Tie2 signaling in the tumor microenvironment orchestrates breast cancer cell dissemination through TMEM doorways

Abstract

During breast cancer metastasis, tumor cells migrate toward intratumoral blood vessels and intravasate through stable structures known as TMEM (Tumor Microenvironment of Metastasis) doorways. TMEM doorways, composed of a Mena-expressing tumor cell, a Tie2hi/VEGFhi macrophage, and an endothelial cell, are clinically validated prognostic markers of distant metastasis in breast cancer and represent the exclusive sites of tumor cell intravasation. We previously demonstrated that Tie2 signaling is essential for TMEM doorway function and tumor cell intravasation. In this study, we investigated how Tie2 signaling promotes tumor cell intravasation and metastasis. Because all three TMEM doorway-associated cell types can express Tie2, we sought to determine which of these cells contribute to the Tie2 signaling-dependent vascular opening at TMEM doorways and tumor cell dissemination. We found that endothelial cells associated with TMEM doorways secrete Ang2, which stimulates VEGF-A expression in Tie2hi macrophages. Elevated VEGF-A levels at TMEM doorways increase vascular permeability, facilitating tumor cell entry into the bloodstream. Using tissue staining and line-scan analysis of Tie2 and lineage markers in human and mouse breast cancer models, we observed Tie2 expression in macrophages, tumor cells, and endothelial cells. To assess functional contributions, we selectively disrupted Tie2 in macrophages, endothelial cells, and cancer cells using CRISPR-Cas9 and RNAi approaches and tested in which of these cell-knockouts of Tie2 expression affected transendothelial migration in vitro. Macrophage-specific Tie2 deletion had the greatest impact on tumor cell intravasation. To confirm this finding in vivo, we generated a mouse model with inducible, macrophage-specific Tie2 knockout. Acute, targeted loss of Tie2 specifically in macrophages significantly reduced TMEM doorway associated vascular opening and tumor cell intravasation. Together, these findings establish macrophage Tie2 signaling as a critical driver of TMEM doorway-mediated vascular permeability and metastatic dissemination in breast cancer.