title: The CC chemokine MCP-1/CCL2 in pancreatic cancer progression: regulation of expression and potential mechanisms of antimalignant activity.
abstract: The aim of this study was to discover whether MCP-1/CCL2, a CC chemokine able to attract macrophages, is expressed in human pancreatic cancer and how it modulates cancer progression. All primary tumors were tested, and 6 of 14 pancreatic cancer cell lines were constitutively secreted CCL2. Analysis of the regulation demonstrated that the expression of CCL2 was significantly elevated and in a synergistic manner by IFN-gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin 1beta. By immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, CCL2 production was confirmed in neoplastic ducts from surgical specimens. Serum levels of CCL2 in pancreatic cancer patients were significantly higher than in normal healthy subjects (P < 0.0001). Patients with high circulating levels of CCL2 had significantly higher survival rate than low CCL2 producers. Serum CCL2 levels positively correlated with tumor macrophage infiltration and inversely correlated with tumor proliferative activity (Ki67 expression). A direct effect of CCL2 on tumor cells is to be excluded, either because primary tumors as well as cell lines have no detectable CCL2 receptor (CCR2) and because addition of CCL2 on tumor cells in vitro did not modify cell cycle progression or apoptosis. In vitro, a model of tumor microenvironment showed a direct antiproliferative and proapoptotic activity of monocytes toward pancreatic cancer cell, which is mediated at least in part by interleukin 1beta. Moreover, other proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and IFN-gamma appeared able to induce apoptosis and to reduce the proliferative rate of pancreatic cancer. On the whole, the results presented in our investigation suggest that CCL2 could be a relevant negative regulator of pancreatic cancer progression.
authors: Laboratory of Experimental Surgery, Department of Surgery II, Fondazione Centro S Raffaele del Monte Tabor, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Monti
authors: Biagio Eugenio
authors: BE
authors: Leone
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Marchesi
authors: Gianpaolo
authors: G
authors: Balzano
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Zerbi
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Scaltrini
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Pasquali
authors: Giliola
authors: G
authors: Calori
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Pessi
authors: Cosimo
authors: C
authors: Sperti
authors: Valerio
authors: V
authors: Di Carlo
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Allavena
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Piemonti
mesh_terms: D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D018932:Chemokine CCL2