Effects of aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists, antagonists and gemcitabine on gene expression in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells

Abstract

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in sensing environmental chemicals. Additionally, AHR has been found to be upregulated in several human cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The aim of this bachelor’s thesis was to investigate the role of AHR in PDAC cell lines. We found that in PDAC cell lines, the AHR activity modulators do not have a major influence on PD-L1 and AHR levels. COX-2 expression, however, is under AHR control. Interestingly, we observed a profound effect of gemcitabine (GEM) on gene expression that did not correspond to the protein levels, which remained unchanged.