title: Tumor-associated macrophages correlate with the clinicopathological features and poor outcomes via inducing epithelial to mesenchymal transition in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells play key roles in promoting tumor progression. However, whether TAMs could induce EMT in the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains undefined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here we detected the expression of macrophages markers CD68 and CD163, epithelial marker E-cadherin and mesenchymal marker vimentin in 127 OSCC patients by using semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry. CD68 and CD163 expression was not confined to the infiltrating TAMs, but also detected in cancer cells. The high number of CD68-positive macrophages was correlated with poor overall survival. Meanwhile, the expression of CD163 both in macrophages and in cancer cells was associated with poor overall survival and had a significant prognostic impact in OSCC. Importantly, the expression of CD163 in cancer cells had a significant relationship with E-cadherin and vimentin. Furthermore, the incubation of TAMs conditioned medium resulted in a fibroblast-like appearance of cancer cells (HN4, HN6 and SCC9) together with the decreased/increased expression of E-cadherin/ vimentin, which were correlated with the enhanced ability of migration and invasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that TAMs could promote the EMT of cancer cells, thereby leading to the progression of oral cancer.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. hooyong@aliyun.com.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. hooyong@aliyun.com.|Department of Stomatology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical School, Suzhou, People's Republic of China. hooyong@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. 372369048@qq.com.|Department of Basic Science of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. 372369048@qq.com.
authors.forename: Meng-Ying
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China. zhulifang198312@126.com.
authors.forename: Li-Fang
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. yangcongchong@njmu.edu.cn.|Department of Basic Science of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. yangcongchong@njmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Cong-Chong
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. parkyuchun1201@163.com.|Department of Basic Science of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. parkyuchun1201@163.com.
authors.forename: Mei-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. wangqcandy@126.com.|Department of Basic Science of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. wangqcandy@126.com.
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. zhangw_369@163.com.|Department of Basic Science of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. zhangw_369@163.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. nydkys@126.com.|Department of Basic Science of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. nydkys@126.com.
authors.forename: Yang-Yu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. wdm9921@njmu.edu.cn.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. wdm9921@njmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Dong-Miao
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. daryl_xuzengqi@163.com.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. daryl_xuzengqi@163.com.
authors.forename: Zeng-Qi
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. yunongwu@aliyun.com.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. yunongwu@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Yu-Nong
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. my_yunkong@njmu.edu.cn.|Department of Basic Science of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Postal#210029 136# Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, the People's Republic of China. my_yunkong@njmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lai-Kui
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014746:Vimentin; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule