Cancer associated fibroblasts drive epithelial to mesenchymal transition and classical to basal change in pancreatic cancer cells with loss of IL-8 expression
We examined the transcriptional changes induced by cancer associated fibroblasts in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patient-derived tumor organoids. We hypothesized that cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) impacted tumor cell transcriptional phenotype to promote more tumorigenic behavior. Using patient-matched cells from 8 patients, we compared the transcriptional profiles of patient-derived organoids in monoculture to patient-derived organoids co-cultured with autologous CAFs. Similarly, we looked at the transcriptional changes in matched patient-derived CAFs grown in monoculture or co-cultured with patient-derived organoids. With a focus on intercellular crosstalk, we identified crosstalk between CAFs and patient-derived organoids through changes in tumor cell classification... (for more see dbGaP study page.)