Sox4 promoting the resolution of tissue injury in pancreas regeneration and cancer
Luis Arnes, Associate Professor at University of Copenhagen, shared a post on X about a recent paper titled “Resolution of Acinar Dedifferentiation Regulates Tissue Remodeling in Pancreatic Injury and Cancer Initiation” published in AGA Journal.
Authors: Jonathan Baldan, Juan Camacho-Roda, Marta Ballester, Kristina Høj, Anita Kurilla, Carlo Maurer, Sebastian Arcila-Barrera, Xinyi Lin, Zhaolong Pan, Joana Leitão Castro, Alejandro, Enrique Mayorca Guiliani, Charlotte Vestrup Rift, Jane Hasselby, Luc Bouwens, Véronique Lefebvre, Charles J. David, Oren Parnas, Kathleen E. DelGiorno, Janine Erler, Ilse Rooman, Luis Arnes.
“New Paper! Jonathan Baldan, Juan Camacho and Marta Ballester from the lab find a genetic program driven by Sox4 promoting the resolution of tissue injury in pancreas regeneration and cancer. .
Sox4 is activated in acinar cells upon pancreatic injury in mouse and human, akin to a stress sensor. We found that Sox4 restricts rather than promote tissue injury in experimental pancreatitis.
Acinar cells can adopt alternative phenotypes during tissue injury, suggesting a division of labour in tissue regeneration. Our in vivo analysis demonstrate that Sox4 is a master regulator, driving tuft cell specification and gastric metaplasia in acinar plasticity.
The absence of metaplastic cell types leads to non-autonomous effects on the tissue microenvironment. First evidence: the pancreas appears stiff (noticeable by sight and touch!).
Second evidence, Sox4 leads to fibroblast activation, collagen deposition, and macrophage polarization, suggesting that Sox4 has a protective effect by limiting a conducive environment for disease progression.
Reach out for discussion and sharing notes! More studies aiming at boosting the inherent healing capacity of the pancreas to come.
Many thanks to collaborators Carlo Maurer, Jane Hasselby, Luc Bowens, Charles J David, Ilse Rooman, Oren Parnas, Véronique Lefebvre, Erler Lab, Kathy Del-dorko.
Work supported by funding from Kræftens Bekæmpelse, Novo Nordisk Foundation and Biotech Research and Innovation Centre.”
Source: Luis Arnes/X