• Molecules and Cells
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.142-152
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• 2023

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) mediates the cellular antioxidant response, allowing adaptation and survival under conditions of oxidative, electrophilic and inflammatory stress, and has a role in metabolism, inflammation and immunity. Activation of Nrf2 provides broad and long-lasting cytoprotection, and is often hijacked by cancer cells, allowing their survival under unfavorable conditions. Moreover, Nrf2 activation in established human tumors is associated with resistance to chemo-, radio-, and immunotherapies. In addition to cancer cells, Nrf2 activation can also occur in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and facilitate an anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Several cancer cell-derived metabolites, such as itaconate, L-kynurenine, lactic acid and hyaluronic acid, play an important role in modulating the TIME and tumor-TAMs crosstalk, and have been shown to activate Nrf2. The effects of Nrf2 in TIME are context-depended, and involve multiple mechanisms, including suppression of proinflammatory cytokines, increased expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and kynureninase, accelerated catabolism of cytotoxic labile heme, and facilitating the metabolic adaptation of TAMs. This understanding presents both challenges and opportunities for strategic targeting of Nrf2 in cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.81-86
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• 2022

Macrophages are a major cellular component of innate immunity and are mainly known to have phagocytic activity. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), they can be differentiated into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). As the most abundant immune cells in the TME, TAMs promote tumor progression by enhancing angiogenesis, suppressing T cells and increasing immunosuppressive cytokine production. N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is a tumor suppressor gene, whose expression is down-regulated in various cancers. However, the effect of NDRG2 on the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs in breast cancer remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the effect of NDRG2 expression in breast cancer cells on the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs. Compared to tumor cell-conditioned medium (TCCM) from 4T1-mock cells, TCCM from NDRG2-over-expressing 4T1 mouse breast cancer cells did not significantly change the morphology of RAW 264.7 cells. However, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the mRNA levels of TAM-related genes, including MR1, IL-10, ARG1 and iNOS, in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the expression of TAM-related surface markers, such as CD206, in peritoneal macrophages (PEM). The mRNA expression of TAM-related genes, including IL-10, YM1, FIZZ1, MR1, ARG1 and iNOS, was also downregulated by TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells. Remarkably, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the expression of PD-L1 and Fra-1 as well as the production of GM-CSF, IL-10 and ROS, leading to the attenuation of T cell-inhibitory activity of PEM. These data showed that compared with TCCM from 4T1-mock cells, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells suppressed the TAM differentiation and activation. Collectively, these results suggest that NDRG2 expression in breast cancer may reduce the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs in the TME.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권10호
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• pp.886-894
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• 2015

Macrophages are divided into two subpopulations: classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2). BCG (Bacilli Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$) activates disabled $na{\ddot{i}}ve$ macrophages to M1 macrophages, which act as inflammatory, microbicidal and tumoricidal cells through cell-cell contact and/or the release of soluble factors. Various transcription factors and signaling pathways are involved in the regulation of macrophage activation and polarization. We discovered that BCG-activated macrophages (BAM) expressed a new molecule, and we named it Novel Macrophage Activated Associated Protein 1 (NMAAP1). 1 The current study found that the overexpression of NMAAP1 in macrophages results in M1 polarization with increased expression levels of M1 genes, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 12 (IL-12), Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and Interleukin-1 beta (IL-$1{\beta}$), and decreased expression of some M2 genes, such as Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), but not other M2 genes, including arginase-1 (Arg-1), Interleukin (IL-10), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-${\beta}$) and found in inflammatory zone 1 (Fizz1). Moreover, NMAAP1 overexpression in the RAW264.7 cell line increased cytotoxicity against MCA207 tumor cells, which depends on increased inflammatory cytokines rather than cell-cell contact. NMAAP1 also substantially enhanced the phagocytic ability of macrophages, which implies that NMAAP1 promoted macrophage adhesive and clearance activities. Our results indicate that NMAAP1 is an essential molecule that modulates macrophages phenotype and plays an important role in macrophage tumoricidal functions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권7호
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• pp.3043-3050
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• 2015

