MINI REVIEW article

Front. Cell Dev. Biol., 26 October 2023

Sec. Cancer Cell Biology

Volume 11 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1261749

Tumour-associated macrophages: versatile players in the tumour microenvironment

  • 1. Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China

  • 2. Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China

  • 3. Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China

  • 4. Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China

  • 5. MOE Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China

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Abstract

Tumour-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) are one of the pivotal components of the tumour microenvironment. Their roles in the cancer immunity are complicated, both pro-tumour and anti-cancer activities are reported, including not only angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling, immunosuppression, drug resistance but also phagocytosis and tumour regression. Interestingly, TAMs are highly dynamic and versatile in solid tumours. They show anti-cancer or pro-tumour activities, and interplay between the tumour microenvironment and cancer stem cells and under specific conditions. In addition to the classic M1/M2 phenotypes, a number of novel dedifferentiation phenomena of TAMs are discovered due to the advanced single-cell technology, e.g., macrophage-myofibroblast transition (MMT) and macrophage-neuron transition (MNT). More importantly, emerging information demonstrated the potential of TAMs on cancer immunotherapy, suggesting by the therapeutic efficiency of the checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor engineered cells based on macrophages. Here, we summarized the latest discoveries of TAMs from basic and translational research and discussed their clinical relevance and therapeutic potential for solid cancers.

Introduction

Tumour microenvironment (TME) is crucial for cancer initiation, progression, and drug resistance. TME is formed by various fundamental constituents including stromal cells and immune cells (Cassetta et al., 2019; Li et al., 2023; Wang et al., 2023). Cancer development can be facilitated by tissue inflammation (Nost et al., 2021; Rajamaki et al., 2021). Despite the diverse inflammatory components in various cancer types (Cheng et al., 2021), increasing evidence demonstrated the importance of macrophages in the progression of solid cancers (Christofides et al., 2022). Macrophage is the key inflammatory effector cells, better understanding its roles may uncover effective therapeutic strategy for cancer (Coussens et al., 2013).

Interestingly, macrophages are versatile in tissues under inflammation including cancer (Maier et al., 2020; Vayrynen et al., 2021; Xue et al., 2021; Nalio Ramos et al., 2022). Their phenotypes and functions are broadly categorized into pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 (Cho et al., 2022; Zhou et al., 2022). M1 macrophages eliminate cancer cells by phagocytosis, antibody-dependent cytotoxicity, vascular damage, and tumour necrosis. M2 macrophages promote tumour growth and progression via enhancing cancer cell survival, angiogenesis and immune suppression (Zhao et al., 2020; Chen et al., 2021; Ren et al., 2022). Beyond M1/M2 polarization, new transition mechanisms for TAMs have been recently identified by single-cell bioinformatic studies including MMT (Tang et al., 2022a) and MNT (Tang et al., 2022b), their roles in cancer remain unclear.

Clinical studies highlight the crucial roles of macrophages in cancer therapy response and resistance, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and PDL1-based immunotherapy (Furuse et al., 2020; Liu et al., 2020). Moreover, clinical trials of macrophage-targeted therapies have been started such as the engineered mononuclear phagocytes (Brempelis et al., 2020) and chimeric antigen receptor macrophages (CAR-M) (Klichinsky et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2022), these therapeutic approaches stem from bench-top discoveries like recruitment and differentiation (Hannan et al., 2023), functional reprogramming (Willingham et al., 2012), and integration (Dang et al., 2021), highlighting the importance of basic research and preclinical study for the development of effective cancer treatment.

In this review, we systematically summarized the functional roles and underlying mechanisms of macrophages in TME for cancer formation and progression, their translational potential, and related studies on patients for overcoming the barriers of conventional cancer treatments as well as the latest immunotherapy resistance in the clinic. Finally, we also discussed the prospects and further directions of TAMs in the clinical development for cancer treatment.

