[Alternatively activated macrophages/mononuclear phagocytes promote growth and invasion of breast cancer cell line SKBR3].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of alternatively activated macrophages /mononuclear phagocytes(MNP) on breast cancer cells and explore the mechanisms for the action of tumor-associated macrophages in breast cancer.


METHODS
Human peripheral blood monocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro and divided into 3 groups, namely classically activated monocytes (CAM) which were induced by lipopolysaccharide, alternatively activated monocytes (AAM) induce by IL-4, and control cells treated with the culture medium only. After cell culture for 48-72 h, the mRNA of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), alternative monocytes activation- associated CC-chemokine 1 (AMAC-1), and beta-actin of the 3 groups were extracted for RT-PCR, or the cells were cocultured with breast cancer cell line SKBR3, or seeded in chicken chorioallantoic membrane along with SKBR3.


RESULTS
TNF-alpha mRNA was significantly increased in CAM, and AMAC-1 was highly expressed in AAM. The coculture experiments showed that CAM exhibited obvious inhibitory effect on SKBR3 cells after a 3-day culture whereas AAM significantly promoted the growth of SKBR3 cells after a 5-day culture. In chicken on chorioallantoic membrane experiment, the macrophages promoted tumor angiogenesis and AAM showed the most obvious effect.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-4 induces high expression of AMAC-1, a molecular marker of AAM, in the macrophages, and AAM can promote the growth of SKBR3 cells and tumor angiogenesis.
Guo
Ju-jiang
JJ
Breast Cancer Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of SunYat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China. E-mail: gjjlj@sina.com
Su
Feng-xi
FX
Yao
He-rui
HR
Chen
Ji-sheng
JS
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000378:metabolism; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
C111792:CCL18 protein, human; D019742:Chemokines, CC; C508598:IL4 protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4