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Masakazu Nagata,1 Kazuhiro Ishizaka,1 Touko Asano1,2 1Department of Urology, Teikyo University Hospital Mizonokuchi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan; 2Department of Urology, Omori Red Cross Hospital, Ota, Tokyo, JapanCorrespondence: Touko Asano, Department of Urology, Teikyo University Hospital Mizonokuchi, 5-1-1 Futago, Takatsu, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 213-8507, Japan, Tel +81-044-844-3333, Fax +81-044-844-3208, Email touko_bg7@hotmail.co.jpPurpose: CD169+ macrophages are considered to enhance anti-tumor immunity by capturing lymph-borne dead tumor cells. The number of CD169+ macrophages in regional lymph nodes (RLNs) is positively correlated with prolonged cancer-free survival in various human cancers. However, a recent study argued against this dogma; that is, CD169+ macrophages infiltrating into the tumor were associated with poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. To explain this discrepancy, we quantified the number of CD169+ macrophages located in the bladder tumor and RLNs of the same patients and examined their relationship with the 5-year survival rate.Patients and Methods: Tumor and RLN specimens resected from 40 invasive bladder cancer patients (29 males and 11 females; median age, 70.7 years; range, 49– 81 years) who underwent radical cystectomy were evaluated using immunostaining.Results: The number of CD169+ macrophages in RLNs was associated with a good cancer prognosis, while CD169+ macrophages infiltrating the tumor strongly correlated with a higher incidence of lymphovascular invasion.Conclusion: CD169+ macrophages play opposing roles in the induction of anti-tumor immunity based on their location in RLNs or tumors.Keywords: anti-tumor immunity, tumor-associated macrophage, CD169 |