Physiological roles of macrophages

Macrophages release cytokines and chemokines for recruiting immune cells for wound healing and blood vessel formation (Hernandez et al., 2022), including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (Lu et al., 2020) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) (Chung et al., 2018). Macrophages maintain tissue integrity (Mosser et al., 2021), clearing apoptotic cells (Dooling et al., 2023), debris (Kim et al., 2020), and pathogens (Nau et al., 2002) via cell-mediated phagocytosis, where the targets are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) dependent mechanisms (Li and Wu, 2021) i.e., Toll-like receptors (TLRs) (Irizarry-Caro et al., 2020) and NOD-like receptors (NLRs) (Fekete et al., 2018; Frising et al., 2022).

Furthermore, macrophages are involved in innate and adaptive immune responses by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) (Greene et al., 2022) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) (Serbulea et al., 2018; Neu et al., 2022) through PRRs. Activated macrophages produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, i.e., tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (Lee et al., 2021; Lechner et al., 2022; Tanito et al., 2023) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) (Luo et al., 2022; Pfirschke et al., 2022), to promote inflammation and activate other immune cells. Macrophages also process and present antigens to T cells via major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules aiding adaptive immune response (Mascarau et al., 2023; van Elsas et al., 2023). Interestingly, tissue-specific macrophages display unique functions. For example, alveolar macrophages in lung, express high levels of surfactant protein A (SP-A) (Bain and MacDonald, 2022; Garcia-Fojeda et al., 2022; Yau et al., 2023) and surfactant protein D (SP-D) receptors (Guo et al., 2019; Hsieh et al., 2023) for clearing inhaled particles and pathogens. Liver-resident macrophages, Kupffer cells, express various scavenger receptors (Taban et al., 2022), complement receptors (Wen et al., 2021), and Fc receptors (Pfefferle et al., 2023), filtering blood-borne pathogens (Zhao et al., 2022a), toxins (Kermanizadeh et al., 2019), and debris (Liu and Sun, 2023).

Macrophages are classified into M1 and M2 phenotypes (Guilliams and Svedberg, 2021; De Vlaminck et al., 2022). M1 macrophages express high level of pro-inflammatory cytokines like Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-12, Interleukin-23 (IL-23), and TNF-α (Hou et al., 2018; Akhtari et al., 2021; Beyranvand Nejad et al., 2021; Gunassekaran et al., 2021) polarized by Th1 cytokines including GM-CSF, TNF-α, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) (Wu et al., 2022a; Zhao et al., 2022b; Cho et al., 2022; Zhang et al., 2023), whereas, M2 macrophages actively produce anti-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and TGF-β (Nagata et al., 2019; Yang et al., 2023a) and polarized by Th2 cytokines like Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interleukin-13 (IL-13) (Celik et al., 2020; Lundahl et al., 2022). For metabolism, M1 macrophages rely on glycolysis (Yu et al., 2020; Mouton et al., 2023), while M2 macrophages depend on oxidative phosphorylation (Xu et al., 2021a; Zhou et al., 2022). During tissue repair, macrophages switch from an M1-like to an M2-like phenotype (Kim et al., 2019a; Alhamdi et al., 2019; Kohno et al., 2021). Interestingly, M1/M2 homeostasis is disrupted by inhibition of aspartate-aminotransferase (Wu et al., 2020a) and N-glycosylation (Wu et al., 2020a; Hu et al., 2023), altering immune responses and tissue damage. Moreover, various polarization and activation markers coexist in tissues, and factors like the macrophage-inducible C-type lectin (MINCLE) (Maier et al., 2020; Xue et al., 2021) or TLRs (Vidyarthi et al., 2018; Zhou et al., 2022) impact their balance. TAMs play multifaceted roles in cancer progression that are both beneficial and detrimental, highlighting the dual nature of their involvement (Figure 1).

