Evidence accumulated in recent years has revealed that neutrophils are involved in the initial establishment of endometriosis, which is well known as a chronic inflammatory disease. So far, why and how neutrophils promote the formation of early endometriosis are still unclear. In this study, using a mouse model of endometriosis, we demonstrated that endometriosis mice (EMs mice) had a significantly increased number of neutrophils in peritoneal fluids and lesions, and increased levels of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and IL-6 in serum and peritoneal fluids compared to the control group. In the neutrophils and uterine fragments co-injection experiment, neutrophils regulated by G-CSF and IL-6 had a similar effect to neutrophils from EMs mice, increasing the number, area, weight and microvessel density of endometriotic lesions. Blocking the effect of G-CSF and IL-6 in EMs mice resulted in the number, area, and weight of endometriotic lesions to decrease. Depleting neutrophils in vivo by anti-Ly6G antibody, the microvessel density in the lesions of mice treated with neutrophils from EMs mice and neutrophils from pG/pI6 mice were significantly reduced. Neutrophils from EMs mice and neutrophils from pG/pI6 mice altered the expression levels of Mmp9, Bv8 and Trail genes compared to the neutrophils from PBS-treated mice. IL-6 cooperated with G-CSF induced a higher expression of phospho-STAT3 and STAT3 in neutrophils. These findings suggest that neutrophils modulated by G-CSF and IL-6 through the STAT3 pathway alter the expression levels of the angiogenesis related genes Mmp9, Bv8 and Trail, and may promote the establishment of early endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease with abnormal expression of interleukin (IL)-37 which can suppress inflammation and the immune system. Here we investigated the role of the IL-37b splice variant in endometriosis in vivo and in vitro. In a murine model of endometriosis, in vivo administration of IL-37b significantly inhibited the development of lesions judged by the number (P = 0.0213), size (P = 0.0130) and weight (P = 0.0152) of lesions. IL-37b had no effect on the early stage of lesion formation, however administration in the growth stage of lesions decreased the number (P = 0.0158), size (P = 0.0158) and weight (P = 0.0258) of lesions compared with PBS control, an effect that was not reversed by macrophage depletion. Expressions of inflammatory factors, matrix metalloproteinases and vascular endothelial growth factor-A mRNA/protein were significantly inhibited in ectopic lesions following IL-37b administration, and in uterine segments treated in vitro. In vitro treatment of uterine segments with IL-37b inhibited phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2 in uterine segments. Isolated mouse endometrial stromal treated with IL-37b and transfected with pIL-37b plasmid got suppressed cell proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and the expression of inflammatory factors. In addition, transfection with pIL-37b significantly decreased the phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2. IL-37b also inhibited proliferation and the expression of inflammatory and angiogenesis factors in epithelial cell line RL95-2. These findings suggest that IL-37b may inhibit the growth of lesions by regulating proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and inflammation through Akt and Erk1/2 signaling pathway.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been studied well in the prognosis for malignant diseases as liquid biopsy, but their contribution to tumor metastasis is not clearly defined. Here we report that CTCs could promote the metastatic colonization of disseminated carcinoma cells by inducing systemic inflammation and neutrophil recruitment to pre-metastatic organs. Depletion of neutrophils in vivo could effectively abrogate the promoting effect of CTCs on tumor cell metastasis. In the presence of CTCs, the pro-tumor function of neutrophils was augmented, whereas the antitumor function of neutrophils was suppressed. Mechanically, CTC-derived ligands for TLR2 and TLR4 (TLR2/4) induced the systemic inflammation, thus increasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as G-CSF and IL-6 that could induce the conversion of neutrophil function from tumor-suppressing to tumor-promoting. Moreover, CTCs induced the production of endogenous TLR2/4 ligands such as S100A8, S100A9, and SAA3, which may amplify the stimulating effect that induces the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. The promoting effect of CTCs on tumor cell metastasis could be abrogated by suppressing inflammatory response with IL-37, an antiinflammatory cytokine, or blocking CTC-derived ligands for TLR2/4. Identification of the metastatic axis of CTCs/systemic inflammation/neutrophils may provide potential targets for preventing tumor cell metastasis.

