Cell-in-cell phenomenon: leukocyte engulfment by non-tumorigenic cells and cancer cell lines

Mareike F Bauer,Michael Hader,Luitpold V R Distel,Maike Büttner-Herold,Rainer Fietkau,Markus Hecht

doi:10.1186/s12860-021-00377-3

Mareike F Bauer, Michael Hader + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12860-021-00377-3

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundResearch on cell-in-cell (CIC) phenomena, including entosis, emperipolesis and cannibalism, and their biological implications has increased in recent years. Homotypic and heterotypic engulfment of various target cells by numerous types of host cells has been studied in vitro and in tissue sections. This work has identified proteins involved in the mechanism and uncovered evidence for CIC as a potential histopathologic predictive and prognostic marker in cancer. Our experimental study focused on non-professional phagocytosis of leukocytes.ResultsWe studied the engulfment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from healthy donors by counting CIC structures. Two non-tumorigenic cell lines (BEAS-2B, SBLF-9) and two tumour cell lines (BxPC3, ICNI) served as host cells. Immune cells were live-stained and either directly co-incubated or treated with irradiation or with conventional or microwave hyperthermia. Prior to co-incubation, we determined leukocyte viability for each batch via Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining.All host cells engulfed their targets, with uptake rates ranging from 1.0% ± 0.5% in BxPC3 to 8.1% ± 5.0% in BEAS-2B. Engulfment rates of the cancer cell lines BxPC3 and ICNI (1.6% ± 0.2%) were similar to those of the primary fibroblasts SBLF-9 (1.4% ± 0.2%). We found a significant negative correlation between leukocyte viability and cell-in-cell formation rates. The engulfment rate rose when we increased the dose of radiotherapy and prolonged the impact time. Further, microwave hyperthermia induced higher leukocyte uptake than conventional hyperthermia.Using fluorescent immunocytochemistry to descriptively study the proteins involved, we detected ring-like formations of diverse proteins around the leukocytes, consisting, among others, of α-tubulin, integrin, myosin, F-actin, and vinculin. These results suggest the involvement of actomyosin contraction, cell-cell adhesion, and the α-tubulin cytoskeleton in the engulfment process.ConclusionsBoth non-tumorigenic and cancer cells can form heterotypic CIC structures by engulfing leukocytes. Decreased viability and changes caused by microwave and X-ray irradiation trigger non-professional phagocytosis.

Highlights

Research on cell-in-cell (CIC) phenomena, including entosis, emperipolesis and cannibalism, and their biological implications has increased in recent years
Non-tumorigenic tissue and cancer cell lines have the capacity to engulf leukocytes Recent experiments run in our laboratory found that dead target cells resulted in a higher rate of homotypic non-professional phagocytosis [29]
Assuming heterotypic non-professional phagocytosis has similar properties, we initially used leukocytes exposed to 56 °C hyperthermia as target cells

Summary

Introduction

Research on cell-in-cell (CIC) phenomena, including entosis, emperipolesis and cannibalism, and their biological implications has increased in recent years. Homotypic and heterotypic engulfment of various target cells by numerous types of host cells has been studied in vitro and in tissue sections. The term refers to a phenomenon whereby one cell is inside another [1] as a result of non-professional phagocytosis [2]. Emperipolesis and cannibalism are three manifestations of this phenomenon, each of which features differences in the formation mechanisms and biological impact of cell-in-cell structures [1]. Actomyosin cytoskeleton rearrangements, cell-cell adhesion and a mechanosensitive interfacing ring [4] are some of the key players in non-professional phagocytosis [1, 4, 7, 8]

Methods

Results

Conclusion