Neutrophils: Accomplices in metastasis

Kunjie Zhu; Panchun Li; Yongzhen Mo; Jie Wang; Xianjie Jiang; Junshang Ge; Weilun Huang; Yan Liu; Yanyan Tang; Zhaojian Gong; Qianjin Liao; Xiaoling Li; Guiyuan Li; Wei Xiong; Zhaoyang Zeng; Jianjun Yu

doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2020.07.028

Neutrophils: Accomplices in metastasis

Cancer Lett. 2020 Nov 1:492:11-20. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.07.028. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

Authors

Kunjie Zhu¹, Panchun Li², Yongzhen Mo³, Jie Wang³, Xianjie Jiang³, Junshang Ge³, Weilun Huang⁴, Yan Liu⁵, Yanyan Tang⁴, Zhaojian Gong², Qianjin Liao⁴, Xiaoling Li¹, Guiyuan Li¹, Wei Xiong¹, Zhaoyang Zeng⁶, Jianjun Yu⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
² Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
³ NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁴ Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁵ Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁶ Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: zengzhaoyang@csu.edu.cn.
⁷ Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: dryujianjun@sina.com.

PMID: 32745581
DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.07.028

Abstract

Metastasis is a critical cause of treatment failure and death in patients with advanced malignancies. Tumor cells can leave the primary site and enter the bloodstream; these circulating tumor cells then colonize target organs by overcoming blood shear stress, evading immune surveillance, and silencing the offensive capabilities of immune cells, eventually forming metastatic foci. From leaving the primary focus to the completion of distant metastasis, malignant tumor cells are supported and/or antagonized by certain immune cells. In particular, it has been found that myeloid granulocytes play an important role in this process. This review therefore aims to comprehensively describe the significance of neutrophils in solid tumor metastasis in terms of their supporting role in initiating the invasion and migration of tumor cells and assisting the colonization of circulating tumor cells in distant target organs, with the hope of providing insight into and ideas for anti-tumor metastasis treatment of tumor patients.

Keywords: Circulating tumor cells; Metastasis; Neutrophils; Tumor cell dissemination; Tumor microenvironment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Blood Platelets / physiology
Cell Movement
Humans
Neoplasm Invasiveness
Neoplasm Metastasis* / prevention & control
Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / pathology
Neutrophils / physiology*