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Updated: Aug 14, 2025
Analysis of Microglia and Monocyte-derived Macrophages from the Central Nervous System by Flow Cytometry
Published on: June 22, 2017
Distinct spatiotemporal features of microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages in glioma
Kaveri Banerjee1, Avinoam Ratzabi1,2, Itai M Caspit1,2
1Department of Neurobiology, School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Abstract:
Gliomas are the most frequent primary tumors of the brain. Glioma progression is regulated by the tumor microenvironment, which is mainly composed of tumor-associated microglia (TA-MG) and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM). Recent studies have highlighted the distinct properties of these cells in glioma progression. However, their spatiotemporal alteration during tumor progression has not been fully explored. Using a genetic lineage tracing approach, we show that TA-MG and MDMs differ in their spatiotemporal distribution and interaction with other components of the glioma microenvironment. MDM were present only inside the tumor, whereas TA-MG accumulated both outside and inside the tumor. However, TA-MG was eliminated from the tumor mass as the tumor progressed. Depletion of MDM led to enhanced occupancy of TA-MG in the tumor core, indicating that TA-MG elimination was regulated by MDM. TA-MG and MDM are heterogeneous cell populations whose compositions and properties can change during tumor progression. Finally, MG, TA-MG and MDM were enriched in the perivascular area (PVA) compared to more distal blood vessel-associated areas. However, inside the tumor, the MDM enrichment in PVA was higher than that in TA-MG. Collectively, we established that TA-MG and MDM exhibit different spatiotemporal features in glioma, suggesting distinctive roles during tumor progression.
Insights
Tumor-associated microglia (TA-MG) and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) have distinct brain tumor roles. MDM reside within gliomas, while TA-MG are found both inside and outside, with MDM influencing TA-MG presence.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Cancer immunology
- Tumor microenvironment research
Background:
- Gliomas are primary brain tumors where the tumor microenvironment, particularly microglia and macrophages, significantly influences progression.
- Distinct roles of tumor-associated microglia (TA-MG) and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) in glioma are increasingly recognized, but their spatiotemporal dynamics remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatiotemporal distribution and interactions of TA-MG and MDM within the glioma microenvironment during tumor progression.
- To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms governing the presence of TA-MG and MDM in different tumor regions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a genetic lineage tracing approach to track TA-MG and MDM populations.
- Analyzed cell distribution within and outside the tumor core, including perivascular areas (PVA).
- Investigated the impact of MDM depletion on TA-MG accumulation.
Main Results:
- MDM were exclusively found within the tumor, whereas TA-MG were present both inside and outside.
- TA-MG were eliminated from the tumor core as glioma progressed, a process regulated by MDM presence.
- Both cell types showed enrichment in the PVA, with MDM exhibiting higher enrichment within the tumor.
Conclusions:
- TA-MG and MDM display unique spatiotemporal characteristics in the glioma microenvironment.
- These distinct behaviors suggest specialized functions for TA-MG and MDM in regulating glioma progression.
- Understanding these cell dynamics is crucial for developing targeted glioma therapies.
