Targeting tumour-associated macrophages.
Clinical and experimental evidence have highlighted that a major leukocyte population present in tumours, the so-called tumour-associated macrophages (TAM), is the principal component of the leukocyte infiltrate supporting tumour growth. Over the years the mechanisms supporting the protumoural functions of TAM have become increasingly clear and in several experimental tumour models, the activation of an inflammatory response (most frequently mediated by macrophages) has been shown to play an essential role for full neoplastic transformation and progression. This evidence strongly supports the idea that TAM are central orchestrators of the inflammatory networks expressed in the tumour microenvironment, and suggest these cells as possible targets of anticancer therapies.
Sica
Antonio
A
Department of Immunology, Fondazione Humanitas per la Ricerca, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy. antonio.sica@humanitas.it
Rubino
Luca
L
Mancino
Alessandra
A
Larghi
Paola
P
Porta
Chiara
C
Rimoldi
Monica
M
Solinas
Graziella
G
Locati
Massimo
M
Allavena
Paola
P
Mantovani
Alberto
A
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D016328:NF-kappa B