Tumor-associated macrophages in skin: How to treat their heterogeneity and plasticity.
Immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promote an immunosuppressive environment in the tumor-bearing host, together with regulatory T cells (Tregs). TAMs compose cancer stroma in skin cancers including melanomas and non-melanomas. The majority of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are alternatively activated M2 macrophages that favor tumor development, and they comprise one of the main populations of inflammatory cells in skin cancers. On the other hand, TAMs could be modulated into M1-type macrophages that suppress tumor growth by stimulating and recruiting Th1 and effector cells in the tumor sites. Therefore, TAMs are a target for immunotherapy in various cancers. In this review, we discuss the definition and suppressive mechanisms of TAMs, as well as their biological activities in tumor-bearing hosts to assess potential therapeutic strategies.
Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi 1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan. Electronic address: tfujimura1@mac.com.
Taku
T
Fujimura
Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi 1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
Aya
A
Kakizaki
Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi 1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
Sadanori
S
Furudate
Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi 1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
Yumi
Y
Kambayashi
Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi 1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
Setsuya
S
Aiba
D042501:Angiogenic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002450:Cell Communication; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D010641:Phenotype; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
D042501:Angiogenic Proteins; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018925:Chemokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors
Angiogenetic factors; Chemokines; Immunosuppression; M2 polarization; Regulatory t cells; Tumor-associated macrophages