Although M2 tumour-associated macrophages (M2 TAMs) have been shown to be associated with the progression and metastasis of breast cancer, their role in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains less well understood. Therefore, to understand the clinicopathological significance of infiltrated M2 TAMs in ESCC, statistical analysis was performed after immunohistochemical evaluation of CD163 expression, a well-accepted surface marker of M2 TAMs in ESCC. To gain insight into the effect of M2 TAMs, ESCC cell lines Eca109 and KYSE150 cells were co-cultured with M2 TAMs artificially induced from THP-1 cells. The variations in the proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed using the MTT, wound-healing and Transwell assays, respectively. The variation in the typical biomarkers of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was evaluated using western blotting. Infiltrated M2 TAMs were confirmed to predominate in the stroma of ESCC relative to normal controls. Moreover, it turned out that M2 TAMs were shown to promote the migration and invasion of ESCC cells but not proliferation. Furthermore, M2 TAMs were observed to induce EMT in ESCC cells. Together, our results showed that infiltrated M2 TAMs in the stroma is a feature accompanying ESCC metastasis and that M2 TAMs can promote the migration and invasion, but not proliferation, of ESCC cells, thereby inducing EMT. Thus, M2 TAMs could be an alternative therapeutic target in ESCC.

中文翻译：

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基质中浸润的M2肿瘤相关巨噬细胞可促进食管鳞状细胞癌的转移和不良生存。

尽管已显示M2肿瘤相关的巨噬细胞（M2 TAM）与乳腺癌的进展和转移有关，但它们在食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）中的作用仍知之甚少。因此，为了了解浸润的M2 TAM在ESCC中的临床病理学意义，在对CD163表达进行免疫组织化学评估后，进行了统计学分析，CD163表达是ESCC中M2 TAM的公认的表面标志。为了深入了解M2 TAM的作用，将ESCC细胞系Eca109和KYSE150细胞与从THP-1细胞人工诱导的M2 TAMs共培养。分别使用MTT，伤口愈合和Transwell测定法评估增殖，迁移和侵袭的变化。使用蛋白质印迹法评估上皮-间质转化（EMT）的典型生物标志物的变化。相对于正常对照，已证实浸润的M2 TAM在ESCC基质中占主导地位。此外，事实证明，M2 TAMs可以促进ESCC细胞的迁移和侵袭，但不能促进增殖。此外，观察到M2 TAM在ESCC细胞中诱导EMT。总之，我们的结果表明，基质中浸润的M2 TAM是伴随ESCC转移的特征，并且M2 TAM可以促进ESCC细胞的迁移和侵袭，而不是增殖，从而诱导EMT。因此，M2 TAM可能是ESCC中的替代治疗靶标。事实证明，M2 TAM可以促进ESCC细胞的迁移和侵袭，但不能促进增殖。此外，观察到M2 TAM在ESCC细胞中诱导EMT。总之，我们的结果表明，基质中浸润的M2 TAM是伴随ESCC转移的特征，并且M2 TAM可以促进ESCC细胞的迁移和侵袭，而不是增殖，从而诱导EMT。因此，M2 TAM可能是ESCC中的替代治疗靶标。事实证明，M2 TAM可以促进ESCC细胞的迁移和侵袭，但不能促进增殖。此外，观察到M2 TAM在ESCC细胞中诱导EMT。总之，我们的结果表明，基质中浸润的M2 TAM是伴随ESCC转移的特征，并且M2 TAM可以促进ESCC细胞的迁移和侵袭，而不是增殖，从而诱导EMT。因此，M2 TAM可能是ESCC中的替代治疗靶标。