{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "31900c3055d8406f88e827f194b7963e", "timestamp": "2026-08-22T01:57:39.068Z", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/31900c3055d8406f88e827f194b7963e.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/31900c3055d8406f88e827f194b7963e"}}, "title": "In situ mapping of activated PDGFR\u03b2 defines a prognostic discrepancy between histological subtypes of NSCLC.", "authors": [{"family": "Lindberg", "given": "Amanda", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Hellberg", "given": "Louise", "initials": "L"}, {"family": "Grandon", "given": "Ana\u00efs", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Yu", "given": "Hui", "initials": "H"}, {"family": "Thurfjell", "given": "Viktoria", "initials": "V"}, {"family": "W\u00e5hl\u00e9n", "given": "Erik", "initials": "E"}, {"family": "Hekmati", "given": "Neda", "initials": "N"}, {"family": "Backman", "given": "Max", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Cederholm", "given": "Axel", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Mezheyeuski", "given": "Artur", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Klemm", "given": "Anna", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Botling", "given": "Johan", "initials": "J"}, {"family": "Wicher", "given": "Agata Zieba", "initials": "AZ"}, {"family": "Micke", "given": "Patrick", "initials": "P"}, {"family": "Strell", "given": "Carina", "initials": "C"}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2026-01-15", "journal": {"title": "Cell Commun Signal", "issn": "1478-811X", "volume": "24", "issue": "1", "pages": "55", "issn-l": null}, "abstract": "BACKGROUND: Increased stromal Platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFR\u03b2) expression is a hallmark of the desmoplastic tissue reaction in cancer and marks subsets of cancer-associated fibroblasts, pericytes, and smooth muscle cells. However, its functional status in situ has been anticipated from static expression measures, which cannot determine whether high receptor abundance reflects active signaling. METHODS: We established two second-generation proximity ligation assays (PLAs) to quantify PDGFR\u03b2 activation in the in situ environment of human lung cancer by detecting either phosphorylated PDGFR\u03b2 or its interaction with the adaptor protein Grb2. The immunofluorescence-based assays were applied to tissue-microarrays including diagnostic samples from over 600 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. RESULTS: In lung cancer tissue, activation scores correlated with PDGFR\u03b2 expression but revealed a more nuanced receptor status, indicating variable activation despite similar expression levels. Higher PDGFR\u03b2 activation was associated with increased recurrence risk exclusively in squamous cell carcinoma, a finding not captured by conventional immunohistochemistry. This activation was accompanied by a specific stromal profile enriched for LRRC15- and FAP-positive cells, a pattern absent in adenocarcinomas. CONCLUSION: PDGFR\u03b2 activation status provides functional information beyond receptor expression, uncovering clinically relevant, otherwise overlooked, stromal phenotypes. The approach illustrates the diagnostic potential of functional protein assays in the era of precision medicine.", "doi": "10.1186/s12964-026-02651-3", "pmid": "41540507", "labels": {"BioImage Informatics": "Collaborative", "Bioinformatics (NBIS)": "Collaborative"}, "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC12849303"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "10.1186/s12964-026-02651-3"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-17T14:42:27.954Z", "modified": "2026-08-17T14:42:27.957Z"}