07.11.2024"Fibrolytic vaccination against ADAM12 reduces desmoplasia in preclinical pancreatic adenocarcinomas"

Desmoplasia creates a dense, fibrotic environment around tumors, especially in cancers like pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This fibrotic tissue, produced largely by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), serves as a physical and biochemical barrier, hindering the effectiveness of treatments and worsening the disease.

The protein ADAM12 facilitates desmoplasia by promoting fibroblast activation and enhancing the production of extracellular matrix components that form a protective barrier around the tumor. Prof. Stockmann’s team demonstrated that vaccination against ADAM12 reduces its activity, thereby depleting CAFs, lessening fibrosis, and significantly reducing tumor growth and desmoplasia in their model system. Importantly, the vaccination has the potential to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatments.

This study establishes a novel immunotherapy approach for targeting the tumor environment in hard-to-treat cancers like PDAC.

The publication can be found here: https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.1038/s44321-024-00157-4