SMS2 siRNA inhibits pancreatic tumor growth by tumor microenvironment modulation

The massive infiltration of suppressor immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a major cause of treatment resistance. Reducing this infiltration may represent a potentially effective therapeutic strategy. Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2) is a crucial enzyme for sphingomyelin synthesis, contributing significantly to the integrity and function of the plasma membrane. In this study, we developed a self-assembling SMS2 siRNA gene expression plasmid for in vivo delivery. The SMS2 siRNA specifically inhibits SMS2 expression while preserving the expression and activity of SMS1. Administration of the self-assembling SMS2 siRNA suppresses tumor growth in a murine model of Panc02 pancreatic carcinoma, modulates the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and reduces the infiltration of tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) by regulating the NF-κB/CXCL5 pathway. Consequently, utilizing SMS2 siRNA to improve the local immunosuppressive microenvironment holds promise for pancreatic cancer therapy.