Data related to article “Lfng-expressing centroacinar cell is a unique cell-of-origin for p53 deficient pancreatic cancer”

Studies in mice showed that both acinar and ductal cells of the pancreas can be targeted by combination of oncogenic Kras and p53 mutations to form PDAC. How the transforming capacities of pancreatic cells are constrained, and whether a subset of cells could serve as a prime target for oncogenic transformation, remain obscure.

Here we report that expression of a Notch modulator, Lunatic Fringe (Lfng), is restricted to a limited number of cells with centroacinar location and morphology in the adult pancreas. Lfng-expressing cells are preferentially targeted by oncogenic Kras along with p53 deletion to form PDAC, and deletion of Lfng blocks tumor initiation from these cells. Notch3 is a functional Notch receptor for PDAC initiation and progression in this context.