The
cytokine network of tumour microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in
cancer growth and progression. The current work aims to provide a new strategy for
cancer therapy based on the targeted regulation of
cytokines in the TME. Here,
heparin-coupled
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-H)
microspheres have been developed as an adsorbent for selectively remove tumour-induced immunosuppressive
cytokines, such as
vascular endothelial growth factor (
VEGF) and
transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), but not tumour
necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) which has an immune-stimulating effect and can inhibit tumour growth. The proliferation and apoptosis of
breast cancer cells after perfusion were tested by cell viability assays, flow cytometry analysis and
mRNA microarray assays. Results showed that the PVA-H
microspheres efficiently absorbed the majority of
VEGF (74.39%) and TGF-β (86.39%), but much less TNF-α (4.16%). The regulation of the
cytokines had remarkable anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on
breast cancer cells, which was further confirmed from the change of
mRNA expression levels. Thus, targeting regulatory pathways within the TME by an affinity adsorbent that selectively depletes immunosuppressive
cytokines is potentially a new and promising strategy for
cancer therapy.