ArticleBreast cancer research : BCR2025
Carcinomas exhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition manifest an M2 macrophage-enriched tumor immune microenvironment.
Article in Breast cancer research : BCR, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- A bibliometric analysis of global research trends in adoptive cell therapy for triple negative breast cancer over the past 15 years.Discover oncology · 2026Article
- Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and immunosuppression: Two sides of the same coin.Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS · 2026Review
- Phosphatases in tumor cell immune escape: a perspective based on the camouflage, coercion, cytoprotection.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026Review
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundEpithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is linked to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). However, direct comparisons of the TME in paired tumor regions with and without EMT in primary tumors-essential for elucidating EMT's impact on the TME-are still lacking.
methodsUsing Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) assay and NanoString nCounter Digital Profiling, we analyzed immune-oncology-related markers in the TME of no special type (NST) and paired spindle carcinomatous (SPS) components, the later considered the EMT counterpart of the former, in nine cases of metaplastic breast carcinoma, a type of mammary carcinosarcoma.
resultsWe identified macrophage markers as consistently and significantly enriched immune-oncology-related proteins within the TME profiles of SPS components compared to their paired NST counterparts. Additionally, we observed notable enrichment of macrophage-related signatures, M2 macrophage phenotypes, M2 macrophage-inducing cytokines, and M2 macrophage-related genes, as key distinctions in the TME profiles of SPS components relative to NST counterparts. Immunohistochemistry and multiplex immunofluorescence confirmed the presence of M2 macrophages, predominantly characterized by CD14
conclusionsGiven the immunosuppressive role of M2 macrophages, our findings suggest that an EMT-driven, M2 macrophage-enriched TME-a consistent phenomenon across organs-can contribute to immune suppression. This underscores the therapeutic potential of macrophage-targeting strategies and immune checkpoint inhibition in treating aggressive carcinosarcomas characterized by EMT-mediated, M2 macrophage-rich TMEs.
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