Tumor development in murine ulcerative colitis depends on MyD88 signaling of colonic F4/80+CD11b(high)Gr1(low) macrophages

J Clin Invest. 2011 May;121(5):1692-708. doi: 10.1172/JCI42540. Epub 2011 Apr 25.

Abstract

Patients with prolonged ulcerative colitis (UC) frequently develop colorectal adenocarcinoma for reasons that are not fully clear. To analyze inflammation-associated colonic tumorigenesis, we developed a chronic form of oxazolone-induced colitis in mice that, similar to UC, was distinguished by the presence of IL-13-producing NKT cells. In this model, the induction of tumors using azoxymethane was accompanied by the coappearance of F4/80+CD11b(high)Gr1(low) M2 macrophages, cells that undergo polarization by IL-13 and are absent in tumors that lack high level IL-13 production. Importantly, this subset of macrophages was a source of tumor-promoting factors, including IL-6. Similar to dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis, F4/80+CD11b(high)Gr1(intermediate) macrophages were present in the mouse model of chronic oxazolone-induced colitis and may influence tumor development through production of TGF-β1, a cytokine that inhibits tumor immunosurveillance. Finally, while robust chronic oxazolone-induced colitis developed in myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88-deficient (Myd88-/-) mice, these mice did not support tumor development. The inhibition of tumor development in Myd88-/- mice correlated with cessation of IL-6 and TGF-β1 production by M2 and F4/80+CD11b(high)Gr1(intermediate) macrophages, respectively, and was reversed by exogenous IL-6. These data show that an UC-like inflammation may facilitate tumor development by providing a milieu favoring development of MyD88-dependent tumor-supporting macrophages.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Ly / metabolism
  • CD11b Antigen / metabolism*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Colitis / chemically induced
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / metabolism*
  • Inflammation
  • Interleukin-13 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Macrophages / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / metabolism*
  • Oxazolone / pharmacology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens, Ly
  • CD11b Antigen
  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-6
  • Ly6G antigen, mouse
  • Myd88 protein, mouse
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • Oxazolone