Expression of Plasminogen Activator as a Marker of Stimulation in Tumor-Associated Macrophages

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Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are a peculiar subpopulation of resident phagocytes with activities possibly important at the tumor host interface. Among these activities the production of proteases could obviously influence tumor cell detachment and migration from the primary. We have evaluated the expression of plasminogen activator (PA) in different types of murine tumors with differing immunogenic capacity. In TAM from all tumors studied the expression of PA was markedly greater than that of resident peritoneal macrophages. The fact that PA was similarly enhanced in peritoneal macrophages responding to a standard stimulation (thioglycolate) and in TAM suggests that the expression of PA is part of a more general cellular inflammatory response to injury.