Modification of estrogen action of breast cancer by tumor-associated immune cells

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860229
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Human pathology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAGI Kiyoshi 東北大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (80595562)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 乳癌 / マクロファージ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that infiltrating macrophages were associated with more aggresive phenotype of estrogen receptor-positive breast carcinomas. Generally, macrophages are divided into M1 and M2 macrophages based on molecular markers, and most of intratumoral macrophages are M2. Coculture of MCF-7 breast caancer cells and M2-polarized THP-1 and U937 leukemic cells demonstrated that M2 macrophages enhanced migration property of breast cancer cells, while expression of estrogern recetor and estrogen-responsive genes was down-reglated in breast cancer cells.
These fndings may suggest taht breast cancer cells acquires more aggressive phenotype by interaction with M2macrophages, and lose estrogen-dependency. Therfore, it is speculated that M2 macrophages are possibly asspciated with resistance to endocrine therapy of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer and therefore M2 macrophages are considered potent therapeutic target of breast carcinomas.

Free Research Field

腫瘍病理学