Tumor associated macrophages induce epithelial to mesenchymal transition via the EGFR/ERK1/2 pathway in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Gao,Lu; Zhang,Wei; Zhong,Wen‑Qun; Liu,Zhuo‑Jue; Li,Hui‑Min; Yu,Zi‑Li; Zhao,Yi‑Fang

doi:10.3892/or.2018.6657

Tumor associated macrophages induce epithelial to mesenchymal transition via the EGFR/ERK1/2 pathway in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Authors:
- Lu Gao
- Wei Zhang
- Wen‑Qun Zhong
- Zhuo‑Jue Liu
- Hui‑Min Li
- Zi‑Li Yu
- Yi‑Fang Zhao
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Affiliations: Department of Oral Anatomy, College of Stomotology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, P.R. China, The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‑MOST) and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, P.R. China
Published online on: August 17, 2018 https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2018.6657
Pages: 2558-2572
Copyright: © Gao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is closely associated with inflammation. Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), the largest population of inflammatory cells in the tumor stroma, serve an important role in accelerating cancer progression. The present study aimed to investigate the role of TAMs in the metastasis of HNSCC. TAM biomarkers and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)‑associated proteins were detected using immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining in HNSCC. Then, direct and indirect co‑culture systems of TAMs and HNSCC cells were established. The EMT‑associated proteins and associated signaling pathways in HNSCC cells of the co‑culture system were measured by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Finally, hierarchical clustering was performed to analyze associations among TAM biomarkers, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), activated extracellular signal‑regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and EMT‑associated proteins in HNSCC tissues. The results indicated that the expression of EMT‑associated proteins was positively associated with M2 macrophage biomarkers in HNSCC tissues. Cal27 cells were isolated from the co‑culture system by fluorescence‑activated cell sorting, and it was identified that E‑cadherin was downregulated in Cal27 cells, while Vimentin and Slug were upregulated. Furthermore, the results indicated that EGF released by M2 macrophages in the co‑culture served an important role by activating ERK1/2. The correlation and cluster analyses indicated that activated ERK1/2 was positively correlated with cluster of differentiation‑163, EGFR, Vimentin and Slug. This suggested that TAMs may induce the EMT of cancer cells by activating the EGFR/ERK1/2 signaling pathway in HNSCC, which may be a promising approach to suppressing cancer metastasis.

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