| Summary: | Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) === The pancreas is a vital organ that secretes key metabolic hormones and digestive
enzymes. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the leading causes
of cancer-related death in the world, limited advances in diagnosis or therapies have
been made over decades. Key features of PDAC progression include an elevated
matrix sti ness and an increased deposition of extracellular matrices (ECM), such as
hyaluronic acid (HA). Understanding how cells interact with components in the tumor
microenvironment (TME) as PDAC progresses can assist in developing diagnostic
tools and therapeutic treatment options. In recent years, hydrogels have proven to
be an excellent platform for studying cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Utilizing
chemically modi ed and naturally derived materials, hydrogel networks can be formed
to encompass not only the components, but also the physicochemical properties of
the dynamic TME. In this work, a dynamic hydrogel system that integrates multiple
click chemistries was developed for tuning matrix physicochemical properties in a
manner similar to the temporally increased matrix sti ness and depositions of HA.
Subsequently, these dynamic hydrogels were used to investigate how matrix sti ening
and increased HA presentation might a ect survival of PDAC cells and their response
to chemotherapeutics.
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