Neutrophils support lung colonization of metastasis-initiating breast cancer cells
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- 9 December 2015
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature
- Vol. 528 (7582), 413-417
- https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16140
Abstract
Neutrophils are shown to have a role in driving the metastasis of breast cancer cells to the lung, with neutrophil-derived leukotrienes promoting metastatic initiation in the lung by expanding the sub-pool of cancer cells with high tumorigenic potential. Stefanie Wculek and Ilaria Mlanchi reveal a role for neutrophils in driving lung metastasis of breast tumours. They show in mouse models that neutrophil-derived leukotrienes promote metastatic initiation in the lung by expanding a pool of cancer cells that have high tumorigenic potential. Ablation of neutrophils, or genetic or pharmacological inhibition of leukotriene synthesis reduces metastasis. Despite progress in the development of drugs that efficiently target cancer cells, treatments for metastatic tumours are often ineffective. The now well-established dependency of cancer cells on their microenvironment1 suggests that targeting the non-cancer-cell component of the tumour might form a basis for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. However, the as-yet poorly characterized contribution of host responses during tumour growth and metastatic progression represents a limitation to exploiting this approach. Here we identify neutrophils as the main component and driver of metastatic establishment within the (pre-)metastatic lung microenvironment in mouse breast cancer models. Neutrophils have a fundamental role in inflammatory responses and their contribution to tumorigenesis is still controversial2,3,4. Using various strategies to block neutrophil recruitment to the pre-metastatic site, we demonstrate that neutrophils specifically support metastatic initiation. Importantly, we find that neutrophil-derived leukotrienes aid the colonization of distant tissues by selectively expanding the sub-pool of cancer cells that retain high tumorigenic potential. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of the leukotriene-generating enzyme arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (Alox5) abrogates neutrophil pro-metastatic activity and consequently reduces metastasis. Our results reveal the efficacy of using targeted therapy against a specific tumour microenvironment component and indicate that neutrophil Alox5 inhibition may limit metastatic progression.Keywords
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