The combination of PKM2 overexpression and M2 macrophages infiltration confers a poor prognosis for PDAC patients

Hai Hu; Wenzhi Tu; Yungu Chen; Ming Zhu; Huan Jin; Ting Huang; Zhengzhi Zou; Qing Xia

doi:10.7150/jca.38981

The combination of PKM2 overexpression and M2 macrophages infiltration confers a poor prognosis for PDAC patients

J Cancer. 2020 Feb 3;11(8):2022-2031. doi: 10.7150/jca.38981. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Hai Hu¹, Wenzhi Tu², Yungu Chen¹, Ming Zhu³, Huan Jin⁴, Ting Huang⁴, Zhengzhi Zou⁴, Qing Xia¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oncology, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200127, China.
² The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, China.
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, China.
⁴ MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China.

Abstract

Macrophages play a critical role in the initiation and progression in various human solid tumors; however, their role and transformation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were still illusive. Here, immunohistochemistry was used to determine CD206 (specific marker of M2 macrophage) and PKM2 expression in PDAC tissues. Statistical analysis, such as Pearson χ² test, Spearman's rank test, Kaplan-Meier and COX regression assay were used to evaluate their roles on PDAC prognosis. Data showed that both CD206 and PKM2 were elevated and responsible for a poor prognosis for PDAC. In addition, we showed that the two factors were positively correlated; co-overexpression of the two factors conferred the worst prognosis and functioned as an independent prognostic factor for the disease. Our data showed that M2 macrophage infiltration was correlated with PKM2 expression in PDAC cells. The two markers exerted synergistic effect on PDAC progression. Our results suggested dual-target inhibition M2 macrophage polarization and PKM2 expression of cancer cells might be novel approaches to treat PDAC.

Keywords: PDAC; PKM2; macrophage; prognosis.