HAO LV¹, BO ZHU^1,2, DEGAO CHEN^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.3, pp. 363-378, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.046367

Abstract Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are emerging as targets for tumor therapy because of their primary role in promoting tumor progression. Several studies have been conducted to target TAMs by reducing their infiltration, depleting their numbers, and reversing their phenotypes to suppress tumor progression, leading to the development of drugs in preclinical and clinical trials. However, the heterogeneous characteristics of TAMs, including their ontogenetic and functional heterogeneity, limit their targeting. Therefore, in-depth exploration of the heterogeneity of TAMs, combined with immune checkpoint therapy or other therapeutic modalities could improve the efficiency of tumor treatment. This review focuses on the heterogeneous ontogeny and… More >

QI XIA¹, XING CHEN², QINGHUA MA³, XIANXIU WEN^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.2, pp. 217-228, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.027414

Abstract Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in women. Immune features play an important role in improving the prognosis prediction of BC. However, while previous immune signatures consisted mainly of immune genes, immune cell-based signatures have been rarely reported. Methods: In this study, we report that a novel immune cell signature is effective in improving prognostic prediction by combining M2 macrophages. We identified 17 differentially infiltrating immune cells between cancer and normal groups. Prognostic features of the four immune cells identified by LASSO COX analysis showed good performance for survival risk… More >

YUN ZHANG^1,2,#, SHALING TANG^1,2,#, YUBO GAO^1,2, ZHONGTING LU^1,2, YUAN YANG^1,2, JING CHEN³, TAO LI^4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 61-71, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.043481

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health problem with high morbidity and mortality rates. Surgical resection is the main treatment for early-stage CRC, but detecting it early is challenging. Therefore, effective therapeutic targets for advanced patients are still lacking. Exosomes, tiny vesicles in body fluids, play a crucial role in tumor metastasis, immune regulation, and drug resistance. Interestingly, they can even serve as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Studies have shown that exosomes can carry miRNA, mediate the polarization of M1/M2 macrophages, promote the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells, and affect the prognosis of CRC. Since… More > Graphic Abstract

JUN SHEN^1,#, HONGFANG MA^2,#, YONGXIA CHEN³, JIANGUO SHEN^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.31, No.6, pp. 955-966, 2023, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.029638

Abstract The process of lymphatic metastasis was proved to be associated with podoplanin-expressing macrophages in breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to investigate the role of the M2 phenotype of tumor-associated macrophages and mine the key M2 macrophages-related genes for lymph node metastasis in BC. We downloaded the GSE158399 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, which includes transcriptomic profiles of individual cells from primary tumors, negative lymph nodes (NLNs), and positive lymph nodes (PLNs) of breast cancer patients. The cell subsets were identified by clustering analysis after quality control of the scRNA-seq using Seurat. The activation and migration capability… More >

XUELIANG WU^1,#, SHAOYU GUAN^2,#, YONGGANG LU³, JUN XUE⁴, XIANGYANG YU¹, QI ZHANG^5,*, XIMO WANG^1,5,*, TIAN LI⁶

Oncology Research, Vol.31, No.2, pp. 125-139, 2023, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.028657

Abstract This research aimed to explore the influence of Src homology-2 containing protein tyrosine phosphatase (SHP- 2) on the functions of tyrosine kinase receptors with immunoglobulin and EGF homology domains 2 (Tie2)-expressing monocyte/macrophages (TEMs) and the influence of the angiopoietin(Ang)/Tie2-phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) (Ang/Tie2-PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway on the tumor microvascular remodeling in an immunosuppressive microenvironment. In vivo, SHP-2- deficient mice were used to construct colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis models. SHP-2-deficient mice had significantly more metastatic cancer and inhibited nodules on the liver surface than wild-type mice, and the high-level expression of p-Tie2 was found in… More > Graphic Abstract

