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  2. Precision Medicine: IL-1RA and Pancreatic Cancer Organoids

Precision Medicine: IL-1RA and Pancreatic Cancer Organoids

  • Biology (Basel). 2025 May 25;14(6):604. doi: 10.3390/biology14060604.
Annah G Morgan 1 Michelle F Griffin 1 2 Michael T Longaker 1 2 Jeffrey A Norton 1 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
  • 2 Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
  • 3 Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Abstract

Cancer organoids have emerged as transformative models for studying tumor biology and therapeutic responses due to the ability to replicate the complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor organoids recapitulate the genetic and phenotypic diversity of cancers, making them invaluable for investigating mechanisms of resistance and identifying novel therapeutic targets. Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) allow specific treatment methods to be designed based on the properties of each individual tumor in vitro. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive Cancer with an immunosuppressive nature. PDAC has a poor prognosis, with the survival rates of metastatic PDAC being improved only minimally over the last few decades. In this study, we demonstrate the antitumor effects of an IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) in murine and human PDAC organoids. By reducing the burden of suppressive tumor elements like CAFs, IL-1RA treatment facilitates better immune cell access and response.

Keywords

air–liquid interface (ALI) culture; cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs); organoids; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC); precision medicine.

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