Neutrophils in Cancer: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Figure 3

Neutrophils can promote tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) help tumor invasion in several ways. TANs can secrete enzymes, such as elastase (red dots), that degrade the basement membrane and promote tumor cell invasion through the basement membrane. Once in circulation, neutrophils can also help tumor cells to survive by inducing tumor cell aggregation. Circulating tumor cells can directly adhere to arrested neutrophils via the adhesion molecule ICAM-1 on the tumor cells, and β2 integrins on neutrophils. This cell-cell interaction promotes extravasation of the tumor cells. Bone marrow-derived cells including neutrophil precursors (Gr-1⁺CD11b⁺ cells) migrate to premetastatic niches where they secrete factors that promote tumor cell growth. Blue arrows denote molecules secreted by cells. Dotted lines denote cell movement.