Differential Contribution of Pancreatic Fibroblast Subsets to the Pancreatic Cancer Stroma

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although the healthy pancreas consists mostly of epithelial cells, pancreatic cancer and the precursor lesions known as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia, are characterized by an extensive accumulation of fibroinflammatory stroma that includes a substantial and heterogeneous fibroblast population. The cellular origin of fibroblasts within the stroma has not been determined. Here, we show that the Gli1 and Hoxb6 markers label distinct fibroblast populations in the healthy mouse pancreas. We then set out to determine whether these distinct fibroblast populations expanded during carcinogenesis. METHODS: fibroblasts in an inducible manner. By using these models, we lineage-traced these 2 fibroblast populations during the process of carcinogenesis. RESULTS: cells do not. CONCLUSIONS: expanded to contribute to the stroma during pancreatic carcinogenesis.