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Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Saturated Fatty Acids Induce Ceramide-associated Macrophage Cell Death
Published on: October 31, 2017
Expression of Adipocyte/Macrophage Fatty Acid-Binding Protein in Tumor-Associated Macrophages Promotes Breast Cancer
Jiaqing Hao1, Fei Yan2, Yuwen Zhang1
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.
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.
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