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AMD3100/Plerixafor overcomes immune inhibition by the CXCL12–KRT19 coating on pancreatic and colorectal cancer cells

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Summary

A recent Phase 1 clinical study of the immunological effects of inhibiting the chemokine receptor, CXCR4, in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or colorectal cancer suggests that stimulation of CXCR4 on immune cells suppresses the intratumoural immune reaction. Here, we discuss how CXCR4 mediates this response, and how cancer cells elicit it.

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Fig. 1: Blocking CXCR4 with AMD3100 allows T cell killing of CXCL12-coated cancer cells.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Jordan A. Pearson who created Fig. 1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA

    Douglas T. Fearon & Tobias Janowitz

  2. Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Douglas T. Fearon

  3. Cancer Institute, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, NY, USA

    Tobias Janowitz

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  1. Douglas T. Fearon
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  2. Tobias Janowitz
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DTF contributed to the conception of the work and drafted the manuscript. KD contributed to the writing of the paper. Both authors approved the final version.

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Correspondence to Douglas T. Fearon.

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Fearon, D.T., Janowitz, T. AMD3100/Plerixafor overcomes immune inhibition by the CXCL12–KRT19 coating on pancreatic and colorectal cancer cells. Br J Cancer 125, 149–151 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-021-01315-y

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