title: Macrophage polarization in inflammatory diseases.
abstract: Diversity and plasticity are two hallmarks of macrophages. M1 macrophages (classically activated macrophages) are pro-inflammatory and have a central role in host defense against infection, while M2 macrophages (alternatively activated macrophages) are associated with responses to anti-inflammatory reactions and tissue remodeling, and they represent two terminals of the full spectrum of macrophage activation. Transformation of different phenotypes of macrophages regulates the initiation, development, and cessation of inflammatory diseases. Here we reviewed the characters and functions of macrophage polarization in infection, atherosclerosis, obesity, tumor, asthma, and sepsis, and proposed that targeting macrophage polarization and skewing their phenotype to adapt to the microenvironment might hold great promise for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R.China;
authors.forename: Yan-Cun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 2. Burns Institute, First Hospital Affiliated to the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100048, P.R.China;
authors.forename: Xian-Biao
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R.China;
authors.forename: Yan-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: 2. Burns Institute, First Hospital Affiliated to the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100048, P.R.China; ; 3. State Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease, the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Yong-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000628:therapy*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*
keywords: alternatively activated macrophage; immune regulation.; inflammatory diseases; macrophage polarization; signal pathways