{
  "abstract": "Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate lymphoid cells which directly kill tumor cells, thus represent an attractive target for immunotherapy. However, NK cells face immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment (TME), rendering them dysfunctional. While cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent an abundant, heterogeneous component of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), their interplay with NK cells is largely understudied. Analyzing human samples and employing mouse models of PDAC and functional assays, we observed that intratumoral NK cells are immature, and TGF-β driven myofibroblastic (my)CAFs are strong NK suppressors, in contrast to inflammatory (i)CAF. Furthermore, myCAF-enriched tumor areas excluded NK cells, consistent with their reduced capacity to attract NK cells. Pancreatic CAFs in general reduced NK cell cytotoxicity by direct contact and via soluble factors, including prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). This work reveals distinct and overlapping roles of CAF subpopulations on NK cell functions, suggesting that overcoming CAF-imposed barriers to NK cytotoxicity and tumor infiltration is essential to unleash their anti-tumoral properties.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK; MRC Cancer Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK",
    "MRC Cancer Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology Mainz (HI-TRON Mainz) - a Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ, Mainz, Germany; German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Division of Dermal Oncoimmunology, Heidelberg, Germany",
    "Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology Mainz (HI-TRON Mainz) - a Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ, Mainz, Germany; German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Division of Dermal Oncoimmunology, Heidelberg, Germany",
    "Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Mainz, JGU-Mainz 55131 Mainz, Germany; TRON, Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center, JGU-Mainz 55131 Mainz, Germany; Research Center for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, JGU-Mainz 55131 Mainz, Germany",
    "Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Mainz, JGU-Mainz 55131 Mainz, Germany; TRON, Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center, JGU-Mainz 55131 Mainz, Germany",
    "MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK",
    "MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. Electronic address: anm@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk",
    "MRC Cancer Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Kings College London, London, UK; Centre for Cancer Sciences, School of Medicine, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. Electronic address: jacqueline.shields@nottingham.ac.uk"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Leonor Nunes Rodrigues"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Hafsa Munir"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ibone Thate Arrazola"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Matthias M. Gaida",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1499-7772"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Christoph Eckert",
      "orcid": "0009-0004-2561-2297"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Jérôme Boulanger A",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0237-3743"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Ana C.F. Ferreira"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Andrew N. J. McKenzie",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9757-2512"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Jacqueline D. Shields",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2153-9710"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cn1nw0n8pc5gp.bib",
  "cited_by": 5,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117527",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "cn1nw0n8pc5gp",
  "issns": [
    "2211-1247",
    "2639-1856"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117527",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2403|Immune Cell Function and Interaction"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7164381428",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC7619464",
  "pmid": "42284139",
  "published": "2026-06-01",
  "publisher": "Cell Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cn1nw0n8pc5gp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T13:20:47Z",
      "native_id": "W7164381428",
      "source": "openalex",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117527"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2403|Immune Cell Function and Interaction",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Cancer-associated fibroblast subtypes differentially modulate natural killer cells in cancer",
  "title_text": "Cancer-associated fibroblast subtypes differentially modulate natural killer cells in cancer",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T13:20:46Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cn1nw0n8pc5gp",
  "venue": "Cell Reports",
  "versions": []
}