ArticleOncoTargets and therapy2021
M2-Type Macrophages Induce Tregs Generation by Activating the TGF-β/Smad Signalling Pathway to Promote Colorectal Cancer Development.
Article in OncoTargets and therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers.
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Who cites it
36 citing papers in PubMed, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
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- SNX8 regulates BMPR2-mediated SMAD5 proteostasis to drive epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma.Journal of translational medicine · 2026Article
- Macrophages in oncoviral infections: from immune regulators to therapeutic targets.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2026Review
- AMSC-sEVs Ameliorated Crohn's Disease by Inhibiting Macrophage-Myofibroblast Transition Through the Delivery of MFGE8.Cell proliferation · 2026Article
- Extracellular vesicles in colorectal cancer: immunomodulation, diagnostics, and therapeutic perspectives.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2026Review
- MMPs at Work: Deciphering Their Role in the Cellular Mechanisms of Orthodontic Tooth Movement.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Targeting the chemokine-Treg axes in tumor immune evasion: from mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Sheep placental extract ameliorates polycystic ovary syndrome in rats by regulating ERβ-mediated Treg cells via the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Inhibition of fatty acid-binding protein 4 alleviates psoriasis-like skin inflammation by modulating macrophage polarization.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Review
- IL-35, IL-37, and IL-38 in acute pancreatitis: proposed immunopathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic potential.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- CTHRC1/TGF-β/Smad axis serves as therapeutic targets in inhibiting oral squamous cell carcinoma by mediating ferroptosis.Discover oncology · 2025Article
- Digital Twin Meets the Bench: Natural Compounds Reshape the Ovarian Cancer Microenvironment.Biomedicines · 2025Article
- Gastrointestinal cancer: molecular pathogenesis and targeted therapy.Molecular biomedicine · 2025Review
- Article
- Onion-Mitochondria Inhibit Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury by Shaping Lung Macrophage Mitochondrial Function.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- The controversial role of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) in cancer therapy.Molecular cancer · 2025Review
- Lidocaine Modulates Cytokine Production and Reprograms the Tumor Immune Microenvironment to Enhance Anti-Tumor Immune Responses in Gastric Cancer.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Article
- Bioinformatics analysis of miR-2861 and miR-5011-5p that function as potential tumor suppressors in colorectal carcinogenesis.BMC medical genomics · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThe increase of both M2-type macrophages and Tregs is closely associated with the development of colorectal cancer. However, the mechanism of their interaction is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the correlation of M2-type macrophages with Tregs and the possible mechanisms between them.
methodsUsing immunohistochemistry, we analysed Smad3 (a key protein in the TGF-β/Smad signalling pathway) expression in colorectal cells, as well as infiltrating numbers of CD163 (a marker for M2-type macrophages), Foxp3 (a marker for Tregs) in 250 surgically resected colorectal cancer tissues, matched normal and paracancerous tissues. The relation of CD163 and Foxp3 was investigated in CRC with clinicopathological characteristics and preoperative tumour markers.
resultsCD163, Foxp3 and Smad3 were upregulated in CRC tissues compared to matched normal and paracancerous tissues. Interestingly, CD163 and Foxp3 were significantly positively correlated in CRC, and both were significantly positively correlated with Smad3. Both CD163 and Foxp3 were upregulated with increasing tumour TNM staging, increasing number of lymph node metastases and increasing vascular invasion. Additionally, CD163 was upregulated with increasing depth of infiltration. The number of M2-type macrophages and the expression levels of preoperative CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4 were significantly positively correlated. The number of Tregs was significantly positively correlated with the expression levels of preoperative CEA and CA19-9.
conclusionM2-type macrophages may induce Tregs generation through activation of the TGF-β/Smad signalling pathway, which can promote the development of colorectal cancer.
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