New Discovery in Pancreatic Cancer Research Offers Hope for Stopping Metastasis

Nov 20, 2024 | Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator | @kanaazpereira

Understanding how cancer spreads, or metastasizes, is a critical focus for researchers and patients alike. Mayo Clinic scientists have recently uncovered a promising lead in the fight against pancreatic cancer – the third deadliest cancer in the U.S. Their findings could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies to slow or halt its progression.

Gina Razidlo, Ph.D., and her team identified a cell-signaling protein, DOCK8, which plays a pivotal role in the growth and spread of pancreatic cancer cells. DOCK8, normally found in immune cells where it helps navigate tissue, was unexpectedly discovered on lysosomes in cancer cells. Lysosomes, often called the “stomach” of the cell, digest nutrients to fuel cell growth. Amplified lysosome activity is a known hallmark of cancer, and this study sheds new light on their role in metastasis.

Confocal microscopy of a pancreatic cancer cell stained for the lysosomal protein LAMP1 (green) and the nucleus (blue). Mayo Clinic researchers found a cell-signaling protein that appears to drive pancreatic cancer cell growth. In this confocal microscopy image, the lysosomal protein called LAMP1 is stained green and surrounds a blue-stained pancreatic cancer cell nucleus.

How DOCK8 Fuels Cancer Spread

The researchers found that in pancreatic cancer cells, DOCK8 creates invasive "arms" that break down the surrounding environment, enabling the cancer to spread. By using CRISPR gene-editing technology to eliminate DOCK8, they observed slower tumor growth and reduced metastasis in preclinical models.

Interestingly, the team discovered that DOCK8 was present in about 20% of pancreatic cancer patients, making it a potential therapeutic target.

A Step Toward Better Outcomes

Dr. Razidlo emphasized the ultimate goal of combining metastasis-inhibiting strategies with treatments that shrink tumors to improve survival rates. This breakthrough opens the door to developing therapies that target DOCK8, potentially curbing the aggressive nature of pancreatic cancer.

For more details on this promising discovery, check out the full study published in Cell Reports.

The insights in this post are drawn from Mayo Clinic News Network.