Citations 1
Expression of Adipocyte/Macrophage Fatty Acid–Binding Protein in Tumor-Associated Macrophages Promotes Breast Cancer Progression
Hao, Jiaqing , Yan, Fei , Zhang, Yuwen , Triplett, Ashley, Zhang, Ying , Schultz, Debra A., Sun, Yanwen , Zeng, Jun , Silverstein, Kevin A.T. , Zheng, Qi , Bernlohr, David , Cleary, Margot P. , Sauter, Edward R. , Liu, Shujun , Suttles, Jill, Li, Bing , Egilmez, Nejat K.
Cancer Research | February 6, 2018 | Volume: 78 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 2343-2355
Abstract Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) play a critical role in cancer development and progression. However, the heterogeneity of TAM presents a major challenge to identify clinically relevant markers for protumor TAM. Here, we report that expression of adipocyte/macrophage fatty acid–binding protein (A-FABP) in TAM promotes breast cancer progression. Although upregulation of A-FABP was inversely associated with breast cancer survival, deficiency of A-FABP significantly reduced mammary tumor growth and metastasis. Furthermore, the protumor effect of A-FABP was mediated by TAM, in particular, in a subset of TAM with a CD11b+F4/80+MHCII−Ly6C− phenotype. A-FABP expression in TAM facilitated protumor IL6/STAT3 signaling through regulation of the NFκB/miR-29b pathway. Collectively, our results suggest A-FABP as a new functional marker for protumor TAM. Significance: These findings identify A-FABP as a functional marker for protumor macrophages, thus offering a new target for tumor immunotherapy. Cancer Res; 78(9); 2343–55. ©2018 AACR.