Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2025

In vitro Enrichment of Ovarian Cancer Tumor-initiating Cells
11:37

In vitro Enrichment of Ovarian Cancer Tumor-initiating Cells

Published on: February 18, 2015

13.8K

Secreted factors from M1 macrophages drive prostate cancer stem cell plasticity by upregulating NANOG, SOX2, and CD44

Kirsi Kainulainen1, Einari A Niskanen1, Johanna Kinnunen1

  • 1Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

Oncoimmunology
|August 23, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages promote prostate cancer stemness and plasticity by secreting factors that upregulate cancer stem cell markers via NFκB signaling, impacting tumor progression.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • The tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly influences cancer progression.
  • Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are key immune cells within the TME.
  • Increased TAM density correlates with poor prognosis in prostate cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of M1 and M2 macrophages on prostate cancer lineage plasticity.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which macrophages influence prostate cancer cell behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of secreted factors from M1 and M2 macrophages.
  • Treatment of prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) with macrophage-conditioned media.
  • Assessment of gene expression for stemness markers (NANOG, KLF4, SOX2, OCT4, CD44) and androgen receptor (AR) pathway genes (PSA).
  • Inhibition of NFκB signaling using IKK16.

Main Results:

  • M1 macrophage factors upregulated stemness genes and downregulated androgen response genes in prostate cancer cells.
  • Expression of NANOG, KLF4, SOX2, OCT4, and CD44 was stimulated by M1 factors.
  • AR and PSA expression were suppressed by M1 macrophage factors.
  • NFκB inhibition downregulated NANOG, SOX2, CD44, and CSC plasticity.

Conclusions:

  • Secreted factors from M1 macrophages drive prostate cancer cell plasticity.
  • This plasticity is mediated by the upregulation of cancer stem cell markers through the NFκB signaling pathway.
Keywords:
Cancer cell plasticityprostate cancertumor-associated macrophages

More Related Videos

Evaluating the Differentiation Capacity of Mouse Prostate Epithelial Cells Using Organoid Culture10:38

Evaluating the Differentiation Capacity of Mouse Prostate Epithelial Cells Using Organoid Culture

Published on: November 22, 2019

8.9K
Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration08:49

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Published on: May 11, 2016

45.5K

Related Concept Videos

Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming01:29

Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming

Reprogramming alters the gene expression in somatic cells, transforming them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells over several generations. Scientists can reprogram cells by introducing genes for four transcription factors—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) by viral or non-viral methods. These factors are also known as Yamanaka factors after Shinya Yamanaka, who first generated iPS cells using mouse skin cells. Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012...
2.2K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.8K
Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming01:24

Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming

Nuclear reprogramming is a process of transforming one cell type into an unrelated cell type by epigenetic changes that alter the cell’s original gene expression pattern. Such epigenetic changes force cells to express a different set of genes, which play a significant role in inducing transformation into other cell types. Nuclear reprogramming offers applications in reproductive cloning for livestock propagation and regenerative medicine — developing patient-specific cells for...
1.8K
Autocrine Signaling01:01

Autocrine Signaling

Autocrine signaling is one of the many signaling mechanisms that function inside multicellular organisms to carry out intercellular communication. In this type of signaling mechanism, the same cell that secretes an extracellular signaling molecule also expresses the receptors to bind and respond to that signaling molecule.
Autocrine Signaling in Macrophages
Under normal physiological conditions, autocrine signaling is essential for maintaining homeostasis. This process is well characterized in...
47.8K
Stem Cell Niche01:26

Stem Cell Niche

The stem cell niche is the dynamic microenvironment where stem cells reside. Inside these niches, the cells may remain undifferentiated, undergo high self-renewal, or become lineage-specific progenitors. Stem cells coexist with other niche cells, such as stromal cells. They also interact closely with the ECM. Cell-cell and cell-matrix communication occur via adhesion molecules or soluble factors that signal the stem cells and determine their fate. Stromal cells also provide survival signals to...
5.0K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.5K