Therapeutics: Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)

In vitro, mouse and patient sample studies suggest inhibiting LDLR could help treat pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In primary human PDAC tumors, LDLR expression was associated with tumor recurrence and metastasis. In mouse PDAC cells, shRNA targeting LDLR decreased cholesterol uptake and cell proliferation and increased response to the chemotherapeutic gemcitabine compared with control shRNA. In a mouse model of PDAC, gemcitabine plus shRNA targeting LDLR decreased tumor growth compared with gemcitabine plus a control shRNA. Next steps could include identifying a therapeutic strategy to inhibit cholesterol uptake by pancreatic tumors. ...