Obesity modulates the immune macroenvironment associated with breast cancer development

Growing evidence demonstrates a strong correlation between obesity and an increased risk of breast cancer, although the mechanisms involved have not been completely elucidated. Some reports have described a crosstalk between adipocytes, cancer cells, and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, however, it is currently unknown whether obesity can promote tumor growth by inducing systemic alterations of the immune cell homeostasis in peripheral lymphoid organs and adipose tissue. Here, we used the E0771 breast cancer cell line in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity to analyze the immune subpopulations present in the tumors, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and spleen of lean and obese mice. Our results showed a significant reduction in the frequency of infiltrating CD8+ T cells and a decreased M1/M2 macrophage ratio, indicative of the compromised anti-tumoral immune response reported in obesity. Despite not finding differences in the percentage or numbers of intratumoral Tregs, phenotypic analysis showed that they were enriched in CD39+, PD-1+ and CCR8+ cells, compared to the draining lymph nodes, confirming the highly immunosuppressive profile of infiltrating Tregs reported in established tumors. Analysis of peripheral T lymphocytes showed that tumor development in obese mice was associated to a significant increase in the percentage of peripheral Tregs, which supports the systemic immunosuppressive effect caused by the tumor. Interestingly, evaluation of immune subpopulations in the VAT showed that the characteristic increase in the M1/M2 macrophage ratio reported in obesity, was completely reversed in tumor-bearing mice, resembling the M2-polarized profile found in the microenvironment of the growing tumor. Importantly, VAT Tregs, which are commonly decreased in obese mice, were significantly increased in the presence of breast tumors and displayed significantly higher levels of Foxp3, indicating a regulatory feedback mechanism triggered by tumor growth. Altogether, our results identify a complex reciprocal relationship between adipocytes, immune cells, and the tumor, which may modulate the immune macroenvironment that promotes breast cancer development in obesity.