The pancreas is a vital organ located behind the stomach, playing a crucial role in digestion and blood sugar regulation. It secretes digestive enzymes that help break down food in the small intestine, as well as hormones like insulin and glucagon, which regulate blood sugar levels. Any alteration of its functions can have serious consequences on health, in particular diabetes or digestive disorders.
Pancreatic cancer is particularly feared because of its aggressive nature and its often late diagnosis. Symptoms include abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), and persistent fatigue. These signs usually appear when the cancer is already advanced, limiting surgical options and making treatment more complex.
A team of French researchers Toulouse recently made a promising discovery regarding this type of cancer. The ImPact team, led by Professor Pierre Cordelier at the Toulouse Cancer Research Center (CRCT/Inserm/CNRS/Université Toulouse 3 Paul-Sabatier), identified the crucial role of a protein, cytidine deaminase (CDA), in the progression of pancreatic tumors. CDA, an enzyme involved in DNA synthesis, is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells, facilitating their growth.
Research has demonstrated that neutralization of CDA in animal models results in significant tumor regression. This protein appears to play a key role in allowing cancer cells to manage genomic stress associated with DNA replication, a process essential for tumor proliferation. By targeting CDA, researchers observed a reduction in the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy, which opens new perspectives for the treatment of this aggressive cancer.
Professor Pierre Cordelier underlines the importance of these results, indicating that CDA represents a real Achilles heel of cancer cells. Being much more dependent on this protein than normal cells, tumor cells could be particularly vulnerable to therapies targeting CDA. This discovery could therefore revolutionize the therapeutic approach to pancreatic cancer, offering a new glimmer of hope for patients.
Thanks to the collaboration with Nicolas Bery and its expertise in developing intracellular antibodies, as well as the team’s experience in gene transfer, the researchers now aim to develop specific treatments to inhibit CDA in cancer cells. This advance could mark a decisive turning point in the fight against one of the most formidable and difficult to treat cancers.