FIGURE 1

Anticancer effects of TAMs

Reactive species production

M1 TAMs produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), mediated by NADPH oxidase (Fang et al., 2022; Tlili et al., 2023), causing cancer cell death. Activation by IFN-γ and TNF-α prompts TAMs to generate reactive nitrogen species (RNS) via nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (Zhang et al., 2021a; Wei et al., 2022). Collectively, these ROS and RNS induce oxidative damage on cancer cells, leading to direct cancer cell-killing effect (Liang et al., 2019; Huang et al., 2022; Qi et al., 2022; Kidwell et al., 2023).

Pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine

TAMs secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines for mobilizing anticancer cells (e.g., T cells and natural killer cells) into TME, including TNF-α (Jiang et al., 2019; Kaplanov et al., 2019; Tu et al., 2021a), IL1B (interleukin-1 beta) (Revu et al., 2018), IL12A and IL12B (subunits of IL-12) (Yen et al., 2022). TAMs also produce chemokines, e.g., C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 5 (CCL5) and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) to recruit and activate other immune cells to TME, driven by pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) (Taki et al., 2018). Furthermore, M1 macrophages produce IL-12, prompting CD4+ T cells towards Th1 phenotype (Zhao et al., 2022b), these Th1 cells will produce IFN-γ to activate cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in TME (Greaney et al., 2020; Liu et al., 2022). M1 macrophages also stimulate NK cell activation by IL-12, IL-15 and IL-18 (Mattiola et al., 2015).

Anti-angiogenesis

M1 macrophages secrete angiostatic factor thrombospondin-1(TSP1) (Yang et al., 2019; Kumar et al., 2020) for inhibiting angiogenesis by interacting with an endothelial cell receptor CD36 in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (Aburima et al., 2021). Moreover, M1 macrophages produce additional angiostatic chemokines to block vessel formation via CXCR3 (C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 3) dependent mechanism, including CXCL9, 10, 11 (C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 9, 10, 11) (Romagnani et al., 2004; Sahraei et al., 2019).

Antigen presentation

M1 macrophages express MHC class I and II molecules (Haloul et al., 2019; Ahmed and Ismail, 2020) to present cancer antigens, involving several genes, including MHC class I (Yao et al., 2020; Desterke et al., 2021; Piatakova et al., 2021) and II (He et al., 2021; Tang et al., 2022c; Scavuzzi et al., 2022). The interaction of MHC molecules with T cell receptors amplifies anti-tumour host immune response (Guerriero, 2019; Kawasaki et al., 2022). Interaction between CD80 and CD86 on the M1 macrophage and CD28 on the T cell also provides crucial second signal for T cell activation (Trzupek et al., 2020).

Pro-tumour effects of TAM

Immunosuppression

TAMs contribute to immunosuppression in TME, including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and bladder cancer (BLCA). They inhibit the anticancer activities of NK cells primarily through producing TGF-β (Nunez et al., 2018) and IL-10 (Xu et al., 2022). TGF-β hampers NK cell cytotoxicity by downregulating NKG2D receptor expression (Lazarova and Steinle, 2019). IL-10 inhibits the production of the anticancer cytokine IFN-γ in NK cells (Wang et al., 2021a). TAMs in these diverse cancer types express programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) (Sumitomo et al., 2019; Shinchi et al., 2022; Xia et al., 2022; Elomaa et al., 2023), which interacts with the PD-1 receptor on T cells (Pereira et al., 2023; Puig-Saus et al., 2023) and NK cells (Zhou et al., 2023a; van der Sluis et al., 2023), leading to their exhaustion and promoting tumour immune evasion. TAM-derived CCL22 (C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 22) contributes to the recruitment and activation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) (Rapp et al., 2019; Chen et al., 2022a), inducing immunosuppression in TME (Kraaij et al., 2010; Erlandsson et al., 2019). TAMs also enhance immunosuppressive function of Tregs, promote the transition of conventional CD4+ T cells into Tregs (Morhardt et al., 2019; Saraiva et al., 2020; Maldonado et al., 2022), and activate myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) via IL-10 (Yu et al., 2018; Yogev et al., 2022) and TGF-β (Becker et al., 2018; Astarita et al., 2023). Furthermore, TAMs express immune checkpoint molecule cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) (Guan et al., 2021), interacting with CD80/CD86 of Tregs to amplify their immunosuppressive effects (Zappasodi et al., 2021; Kennedy et al., 2022).

