Targeting Macrophages in Cancer: From Bench to Bedside

Macrophages are a major component of the tumor microenvironment and orchestrate various aspects of immunity. Within tumors, macrophages can reversibly alter their endotype in response to environmental cues, including hypoxia and stimuli derived from other immune cells, as well as the extracellular m...

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Main Authors: Ashleigh R. Poh, Matthias Ernst
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00049/full
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author Ashleigh R. Poh
Matthias Ernst
author_facet Ashleigh R. Poh
Matthias Ernst
author_sort Ashleigh R. Poh
collection DOAJ
description Macrophages are a major component of the tumor microenvironment and orchestrate various aspects of immunity. Within tumors, macrophages can reversibly alter their endotype in response to environmental cues, including hypoxia and stimuli derived from other immune cells, as well as the extracellular matrix. Depending on their activation status, macrophages can exert dual influences on tumorigenesis by either antagonizing the cytotoxic activity immune cells or by enhancing antitumor responses. In most solid cancers, increased infiltration with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) has long been associated with poor patient prognosis, highlighting their value as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cancer. A number of macrophage-centered approaches to anticancer therapy have been investigated, and include strategies to block their tumor-promoting activities or exploit their antitumor effector functions. Integrating therapeutic strategies to target TAMs to complement conventional therapies has yielded promising results in preclinical trials and warrants further investigation to determine its translational benefit in human cancer patients. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the pro-tumorigenic programming of macrophages and provide a comprehensive update of macrophage-targeted therapies for the treatment of solid cancers.
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spelling doaj.art-f410ccaf847247bbbccbfd8b768c41eb2022-12-22T03:52:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2018-03-01810.3389/fonc.2018.00049343581Targeting Macrophages in Cancer: From Bench to BedsideAshleigh R. Poh0Matthias Ernst1Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, AustraliaOlivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, AustraliaMacrophages are a major component of the tumor microenvironment and orchestrate various aspects of immunity. Within tumors, macrophages can reversibly alter their endotype in response to environmental cues, including hypoxia and stimuli derived from other immune cells, as well as the extracellular matrix. Depending on their activation status, macrophages can exert dual influences on tumorigenesis by either antagonizing the cytotoxic activity immune cells or by enhancing antitumor responses. In most solid cancers, increased infiltration with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) has long been associated with poor patient prognosis, highlighting their value as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cancer. A number of macrophage-centered approaches to anticancer therapy have been investigated, and include strategies to block their tumor-promoting activities or exploit their antitumor effector functions. Integrating therapeutic strategies to target TAMs to complement conventional therapies has yielded promising results in preclinical trials and warrants further investigation to determine its translational benefit in human cancer patients. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the pro-tumorigenic programming of macrophages and provide a comprehensive update of macrophage-targeted therapies for the treatment of solid cancers.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00049/fullmacrophagesimmunotherapymacrophage polarizationinflammationcancer
spellingShingle Ashleigh R. Poh
Matthias Ernst
Targeting Macrophages in Cancer: From Bench to Bedside
Frontiers in Oncology
macrophages
immunotherapy
macrophage polarization
inflammation
cancer
title Targeting Macrophages in Cancer: From Bench to Bedside
title_full Targeting Macrophages in Cancer: From Bench to Bedside
title_fullStr Targeting Macrophages in Cancer: From Bench to Bedside
title_full_unstemmed Targeting Macrophages in Cancer: From Bench to Bedside
title_short Targeting Macrophages in Cancer: From Bench to Bedside
title_sort targeting macrophages in cancer from bench to bedside
topic macrophages
immunotherapy
macrophage polarization
inflammation
cancer
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00049/full
work_keys_str_mv AT ashleighrpoh targetingmacrophagesincancerfrombenchtobedside
AT matthiasernst targetingmacrophagesincancerfrombenchtobedside