Array-based gene expression analysis of M1/M2-polarized macrophages during treatment with multi-kinase inhibitor Sorafenib

Background: Multi-kinase inhibitor Sorafenib is the only approved systemic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and also exerts modulation of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), enhancing tumor-directed immune responses. Aiming for a better understanding of these effects we searched for gene expression signatures following Sorafenib treatment of cultured macrophages with a classical (M1) or an alternative TAM-like (M2) polarization state. Methods: Monocyte-derived macrophages either polarized in presence of GM-CSF (M1) or CSF-1 (M2) for 7 days were cultured with Sorafenib (2.5 µg/ml) for 3 hours, followe…