Myeloid ERK5 deficiency suppresses tumor growth by blocking protumor macrophage polarization via STAT3 inhibition

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707929115
• Publication Date: 2018-03-05T21:07:47Z
• Authors: Emanuele Giurisato; Qiuping Xu; Silvia Lonardi; Brian Telfer; Ilaria Russo; Adam Pearson; Katherine G. Finegan; Wenbin Wang; Jinhua Wang; Nathanael S. Gray; William Vermi; Zhengui Xia; Cathy Tournier
• Keywords: Blocking (statistics); Macrophage polarization

Significance Macrophages can be functionally reprogrammed by the tumor microenvironment to further growth and malignancy. In this study, we have discovered that pathological process is dependent on ERK5 MAPK. Accordingly, demonstrated inactivation of in macrophages blocked phosphorylation STAT3, a transcription factor crucial for determining macrophage polarity, impaired melanoma carcinoma grafts. These results raise possibility targeting protumor via anti-ERK5 therapy constitutes very attractive strategy cancer treatment. This important given detection large numbers human tumors often correlates with poor prognosis, but also response anticancer agents.