Tumor-associated Macrophages Derived CCL18 Promotes Metastasis in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Overview

Journal Cancer Cell Int

Publisher Biomed Central

Date 2018 Sep 6

PMID 30181713

Citations 39

Authors

Li She

Yuexiang Qin

Juncheng Wang

Chao Liu

Gangcai Zhu

Guo Li

Ming Wei

Changhan Chen

Guancheng Liu

Diekuo Zhang

Xiyu Chen

Yunyun Wang

Yuanzheng Qiu

Yongquan Tian

Xin Zhang

Yong Liu

Donghai Huang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Alternatively activated macrophages in tumor microenvironment is defined as M2 tumor-associated macrophages (M2 TAMs) that promote cancer progression. However, communicative mechanisms between M2 TAMs and cancer cells in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN) remain largely unknown.

Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry were applied to quantify mRNA and protein expression of genes related to M2 TAMs, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness. Wounding-healing and Transwell invasion assays were performed to detect the invasion and migration. Sphere formation assay was used to detect the stemness of SCCHN cells. RNA-sequencing and following bioinformatics analysis were used to determine the alterations of transcriptome.

Results: THP-1 monocytes were successfully polarized into M2-like TAMs, which was manifested by increased mRNA and protein expression of CCL18, IL-10 and CD206. Conditioned medium from M2-like TAMs promoted the migration and invasion of SCCHN cells, which was accompanied by the occurrence of EMT and enhanced stemness. Importantly, CCL18 neutralizing antibody partially abrogated these effects that caused by conditional medium from M2-like TAMs. In addition, recombinant human CCL18 (rhCCL18) correspondingly promoted the malignant biological behaviors of SCCHN in vitro. Finally, RNA-sequencing analysis identified 331 up-regulated and 363 down-regulated genes stimulated by rhCCL18, which were statistically enriched in 10 cancer associated signaling pathways.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that CCL18 derived from M2-like TAMs promotes metastasis via inducing EMT and cancer stemness in SCCHN in vitro.

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