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Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) exhibit the M2 phenotype and serve as critical tumor-promoting immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. As TAMs are an important target, we examined the effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with radiotherapy (RT) on M2 TAMs in tumors. We synthesized CD163 antibody-conjugated, silica-coated AuNPs (CD163-GNPs) that were specifically recognized by M2 TAMs. Bone marrow-derived macrophages and Raw 264.7 macrophages were polarized into M1 and M2 phenotypes. The effect of CD163-GNPs combined with RT was evaluated in a CT26 syngeneic mouse model (BALB/c mice). Immunostaining, flow cytometry, microscopic analyses, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and tumor growth delay assay were performed following irradiation combined with CD163-GNP treatment. We observed selective phagocytosis of CD163-GNPs by Raw 264.7 macrophages following M1/M2 polarization. Immunostaining analyses revealed higher numbers of CD163-GNPs taken up by M2 macrophages than M0 or M1 type. CD163-GNPs combined with RT significantly reduced tumor growth in the CT26 syngeneic mouse model. Macrophages subjected to the combination treatment showed increased expression of M1 markers. The depletion of M2 TAMs in tumors upon combination treatment with CD163-GNPs enhances the efficiency of RT.

Purpose To investigate the serial changes of tumor hypoxia in response to single high-dose irradiation by various clinical and preclinical methods to propose an optimal fractionation schedule for stereotactic ablative radiation therapy. Methods and Materials Syngeneic Lewis lung carcinomas were grown either orthotopically or subcutaneously in C57BL/6 mice and irradiated with a single dose of 15 Gy to mimic stereotactic ablative radiation therapy used in the clinic. Serial [ 18 F]-misonidazole (F-MISO) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, pimonidazole fluorescence-activated cell sorting analyses, hypoxia-responsive element-driven bioluminescence, and Hoechst 33342 perfusion were performed before irradiation (day −1), at 6 hours (day 0), and 2 (day 2) and 6 (day 6) days after irradiation for both subcutaneous and orthotopic lung tumors. For F-MISO, the tumor/brain ratio was analyzed. Results Hypoxic signals were too low to quantitate for orthotopic tumors using F-MISO PET or hypoxia-responsive element-driven bioluminescence imaging. In subcutaneous tumors, the maximum tumor/brain ratio was 2.87 ± 0.483 at day −1, 1.67 ± 0.116 at day 0, 2.92 ± 0.334 at day 2, and 2.13 ± 0.385 at day 6, indicating that tumor hypoxia was decreased immediately after irradiation and had returned to the pretreatment levels at day 2, followed by a slight decrease by day 6 after radiation. Pimonidazole analysis also revealed similar patterns. Using Hoechst 33342 vascular perfusion dye, CD31, and cleaved caspase 3 co-immunostaining, we found a rapid and transient vascular collapse, which might have resulted in poor intratumor perfusion of F-MISO PET tracer or pimonidazole delivered at day 0, leading to decreased hypoxic signals at day 0 by PET or pimonidazole analyses. Conclusions We found tumor hypoxia levels decreased immediately after delivery of a single dose of 15 Gy and had returned to the pretreatment levels 2 days after irradiation and had decreased slightly by day 6. Our results indicate that single high-dose irradiation can produce a rapid, but reversible, vascular collapse in tumors.