Abstract:
Objective This work aims to determine the effects of the induction of gastric cancer cells on macrophages and the damaging effect of activated peritoneal macrophages on the peritoneal mesothelial cells.
Methods The human macrophage cell line THP- 1 was co-cultured with either the human normal gastric epithelial cell line GES-1 or the poorly differentiated human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901. The induction effects of the gastric cells on the THP- 1 cells was then studied. The effects of the activated macrophages on the human peritoneal mesothelial cell line HMR-SV 5 were further studied.
Results The gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 induced THP- 1 cells to become tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), which had distinctive morphological features. Induction significantly reduced the expression of the M1-type macrophage surface antigens, such as CD80 and CD86, and significantly increased the expression of the M2-type macrophage surface antigens, such as CD163. The activated macrophages brought about a significant growth inhibition and apoptosis of the mesothelial cell HMR-SV 5, The HMR-SV5 cell also underwent a conspicuous epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
Conclusion Gastric cancer cells could induce morphological and phenotypic changes in the macrophages, which can in turn cause mesothelial cell damage, apoptosis, and EMT, thus creating a favorable microenvironment for peritoneal carcinomatosis.