Angiogenesis

TAMs play pivotal role in augmenting angiogenesis within the TME, integral to cancer progression (Cheng et al., 2021). Essential for tumor growth and metastasis (Liu et al., 2023a; Natale and Bocci, 2023), angiogenesis provides TME with necessary nutrients and oxygen, aiding in the growth of cancer cells (Schaaf et al., 2018; Lugano et al., 2020; Schito and Rey, 2020). TAMs secret factors for promoting angiogenesis, including VEGF (Schaaf et al., 2018), fibroblast growth factors (FGF1 and FGF2) (Schaaf et al., 2018; Im et al., 2020), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) (Ntokou et al., 2021), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (Choi et al., 2019; Dong et al., 2019), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-9, MMP-2) (Diwanji and Bergmann, 2020; Tian et al., 2022), and cytokines like IL-8 and IL-1 (Liu et al., 2023b; Yang et al., 2023b). VEGF is crucial for tumoural angiogenesis (Lai et al., 2019; Hwang et al., 2020). Moreover, TAMs are concentrated in the hypoxic zones of tumours (Bai et al., 2022), where they upregulate the expression of numerous angiogenic genes including Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF)-1 and −2 (Jeong et al., 2019; Cowman et al., 2020) for enhancing the production of angiogenic factors like VEGF in TME (Roda et al., 2012).

Cancer growth and metastasis

M2 TAMs promote primary tumour development and metastasis (Yao et al., 2018; Li et al., 2019a; Tu et al., 2021b). They increase tumour proliferation in breast cancer (Chen et al., 2022b; Zhou et al., 2023b), endometrial cancer (Xiao et al., 2020; Gu et al., 2021), and renal cell carcinoma (Xie et al., 2021; Ishii et al., 2022). Furthermore, M2 TAMs secrete Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) (Zeng et al., 2019; Wu et al., 2020b), which binds to EGFR on cancer cells, for activating their growth signaling including MAPK/ERK (Liang et al., 2022) and PI3K/Akt pathways (Zhang et al., 2021b), promoting cell motility and invasion (Haque et al., 2019; Zeng et al., 2019; Onal et al., 2021). Growth Factor PDGF (Turrell et al., 2023) secreted from TAMs also contributes to tumour cell proliferation. Tumour metastasis is defining characteristic of advanced cancer stage, TAM-derived EGF accelerates metastasis by activating the EGFR-ERK signaling and inhibiting the expression of lncRNA LIMT (Zeng et al., 2019) in the epithelial ovarian cancer.

At the pre-metastasis stage, TAMs secrete VEGF, CCL-10 and MMPs, which remodel distant tissues to create pre-metastatic niche (Kim et al., 2019b; Winkler et al., 2020). TAMs release inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-11 (Kaplanov et al., 2019; Yu et al., 2019; Beyranvand Nejad et al., 2021) to enhance cancer cell survival and proliferation by activating NF-κB and STAT3 pathways (Dorrington and Fraser, 2019; Balic et al., 2020). TGF-β from TAMs activates TGF receptors on cancer cells, initiating SMAD signaling for their growth (Chung et al., 2023; Lv et al., 2023). Importantly, TAM-derived TGF-β induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells (Cai et al., 2019; Tiwari et al., 2021), allowing them to migrate into surrounding tissue and vasculature (Dongre and Weinberg, 2019; Wang et al., 2021b). Additionally, TAMs-secreted MMPs, such as MMP2 and MMP9 (Wang and Khalil, 2018; Liu et al., 2019; Muniz-Bongers et al., 2021), degrade the ECM in TME (Marigo et al., 2020), enabling metastasis into the bloodstream or lymphatic system (Winkler et al., 2020). TAMs produce chemokines like CCL18 and CCL22 (She et al., 2018; Kimura et al., 2019; Zhou et al., 2019; Chen et al., 2022a) to promote tumour cell migration. TAMs also release proteases like cathepsins (CTSB, CTSD) (Loeuillard et al., 2020; Shi et al., 2022) to stimulate tumour cells to produce tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases, enhancing ECM degradation and metastasis (Bissinger et al., 2021).

