Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Promotes the Interaction between the Tumor, Macrophages, and T Cells to Regulate the Progression of Chemically Induced Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer

Figure 3

MIF-deficient mice have worse tissue damage than WT mice. Representative comparative micrographs of MIF^-/- and WT lesions. (a) Normal histological structure of colonic mucosa from WT mice. (b) In comparison to those in WT mice, colonic crypts are shorter in MIF^-/- mice. (c) Polypoid well-differentiated adenocarcinoma in WT mice. (d) MIF^-/- mice show larger tumors than WT mice. (e) Tumors from WT mice are composed of neoplastic cells organized in well-differentiated glands, many of which show detached necrotic cells and abundant Alcian blue-positive material that correspond to mucin, denoting well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. (f) In contrast, MIF^-/- mice showed neoplastic glands with more stratified epithelium, reduced mucin production, and numerous mitotic figures (arrows) denoting a lower differentiation grade. (g) High-power micrograph of the base from the tumor that developed in WT mice, showing well-differentiated glands revisited by neoplastic epithelial cells exhibiting a large hyperchromatic nucleus. The surrounding stroma shows numerous inflammatory cells and distended blood vessels. (h) In contrast, the base of the tumor that developed in MIF^-/- mice shows smaller mildly differentiated glands, the surrounding tissue (smooth muscle) shows scarce inflammatory infiltration and neoplastic cuboidal cells, and some of these cells are in the lumen of blood vessels denoting hematogenous invasion (arrows). Photographs are representative of three independent experiments, mice per group, and samples were analyzed by a blinded histopathologist.

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