Tissue microarrays were produced containing all pre-defined PC compartments, and the expression of 37 fibroblast (FB) and 8 extracellular matrix (ECM) markers was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence (IF), double-IF, and/or <i>in situ</i> hybridization.
A number of evidences suggest that activated PSC is the main source of the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein under the pathological conditions, which lead to pancreatic fibrosis in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
We analyzed the influence of type I collagen and fibronectin on the regulation of cellular adhesion in pancreatic cancer cell lines to characterize the role of ECM proteins in the development of pancreatic cancer.
The enhancement of integrin expression by GDNF signaling through the GDNF receptor strongly influences invasion and adhesion to ECM proteins by pancreatic cancer cells.
Therefore, the expression of ECM proteins in pancreatic cancer specimens could provide valuable information to aid anticancer drug cytotoxicity, and gemcitabine would be useful for treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.