The tumor microenvironment (TME) includes numerous non-neoplastic cells such as leukocytes and fibroblasts that surround the neoplasm and influence its growth. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and cancerassociated fibroblasts (CAFs) are documented as key players in facilitating cancer appearance and progression. Alteration of the macrophage (CD68, CD163) and fibroblast (${\alpha}-SMA$, FSP-1) cells in Opisthorchis viverrini (Ov) -induced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) was here assessed using liver tissues from an established hamster model and from 43 human cases using immunohistochemistry. We further investigated whether M2-activated TAMs influence CCA cell migration ability by wound healing assay and Western blot analysis. Macrophages and fibroblasts change their phenotypes to M2-TAMs (CD68+, CD163+) and CAFs (${\alpha}-SMA+$, FSP-1+), respectively in the early stages of carcinogenesis. Interestingly, a high density of the M2-TAMs CCA in patients is significantly associated with the presence of extrahepatic metastases (p=0.021). Similarly, CD163+ CCA cells are correlated with metastases (p=0.002), and they may be representative of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) with increased metastatic activity. We further showed that M2-TAM conditioned medium can induce CCA cell migration as well as increase N-cadherin expression (mesenchymal marker). The present work revealed that significant TME changes occur at an early stage of Ov-induced carcinogenesis and that M2-TAMs are key factors contributing to CCA metastasis, possibly via EMT processes.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제5권3호
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• pp.206-212
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• 2005

목적: 신생혈관형성은 암의 증식, 침습, 전이에 있어 중요한 과정이며 위선암에서 대식세포, 비만세포는 혈관내피세포성장인자를 통한 신생혈관형성 작용을 보이고 가지세포는 혈관내피세포성장인자에 의해 기능이 억제된다. 이들 세포의 조직 침습이 조직병리 및 임상예후와 어떤 상관관계를 가지는지 알아보고자 한다. 대상 및 방법: 1999년 1월부터 2002년 12월까지 진행성 위암으로 위절제술을 받은 환자 중 79명을 대상으로 하여 파라핀 포매 조직을 이용하여 대식세포, 비만세포, 가지세포 및 미세혈관에 대한 면역조직화학 염색을 실시하고, 이들의 발현과 임상병기 및 생존율에 대한 분석을 실시하였다. 결과: 대식세포의 수는 분화도가 낮을수록, 조직침습이 깊을수록, 림프절전이가 많을수록 유의하게 감소하였으나(P<0.05), 미세혈관 밀도 및 생존기간의 차이는 보이지 않았다. 비만세포와 가지세포의 침윤정도는 조직병리 및 생존율과의 연관성을 보이지 않았다. 결론: 종양연관성 대식세포가 위암환자에 있어 예후인자로 가치를 가질 수 있을 것 인지와 대식세포의 침습부위에 따른 임상적 관련성에 대해 좀 더 세부적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국균학회지
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.161-176
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• 2018

진균류 유래의 ${\beta}$-glucan은 pathogen-associated molecular patterns의 일종이기도 하며 면역촉진과 항암작용을 나타냄이 알려져 있지만 세포 내 신호전달에 관해서는 알려진 바가 많지 않다. 대식세포주인 RAW264.7 세포에 불로초에서 추출한 ${\beta}$-glucan을 처리하였을 때 세포막에서는 덱틴-1, toll-like receptor 2, 4, 6의 발현이 증가되었으며, 세포 내에서는 macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1a, MIP-$1{\beta}$, MIP-$1{\gamma}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ 그리고 tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$의 발현이 증가되었다. 또한 대식세포주에 불로초의 ${\beta}$-glucan과 PI3K 또는 MEK1/MEK2 억제제를 각각 처리하였을 때에 세포 내의 MIP-1a, MIP-$1{\beta}$, MIP-$1{\gamma}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$의 발현이 감소되었다. 따라서 불로초의 ${\beta}$-glucan은 대식세포에서 MyD88의 경로인 PI3K/Akt를 경유할 뿐만 아니라 MEK 경로를 활성화시킴으로써 다양한 면역조절작용이 가능한 것으로 여겨진다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권7호
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• pp.3265-3270
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• 2012

