IL-6 and leukemia-inhibitory factor are involved in the generation of tumor-associated macrophage: regulation by IFN-γ

Immunotherapy. 2011 Apr;3(4 Suppl):23-6. doi: 10.2217/imt.11.30.

Abstract

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), the most abundant immunosuppressive myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment, exhibit an IL-10(high)IL-12(low) profile called M2, opposite to the immunostimulatory M1. We reported that ovarian cancer ascites switched monocyte differentiation into TAM-like cells that exhibit most phenotypic and functional characteristics of TAMs, suggesting that soluble mediators are involved in the differentiation of monocytes into TAM-like cells. We observed that leukemia-inhibitory factor and IL-6, present at high concentrations in ovarian cancer ascites, skew monocyte differentiation into TAM-like cells by increasing macrophage colony-stimulating factor consumption. Moreover, we observed that IFN-γ switches established TAMs into immunostimulatory M1 cells and skews monocyte differentiation from TAM-like cells to M1s. In addition to revealing a new tumor-escape mechanism associated with TAM generation via leukemia-inhibitory factor and IL-6, these findings offer novel therapeutic perspectives to subvert TAM-induced immunosuppression and to improve antitumor immunotherapy efficacy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology*
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism*
  • Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / immunology
  • Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / metabolism*
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism*
  • Macrophages / pathology
  • Monocytes / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / therapy
  • Tumor Escape
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • Interleukin-6
  • Leukemia Inhibitory Factor
  • Interferon-gamma