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Table 1 Biological comparison of quiescent PSCs (qPSCs) and activated PSCs (aPSCs)

From: The critical roles of activated stellate cells-mediated paracrine signaling, metabolism and onco-immunology in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

 

Biological behaviors or functions

Specific/selective biomarkers

qPSCs

-Store retinoids in droplets [13, 17]

-Function as an immune, progenitor and intermediary cell [16]

-Stimulate amylase secretion, phagocytosis and immunity [16]

-Secrete MMPs and TIMPs to maintain ECM turnover; prevent collagens deposition [17]

-Produce cytokines, growth factors; basic exo/endocrine secretions in a proper way [18]

-May contribute to acinar regeneration [18]

-Involve in maintenance of pancreatic tissue architecture [16, 18]

-Help to sustain homeostasis in pancreas microenvironment [16]

desmin [15, 16]

nestin [15, 16]

vimentin [18]

synemin [15, 16]

GFAP [15, 16]

NGF [15, 16]

aPSCs

-Induce desmoplastic reactions in TME [19], elevate interstitial pressure [22]

-Induce hypovascularity and produce excess ECM [19, 23]

-Contribute to hypoxic and low-nutrient conditions [77, 79]

-Lose vitamin A lipid vacuoles [18]

-Develop spindle-shaped morphology [17, 18]

-Generate growth factors (GFs), cytokines, exosomes, micRNAs that enhance tumor survival, proliferation, migration and metastasis [34, 73, 84, 85]

-Promote angiogenesis, PNI and EMT [44, 45, 54, 61]

-Mediate chemoresistance and radioresistance [70, 105]

-Contribute to complex metabolic networks in TME [112, 115]

-Interact with PDA cells or other stromal components [47]

-Contribute to immunosuppressive regulations and immune evasion [130,131,132,133]

α-SMA [17, 18]

FAP-α [19]

FSP-1 [17,18,19]

Fibrinogen [18, 19]

  1. Notes: Biological behaviors and functions dramatically change during phenotypic transition of PSCs. Biomarkers of qPSCs are not specific.
  2. Abbreviations: aPSCs activated pancreatic stellate cells, qPSCs quiescent pancreatic stellate cells, GFs growth factors, PNI perineural invasion, EMT Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, TME tumor microenvironment, GFAP glial fibrillary acidic protein, α-SMA α-smooth muscle actin, NGF nerve growth factor, FAP-α fibroblast activation protein-α, FSP-1 fibroblast-specific protein-1