Clinically, elevated cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) in blood predicts tumor burden in a woman's body, especially in the ovary, but cannot differentiate between malignant or benign. We here used intensive modern proteomic approaches to identify predictive proteins in the serum of women with elevated CA-125 to differentiate malignant from benign ovarian tumors. We identified differentially expressed proteins in serum samples of ovarian cancer (OC) patients, benign ovarian tumor (BT) patients, and healthy control women using mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics. Both the OC and BT patients had elevated CA-125. Quantitation was achieved using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation. We obtained 124 quantified differential serum proteins in OC compared with BT. Two proteins, apolipoprotein A-4 (APOA4) and natural resistance-associated macrophage 1, were verified using Western blotting. Proteome profiling applied to OC cases identified several differential serum proteins in the serum of women with elevated CA-125. A novel protein, APOA4, has the potential to be a marker for malignant tumor differentiation in the serum of women with elevated CA-125.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.312-316
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• 2003

The oriental herbal combination allergina has been shown to inhibit allergic inflammation. In the present study, we demonstrate that the oral administration of allergina markedly inhibits the progression of inflammatory diseases, such as graft-versus-host diseases (in the allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and the parent-into-F1 transplantation models), collagen-induced arthritis and sheep red blood cell-induced delayed type hypersensitivity. The immunosuppressive activity of allergina in vivo appears to be associated, at least in part, with the inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-a production. In conclusion, our results suggest that allergina could be useful as a immunosuppressive agent for the treatment of macrophage-related inflammatory disease.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.198-206
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• 2007

Hydroquinone is a toxic compound and a major benzene metabolite. We report that it strongly inhibits the activation of macrophages and associated cells. Thus, it suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-3, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-23], secretion of toxic molecules [nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS)] and the activation and expression of CD29 as judged by cell-cell adhesion and surface staining experiments. The inhibition was due to the induction of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in LPS-activated macrophages, since blocking HO-1 activity with ZnPP, an HO-1 specific inhibitor, abolished hydroquinone's NO inhibitory activity. In addition, hydroquinone and inhibitors (wortmannin and LY294002) of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway had very similar inhibitory effects on LPS-induced and CD29-mediated macrophage responses, including the phoshorylation of Akt. Therefore, our data suggest that hydroquinone inhibits macrophage-mediated immune responses by modulating intracellular signaling and protective mechanisms.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.1003-1007
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• 2013

Objective: This work aimed to investigate the correlations of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and their subtypes M1 and M2 with liver metastasis of colorectal cancer, and provide useful references for seeking predictors of liver metastasis and studying mechanisms. Methods: 120 patients with colorectal cancer from 2000 to 2009 were divided into low, middle and high liver metastasis groups (group A, B and C, respectively). S-P immunohistochemical staining and microscopic observation were conducted to compare expression in CD68-positive cells (TAMs), CD80-positive cells (M1) and CD163-positive cells (M2) in three groups. Correlations of TAMs, M1, M2, and M2/M1 ratio with clinical and pathological parameters were analyzed. Results: With increase of liver metastatic ability, the number of TAMs decreased gradually, with no significant difference between any two of the three groups (P > 0.05), while the numbers of M1 and M2 were significantly decreased and increased, respectively, with significant difference between any two of three groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In addition, the M2/M1 ratio increased with increase of liver metastatic ability (P < 0.01). There was no statistical significance of correlation of TAMs with each clinical and pathological parameter. M1 was negatively related with lymphatic metastasis and liver metastatic ability. M2 was positively correlated with preoperative CEA level, lymphatic metastasis, tumor differentiation degree and liver metastatic ability. The same was the case for the M2/M1 ratio. Conclusions: Effects of TAMs on liver metastasis of colorectal cancer do not depend on the total number of TAMs, but on the number and proportion of functional subtypes M1 and M2. M2 number and M2/M1 ratio are more accurate predictors for liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.