TAMs transformation also contributes to cancer progression. Besides M1/M2 polarization, single-cell RNA-sequencing revealed new TAM phenomena. Macrophage to MNT, a process where TAMs transform into neuron-like cells contributing to the formation of cancer pain (Tang et al., 2022b). MMT, where TAMs trans-differentiate into myofibroblasts for increasing abundance of pro-tumour cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in TME, enhancing the progression of non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) (Tang et al., 2022a).

Drug resistance

TAMs are associated with resistance of cancer therapy (Mantovani et al., 2022). TAM-derived TGF-β upregulates the expression of multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) in cancer cells (Badmann et al., 2020), leading to drug resistance. TAMs secrete IL-6 and IL-8 (Ahmed et al., 2021; Radharani et al., 2022), associated with resistance to therapies including EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. TAMs-secreted PDGF enhances DNA repair in cancer cells against radiation therapy (Sakama et al., 2021).

Interplay between TME and cancer stem cells

The dynamic relationship between the TME and cancer stem cells (CSCs) is central to understanding the roles of TAMs. CSCs, distinguished by their pronounced expression of stemness markers like SOX2, NANOG, and OCT4 (Zhou et al., 2021), actively drive self-renewal, differentiation, and are influenced by signals from TME (Yang et al., 2020). Key pathways such as TGF-β, Wnt, and Hedgehog (Li et al., 2019b; Zhu et al., 2019; Wu et al., 2022b) mold the genetic landscape of CSCs. The crosstalk between CSCs and TME involves factors including IL-6 (Orange et al., 2023), IL-8 (Sun et al., 2018), IL-1β (Eyre et al., 2019), MMPs (Jin and Jin, 2020), VEGF (Lopez de Andres et al., 2020), and TGF-β1 (Yuan et al., 2022), which are encapsulated within extracellular vehicles (EVs) (Su et al., 2021; Cao et al., 2022). Given the immunomodulatory role of CSCs, further studies are essential to understand the clinical implications.

Importantly, interaction between TAMs and CSCs fosters an immunosuppressive TME (Wu et al., 2023). CSCs promote macrophage recruitment and polarization by ILs, ECM, TGF-β, and periostin (Ning et al., 2018; Kesh et al., 2020; Taniguchi et al., 2020; Li et al., 2022a; Lin et al., 2022). Moreover, TAMs increase CD47 expression in pancreatic, liver and lung cancer stem cells (Cioffi et al., 2015; Liu et al., 2017; Ruiz-Blazquez et al., 2021). When linked to SIRPα on macrophages, CD47 expression protects CSCs against immune cell-mediated phagocytosis (Li et al., 2018). TAM-secreted factors also upregulate immunological checkpoints like PD-L1 (Muraoka et al., 2019; Pu and Ji, 2022). The intricate interplay between CSCs and TAMs creates immunosuppressive TME, enhancing the survival of CSC and hindering tumour eradication post-immunotherapy.

Macrophage-targeted antitumour therapy

TAMs are essential for cancer immunotherapy (Lin et al., 2019). Macrophage-targeted treatments often deplete macrophages, modify their phenotypes, or enhance antigen presentation activity of TAM (Cassetta and Pollard, 2018). Combined with chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy, these techniques may increase host antitumor immunity. They have been studied in animal models and clinical studies with immunological checkpoints and other immunotherapies (Table 1).

