GoKawiilStudy finds liver cells feed serine to pancreatic cancer cells to fuel metastasis
Researchers analyzing human liver tissue from pancreatic cancer patients, alongside mouse models, report that hepatocytes supply the amino acid serine to metastasizing pancreatic cancer cells, supporting their growth in the liver. The work, which included tissue from the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Rapid Autopsy Program, used immunohistochemistry to examine markers including PHGDH, albumin, CK19, Ki67 and FOXO3A in liver samples.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
If hepatocyte-derived serine indeed helps pancreatic cancer cells colonize the liver, it could point to a metabolic vulnerability that might be targeted therapeutically, since liver metastasis is a major cause of death in pancreatic cancer patients. The finding suggests that blocking serine transfer or synthesis pathways in the liver microenvironment could be explored as a way to limit metastatic spread, though this would require further validation before clinical application.
- Hepatocytes appear to supply serine that supports pancreatic cancer cell growth in the liver
- Findings draw on human autopsy liver samples and mouse models with markers like PHGDH and Ki67
- Serine metabolism could represent a potential therapeutic target against pancreatic cancer liver metastasis
Source: nature.com — Ganguly, 2026-09-23
Published there as: “Hepatocytes promote liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer by providing serine”
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