9. Impact of inflammation on transport proteins in PDAC

Partner 9 (CAU):
The project "Impact of inflammation on transport proteins in PDAC" is led by Holger Kalthoff. It is based on the fact that PDAC is characterized by a profound immune cellular infiltrate (ICI) and a multiplicity of inflammatory mechanisms. The project aims to unravel the inflammatory interplay between stroma and tumour cells with regard to most relevant ion transport proteins ("top ten" candidates). Major focus will be given to the influence of anti-inflammatory therapeutic intervention on these “top ten” transport proteins under in vivo conditions and on levels and topology of ion channels/transporters in our clinical/preclinical tissuebank in relation to ICI.

Orthotopic inocculation of dsRed-transfected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells allows monitoring of local and distant recurrent disease after surgical treatment of the primary tumor by subtotal pancreatectomy. Inflammatory mechansims drive the rapid outgrowth of the recurrent malignancy.