TABLE 1

CompoundClinical phaseTumour typeStatusNCT identifierYear
CSF1R inhibitors
PLX3397Phase1Drug Interaction PotentialCompletedNCT032912882017
Phase3Tenosynovial Giant Cell TumourActive_Not_RecruitingNCT044888222020
Phase4Tenosynovial Giant Cell TumourActive_Not_RecruitingNCT045267042020
Phase2Tenosynovial Giant Cell TumourRecruitingNCT047033222021
HMPL-012Phase2Advanced Solid TumoursCompletedNCT041696722019
Phase2Thyroid CancerUnknownNCT045248842020
Phase2Neuroendocrine TumoursActive_Not_RecruitingNCT045796792020
Phase2Advanced Colorectal CancerNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT047342492021
Phase2Advanced Colorectal CancerRecruitingNCT047640062021
Phase2Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung CancerRecruitingNCT049226582021
Phase1 and 2Advanced Colorectal CancerRecruitingNCT049296522021
Phase1Small Cell Lung CarcinomaRecruitingNCT049967712021
Phase2Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungRecruitingNCT050030372021
Phase2Refractory Metastatic Digestive System Carcinoma and Peritoneal CancerRecruitingNCT050302462021
NaBiliary Tract CancerRecruitingNCT050561162021
Phase1Neuroendocrine Tumours and Non-hematologic MalignancyRecruitingNCT050773842021
Phase1 and 2Solid TumourActive_Not_RecruitingNCT050933222021
Phase2Neuroendocrine NeoplasmRecruitingNCT051654072021
Phase2Hepatocellular CarcinomaRecruitingNCT051714392021
Phase2Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer FemaleRecruitingNCT051865452022
Phase1 and 2Pancreatic CancerRecruitingNCT052188892022
Phase2Gastric AdenocarcinomaNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT052359062022
Phase2Pancreatic NeoplasmsNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT054814632022
Phase2Pancreatic NeoplasmsNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT054814762022
Phase2Advanced Solid TumoursNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT055278212022
Phase2Small Cell Lung CancerNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT055958892022
Phase2Pancreatic CarcinomaRecruitingNCT056274272022
Phase2Extensive-stage Small-cell Lung CancerNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT056687672022
Phase1 and 2Metastatic Triple-negative Breast CancerNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT057467282023
Phase1 and 2Unresectable Locally AdvancedNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT058328922023
Phase1 and 2Small Cell Lung CancerNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT058826302023
Phase2Pancreatic CancerRecruitingNCT059087472023
DCC-3014Phase1Advanced Sarcoma cancerActive_Not_RecruitingNCT042422382020
Phase3Giant Cell TumourActive_Not_RecruitingNCT050592622021
Phase1 and 2Advanced Malignant NeoplasmRecruitingNCT030694692017
CS2164Phase1Small Cell Lung CancerRecruitingNCT032163432017
Phase1 and 2Ovarian CancerCompletedNCT031668912017
Phase2Ovarian CancerCompletedNCT039011182019
Phase3Small Cell Lung CancerRecruitingNCT048308132021
Phase3Ovarian Cancer and Relapsed or Refractory and Chiauranib and PaclitaxelRecruitingNCT049215272021
Phase1 and 2Small-cell Lung Cancer and Advanced Solid Malignant TumourRecruitingNCT052712922022
Q702Phase1Solid Tumour and Advanced Cancer and Metastatic CancerRecruitingNCT046482542020
Phase1 and 2Esophageal Cancer, Gastric Cancer, Hepatocellular Cancer and Cervical CancerRecruitingNCT054384202022
