title: Initial steps in lymph node metastasis formation in an experimental system: possible involvement of recognition by macrophage C-type lectins.
abstract: We used histological observations and experiments with fluorescent cell tracers to investigate the roles of tissue macrophages in recognition through a galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine-specific C-type lectin (mMGL) in lymph node metastasis formation by mouse ovarian tumor OV2944-HM-1 (HM-1) cells. Lymph node metastasis from subcutaneous sites was shown to be initiated by the entry of tumor cells into the subcapsular sinus of lymph nodes where mMGL-positive cells were mainly located. To investigate whether mMGL-positive cells contributed to host resistance against lymph node metastasis, we repeatedly treated mice bearing transplanted tumors with an mMGL-blocking monoclonal antibody that was known to inhibit mMGL binding to its ligands. The number of HM-1 cells recovered from lymph nodes 2 weeks after subcutaneous injections was significantly greater when the mice were treated with the blocking anti-mMGL antibody. These results suggested that mMGL-positive macrophages contributed to the host's defense against lymph node metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichii
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Irimura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008024:Ligands; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C064720:Clec10a protein, mouse; D037102:Lectins; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins