A study of the correlation between M2 macrophages and lymph node metastasis of colorectal carcinoma
Abstract Background: Lymph node metastasis is a major prognostic factor of colorectal carcinoma and an important indicator for individualized treatment. M2 macrophages play a key role in carcinogenesis and tumor development, not only enhancing invasiveness, but also promoting lymph node metastasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of CD163-positive M2 macrophages on lymph node metastasis in colorectal carcinoma.Methods: Postoperative lymph node tissues were obtained from 120 patients with colorectal carcinoma who underwent radical surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University between December 2019 and May 2020. We detected the expression of the CD163 protein in lymph nodes by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, the relationship between M2 macrophages identified by this marker and lymph node metastasis were analyzed using the independent sample T-test and Chi-square test.Results: M2 macrophages were increased not only in metastatic lymph nodes, but also in non-metastatic lymph nodes adjacent to the cancer. The M2 macrophage count was higher in patients with macro-metastases than in those with micro-metastases.Conclusions: M2 macrophages represent an important factor for the promotion of lymph node metastasis in colorectal carcinoma, and may be a potential marker for its prediction. This may offer a new target for the comprehensive treatment of colorectal carcinoma.