Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39245631›Full record

ArticleMolecular oncology2025

Tumor and α-SMA-expressing stromal cells in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors have a distinct RNA profile depending on tumor grade.

Helvijs Niedra, Raitis Peculis, Rihards Saksis, Ilona Mandrika, Sofija Vilisova, Jurijs Nazarovs, Austra Breiksa, Aija Gerina, Julie Earl, Ignacio Ruz-Caracuel and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Helvijs NiedraDepartment of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4396-4021
Raitis PeculisDepartment of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.
Rihards SaksisDepartment of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.
Ilona MandrikaDepartment of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.
Sofija VilisovaOncology clinic, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
Jurijs NazarovsInstitute of Pathology, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
Austra BreiksaInstitute of Pathology, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
Aija GerinaOncology clinic, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
Julie EarlRamón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital. Ctra. Colmenar Viejo, CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain.
Ignacio Ruz-CaracuelRamón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital. Ctra. Colmenar Viejo, CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain.
Marta Gabriela RosasDepartment of Pathology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital. Ctra, Colmenar Viejo, Madrid, Spain.
Aldis PukitisCentre of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Therapy, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
Natalja SenterjakovaCentre of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Therapy, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
Vita RoviteDepartment of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9368-5210

Funding

European Union's Recovery and Resilience Mechanism project: Consolidation of the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis and the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre 5.2.1.1.i.0/2/24/I/CFLA/001Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital SKUS442/22
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression in the stroma is linked to the presence of cancer-associated fibroblasts and is known to correlate with worse outcomes in various tumors. In this study, using a GeoMx digital spatial profiling approach, we characterized the gene expression of the tumor and α-SMA-expressing stromal cell compartments in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs). The profiling was performed on tissues from eight retrospective cases (three grade 1, four grade 2, and one grade 3). Selected regions of interest were segmented geometrically based on tissue morphology and fluorescent signals from synaptophysin and α-SMA markers. The α-SMA-expressing stromal-cell-associated genes were involved in pathways of extracellular matrix modification, whereas, in tumor cells, the gene expression profiles were associated with pathways involved in cell proliferation. The comparison of gene expression profiles across all three PanNET grades revealed that the differences between grades are not only present at the level of the tumor but also in the α-SMA-expressing stromal cells. Furthermore, the tumor cells from regions with a rich presence of adjacent α-SMA-expressing stromal cells revealed an upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) expression in grade 3 tumors. This study provides an in-depth characterization of gene expression profiles in α-SMA-expressing stromal and tumor cells, and outlines potential crosstalk mechanisms.

Indexed as

ActinsNeuroendocrine TumorsPancreatic NeoplasmsRNA, NeoplasmStromal CellsAgedFemaleGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMatrix Metalloproteinase 9Middle AgedNeoplasm GradingRetrospective StudiesACTA2 protein, humanActinsMatrix Metalloproteinase 9RNA, Neoplasmdigital spatial profilinggene expressionPancreatic neuroendocrine tumorspathway enrichment analysistumor stroma

Identifiers

PMID39245631
PMCPMC11887665

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.