2009. Vol. 51, N 6, p. 467-474
AMBIGUITY ROLE OF NEUTROPHILS IN ONCOGENESIS

V. N. Maltseva,1 V. G. Safronova

Institute of Cell Biophysics RAS, Pushchino, Moscow Region;
1 e-mail: MaltsevaVN@gmail.com

The review is focused on the participation of polymorphonuclear granulocytes (neutrophils) in development and spreading of a tumor. We consider both the well known functions of neutrophils (degranulation, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS)) and the recently shown one (presentation of an antigene). The special attention is focused on the ambiguity of the neutrophil role in oncogenesis. The dominant view is that neutrophils display exclusively antitumor properties. The update information testifies about protumoral activity of neutrophils: they migrate to a tumor and promote angiogenesis and metastasis at late stages of the tumor. It is interesting that certain components of neutrophil cytotoxic arsenal (ROS, cytokines, specific enzymes) participate both in antitumoral defenses of an organism and protumoral activity.

Key words:  neutrophils, cytotoxic potential, tumor growth


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