1. G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 regulating β2-adrenergic receptor signaling in M2-polarized macrophages contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma progression
- Author
-
Wu JJ, Yang Y, Peng WT, Sun JC, Sun WY, and Wei W
- Subjects
hepatocellular carcinoma ,tumor microenvironment ,macrophage ,beta2-adrenoceptor ,G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 ,therapeutic target ,Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens ,RC254-282 - Abstract
Jing-Jing Wu1,2, Yang Yang,3 Wen-Ting Peng,1 Jia-Chang Sun,1 Wu-Yi Sun,1 Wei Wei11Institute of Clinical Pharmacology of Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230032, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230036, People’s Republic of ChinaBackground: β2-adrenoceptors (β2-ARs) are expressed on the surface of immune cells, including tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Previous studies have demonstrated that the expression of β2-ARs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is significantly increased in vitro. However, the role of β2-AR in M2-polarized macrophages remains unclear. G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) can regulate G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Previous studies showed that down-regulation of GRK2 in HCC contributes the HCC progression, but it still remains unclear whether the regulation of β2-AR in M2-polarized macrophages by GRK2 can promote HCC.Purpose: The present study was designed to investigate the role of activated β2-AR in M2-polarized macrophages in the HCC progression and GRK2 regulatory effect, as well as the underlying mechanisms involved.Results: The results demonstrated that the M2-polarized macrophages were increased with HCC progression. In vitro, the activation of β2-AR by terbutaline in M2-polarized macrophages elevated the proliferative, migratory and invasive attributes of HCC cells. Furthermore, GRK2 down-regulation in β2-AR activated M2-polarized macrophages activated the downstream cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A/cAMP-response element binding protein and cAMP/interleukin-6/signal transducer and the activator of transcription 3 signaling pathways, contributing to the secretion of tumor-associated cytokines, and thus resulting in the promotion of malignant biological behavior in HCC cells.Conclusion: These findings suggest that the regulation of β2-AR occurs through the silencing of GRK2 in M2-polarized macrophages, which is conducive to HCC development, through its engagement in the activation of downstream signaling.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, tumor microenvironment, macrophage, beta2-adrenoceptor, G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2, therapeutic target
- Published
- 2019