title: The role of microglia and macrophages in glioma maintenance and progression.
abstract: There is a growing recognition that gliomas are complex tumors composed of neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells, which each individually contribute to cancer formation, progression and response to treatment. The majority of the non-neoplastic cells are tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), either of peripheral origin or representing brain-intrinsic microglia, that create a supportive stroma for neoplastic cell expansion and invasion. TAMs are recruited to the glioma environment, have immune functions, and can release a wide array of growth factors and cytokines in response to those factors produced by cancer cells. In this manner, TAMs facilitate tumor proliferation, survival and migration. Through such iterative interactions, a unique tumor ecosystem is established, which offers new opportunities for therapeutic targeting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hambardzumyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gutmann
authors.affiliation: Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kettenmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005910:Glioma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology