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Prolactin regulates antitumor immune response through induction of tumoricidal macrophages and release of IL‐12
Author(s) -
Majumder Biswanath,
Biswas Ratna,
Chattopadhyay Utpala
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.1624
Subject(s) - immune system , cytokine , prolactin , cytotoxicity , macrophage , macrophage activating factor , monocyte , cancer research , biology , hormone , in vitro , chemistry , immunology , endocrinology , lymphokine , biochemistry
Abstract The involvement of PRL in regulating monocyte/macrophage functions is suggested by the presence of PRL‐Rs in these cells. Here, we show that PRL, though it failed to activate mouse peritoneal resident macrophages (RMs), acted as a second signal and activated mouse peritoneal inflammatory macrophages (EMs) to a tumoricidal state. The cytotoxicity of mouse tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) isolated at day 1 of tumor (Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, EAC) growth was enhanced by PRL. However, with progression of tumor growth, TAMs became nonresponsive to the hormone. PRL‐induced killing of P815 target cells by EMs and TAMs was independent of TNF but correlated with the hormone‐induced augmentation of NO 2 − and O 2 − release in these macrophages. Administration of PRL in vivo inhibited EAC growth and augmented NO 2 − release by TAMs. PRL synergized with the TH1 cytokine IFN‐γ, a known activator of macrophages, in inducing tumor killing and release of NO 2 − from EMs and TAMs. The hormone might activate macrophages at least partially, through the release of IFN‐γ as anti‐IFN‐γ blocked IFN‐γ– as well as PRL‐induced cytotoxicity in EMs. The TH2 cytokine IL‐4 suppressed PRL‐induced activation of macrophages. PRL induced release of IL‐12 from EMs also, which suggested that the hormone might drive the TH1 response through IL‐12. Our observations further suggest that PRL alone and in synergy with IFN‐γ, released through induction of IL‐12, may generate tumoricidal macrophages and thus regulate the antitumor immune response of tumor hosts. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.