Journal
GASTROENTEROLOGY REPORT
Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 56-65Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/gastro/goz060
Keywords
colon cancer; liver metastasis; cyclophosphamide; immune microenvironment
Categories
Funding
- National Key Clinical Discipline
- Fundamental Research Funds for the young teacher training program of Sun Yat-sen University [18ykpy02]
- Medical Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province of China [A2016198]
- '5010 Clinical Research Programme' of Sun Yat-sen University [2010012]
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Background: The tumor immune microenvironment is one of the most important prognostic factors in liver metastasis from colorectal cancer. Low-dose cyclophosphamide (CTX) is widely believed to be involved in the modulation of the immune system. However, the underlying mechanism of low-dose CTX remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the antitumor immunity of low-dose CTX in the treatment of colon-cancer liver metastasis. Methods: Thirty mice were randomly divided into five groups. After liver metastasis was established in colon-cancer models, mice in the treatment groups were injected with low-dose CTX (20 mg/kg) at different time points. Liver and spleen tissues were examined for T-cell markers via flow cytometry. Interleukin (IL)-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 expression levels in liver tissues were analysed by immunohistochemistry. Serum interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-10 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An additional 20 mice were randomly allocated into two groups and the survival times were recorded. Results: The expression levels of CD4(+) T cells, CD8(+) T cells, and IFN-gamma were down-regulated, whereas those of IL-10 and TGF-beta 1 were up-regulated in liver metastasis from colon cancer in mice. Furthermore, the local and systemic microenvironments of the liver were altered, which led to reduced antitumor immune responses and subsequently liver metastasis. However, treatment with low-dose CTX reversed these effects. The survival times of mice treated with low-dose CTX were significantly longer than those of the other groups. Conclusions: Low-dose CTX exerts its antitumor activity by changing the systemic and local immune microenvironments and enhancing immune regulation in mice. CTX could be used as a drug to prevent and treat liver metastasis from colon cancer.
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