Conclusions
Wasting AT during the development of cachexia may not undergo drastic changes in immune composition like those seen in obese AT. Our approach provides a framework for future immunologic analyses of cancer associated cachexia.
Methods
We performed bulk RNA-sequencing, cytokine arrays, and flow cytometry to characterize the immune landscape of visceral AT (VAT) in the setting of pancreatic and colorectal cancers.
Results
The cachexia inducing factor IL-6 is strongly elevated in the wasting VAT of cancer bearing mice, but the regulatory type 2 immune landscape which characterizes healthy VAT is maintained. Pathologic skewing toward Th1 and Th17 inflammation is absent. Similarly, the VAT of patients with colorectal cancer is characterized by a Th2 signature with abundant IL-33 and eotaxin-2, albeit also with high levels of IL-6. Conclusions: Wasting AT during the development of cachexia may not undergo drastic changes in immune composition like those seen in obese AT. Our approach provides a framework for future immunologic analyses of cancer associated cachexia.