CSF-1-induced DC-SIGN + macrophages are present in the ovarian endometriosis

• Published in: Reproductive biology and endocrinology Vol. 20; no. 1; p. 48
• Main Authors: Xiaocui, Li, Wei, Hong, Yunlang, Cai, Zhenzhen, Zheng, Min, An
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 08.03.2022; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Analysis; Animals; Ascitic Fluid - metabolism; Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism; Coculture Techniques; CSF-1; DC-SIGN+ macrophages; Endometriosis; Endometriosis - genetics; Endometriosis - metabolism; Enzymes; Female; Gene Expression; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Lectins, C-Type - metabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - cytology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - genetics; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - metabolism; Macrophages; Macrophages - cytology; Macrophages - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Middle Aged; Ovarian Diseases - genetics; Ovarian Diseases - metabolism; Physiological aspects; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 1 - metabolism; T cells; THP-1 Cells; Treg cells; Young Adult; United Kingdom; China; Endometriosis; Treg cells; DC-SIGN+ macrophages; CSF-1
• ISSN: 1477-7827; 1477-7827
• DOI: 10.1186/s12958-022-00901-w

Researchers have found that macrophages are the predominant cells in the peritoneal fluid (PF) of endometriosis patients. CSF-1 has been found to accumulate in the lesions and PF of endometriosis patients, and CSF-1 induces THP-1-derived macrophages to polarize toward a CD169 DC-SIGN phenotype. Does the cytokine CSF-1 induce monocytes to differentiate into macrophages with a DC-SIGN phenotype in endometriosis? The level of CSF-1 in the endometrium of control subjects, and the eutopic, and ectopic endometrium of endometriosis patients was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the PF of control and endometriosis patients. CSF-1 expression was examined with a MILLIPLEX MAP Mouse Cytokine/Chemokine Magnetic Bead Panel. DC-SIGN macrophages were detected by immunohistochemical staining of tissues and flow cytometric analysis of the PF of control subjects (N = 25) and endometriosis (N = 35) patients. The phenotypes and biological activities of CSF-1 -induced macrophages were compared in an in vitro coculture system with peripheral blood lymphocytes from control subjects. In this study, we found that the proportion of DC-SIGN CD169 macrophages was higher in the abdominal immune microenvironment of endometriosis patients. CSF-1 was primarily secreted from ectopic lesions and peritoneum in mice with endometriosis. In addition, CSF-1 induced the polarization of macrophages toward a DC-SIGN CD169 phenotype; this effect was abolished by the addition of an anti-CSF-1R antibody. CSF-1 induced the generation of DC-SIGN macrophages, leading to a depressed status of peripheral blood lymphocytes, including a high percentage of Treg cells and a low percentage of CD8 T cells. Similarly, blockade with the anti-CSF-1R antibody abrogated this biological effect. This is the first study on the role of DC-SIGN macrophages in the immune microenvironment of endometriosis. Further study of the mechanism and biological activities of CSF-1-induced DC-SIGN macrophages will enhance our understanding of the physiology of endometriosis.