Researchers have identified a surprising role for the immune receptor TREM2 in pancreatic cancer, where it appears to protect against tumor growth rather than promote it. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, higher levels of TREM2 are linked to more stable immune activity, while low TREM2 is associated with aggressive, inflammatory tumors. Using advanced single-cell analysis, scientists found that TREM2 helps maintain a balanced immune environment in the pancreas.
Experiments in genetically modified mice showed that removing TREM2 led to faster tumor growth, more aggressive cancer features, and reduced survival. Without TREM2, immune cells shifted toward a highly inflammatory state driven by IL-1β, which fueled tumor progression and tissue damage. This suggests that TREM2 plays a key role in controlling harmful inflammation in the tumor environment.
The study also found that gut and tumor bacteria may worsen disease by triggering inflammatory pathways when TREM2 is absent. However, blocking inflammation or reducing bacterial signals helped slow cancer growth in experimental models. Researchers say these findings could open new treatment approaches that target inflammation and the microbiome, while highlighting that TREM2 should not be inhibited in pancreatic cancer.