ABSTRACT Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly desmoplastic and therapy-resistant cancer. The role of the desmoplastic stroma in PDAC remains elusive with studies supporting both tumor-promoting or tumor- restricting functions. The failure of stroma targeting therapies suggests that a deeper understanding of the complex cancer-stroma interaction is needed. Type I collagen (Col I), the major ECM protein in PDAC, can physically restrain tumors and limit nutrient availability. Yet, PDAC cells adapt and exploit the surrounding stroma to acquire more advanced malignant traits. Moreover, the desmoplastic collagen-rich stroma may suppress immunosurveillance and activate tumor-promoting mechanosensitive signaling. It is likely that tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressive effects of CAF and ECM occur in parallel and that their balance determines the net effect on PDAC growth. We seek to better understand these opposing functions by focusing on Col I as a key mediator of stroma-PDAC crosstalk. Clinical studies show improved progression-free survival (PFS) after resection in patients with “inert stroma” characterized by extensive ECM deposition and low fibrolytic activity, whereas highly fibrolytic stroma is associated with much shorter PFS times. Based on this finding we hypothesize that rather than the sheer quantity of CAF and stroma, collagen fibrolysis and differential effects of receptors that discriminate between intact and cleaved Col I dictate tumor growth and immunity. Our preliminary data support this hypothesis, indicating differential regulation of cancer cell metabolism by intact and cleaved collagen through a specific receptor, DDR1; as well as high expression of the inhibitory Col I receptor LAIR1 on immune cells and a role for Col I in immune cell infiltration and activation in PDAC spread to the liver, the most common site of metastasis and a suppressor of systemic anti-tumor immunity. Our long-term goal is to develop therapies that target collagen receptors and shift the balance from immunosuppression and tumor promotion by cleaved collagen to tumor starvation, growth inhibition and enhanced anti-tumor immunity, rather than CAF depletion or modulation, which so far had resulted in untoward effects. Our interdisciplinary team of basic and clinical- translational investigators will utilize clinical specimens, tumor slice cultures, single cell RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, mouse models and PDAC-ECM co-cultures to elucidate the role of collagen receptor signaling via two closely integrated specific aims: 1. Test the hypothesis that collagen fragments and fibers antagonistically control PDAC metabolism through the PDAC-intrinsic collagen receptor DDR1, whose inhibition can switch off tumor metabolism and induce cell death. 2. Test the hypothesis that stimulatory and inhibitory collagen receptors control anti-PDAC immunity and can be combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors to increase anti-tumor immunity. The successful completion of these research goals will provide us with novel tools for converting stroma-mediated tumor growth and immunosuppression to growth inhibition and anti-tumor immunity.

PROJECT NARRATIVE Interactions between malignant epithelial cells and cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) are key determinants of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) growth, metastatic spread, and therapy resistance. However, CAF can either restrict or stimulate PDAC growth and CAF targeting therapies had failed in the clinic. Our project will focus on CAF-produced type I collagen, its cleavage and receptors that sense the balance between intact and cleaved collagens as novel approaches for converting CAF-mediated tumor promotion and immunosuppression to tumor growth inhibition and enhanced anti-tumor immunity.