AEG-1 silencing attenuates M2-polarization of glioma-associated microglia/macrophages and sensitizes glioma cells to temozolomide

Glioma is the most frequent primary malignancy in the brain; temozolomide (TMZ) is the first-line chemotherapeutic agent used to combat this tumor. We showed here that astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) was overexpressed in glioma tissues and associated with a worse subtype and a poor prognosis. CCK-8 proliferation assays and clone formation experiments presented that AEG-1 knockdown sensitizes glioma cells to TMZ. The γH2AX foci formation assays indicated that AEG-1 silencing promotes TMZ-induced DNA damage in glioma cells. Glioma-associated microglia/macrophages (GAMs), the largest subpopulation infiltrating glioma, play important roles in the tumor microenvironment. Bioinformatics analyses and functional studies demonstrated that AEG-1 silencing decreased M2-polarization of HMC3 microglia and the secretion of tumor supportive cytokines IL-6 and TGF-β1. The expression of AEG-1 was positively associated with M2 markers in glioma tissues varified by IHC staining. Based on the results of Affymetrix microarray and GSEA analyses, Western blot and Co-Immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to show that AEG-1 activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling by directly interacting with GSK-3β. The co-localization of AEG-1 and GSK-3β in the cytoplasm of glioma cells was detected through immunofluorescence staining. This study raises the possibility that targeting AEG-1 might improve the efficiency of chemotherapy and reduce immunosuppressive M2 GAMs in glioma.