Evaluating Stress Granules in Pancreatic Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo

Methods Mol Biol. 2019:1882:183-195. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8879-2_17.

Abstract

Stress granules are nonmembranous organelles that function as a stress-adaptation mechanism. We have recently shown that stress granules are mobilized by mutant KRAS pancreatic cancer cells under stress to enhance tumor fitness and survival. In this chapter, we outline a method for inducing, detecting, and quantifying stress granules in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. This method can be utilized to better understand the mechanisms driving stress granule formation and their role in pancreatic tumorigenesis.

Keywords: Pancreatic cancer; Stress adaptation; Stress granules.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology*
  • Cell Culture Techniques / instrumentation
  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytoplasmic Granules / genetics
  • Cytoplasmic Granules / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / instrumentation
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Pancreas / pathology
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / genetics
  • Stress, Physiological*

Substances

  • KRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)