TPX-0022Phase1 and 2Advanced Solid TumourActive_Not_RecruitingNCT039938732019
X-82Phase1Solid TumourTerminatedNCT035112222018
Phase1 and 2Thymic Carcinoma, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Small-Cell Lung CancerActive_Not_RecruitingNCT035830862018
Phase1Advanced Malignant Solid TumoursActive_Not_RecruitingNCT037929582019
Phase2Extensive-stage Small Cell Lung CancerActive_Not_RecruitingNCT043733692020
Chemokine inhibitors
BMS-813160Phase1 and 2Colorectal Cancer and Pancreatic CancerActive_Not_RecruitingNCT031848702017
Phase1 and 2Pancreatic Ductal AdenocarcinomaActive_Not_RecruitingNCT034966622018
Phase1 and 2Locally Advanced Pancreatic Ductal AdenocarcinomaRecruitingNCT037675822018
Phase2Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Hepatocellular CarcinomaRecruitingNCT041233792019
MaravirocPhase1Metastatic Colorectal Cancer and MSSCompletedNCT032748042017
Phase1Colorectal Cancer Metastatic and Pancreatic Cancer MetastaticUnknownNCT047213012021
Phase1 and 2HIV and Hematologic MalignanciesRecruitingNCT054704912022
Anti-CD47/SIRPα antibodies
Hu5F9-G4Phase1Hematological MalignanciesActive_Not_RecruitingNCT032484792017
Phase1Ovarian CancerCompletedNCT035581392018
Phase1Acute Myeloid LeukemiaTerminatedNCT039224772019
Phase1 and 2Mycosis Fungoides andRecruitingNCT045410172020
Phase1Follicular LymphomaRecruitingNCT045996342020
Phase1High Risk Neuroblastoma, Recurrent Neuroblastoma and Resectable OsteosarcomaSuspendedNCT047513832021
Phase2Myeloid MalignanciesActive_Not_RecruitingNCT047784102021
Phase2Solid TumourRecruitingNCT048275762021
Phase2Triple-Negative Breast CancerRecruitingNCT049587852021
Phase1Brain CancerRecruitingNCT051699442021
Phase2Metastatic Colorectal CancerRecruitingNCT053304292022
Phase1Advanced Malignant Solid NeoplasmNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT058071262023
BI 754091Phase1Neoplasms and Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungCompletedNCT031561142017
Phase1Neoplasms and Neoplasm Metastasis and Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungTerminatedNCT031666312017
Early_Phase1NeoplasmsActive_Not_RecruitingNCT034338982018
Phase1Non-squamous, Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer and NeoplasmsActive_Not_RecruitingNCT034684262018
Phase2Neoplasm MetastasisActive_Not_RecruitingNCT036973042018
Phase1Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung and Head and Neck NeoplasmsTerminatedNCT037807252018
Phase1NeoplasmsRecruitingNCT039642332019
Phase1NeoplasmsCompletedNCT039721502019
Phase1Solid Tumour, AdultRecruitingNCT039902332019
Phase1 and 2Colorectal CancerRecruitingNCT040464452019
Phase1NeoplasmCompletedNCT041388232019
Phase1NeoplasmsActive_Not_RecruitingNCT041472342019
Phase2Anal Canal Squamous Cell CarcinomaWithdrawnNCT044993522020
Phase1Solid TumoursCompletedNCT046531422020
Phase2Squamous Cell CarcinomaRecruitingNCT047199882021
Phase1Colorectal Neoplasms, Carcinoma and Non-Small-Cell LungRecruitingNCT047522152021
Phase1NeoplasmsRecruitingNCT049582392021
Phase1Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaRecruitingNCT052494262022
Phase1Solid TumoursRecruitingNCT054718562022
ALX148Phase1Metastatic Cancer and Solid Tumour and Advanced Cancer and NonHodgkin LymphomaActiveNCT030132182017
Phase2 and 3Gastric CancerRecruitingNCT050021272021
Phase1 and 2HER2-expressing CancersRecruitingNCT050271392021
Phase2Microsatellite Stable Metastatic Colorectal CancerRecruitingNCT051674092021
