Researchers from National Chung Cheng University (CCU) and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) have identified a novel signaling mechanism in pancreatic cancer patients, knowledge of which might help improve survival rates for the deadly disease.
The newly-discovered TIMP1-CD63 signaling mechanism causes Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homologue (KRAS)-mutated cells found in about 90 percent of pancreatic cancer patients to evade destruction by the immune system, the CCU and NCKU said last week.
The researchers found that a gene deficiency known as dual specificity phosphatase-2 (DUSP2) helps KRAS-mutated cells continue growing.
Photo: Screen grab from National Cheng Kung University’s Web site
The interaction of those factors results in a “vicious cycle” that promotes the progression of pancreatic cancer, which has a survival rate of less than 10 percent, the researchers said.
“Disruption of the vicious cycle ... may be a highly potential way to inhibit pancreatic cancer progression,” the researchers said.
Led by CCU Department of Physiology chair professor Tsai Shaw-jenq (蔡少正) and NCKU College of Medicine dean Shan Yan-shen (沈延盛), the research team published their findings in the scientific journal Molecular Cancer last month.
Photo: Screen grab from National Cheng Kung University’s Web site
The paper, titled “Intercellular TIMP-1-CD63 signaling directs the evolution of immune escape and metastasis in KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancer cells,” was based on in vitro and in vivo experiments on mice, as well as spatial transcriptomic analysis of tumors.
“Understanding interactions between various cells in pancreatic cancer tumor micro-environments is of great significance for developing blocking strategies, improving early diagnosis rates and improving patient prognoses,” Shan said.
The research supports the view that chronic inflammation is a major factor in cancer progression, because it draws a large presence of macrophages — large immune system cells that digest pathogens.
Based on the interaction of active TIMP-1-CD63 signaling and low DUSP2, the presence of macrophages triggered the “vicious cycle” of tumor growth and might actually play a role in sustaining tumor progression, researchers said.
The research was primarily funded by Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council and National Health Research Institutes.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has continued its investigation into allegations of forged signatures in recall efforts today by searching the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) city chapter and questioning several personnel including the chapter director, according to media reports. Among those questioned and detained were KMT Taipei chapter director Huang Lu Chin-ju (黃呂錦茹), chapter secretary-general Chu Wen-ching (初文卿), chapter secretary Yao Fu-wen (姚富文) and first district committee executive director Tseng Fan-chuan (曾繁川). Prosecutors said they would not confirm reports about who had been summoned. The investigation centers on allegations that the ongoing recall campaigns targeting Democratic Progressive Party legislators Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤)
Several Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) officials including Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) are to be summoned for questioning and then transferred to prosecutors for holding an illegal assembly in Taipei last night, the Taipei Police said today. Chu and two others hosted an illegal assembly and are to be requested to explain their actions, the Taipei City Police Department's Zhongzheng (中正) First Precinct said, referring to a protest held after Huang Lu Chin-ju (黃呂錦茹), KMT Taipei's chapter director, and several other KMT staffers were questioned for alleged signature forgery in recall petitions against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators. Taipei prosecutors had filed