Cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) have different clinical behaviors, despite both being keratinocyte carcinomas mainly caused by ultraviolet radiation. Whether these distinct features are associated with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is largely unknown. The main goal of this study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of density and polarization states of TAMs in SCCs
versus
BCCs. The role of lactic acid in TAM polarization in SCC
versus
BCC was examined. We found that SCCs have a higher density of CD68 + TAMs compared to BCCs. TAMs in SCCs express higher levels of TAM-associated markers (arginase-1, MMP9, CD40 and CD127) than those in BCCs. Interestingly, differential expression of TAM-associated markers between SCCs and BCCs was reproduced in human monocytic THP-1 cells stimulated with SCC- or BCC-conditioned media. Analysis of soluble factor(s) in these tumors further revealed that SCCs have a significantly higher concentration of lactic acid than BCCs, and lactic acid was sufficient to upregulate TAM markers. Our results demonstrate that TAMs in SCCs
versus
BCCs differ in density and polarization states, which can be determined by soluble factors including tumor-derived lactic acid. These differences in TAMs may contribute to the distinct clinical behaviors of SCCs
versus
BCCs. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Research in context
Few studies have studied tumor-associated macrophages in the context of SCC
versus
BCC. It has been demonstrated that macrophages mobilize to the epidermis after being exposed to ultraviolet-B radiation and produce interleukin-10 (IL-10). It has also been shown that the production of IL-10 results in the evasion of T cell-mediated immunity in BCCs and SCCs. However, the relationship between TAMs and the clinical behaviors of SCCs and BCCs remains largely unclear. Our study shows that despite their similar origins, human cutaneous SCCs and BCCs are considerably different in their TAMs. To our knowledge, these results provide the first evidence of differential TAM density and polarization in SCCs
versus
BCCs, which may contribute to their characteristic clinical behaviors. Future studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms by which TAMs influence these cancers with the goal of developing therapies tailored to each type of malignancy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations鈥揷itations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.