Blocking TGF-β Expression Attenuates Tumor Growth in Lung Cancers, Potentially Mediated by Skewing Development of Neutrophils

In the tumor microenvironment (TME), cells secrete a cytokine known as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which polarizes tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) towards a protumor phenotype. In this work, C57BL/6 mice with TGF-β1 gene knocked out selectively in myofibroblasts receive orthotopic implantation of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). Then, TANs' differentiation and tumor growth are studied both in vivo and in vitro, to examine the potential effects of TGF-β levels in TME on neutrophil polarization and cancer progression. Possible results are anticipated and discussed from various aspects. Though tumor suppression via inhibition of TGF-β signaling has been widely studied in this field, this study is the first to present a detailed experimental design for evaluating the potential antitumor effects of blocking TGF-β expression. This work provides a creative approach for cancer treatment targeting specific cytokines, and the experimental design presented here may apply to future research on other cytokines, promoting the development of novel cancer-treating strategies.