Infiltrating neutrophils are known to promote in the development of tumor. However, it is unclear whether and how neutrophils are involved in triggering the growth of dormant metastases. Here we show that 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-EET) can trigger the growth of dormant micrometastases by inducing neutrophilic infiltration and converting neutrophil function. 14,15-EET triggered neutrophil infiltration in metastatic lesions by activating STAT3 and JNK pathways to induce the expression of human IL-8 and murine CXCL15 in corresponding tumor cells. The continuous expression of hIL-8/mCXCL15 was maintained by the sustained and enhanced activation of JNK pathway. 14,15-EET up-regulated miR-155 expression by activating STAT3 and JNK pathways. miR-155 in turn down-regulated the expression of SHIP1 and DET1, thus augmenting the activation of JNK and c-Jun. Moreover, the function of neutrophils was converted from tumor-suppressing to tumor-promoting by 14,15-EET in vivo. By inducing the production of G-CSF/IL-6 in vivo, 14,15-EET induced the enhancement of STAT3 activation in neutrophils to increase MMP-9 expression and decrease TRAIL expression. Neutrophil-derived MMP-9 was required for 14,15-EET to induce angiogenesis during the growth of dormant micrometastases. Depleting neutrophils or inhibiting hIL-8/mCXCL15 up-regulation resulted in the failure of 14,15-EET to promote the development of micrometastases. These findings reveal a mechanism through which the infiltration and tumor-promoting function of neutrophils could be induced to trigger the growth of dormant metastases, which might be a driving force for the tumor recurrence based on dormant metastases.

CH50, a recombinant CBD–HepII polypeptide of human fibronectin, was shown to suppress tumor metastasis in murine hepatocarcinoma and melanoma models. However, the effect of CH50 on human cancer cells is still not clear. Here we evaluated the efficiency of CH50 delivered by recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector for breast cancer treatment. Infection of the two human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 with a rAAV2 vector encoding CH50 resulted in secretion of soluble CH50. In vitro rAAV-CH50 transduction inhibited adhesion to ECM molecules, and transwell migration and invasion of breast cancer cells induced by fibronectin. In both breast cancer cells, rAAV-CH50 targeted α V β3 signaling, namely inhibited the expression of α V β3, the activation of FAK, the upregulation of cdc2, and the production and activation of MMP-9 by ECM molecules stimulation. rAAV-mediated tail vein transfusion and stable expression of CH50 in the liver resulted in the long-term presence of CH50 in sera of nude mice. Sustained CH50 expression mediated by rAAV vector suppressed the growth and spontaneous metastasis of orthotopic breast cancer xenograft, experimental metastasis of circulating breast cancer cells, and improved the long-term survival of breast tumor-bearing mice. These findings suggest for the first time that rAAV-CH50 gene therapy may present a novel and promising strategy for treatment against metastatic breast cancer.

Neutrophils are known to have antitumor potential. However, in recent years the tumor-promoting effect of neutrophils has been well demonstrated. So far, it remains unclear what causes the conversion of neutrophil function from tumor suppressive to tumor promoting. In this article, we report that the conversion of murine neutrophil function occurs in bone marrow, and that IL-6 cooperation with G-CSF is required for this conversion. IL-6 cooperated with G-CSF to modulate neutrophils in bone marrow, al-tering the activation potential of signaling pathways in neutrophils, especially that of STAT3. Costimulation with G-CSF and IL-6 induced a higher level of phospho-STAT3 in neutrophils, which was further increased by upregulation of STAT3 expression in neutrophils owing to downregulation of IFN- b expression in bone marrow macrophages by IL-6. Augmented STAT3 activation was crucial for upregulating the expression of Mmp9 and Bv8 genes and downregulating the expression of Trail and Rab27a genes in neutrophils. Moreover, G-CSF/IL-6–modulated neutrophils could not efficiently release azurophilic granules because of downregulation of Rab27a and inefficient activation of PI3K and p38 MAPK pathways. Because of premodulation by G-CSF and IL-6, neutrophils in response to complex stimuli in tumor released much less myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase, and TRAIL, but showed much higher expression of Mmp9 and Bv8 genes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that G-CSF and IL-6, despite their well-known

Objective To investigate the changing characteristics of number and phenotype of mast cell precursors in hepatoma-bearing mice.Methods H22 hepatoma-bearing mouse model was established.Single cells were prepared from bone marrow,spleen and peripheral normal and tumor tissues.How cytometry was employed to analyze the proportions of granulocyte/monocyte precursors(GMP) in bone marrow cells,basophil-mast cell progenitors(BMCP) in spleen cells,and mast cell precursors in peripheral normal and tumor tissues.In addition,the expression of Toll-like receptor-2(TLR2) in BMCP and MCP was determined by flow cytometry.Results The proportions of GMP in bone marrow cells,BMCP in spleen cells and mast cell precursor in peripheral tumor tissues in hepatoma-bearing mice were significantly higher than those in normal mice(P0.05).There was no significant difference in proportions of TLR2-positive cells in BMCP in spleen between hepatoma-bearing mice and normal mice(P0.05).but the proportion of TLR2-positive cells in mast cell precursor in peripheral tumor tissues in hepatoma-bearing mice was significantly higher than that in normal mice (P0.05).Conclusion Mobilization of mast cells is significantly increased and there are higher proportions of mast cell precursors in bone marrow,spleen and peripheral tumor tissues in H22 hepatoma-bearing mice.But there is no significant change in expression of TLR2 in BMCP,and the change mainly takes place in mast cell precursor in peripheral tumor tissues in hepatoma-bearing mice.

