Macrophage phenotype-switching in cancer

Jiamin Zhang; Xiaoyan Zhou; Hua Hao

doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175229

Macrophage phenotype-switching in cancer

Eur J Pharmacol. 2022 Sep 15:931:175229. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175229. Epub 2022 Aug 21.

Authors

Jiamin Zhang¹, Xiaoyan Zhou², Hua Hao³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, PR China.
² Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, PR China. Electronic address: zhouxiaoyan@ncu.edu.cn.
³ Department of Pathology, Yangpu Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200090, PR China. Electronic address: haohua410@tongji.edu.cn.

PMID: 36002039
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175229

Abstract

Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) have been found to be of great importance in tumorigenesis and in promoting malignant progression, including tumour angiogenesis and metastasis. Moreover, the TAM phenotype is more likely to be an M2 type. Transforming TAMs by M2-polarization into the tumour-suppressive M1-phenotype is an important approach for tumour therapy. In this review, we analysed the effects of the tumour microenvironment on macrophage phenotype-switching, including hypoxia and cytokines, and the mechanisms of drugs targeting TAMs. Furthermore, we analysed the effects of exosomes on macrophage polarization, phenotype switching of macrophages, and the mechanisms of lipid mediators targeting TAMs.

Keywords: Cancer; M1 macrophage; M2 macrophage; Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs).

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Macrophage Activation
Macrophages*
Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Neoplasms* / pathology
Phenotype
Tumor Microenvironment