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Analysis of institutional authors

Cortina, CarmeAuthorSevillano, MartaAuthorBatlle, EduardAuthor

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November 7, 2022
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LAMC2 marks a tumor-initiating cell population with an aggressive signature in pancreatic cancer

Publicated to: Journal Of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research. 41 (1): 315- - 2022-10-26 41(1), DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02516-w

Authors:

Delle Cave, D; Buonaiuto, S; Sainz, B; Fantuz, M; Mangini, M; Carrer, A; Di Domenico, A; Iavazzo, TT; Andolfi, G; Cortina, C; Sevillano, M; Heeschen, C; Colonna, V; Corona, M; Cucciardi, A; Di Guida, M; Batlle, E; De Luca, A; Lonardo, E
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Affiliations

Barcelona Inst Sci & Technol BIST, Inst Res Biomed IRB Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain - Author
Consiglio Nazl Ric CNR, Inst Expt Endocrinol & Oncol, G Salvatore IEOS, Unit 2, I-801310 Naples, Italy - Author
CSIC UAM, Dept Canc Biol, Inst Invest Biomed Alberto Sols IIBM, Madrid 28029, Spain - Author
Ctr Invest Biomed Red Canc CIBERONC, Barcelona 08028, Spain - Author
Inst Ramon y Cajal Invest Sanitaria IRYCIS, Chron Dis & Canc, Area 3, Madrid 28034, Spain - Author
ISCIII, Ctr Invest Biomed Red, CIBERONC, Area Canc, Madrid 28029, Spain - Author
Natl Res Council CNR IGB, Inst Genet & Biophys A Buzzati Traverso, I-80131 Naples, Italy - Author
Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ, Ctr Single Cell Omics, Sch Publ Hlth, State Key Lab Oncogenes & Related Genes,Sch Med, Shanghai, Peoples R China - Author
Univ Padua, Dept Biol, I-35129 Padua, Italy - Author
Veneto Inst Mol Med VIMM, I-35129 Padua, Italy - Author
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Abstract

Background: Tumor-initiating cells (TIC), also known as cancer stem cells, are considered a specific subpopulation of cells necessary for cancer initiation and metastasis; however, the mechanisms by which they acquire metastatic traits are not well understood.; Methods: LAMC2 transcriptional levels were evaluated using publicly available transcriptome data sets, and LAMC2 immunohistochemistry was performed using a tissue microarray composed of PDAC and normal pancreas tissues. Silencing and tracing of LAMC2 was performed using lentiviral shRNA constructs and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homologous recombination, respectively. The contribution of LAMC2 to PDAC tumorigenicity was explored in vitro by tumor cell invasion, migration, sphere-forming and organoids assays, and in vivo by tumor growth and metastatic assays. mRNA sequencing was performed to identify key cellular pathways upregulated in LAMC2 expressing cells. Metastatic spreading induced by LAMC2- expressing cells was blocked by pharmacological inhibition of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signaling.; Results: We report a LAMC2-expressing cell population, which is endowed with enhanced self-renewal capacity, and is sufficient for tumor initiation and differentiation, and drives metastasis. mRNA profiling of these cells indicates a prominent squamous signature, and differentially activated pathways critical for tumor growth and metastasis, including deregulation of the TGF-beta signaling pathway. Treatment with Vactosertib, a new small molecule inhibitor of the TGF-beta type I receptor (activin receptor-like kinase-5, ALK5), completely abrogated lung metastasis, primarily originating from LAMC2-expressing cells.; Conclusions: We have identified a highly metastatic subpopulation of TICs marked by LAMC2. Strategies aimed at targeting the LAMC2 population may be effective in reducing tumor aggressiveness in PDAC patients. Our results prompt further study of this TIC population in pancreatic cancer and exploration as a potential therapeutic target and/or biomarker.
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Keywords

laminin γ2 (lamc2)pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (pdac)tgf-β signalingtumor-initiating cells (tics)Cd133Ductal adenocarcinomaExpressionGrowthLaminin gamma 2 (lamc2)Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (pdac)PlatformStem-cellsSubtypesTargetTgf-beta signalingTumor-initiating cells (tics)Vactosertib

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Journal Of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2022, it was in position 25/241, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Oncology. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 2.49. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 13, 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2026-02-07, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 26
  • Google Scholar: 20
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Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-02-07:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 31.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 31 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 71.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 20 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions in news outlets: 7 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
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Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: China; Italy.

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Awards linked to the item

This work was supported by: Marie Curie IF (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, #703753), My First AIRC Grant (MFAG-2017, #20206), POR Campania FESR 2014/2020 (Project SATIN) to E.L.; AIRC IG grant 2018 n.21420 to A.D.L.; FIMP to D.D.C.; AECC (Proye18046BATL_002) to E.B.; My First AIRC Grant (MFAG grant #23029), WorldWide Cancer Research (Research grant #20-0188), EASI Genomics consortium (TNA project #15158) and the World Cancer Research Fund (Seed grant #2021-1769) to A.C.
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