George Kumar, Senior Director at AstraZeneca, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“An unexpected discovery !
Dementia-like protein buildup in pancreas may signal cancer before it starts.
A new study in Developmental Cell shows that before pancreatic cancer even begins, some cells in the pancreas build up dementia-like protein clumps.
These protein aggregates disrupt normal cell function and, when combined with KRAS mutations, push cells toward becoming cancerous.
Why it matters:
– Connects mechanisms seen in neurodegeneration (like Alzheimer’s) with cancer biology
– Highlights cellular cleanup failures (ER-phagy defects) as early warning signs
– Opens doors for early detection and new treatments
Science continues to reveal unexpected overlaps between diseases – bringing us closer to breakthroughs that could change outcomes for patients.
Figure Courtesy: Developmental Cell (2025)“
Title: ER-phagy and proteostasis defects prime pancreatic epithelial state changes in KRAS-mediated oncogenesis
Authors: Carla Salomó Coll, Marisa Di Monaco, Jocelyn Holkham, Matthew Smith, Morwenna Muir, Philippe Gautier, Hywel Dunn-Davies, Xiaozhong Zheng, Roopesh Krishnankutty, Alain J. Kemp, Katie Winnington-Ingram, Alex von Kriegsheim, Jennifer P. Morton, Natalia Jimenez-Moreno, Damian Mole, Simon Wilkinson
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