title: Targeting tumour-associated macrophages.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Fondazione Humanitas per la Ricerca, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy. antonio.sica@humanitas.it
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sica
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rubino
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mancino
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larghi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rimoldi
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Solinas
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Locati
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allavena
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantovani
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D016328:NF-kappa B