Reprogramming IL-1β-expressing macrophages for pancreatic cancer

Targeting IL-1β-expressing tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), whose differentiation is induced by the prostaglandin PGE2, could help treat pancreatic cancer by reprogramming TAMs to a more immunogenic anti-tumor phenotype.

Single-cell RNA sequencing of ten pancreatic cancer patient tumors showed IL1β⁺ TAMs had increased expression of inflammatory, leukocyte recruitment, and angiogenesis-related genes, but decreased expression of genes related to interferon response and antigen presentation, compared with other TAM subsets. ...