Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39966859›Full record

ArticleCell communication and signaling : CCS2025

REG3A secreted by peritumoral acinar cells enhances pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression via activation of EGFR signaling.

Xiaojing Ren, Yunfei Teng, Kunxin Xie, Xiao He, Gang Chen, Kaini Zhang, Qingyi Liao, Jia Zhang, Xiaohang Zhou, Yating Zhu and 9 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

19 authors.

Xiaojing Ren *Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, 030032, China.
Yunfei Teng *Department of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Kunxin Xie *Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Xiao HeDepartment of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Gang ChenDepartment of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Kaini ZhangDepartment of Pathophysiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Qingyi LiaoState Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
Jia ZhangKey Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Xiaohang ZhouKey Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Yating ZhuKey Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Wenyu SongKey Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Yuege LinDepartment of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Yi ZhangDepartment of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, 210009, China.
Zhijian XuState Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
Noriaki MaeshigeDepartment of Rehabilitation Science, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 7-10-2 Tomogaoka, Kobe, Hyogo, 654-0142, Japan.
Xiubin LiangDepartment of Pathophysiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Dongming SuDepartment of Pathology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China. sudongming@njmu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0398-9013
Peng SunKey Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China. sunpeng@njmu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7820-712X
Ying DingDepartment of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China. dingying@njmu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5581-3058

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFF0713005National Natural Science Foundation of China 81570779, 81170252, 81070656National Natural Science Foundation of China 81603169National Natural Science Foundation of China 81670619, 81870467National Natural Science Foundation of China 82172991, 81502089National Natural Science Foundation of China 82302922Natural Science Research Program for Higher Education in Jiangsu Province 21KJB320015
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRegenerating family member 3A (REG3A) is involved in the development of multiple malignant tumors, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, any role of REG3A in PDAC remains controversial due to its unclear tissue localization or direct receptors, and complex downstream signal transductions.

methodsMorphological analysis and public multi-omics data retrieval were was utilized to elucidate the tissue localization of REG3A in PDAC. To ascertain the pro-oncogenic role of secreted REG3A, experiments were conducted using in vitro PDAC cell lines and in vivo tumor formation assays in nude mice. A battery of investigative techniques, including RNA sequencing, phospho-kinase arrays, western blot analyses, in silico docking simulations, gene truncation strategies, and co-immunoprecipitation, were employed to delve into the downstream signaling transduction pathways induced by REG3A.

resultsIn this study, we confirmed an association between increased serum levels of REG3A and poor prognosis in patients with PDAC. Morphological staining and bioinformatic analysis showed that REG3A was mainly expressed in peritumoral acinar cells that were spatially close to tumor region, while it was almost negative in PDAC tumor cells. Peritumoral REG3A expression levels, but not tumoral REG3A, were highly correlated with PDAC progression. Further in vitro experiments including RNA sequencing and molecular biological assays revealed that secreted REG3A could directly bind to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), an important pro-oncogene involved in cellular proliferation, and subsequently activate the downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signals to promote PDAC tumor cell growth.

conclusionTaken together, our data indicated that increased expression of REG3A in peritumoral acinar cells acts as a specific event to indicate PDAC progression, and verified EGFR as a possible target of REG3A, providing mechanistic insights into the role of REG3A, the diagnostic method and therapeutic strategy of PDAC.

Indexed as

Acinar CellsCarcinoma, Pancreatic DuctalDisease ProgressionErbB ReceptorsPancreatic NeoplasmsPancreatitis-Associated ProteinsSignal TransductionAnimalsCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationFemaleHumansMaleMiceMice, NudeEGFR protein, humanErbB ReceptorsPancreatitis-Associated ProteinsREG3A protein, humanEpidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaParacrinePeritumoral acinar cellREG3A

Identifiers

PMID39966859
PMCPMC11837727

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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.