一篇發(fā)表在PLoS ONE雜志上的文章研究人員通過分析老鼠的乳腺癌細胞的運動,，發(fā)現(xiàn)有一類特殊的巨噬細胞(macrophages)能夠使惡性腫瘤細胞在身體內發(fā)生轉移。該研究發(fā)現(xiàn)的這類巨噬細胞或許能提供一種治療癌癥有用的靶標,，通過藥物治療的方法或許能夠阻斷癌變的過程,。
在這篇研究報告中，研究人員通過三種不同的方法表明,，一旦這種特殊的巨噬細胞被殺死,，那么就能夠抑制轉移性腫瘤的生長。他們還表明,，即使動物的肺中已出現(xiàn)乳腺癌細胞,，并在該位點開始生長，通過殺死這種特殊的巨噬細胞也可以顯著地減緩轉移性腫瘤細胞的生長,。研究人員Pollard說,，這些試驗表明，即使對于那些已發(fā)生腫瘤轉移的患者來說,，這種抗巨噬細胞療法也能發(fā)揮重要作用,。這項發(fā)現(xiàn)是基于Pollard及其同事之前的研究：巨噬細胞能在腫瘤原發(fā)位點促進腫瘤發(fā)展和惡化。而本項研究則表明：巨噬細胞還能促進轉移性腫瘤細胞的生長,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
PLoS ONE 4(8): e6562. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006562
A Distinct Macrophage Population Mediates Metastatic Breast Cancer Cell Extravasation, Establishment and Growth
Binzhi Qian1, Yan Deng1¤, Jae Hong Im2, Ruth J. Muschel2, Yiyu Zou3, Jiufeng Li1, Richard A. Lang4, Jeffrey W. Pollard1*
1 Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology and the Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Woman's Health, Center for the Study of Reproductive Biology and Woman's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America, 2 Radiation Oncology & Biology, University of Oxford Churchill Hospital, Headington, United Kingdom, 3 Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America, 4 Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, The Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
Background
The stromal microenvironment and particularly the macrophage component of primary tumors influence their malignant potential. However, at the metastatic site the role of these cells and their mechanism of actions for establishment and growth of metastases remain largely unknown.
Methodology/Principal Findings
Using animal models of breast cancer metastasis, we show that a population of host macrophages displaying a distinct phenotype is recruited to extravasating pulmonary metastatic cells regardless of species of origin. Ablation of this macrophage population through three independent means (genetic and chemical) showed that these macrophages are required for efficient metastatic seeding and growth. Importantly, even after metastatic growth is established, ablation of this macrophage population inhibited subsequent growth. Furthermore, imaging of intact lungs revealed that macrophages are required for efficient tumor cell extravasation.
Conclusion/Significance
These data indicate a direct enhancement of metastatic growth by macrophages through their effects on tumor cell extravasation, survival and subsequent growth and identifies these cells as a new therapeutic target for treatment of metastatic disease.
