Multi-parametric atlas of the pre-metastatic liver for prediction of metastatic outcome in early-stage pancreatic cancer.

Bojmar L, Zambirinis CP, Hernandez JM, Chakraborty J, Shaashua L, Kim J, Johnson KE, Hanna S, Askan G, Burman J, Ravichandran H, Zheng J, Jolissaint JS, Srouji R, Song Y, Choubey A, Kim HS, Cioffi M, van Beek E, Sigel C, Jessurun J, Velasco Riestra P, Blomstrand H, Jönsson C, Jönsson A, Lauritzen P, Buehring W, Ararso Y, Hernandez D, Vinagolu-Baur JP, Friedman M, Glidden C, Firmenich L, Lieberman G, Mejia DL, Nasar N, Mutvei AP, Paul DM, Bram Y, Costa-Silva B, Basturk O, Boudreau N, Zhang H, Matei IR, Hoshino A, Kelsen D, Sagi I, Scherz A, Scherz-Shouval R, Yarden Y, Oren M, Egeblad M, Lewis JS, Keshari K, Grandgenett PM, Hollingsworth MA, Rajasekhar VK, Healey JH, Björnsson B, Simeone DM, Tuveson DA, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Bromberg J, Vincent CT, O'Reilly EM, DeMatteo RP, Balachandran VP, D'Angelica MI, Kingham TP, Allen PJ, Simpson AL, Elemento O, Sandström P, Schwartz RE, Jarnagin WR, Lyden D

Nat. Med. 30 (8) 2170-2180 [2024-08-00; online 2024-06-28]

Metastasis occurs frequently after resection of pancreatic cancer (PaC). In this study, we hypothesized that multi-parametric analysis of pre-metastatic liver biopsies would classify patients according to their metastatic risk, timing and organ site. Liver biopsies obtained during pancreatectomy from 49 patients with localized PaC and 19 control patients with non-cancerous pancreatic lesions were analyzed, combining metabolomic, tissue and single-cell transcriptomics and multiplex imaging approaches. Patients were followed prospectively (median 3 years) and classified into four recurrence groups; early (<6 months after resection) or late (>6 months after resection) liver metastasis (LiM); extrahepatic metastasis (EHM); and disease-free survivors (no evidence of disease (NED)). Overall, PaC livers exhibited signs of augmented inflammation compared to controls. Enrichment of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), Ki-67 upregulation and decreased liver creatine significantly distinguished those with future metastasis from NED. Patients with future LiM were characterized by scant T cell lobular infiltration, less steatosis and higher levels of citrullinated H3 compared to patients who developed EHM, who had overexpression of interferon target genes (MX1 and NR1D1) and an increase of CD11B+ natural killer (NK) cells. Upregulation of sortilin-1 and prominent NETs, together with the lack of T cells and a reduction in CD11B+ NK cells, differentiated patients with early-onset LiM from those with late-onset LiM. Liver profiles of NED closely resembled those of controls. Using the above parameters, a machine-learning-based model was developed that successfully predicted the metastatic outcome at the time of surgery with 78% accuracy. Therefore, multi-parametric profiling of liver biopsies at the time of PaC diagnosis may determine metastatic risk and organotropism and guide clinical stratification for optimal treatment selection.

Clinical Genomics Linköping [Service]

PubMed 38942992

DOI 10.1038/s41591-024-03075-7

Crossref 10.1038/s41591-024-03075-7

mid: NIHMS2006571
pmc: PMC11416063
pii: 10.1038/s41591-024-03075-7