FIGURE 6:

TAMs display antitumor properties due to inflammatory cytokine secretion in response to TRAIL. (A) RT-PCR assay of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α expression in TAMs. Nude mice xenografted with NCI H460 cells were injected intravenously every other day with rsTRAIL or PBS control. Tumor masses were harvested after 2 wk, and TAMs were separated to detect the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. (B) RT-PCR assay of miR-146a in TAMs from NCI H460 solid tumors. (C) Schematic of a coculture assay of NCI H460 cells and differentiated macrophages. (D) Survival assay of NCI H460 lung carcinoma cells. The cells were treated for 48 h with 1 μg/μl of rsTRAIL in the presence of THP-1–derived TAMs. Survival percent of NCI H460 cells without THP-1–derived TAM coculture was used as control. (E) ELISA of TNF-α in culture medium of the THP-1–derived TAMs. The TAMs were treated for 48 h with 1 μg/μl of rsTRAIL or PBS. (F) Survival assay of NCI H460 lung carcinoma cells. The cells were treated for 48 h with 1 μg/μl of rsTRAIL in the presence of THP-1–derived TAMs. The TAMs were transfected with miR-146a inhibitor or NC before the coculture. (G) ELISA of TNF-α in culture medium of the THP-1–derived TAMs. The TAMs that were first transfected with miR-146a inhibitor or NC were treated for 48 h with 1 μg/μl of rsTRAIL or PBS. Data are mean ± SD (n = 3) of three independent experiments. *, p < 0.05, **, p < 0.01, ***, p < 0.001 compared with control.