title: Mononuclear phagocyte heterogeneity in cancer: different subsets and activation states reaching out at the tumor site.
abstract: Mononuclear phagocytes are amongst the most versatile cells of the body, contributing to tissue genesis and homeostasis and safeguarding the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory reactions. Accordingly, these cells are notoriously heterogeneous, functioning in distinct differentiation forms (monocytes, MDSC, macrophages, DC) and adopting different activation states in response to a changing microenvironment. Accumulating evidence exists that mononuclear phagocytes contribute to all phases of the cancer process. These cells orchestrate the inflammatory events during de novo carcinogenesis, participate in tumor immunosurveillance, and contribute to the progression of established tumors. At the tumor site, cells such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are confronted with different tumor microenvironments, leading to TAM subsets with specialized functions. A better refinement of the molecular and functional heterogeneity of tumor-associated mononuclear phagocytes might pave the way for novel cancer therapies that directly target these tumor-supporting cells.
authors.affiliation: Lab of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Damya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laoui
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Overmeire
authors.forename: Kiavash
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Movahedi
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van den Bossche
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schouppe
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mommer
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morias
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Baetselier
authors.forename: Jo A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Van Ginderachter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007157:Immunologic Surveillance; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines