Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Anti-Cancer Therapies: Convincing the Traitors to Do the Right Thing
In the last decade, it has been well-established that tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells fuel not only the process of carcinogenesis through cancer-related inflammation mechanisms, but also tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis. In particular, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most abu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/10/3226 |
| _version_ | 1797551577281593344 |
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| author | Cristina Belgiovine Elisabeth Digifico Clément Anfray Aldo Ummarino Fernando Torres Andón |
| author_facet | Cristina Belgiovine Elisabeth Digifico Clément Anfray Aldo Ummarino Fernando Torres Andón |
| author_sort | Cristina Belgiovine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the last decade, it has been well-established that tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells fuel not only the process of carcinogenesis through cancer-related inflammation mechanisms, but also tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis. In particular, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most abundant leucocyte subset in many cancers and play a major role in the creation of a protective niche for tumor cells. Their ability to generate an immune-suppressive environment is crucial to escape the immune system and to allow the tumor to proliferate and metastasize to distant sites. Conventional therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are often not able to limit cancer growth due to the presence of pro-tumoral TAMs; these are also responsible for the failure of novel immunotherapies based on immune-checkpoint inhibition. Several novel therapeutic strategies have been implemented to deplete TAMs; however, more recent approaches aim to use TAMs themselves as weapons to fight cancer. Exploiting their functional plasticity, the reprogramming of TAMs aims to convert immunosuppressive and pro-tumoral macrophages into immunostimulatory and anti-tumor cytotoxic effector cells. This shift eventually leads to the reconstitution of a reactive immune landscape able to destroy the tumor. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on strategies able to reprogram TAMs with single as well as combination therapies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:47:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf2919e09b8c4908a68031b7c2f1e9ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:47:01Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf2919e09b8c4908a68031b7c2f1e9ab2023-11-20T16:23:12ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832020-10-01910322610.3390/jcm9103226Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Anti-Cancer Therapies: Convincing the Traitors to Do the Right ThingCristina Belgiovine0Elisabeth Digifico1Clément Anfray2Aldo Ummarino3Fernando Torres Andón4Humanitas Clinical and Research Center—IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, ItalyHumanitas Clinical and Research Center—IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, ItalyHumanitas Clinical and Research Center—IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Science, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20090 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, ItalyHumanitas Clinical and Research Center—IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, ItalyIn the last decade, it has been well-established that tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells fuel not only the process of carcinogenesis through cancer-related inflammation mechanisms, but also tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis. In particular, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most abundant leucocyte subset in many cancers and play a major role in the creation of a protective niche for tumor cells. Their ability to generate an immune-suppressive environment is crucial to escape the immune system and to allow the tumor to proliferate and metastasize to distant sites. Conventional therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are often not able to limit cancer growth due to the presence of pro-tumoral TAMs; these are also responsible for the failure of novel immunotherapies based on immune-checkpoint inhibition. Several novel therapeutic strategies have been implemented to deplete TAMs; however, more recent approaches aim to use TAMs themselves as weapons to fight cancer. Exploiting their functional plasticity, the reprogramming of TAMs aims to convert immunosuppressive and pro-tumoral macrophages into immunostimulatory and anti-tumor cytotoxic effector cells. This shift eventually leads to the reconstitution of a reactive immune landscape able to destroy the tumor. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on strategies able to reprogram TAMs with single as well as combination therapies.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/10/3226TAMreprogramming of TAManti-cancer treatmentimmune landscapeimmunotherapy. |
| spellingShingle | Cristina Belgiovine Elisabeth Digifico Clément Anfray Aldo Ummarino Fernando Torres Andón Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Anti-Cancer Therapies: Convincing the Traitors to Do the Right Thing Journal of Clinical Medicine TAM reprogramming of TAM anti-cancer treatment immune landscape immunotherapy. |
| title | Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Anti-Cancer Therapies: Convincing the Traitors to Do the Right Thing |
| title_full | Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Anti-Cancer Therapies: Convincing the Traitors to Do the Right Thing |
| title_fullStr | Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Anti-Cancer Therapies: Convincing the Traitors to Do the Right Thing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Anti-Cancer Therapies: Convincing the Traitors to Do the Right Thing |
| title_short | Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Anti-Cancer Therapies: Convincing the Traitors to Do the Right Thing |
| title_sort | targeting tumor associated macrophages in anti cancer therapies convincing the traitors to do the right thing |
| topic | TAM reprogramming of TAM anti-cancer treatment immune landscape immunotherapy. |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/10/3226 |
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