WT1-Expressing Mesenchymal Cells Promote Pancreatic Cancer Growth

Here, we sought to understand the functional role of WT1-Expressing cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Overall design: Normal Pancreata were collected from 2 adult male mice (7 months old) and processed for sequencing. For sequencing of untreated orthotopic tumors, 2 adult female mice (6 months old) received orthotopic injections of 50,000 7940b cells (C57Bl6J strain, Ptf1acre/+;KrasLSLG12D/+;p53flox/+) into the pancreas. Orthotopic tumors grew for 3 weeks before the tumors were dissected for sequencing. For sequencing of diptheria toxin treated tumors, 3 adult male R26tdTomato/DTR mice and 2 adult male WT1-CreERT2/+; R26tdTomato/DTR mice were implanted orthotopically with 50,000 7940b cells. Four days following orthotopic injection, mice recieved 5 daily doses of oral gavage tamoxifen (4mg/daily) and were maintained on tamoxifen chow for the remaining duration of the experiment. The day after the final dose of oral gavage tamoxifen, mice recieved intraperitoneal injections of diptheria toxin every 4-7 days (25ug/kg) until mice were euthanized and tumors dissected for sequencing (3 weeks after orthotopic implantation).