Dongqing Wang^1,*, Heying Chen¹, Yi Hu^2,*

Oncologie, Vol.24, No.3, pp. 441-449, 2022, DOI:10.32604/oncologie.2022.024898

Abstract Immunotherapy is currently recognized as one of the most promising anticancer strategies. In the tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages are mainly M2-type macrophages with tumor-promoting effects. Therefore, the reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages from M2 to M1 type is a potential strategy for cancer therapy. We have previously shown the anticancer effects of implantable allogeneic M1 macrophages in mice. Here, we further engineered autologous mouse bone marrow cells into M1 macrophages and then embedded them into a sodium alginate gel to prepare an implantable immunotherapeutic agent (M1@Gel). We demonstrate that M1@Gel repolarizes M2 macrophages to M1 type and activates the immune responses… More >

Yi Zheng¹, Youyou Wang², Chen Zou¹, Bicheng Hu², Min Zhao², Xinxing Wu^2,*

Oncologie, Vol.24, No.1, pp. 147-161, 2022, DOI:10.32604/oncologie.2022.019236

Abstract Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are important components in tumor microenvironment. This study intended to explore the influence of TAMs on cervical cancer cells proliferation and migration. The expression levels of TAMs markers, CD68 and CD163, in tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry and increased with the progression of cervical lesions (p < 0.05). TAMs with M2-like phenotype (PMA(Polymethacrylate) induced THP-1 cells) were noticed to promote the proliferation of cervical cancer cells and improve the migration ability of tumor cells. These enhancements were attributed to secreting soluble components and the physical contact between macrophages and tumor cells. The tumor formation and tumor growth… More >

MIN CHEN^1,#, YUAN HUANG^2,#, WEN XU², CHUNLIN SU^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.6, pp. 1505-1519, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016564

Abstract The development of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is closely related to the chronic inflammatory and obese. Recent studies have found macrophages regulate the chronic inflammation and adipose tissue remodelling, but the underlying mechanisms have not been clarified. In this study, we established a model of PCOS in the offspring rats by high androgen exposure during late pregnancy in parental and established a female rat macrophage eliminating model by rejection of clodronate liposome. Then, the offspring rat macrophage phenotype in offspring female rat adipose tissue, and levels of testosterone, angiogenic factors (PDGF and VEGF) and inflammatory factors (TNF-α and MCP-1) were… More >

PANPAN WANG^1,2, GANG LI³, LI GAO^1,2, CHUANJIANG ZHAO^1,2

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1197-1207, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016607

Abstract Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss, which is also a high-risk factor for other diseases including oral cancer and cardiovascular disease. Periodontitis is one of the most common type of periodontal diseases. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. However, the mechanism how IL-1β is produced during periodontitis is still unclear. In the present study, we found that human β-defensin 2 (hBD2) enhances IL-1β production through an LPS-primed human acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) macrophage model. Inhibition of P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7) reduced hBD2-enhanced IL-1β production. Incubation of LPS-primed THP-1 macrophages with potassium chloride… More >

TAILIN WU^1,#, XIANG ZHOU^2,#, CANHUA YE¹, WENCAN LU¹, HAITAO LIN¹, YANZHE WEI¹, ZEKAI KE¹, ZHENGJI HUANG¹, JIANZHOU LUO¹, HUIREN TAO¹, CHUNGUANG DUAN^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.2, pp. 495-503, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.015214

Abstract Differentiated macrophages have been proven to participate in the development of mesenchymal stem cells in different tissues. However, the regulatory processes remain obscure. Exosomes, which are key secretions of macrophages, have attracted increasing attention. Therefore, macrophage-derived exosomes may modulate the development of Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs). Different culture conditions were used to induce M1 polarization in THP1 cells. Subsequently, exosomes derived from unpolarized (M0) and polarized (M1) macrophages were isolated, BMMSCs were cultured with normal complete medium or inductive medium supplemented with M0 or M1 derived exosomes, and the osteogenic capacity of the BMMSCs was measured and analyzed.… More >