Oncology reports
-
Lung cancer is the most common cancer as well as the leading cause of cancer-related mortalities worldwide. Macrophages are the most abundant immune cells in primary and metastatic tumors, and contribute to tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. Macrophages have been shown to demonstrate a high level of plasticity, with the ability to undergo dynamic transition between M1 and M2 polarized phenotypes. ⋯ In NSCLC patients, the results showed that miR-130a downregulation exhibited clinical relevance as it was correlated with poor prognosis and increased tumor stage and metastasis. In addition, miR‑130a was inversely correlated with the macrophage marker, CD163, and target gene, PPARγ. Taken together, the results established miR-130a as a molecular switch during macrophage development and as a potential target for the treatment of NSCLC.