tumors treated with immune checkpoint blockade, but understanding of the prognostic and predictive value of TLS and the circumstances of their resolution is incomplete. Here we show that in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant immunotherapy, high intratumoral TLS density at the time of surgery is associated with pathologic response and improved relapse-free survival. In areas of tumor regression, we identify a noncanonical involuted morphology of TLS marked by dispersion of the B cell follicle, persistence of a T cell zone enriched for T cell-mature dendritic cell interactions and increased expression of T cell memory markers.

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