title: Gradient Infiltration of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Colon Cancer and Evidence for Their Involvement in Tumour Growth.
abstract: The role of neutrophils in tumour biology is largely unresolved. Recently, independent studies indicated either neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) or Tissue Factor (TF) involvement in cancer biology and associated thrombosis. However, their individual or combined role in colonic adenocarcinoma is still unexplored.
  
  
  
  Colectomy tissue specimens and variable number of draining lymph nodes were obtained from ten patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon. NETs deposition and neutrophil presence as well as TF expression were examined by immunostaining. The effect of NETs on cancer cell growth was studied in in vitro co-cultures of Caco-2 cell line and acute myeloid leukemia primary cells. Proliferation and apoptosis/necrosis of cancer cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.
  
  
  
  TF-bearing NETs and neutrophil localization were prominent in tumour sections and the respective metastatic lymph nodes. Interestingly, neutrophil infiltration and NETs concentration were gradually reduced from the tumour mass to the distal margin. The in vitro-generated NETs impeded growth of cancer cell cultures by inducing apoptosis and/or inhibiting proliferation.
  
  
  
  These data support further the role of neutrophils and NETs in cancer biology. We also suggest their involvement on cancer cell growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece.|Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arelaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.|Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arampatzioglou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kambas
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Charalampos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papagoras
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miltiades
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Iliana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Angelidou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitsios
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kotsianidis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skendros
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Efthimios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sivridis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maroulakou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giatromanolaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Hematology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ritis
mesh_terms: D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D065206:Extracellular Traps / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured