KCNE3 Facilitates M1 Macrophage Polarization by Suppressing the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway, Inhibiting Glioma Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion.

Abstract

The glioma microenvironment is critical for tumor growth, where reprogramming M2-polarized tumor-associated macrophages/microglia (TAMs) to an antitumor M1 phenotype represents a promising therapeutic strategy. While the potassium channel regulatory subunit KCNE3 has been implicated in tumorigenesis across malignancies, its functional role in shaping the glioma microenvironment remains undefined. Here, we leveraged transcriptome data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to identify KCNE3 as a TAM-enriched gene in gliomas. To interrogate its mechanistic contributions, we generated KCNE3-knockdown and overexpressing macrophages and evaluated their impact on glioma cells in coculture systems. Silencing KCNE3 in macrophages significantly attenuated glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, accompanied by enhanced M1 polarization. Mechanistically, KCNE3 depletion suppressed Wnt/β-catenin signaling, driving increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12. Conversely, KCNE3 overexpression reversed these effects, promoting M2-like characteristics and tumor-supportive behaviors. These findings establish KCNE3 as a key modulator of TAM phenotype and glioma progression, suggesting that targeted KCNE3 inhibition may disarm pro-tumorigenic immune responses to improve therapeutic outcomes. This study uncovers a novel actionable method in glioma immunotherapy.