ArticleCell division2025
FGF4 drives tumor progression in triple-negative breast cancer via IL6/STAT3-mediated macrophage M2 polarization and immune suppression.
Article in Cell division, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Review
- Dual Graphene Oxide-Based Multigene Delivery for Cancer Elimination via Stromal and Immune Reprogramming.International journal of biomaterials · 2026Article
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3 authors.
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Abstract
objectiveThis study investigates how Fibroblast Growth Factor 4 (FGF4) drives triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression by modulating macrophage polarization through the IL6/STAT3 signaling axis, with a focus on immune suppression and tumor microenvironment remodeling.
methodsTNBC transcriptomic datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were analyzed to identify FGF4-associated pathways using differential gene expression analysis, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), and immune infiltration profiling via Cell-type Identification By Estimating Relative Subsets Of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT). Functional annotations (GO/KEGG) highlighted IL6/STAT3 as a key pathway. In vitro models with FGF4-overexpressing or knockdown TNBC cells were co-cultured with macrophages to assess IL6/STAT3 activation, M2 polarization markers (CD206, Arg1), and cytokine secretion (ELISA). Tumor cell behaviors (proliferation, migration, invasion) were quantified. In vivo orthotopic TNBC models in mice evaluated FGF4's impact on tumor growth, immune cell infiltration (flow cytometry), and STAT3 activity (Western blot).
resultsFGF4 was upregulated in TNBC and strongly correlated with M2 macrophage infiltration. In vitro, FGF4 activated IL6/STAT3 signaling, inducing macrophage polarization to an M2 phenotype with elevated IL-10/TGF-βsecretion and suppression of T cell proliferation. Conditioned media from M2 macrophages enhanced TNBC cell aggressiveness. In vivo, FGF4-overexpressing tumors showed higher weight and increased M2 markers, whereas FGF4 knockdown reduced tumor volume and enhanced CD8
conclusionFGF4 promotes TNBC progression by activating IL6/STAT3 to reprogram macrophages into immune-suppressive M2 effectors, fostering a tumor-permissive microenvironment. Targeting FGF4 may disrupt this crosstalk, offering a novel immunotherapeutic strategy for TNBC.
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