Integrins α5β1 and αvβ3 Differentially Participate in the Recruitment and Reprogramming of Tumor-associated Macrophages in the In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Breast Tumor

Abstract Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) drive the protumorigenic responses and facilitate tumor progression via matrix remodeling, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression by interacting with extracellular matrix proteins via integrins. However, the expression dynamics of integrin and its correlation with TAM functional programming in the tumors remain unexplored. In this study, we examined surface integrins’ role in TAM recruitment and phenotypic programming in a 4T1-induced murine breast tumor model. Our findings show that integrin α5β1 is upregulated in CD11b+Ly6Chi monocytes in the bone marrow and blood by day 10 after tumor induction. Subsequent analysis revealed elevated integrin α5β1 expression on tumor-infiltrating monocytes (Ly6ChiMHC class II [MHCII]low) and M1 TAMs (F4/80+Ly6ClowMHCIIhi), whereas integrin αvβ3 was predominantly expressed on M2 TAMs (F4/80+Ly6ClowMHCIIlow), correlating with higher CD206 and MERTK expression. Gene profiling of cells sorted from murine tumors showed that CD11b+Ly6G−F4/80+α5+ TAMs had elevated inflammatory genes (IL-6, TNF-α, and STAT1/2), whereas CD11b+Ly6G−F4/80+αv+ TAMs exhibited a protumorigenic phenotype (IL-10, Arg1, TGF-β, and STAT3/6). In vitro studies demonstrated that blocking integrin α5 and αv during macrophage differentiation from human peripheral blood monocytes reduced cell spreading and expression of CD206 and CD163 in the presence of specific matrix proteins, fibronectin, and vitronectin. Furthermore, RNA sequencing data analysis (GEO dataset: GSE195857) from bone marrow–derived monocytes and TAMs in 4T1 mammary tumors revealed differential integrin α5 and αv expression and their association with FAK and SRC kinase. In line with this, FAK inhibition during TAM polarization reduced SRC, STAT1, and STAT6 phosphorylation. In conclusion, these findings underscore the crucial role of integrins in TAM recruitment, polarization, and reprogramming in tumors.