Differential role of tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor microenvironment and potential for clinical application
Tumor microenvironment(TME)is composed of multiple types of cells and factors.Tumor infiltrating macrophage is termed of tumor associate macrophage(TAM),accounting for about 50%of tumor infiltrating cells,and is an important component of the TME.TAM has been shown to promote the proliferation,invasion,and metastasis of tumor cells,and its infiltration and activation are closely related to the patient′s response to treatment and prognosis.Therefore,studying the functions and regulatory mechanisms of TAM can help the development of new strategies for tumor therapy.It has been found that TAM can indirectly affect tumor progression through interactions with T lymphocytes,B lymphocytes,natural killer(NK)cells and other cells,in addition to directly affecting tumor cells.This paper reviews the mechanisms of interaction between TAM and other cell types in TME and their effects on tumor progression,and explores the potential of TAM as tumor therapeutic targets.