Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Ligands Drive Pancreatic Cancer Initiation and Progression through Protumorigenic T-cell Polarization
Our study investigates the mechanistic link between AHRL and pancreatic cancer. We determined that AHRLs polarize naïve T cells, resulting in increased production of IL22 and immunosuppression. Our findings identify a novel signaling axis linking environmental chemicals to pancreatic tumorigenesis via the immune system. See related commentary by Zhao and Hill, p. 13.
Authors
- Sarah Nelson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5105-8638)
- Ilona Kryczek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3130-2533)
- Ahmed M. Elhossiny (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0884-8754)
- Kristee Brown (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5123-4945)
- Brian D. Griffith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6580-7217)
- Eileen S. Carpenter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6775-6943)
- Holly Attebury (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7965-2586)
- Cameron B. Speyer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1822-1015)
- Carlos E. Espinoza (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0460-1514)
- Katelyn L. Donahue (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9535-9275)
- Yaqing Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9185-4364)
- Jake McGue (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6131-7798)
- Filip Bednar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5193-9817)
- Padma Kadiyala (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3273-9905)
- Marina Pasca di Magliano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9632-9035)
- Weiping Zou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7952-3549)
- Ajay Kumar
- Lei Sun
- Timothy L. Frankel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5987-0404)
- Matthew K. Iyer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0217-7390)
- A Spiteri
Institutions
- University of Michigan (US)
- Michigan United (US)
- Michigan Medicine (US)
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology (US)
- Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cancer Discovery
- Published
- 2025-09-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.cd-25-0377
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.05
Funders
- Frederick A. Coller Surgical Society
- National Institutes of Health
- National Cancer Institute