Macrophages attenuate the transcription of CYP1A1 in breast tumor cells and enhance their proliferation

PLoS One. 2019 Jan 7;14(1):e0209694. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209694. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

While aberrant cells are routinely recognized and removed by immune cells, tumors eventually escape innate immune responses. Infiltrating immune cells are even corrupted by the tumor to acquire a tumor-supporting phenotype. In line, tumor-associated macrophages are well-characterized to promote tumor progression and high levels of tumor-infiltrating macrophages are a poor prognostic marker in breast cancer. Here, we aimed to further decipher the influence of macrophages on breast tumor cells and determined global gene expression changes in three-dimensional tumor spheroids upon infiltration of macrophages. While various tumor-associated mRNAs were upregulated, expression of the cytochrome P450 family member CYP1A1 was markedly attenuated. Repression of CYP1A1 in tumor cells was elicited by a macrophage-shaped tumor microenvironment rather than by direct tumor cell-macrophage contacts. In line with changes in RNA expression profiles, macrophages enhanced proliferation of the tumor cells. Enhanced proliferation and macrophage presence further correlated with reduced CYP1A1 expression in patient tumors when compared with normal tissue. These findings are of interest in the context of combinatory therapeutic approaches involving cytotoxic and immune-modulatory compounds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology*
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / genetics*
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Macrophages / cytology*
  • Spheroids, Cellular / metabolism
  • Spheroids, Cellular / pathology
  • Transcription, Genetic / physiology*
  • Tumor Microenvironment / physiology*

Substances

  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SCHM2663/3, TS; http://www.dfg.de/) and scholarships by the Tegger Foundation (SW; http://teggerstiftelsen.se/) and the Thyssen Foundation (SW; http://www.fritz-thyssen-stiftung.de/). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.