Mast cells may have either antitumor or tumor-promoting potential. Nevertheless, mast cells in tumor microenvironment have been found to promote tumor growth. So far the mechanisms underlying the modulation of mast cell function in tumor microenvironment remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we report that tumor-promoting potential of mast cells could be augmented by molecules released from damaged tumor cells through cooperative stimulation of stem cell factor (SCF) and ligand for Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Co-simulation with SCF and TLR4 ligand inhibited mast cell degranulation, but efficiently induced the production and secretion of VEGF, PDGF, and IL-10. Although TLR4 ligand alone may induce IL-12 expression in mast cells, co-stimulation with SCF and TLR4 ligand induced the expression of IL-10, but not IL-12, in mast cells. The phosphorylation of GSK3β was crucial for the effect of SCF and TLR4 ligand. In addition to inducing phosphorylation of GSK3β at Ser9 through PI3K pathway, SCF and TLR4 ligand cooperated to induce phosphorylation of GSK3β at Tyr216 by simultaneous activation of ERK and p38MAPK pathways. Both phospho-Ser9 and phospho-Tyr216 of GSK3β were required for IL-10 expression induced by SCF/TLR4 ligand, whereas suppressive effect of SCF/TLR4 ligand on mast cell degranulation was related to phospho-Tyr216. Importantly, the effect of SCF and TLR4 ligand on mast cells could be abrogated by inhibiting phosphorylation of GSK3β at Tyr216. These findings disclose the mechanisms underlying the modulation of mast cell function in tumor microenvironment, and suggest that inhibiting GSK3β in mast cells will be beneficial to the treatment of cancer.

The reduction or loss of MHC-I antigen surface expression in human and murine tumor cells is partly attributable to the dysregulation of various components of the MHC-I antigen-processing machinery. Accumulating evidence suggests that autophagy, besides its vital role in maintaining the cellular homeostasis, plays an important role in MHC-II surface expression. Here, we report that autophagy is a negative regulator of MHC-I antigen expression in B16 melanoma cells; however, in the presence of IFN-γ, it is converted to a positive regulator. We show that autophagy not only participates in the degradation of MHC-I antigen but also plays a role in the generation of MHC-I-binding peptides. For these two processes, IFN-γ interferes with MHC-I antigen degradation, rather than affecting peptide generation. Using B16 melanoma mouse model, we further show that autophagy may enhance the cytolysis of CTL to melanoma cells at the early stage of melanoma, but impairs the cytolysis at the late stage. Such different consequences may be explained by the different levels of IFN-γ during tumor progression. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that autophagy is involved in the regulation of MHC-I antigen expression, through which autophagy can play different roles in tumor immunity.

T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3 (Tim-3) is originally recognized as a receptor of Th1 cells. We found that Tim-3 could be expressed in endothelial cells after stimulation with tumor cell-released TLR4 ligand. Tim-3 expressed by endothelial cells does not function as the receptor of galectin-9, but mediates the interaction of endothelial cells with tumor cells. The engagement of endothelial cell-expressed Tim-3 with a non-galectin 9 putative receptor on B16 melanoma cells could trigger the NF-kappaB signaling pathway in B16 cells. The activated NF-kappaB not only promoted the proliferation of B16 cells, but also enhanced apoptosis resistance of B16 cells by up-regulating Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and down-regulating Bax. Consistently, Tim-3 facilitated the survival of B16 cells in the blood stream, arrested in the lung and following invasion, resulted in more metastatic nodules in the lung. These findings suggest that endothelial cell-expressed Tim-3 increases tumor cell metastatic potential by facilitating tumor cell intravasation, survival in blood stream and extravasation. Thus, anti-inflammation or blockade of Tim-3 may contribute to the prevention of metastasis.

Pregnant women have both the local immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface and the systemic immune defense against pathogens. To date, regardless of the extensive investigation on the maternal-fetal immune tolerance, the maintenance of systemic immune defense in pregnant women still remains poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that the immunoregulatory molecule T cell Ig and mucin domain (Tim)-3 plays important roles in innate and adaptive immunity of human pregnancy. During pregnancy, Tim-3 is strikingly up-regulated in peripheral blood of pregnant women, most by monocytes but not by T or B cells. The increased IL-4/STAT6 signaling may contribute to such up-regulation of Tim-3. In turn, the increased Tim-3 enhances not only innate immunity but also Th1-associated immune responses of pregnant women against pathogens. In contrast, our clinical data show that abnormal Tim-3 expression level might be connected to the pregnancy loss. In conclusion, our data show in this study that an immune regulatory molecule Tim-3, by virtue of its up-regulation in innate immune cells in pregnant women, enhances both innate and adaptive immune responses. Nevertheless, the abnormality of Tim-3 in pregnant woman may be deleterious to normal pregnancy.

Pregnant women have both the local immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface and the systemic immune defense against pathogens. To date, regardless of the extensive investigation on the maternal-fetal immune tolerance, the maintenance of systemic immune defense in pregnant women still remains poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that the immunoregulatory molecule T cell Ig and mucin domain (Tim)-3 plays important roles in innate and adaptive immunity of human pregnancy. During pregnancy, Tim-3 is strikingly up-regulated in peripheral blood of pregnant women, most by monocytes but not by T or B cells. The increased IL-4/STAT6 signaling may contribute to such up-regulation of Tim-3. In turn, the increased Tim-3 enhances not only innate immunity but also Th1-associated immune responses of pregnant women against pathogens. In contrast, our clinical data show that abnormal Tim-3 expression level might be connected to the pregnancy loss. In conclusion, our data show in this study that an immune regulatory molecule Tim-3, by virtue of its up-regulation in innate immune cells in pregnant women, enhances both innate and adaptive immune responses. Nevertheless, the abnormality of Tim-3 in pregnant woman may be deleterious to normal pregnancy.

Distinct leukemia-initiating cells (L-ICs) represent a critical target for therapeutic intervention of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A potential strategy to eradicate L-ICs is to generate L-IC-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). However, owing to rarity and immortality of L-ICs, it is difficult for antigen-presenting cells to capture L-ICs for specific antigen presentation. Here, we report a novel approach by fusing allogeneic dendritic cells (DCs) and CD34+CD38− AML progenitor cells, through which specific CTLs were effectively induced, leading to the cytolysis to AML-initiating cells. Fusion of either DC/CD34+CD38− AML cell or DC/CD34− AML cell could effectively induce the proliferation and activation of CTLs. However, only the former CTLs could effectively attack AML progenitor cells, and result in the unkilled progenitor/initiating cells losing the abilities of active proliferation in vitro and engraftment in NOD-SCID mice. These findings suggest that AML progenitor/initiating cell-specific CTLs may be generated based on allogeneic DC/progenitor cell fusion strategy; the induced CTLs may potentially eradicate AML by targeting L-ICs directly or indirectly.

Currently available data indicate the potential application of rapamycin and its analogues in the clinic as anticancer therapeutic agents through inhibiting tumor cell growth and tumor angiogenesis. However, whether rapamycin can directly suppress tumor metastasis remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that rapamycin treatment results in reduced formation of metastatic nodules in the lung by B16 cells. This is due to two mechanisms. First, the expression of αv integrin is down‐regulated by rapamycin treatment, and subsequently, the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is reduced. Second, rapamycin promotes apoptosis by up‐regulating the proapoptotic molecules Bid and Bax and down‐regulating Bcl‐xL. Blocking the apoptosis pathway by pan‐caspase inhibitor zVAD partially reversed the suppression of rapamycin in B16 metastasis. Interestingly, rapamycin up‐regulates Bax and Bid in B16 cells via the S6K1 pathway and down‐regulates the expression of αv integrin via other pathway(s). In addition, our data showed that autophagy was not involved in the mechanisms of rapamycin‐mediated metastasis suppression. Our findings demonstrate a potential anti‐metastatic effect of rapamycin via down‐regulating αv integrin expression and up‐regulating apoptosis signaling, suggesting that rapamycin might be worthy of clinical evaluation as an antimetastatic agent. ( Cancer Sci 2009)

Objective To compare the effect of recombinant HCMV pp65 protein against HCMV with Chinese medicine Jin-Ye-Bai-Du granules and to study the relation between them.Methods The development of cytopathic effect(CPE) of human embryo lung fibroblast cell(HEL) caused by HCMV were observed in vitro before and after the treatment of pp65-CTL,Jin-Ye-Bai-Du granules,pp65-CTL+Jin-Ye-Bai-Du granules and ganciclovir,respectively.At the same time,the expression of the HCMV mRNA in infected HEL cells were measured by quantitative RT-PCR.Results There are less CPE in HCMV-infected HEL cells after 72h which were treated with pp65-CTL.pp65-CTL+Jin-Ye-Bai-Du granules had strongest inhibiting effect both on HCMVmRNA and CPE among five groups.Conclusion These data suggested that CTL induced by HCMV pp65 had an obvious inhibition on HCMV,and could cooperated with Jin-Ye-Bai-Du granules on action against HCMV.pp65-CTL+Jin-Ye-Bai-Du granules used as a safe and valuable medicine for treatment of active HCMV infection.

Immunotherapy can effectively suppress tumor, yet complete tumor eradication occurs infrequently. The metastatic potential of remnant tumor cells after immunotherapy and the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that the termination of immunotherapy strikingly increases the metastatic potential of remnant melanoma. This is mainly due to the withdrawal of IFN‐γ after immunotherapy. The relief of IFN‐γ stress led to the increase of αvβ3 integrin expression in B16 cells, which increased the adhesion of B16 cells to fibrinogen, fibronectin and laminin. Through αvβ3 signaling, the activation of FAK, upregulation of cdc2, production of active MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 and actin polymerization were intensified in B16 cells stimulated with ECM molecules 24 h after the withdrawal of IFN‐γ. The i.v. injection of such tumor cells into mice resulted in more metastatic tumor nodes in lung and shortened the survival of mice. The pitfall of immunotherapy termination can be remedied by the administration of recombinant CBD‐HepII polypeptide of fibronectin, which effectively inhibits αvβ3 signaling. These findings suggest that the risk of tumor metastasis can be increased after the termination of immunotherapy, due to the withdrawal of IFN‐γ and that targeting αvβ3 signaling pathway can improve the therapeutic effect of immunotherapeutic approaches by reducing such metastatic risk. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Despite the evidence for the role of inflammation in cancer initiation, promotion, and progression, the precise mechanism by which the inflammation within tumor is orchestrated by inflammatory cells remains to be determined. Here, we report that tumor-infiltrating mast cells remodel tumor microenvironment and promote tumor growth. Mast cell infiltration and activation in tumors were mainly mediated by tumor-derived stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor c-Kit on mast cells. Low concentrations of SCF efficiently induced the chemotactic migration of mast cells. Tumor-infiltrating mast cells, activated by higher concentrations of SCF, expressed multiple proinflammatory factors and increased IL-17 expression in tumors. The activity of NF-kappaB and AP-1 in tumor cells was intensified in the mast cell-remodeled inflammatory microenvironment. SCF-activated mast cells also exacerbated tumor immunosuppression by releasing adenosine and increasing T regulatory cells, which augmented the suppression of T cells and natural killer cells in tumors. These findings emphasize that the remodeling of the tumor microenvironment can actually be initiated by tumor cell-released SCF and suggest that mast cells are not only a participator but also a critical regulator of inflammation and immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment.

IL-17 is a pivotal proinflammatory molecule in asthmatics. However, the cellular source of IL-17 in asthma has not been identified to date. In this study, we report that macrophages rather than Th17 cells are the main producer of IL-17 in allergic inflammation related to asthma. After OVA challenge in a mouse model mimicking allergic asthma, the increased IL-17+ cells in the lung were mainly CD11b+F4/80+ macrophages, instead of T cells or others. Importantly, IL-17+ alveolar macrophages (AMs), but not IL-17+ interstitial macrophages, were significantly increased after allergen challenge. The increase of IL-17+ AMs was not due to the influx of IL-17+ macrophages from circulation or other tissues, but ascribed to the activation of AMs by mediator(s) secreted by IgE/OVA-activated mast cells. Depleting alveolar macrophages or neutralizing IL-17 prevented the initiation of OVA-induced asthma-related inflammation by inhibiting the increase of inflammatory cells and inflammatory factors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Th2 cytokine IL-10 could down-regulate IL-17 expression in alveolar macrophages. The increased IL-17 and the decreased IL-10 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were further confirmed in asthmatic patients. These findings suggest that IL-17 is mainly produced by macrophages but not Th17 cells in allergic inflammation related to asthma. Mast cell-released mediators up-regulate the expression of IL-17 by macrophages, whereas IL-10 down-regulates IL-17 expression.