Macrophage conditioned medium promotes colorectal cancer stem cell phenotype via the hedgehog signaling pathway

Background There is conflicting data on the role of macrophages in colorectal cancer (CRC); some studies have shown that macrophages can exert an anti-tumor effect whereas others show that macrophages are tumor promoting. We sought to determine the role of conditioned medium (CM) from macrophages, in particular classically activated macrophages, on the development of the CSC phenotype in CRC cells, which is believed to mediate tumor growth and chemoresistance. Methods Murine (CT26) and human (HCP-1) CRC cell lines were treated with CM from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophages. The CSC population was assessed using the sphere-forming assay and aldehyde dehydrogenase assay. Chemoresistance studies were performed using the MTT assay. CSC transcription factors and SHH protein were analyzed by Western blotting. Results The results showed that LPS-activated macrophage CM induced the CSC phenotype in CRC cells. Further studies showed that the CSC phenotype was mediated by the sonic hedgehog (SHH)-Gli signaling pathway, which is known to drive self-renewal; these effects were blocked by depletion of SHH in macrophage CM. In addition, LPS-activated macrophage CM enhanced chemoresistance. Conclusions LPS-activated macrophages play an active role in promoting the CSC phenotype through activation of the SHH-Gli signaling pathway in CRC cells.