title: Interactions between rat colon carcinoma cells and Kupffer cells during the onset of hepatic metastasis.
abstract: Liver sinusoids harbor populations of 2 important types of immunocompetent cells, Kupffer cells (KCs) and natural killer (NK) cells, which are thought to play an important role in controlling hepatic metastasis in the first 24 hr upon arrival of the tumor cells in the liver. We studied the early interaction of KCs, NK and CC531s colon carcinoma cells in a syngeneic rat model by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results showed a minority of KCs (19% periportal and 7% pericentral) involved in the interaction with 94% of tumor cells and effecting the phagocytosis of 92% of them. NK cell depletion decreased the phagocytosis of tumor cells by KCs by 33% over a period of 24 hr, leaving 35% of the cancer cells free, as compared to 6% in NK-positive rats. Surviving cancer cells were primarily located close to the Glisson capsule, suggesting that metastasis would initiate from this region.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Cell Biology and Histology, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Timmers
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vekemans
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vermijlen
authors.forename: Kewal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asosingh
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuppen
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bouwens
authors.forename: Eddie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wisse
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000556:secondary*; D002450:Cell Communication; D002470:Cell Survival; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010587:Phagocytosis; D051381:Rats