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Shin AE, Good HJ, Tesfagiorgis Y, Zhang L, Kerfoot S, Sherman PM, Wang TC, Howlett CJ, Asfaha S. A1 F4/80+LY6CHI MACROPHAGES ARE KEY TO CANCER INITIATION IN COLITIS. J Can Assoc Gastroenterol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jcag/gwab002.000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death, with a major risk factor being chronic inflammation. Thus, patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at an increased risk of CRC. Despite the clear association between inflammation and cancer, the mechanism by which colitis leads to CRC is still not well understood.
Aims
In this study, we aim to explore the mechanism by which inflammation contributes to the initiation of colitis-associated cancer (CAC). We hypothesize that dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis leads to the infiltration of a specific immune cell type associated with tumorigenesis.
Methods
Following an injection of azoxymethane (AOM), mice were treated with the colitis-inducing agents DSS, trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), oxazolone (oxa), Citrobacter rodentium, or Doxorubicin (Doxo). The tumor studies were repeated using our published Cre-dependent murine model of CAC. To generate tamoxifen-inducible Cre transgenic mice that allow for Dclk1+ cell lineage tracing and cell-specific knock-out of the tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), we crossed our Dclk1CreERT2 mice to both ROSA26tdTomato and APCfl/fl mice (Dclk1/APCfl/fl).
Results
Treatment with DSS, TNBS, oxa, C. rodentium, or Doxo induced colonic inflammation as detected by increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and histologic analysis. DSS administration led to colonic tumors, whereas TNBS, oxa, C. rodentium, or Doxo did not lead to tumorigenesis up to 52 weeks following colitis induction. Upon flow cytometric analysis of several types of immune cells in the colonic tissue, we observed no difference in the number of T and B cells between mice treated with various colitis inducing agents. We did, however, detect significantly increased levels of Ly6G+ neutrophils and F4/80+Ly6Chi macrophages in the DSS-treated mice when compared to mice in the other models of colitis. mRNA and protein array analyses of the colonic tissue, as well as analysis of the RNA-seq data from 206 UC patients (GSE109142), revealed upregulated expression of genes associated with macrophages and neutrophils. Addition of macrophage-produced cytokines, such as IL-1β, TNF-α, or IL-6, induced lineage tracing of Dclk1+ tuft cells in intestinal organoids. Clodronate liposome-mediated depletion of F4/80+Ly6Chi macrophages significantly reduced the number of colonic tumors but did not affect tumor size in Dclk1/APCfl/fl mice.
Conclusions
Our data suggest that infiltration of F4/80+Ly6Chi macrophages, unique to DSS-induced colitis, leads to colonic tumor formation. This demonstrates that specific immune cell types, rather than the presence of colonic inflammation, plays an important role in the initiation of CAC.
Funding Agencies
CAG, CIHR
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Shin
- Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, ON, Canada
| | - H J Good
- Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, ON, Canada
| | - Y Tesfagiorgis
- Western University Department of Microbiology and Immunology, London, ON, Canada
| | - L Zhang
- Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, ON, Canada
| | - S Kerfoot
- Western University Department of Microbiology and Immunology, London, ON, Canada
| | - P M Sherman
- SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - T C Wang
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - C J Howlett
- London Health Sciences Centre University Hospital, London, ON, Canada
| | - S Asfaha
- Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, ON, Canada
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Shin AE, Good HJ, Tesfagiorgis Y, Zhang L, Kerfoot SM, Sherman PM, Wang TC, Asfaha S. A16 ROLE OF MYELOID CELLS IN THE INITIATION OF COLITIS-ASSOCIATED COLON CANCER. J Can Assoc Gastroenterol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jcag/gwz047.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death, with a major risk factor being chronic inflammation. Despite the clear association between inflammation and cancer, the mechanism by which colitis leads to CRC is not well understood. We recently showed that the presence of inflammation does not always correlate with colonic tumorigenesis, as the type of colitis (i.e. colitis-inducing agent) appears to be important for tumor initiation.
Aims
In this study, we aim to explore the mechanism by which inflammation contributes to the initiation of colitis-associated cancer. We hypothesized that dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis leads to the infiltration of a specific immune cell type that is associated with colonic tumorigenesis.
Methods
To generate tamoxifen-inducible Cre transgenic mice that allow for Dclk1+ cell lineage tracing and cell-specific knock-out of the tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), we first crossed our transgenic Dclk1CreERT2 mice to both ROSA26tdTomato and APCfl/fl mice (Dclk1/APCfl/fl). Following Tamoxifen induction, mice were treated with the colitis-inducing agents DSS, trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), oxazolone, or Citrobacter rodentium. The tumor studies were repeated using azoxymethane (AOM)-DSS induced colitis-associated cancer model.
Results
Treatment with any of the four colitis-inducing agents (DSS, TNBS, oxazolone, or C. rodentium) induced colonic inflammation as detected by increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and histologic analysis. Interestingly, DSS administration led to colonic tumors, whereas TNBS, oxazolone, or C. rodentium did not, even up to 52 weeks following colitis induction. FACS analysis of immune cells in the colon revealed no difference in the number of T or B cells in mice treated with any of the colitis-inducing agents. We did, however, detect significantly increased levels of Ly6G+ neutrophils and F4/80+ macrophages in DSS-treated mice compared to mice in any of the other three models of colitis. Consistent with this myeloid cell infiltration, significantly upregulated protein levels of G-CSF, IL-6, TNF-α, and CXCL1 were detected in DSS-treated mice compared to the other three models of colitis. IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-β levels were unchanged.
Conclusions
Our data suggest that infiltration of Ly6G+ neutrophils and pro-inflammatory F4/80+ macrophages, unique to DSS-induced colitis, contributes to colonic tumor formation. These data demonstrate that specific immune cell types, rather than the presence of colonic inflammation, play a critical role in the initiation of colitis-associated CRC.
Funding Agencies
CAG, CIHR
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Shin
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - H J Good
- University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Y Tesfagiorgis
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - L Zhang
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - S M Kerfoot
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - P M Sherman
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - T C Wang
- Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - S Asfaha
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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