Phase2Ovarian CancerRecruitingNCT054676702022
Phase2Oropharynx CancerNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT057876392023
Phase1HER2-positive Breast Cancer and Metastatic CancerRecruitingNCT058682262023
AO-176Phase1 and 2Solid TumourActive_Not_RecruitingNCT038349482019
IBI188Phase1Advanced MalignanciesCompletedNCT037631492018
SRF231Phase1Advanced Solid Cancers and Hematologic CancersCompletedNCT035123402018
Agonist anti-CD40 antibodies
SEA-CD40Phase2Melanoma and Carcinoma, Non-Small- Cell LungActive_Not_RecruitingNCT049936772021
APX005MPhase1 and 2Solid CancersCompletedNCT031237832017
Phase2Esophageal Cancer, Gastric Cancer and Hepatocellular CancerActive_Not_RecruitingNCT031659942017
Phase1Glioblastoma Multiforme, Nos and Ependymoma, NOS and MedulloblastomaActive_Not_RecruitingNCT033898022018
Phase1Advanced Melanoma, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Renal Cell CarcinomaActive_Not_RecruitingNCT035023302018
Phase1Metastatic MelanomaTerminatedNCT035972822018
Phase2Soft Tissue SarcomaRecruitingNCT037194302018
Phase2Locally Advanced Rectal AdenocarcinomaActive_Not_RecruitingNCT041308542019
Phase2Ovarian CancerNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT052010012022
Phase1 and 2Pancreatic CancerRecruitingNCT054194792022
CDX-1140Phase1Solid TumoursCompletedNCT033299502017
Phase1 and 2Non-Small Cell Lung CancerRecruitingNCT044910842020
Phase1Malignant Epithelial NeoplasmsRecruitingNCT045207112020
Phase2Pancreatic CancerRecruitingNCT045360772020
Phase1Breast Cancer and MelanomaRecruitingNCT046162482020
Phase1Metastatic Triple Negative Breast CancerRecruitingNCT050299992021
Phase2Solid TumoursNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT052311222022
Phase1Malignant Epithelial NeoplasmsEnrolling_By_InvitationNCT053498902022
NG-350APhase1Metastatic Cancer and Epithelial TumourCompletedNCT038525112019
Phase1Epithelial Tumour and Metastatic CancerRecruitingNCT051654332021
TLR agonists
ImiquimodPhase1Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung CancerUnknownNCT030573402017
Early_Phase1Cervical Intraepithelial NeoplasiaActive_Not_RecruitingNCT031961802017
NACervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia 3UnknownNCT032061382017
Phase2High Grade Intraepithelial Neoplasiaand Cervix CancerCompletedNCT032334122017
Phase2Basal Cell Carcinoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma of Skin and Invasive CarcinomaRecruitingNCT035349472018
Phase1 and 2Primary/Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) of Childhood, Adolescents and Young AdultsUnknownNCT035594132018
Phase1Solid TumoursRecruitingNCT038729472019
Phase1Malignant GliomaRecruitingNCT038939032019
Phase1Metastatic Breast CancerTerminatedNCT039820042019
Phase1MelanomaUnknownNCT040729002019
Early_Phase1Basal Cell CarcinomaCompletedNCT042795352020
Phase1GlioblastomaActive_Not_RecruitingNCT046429372020
Early_Phase1Oral CancerRecruitingNCT048836452021
Phase1Bladder Cancer and BladderRecruitingNCT050550502021
Phase3Basal Cell CarcinomaNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT052122462022
Phase1Bladder CanceRecruitingNCT053759032022
ResiquimodPhase1TumoursCompletedNCT008216522009
Phase1 and 2Advanced MalignanciesCompletedNCT009489612009
Phase2MelanomaCompletedNCT009607522009
Phase2Bladder CancerTerminatedNCT010944962010
Phase2Glioma and GlioblastomaActive_Not_RecruitingNCT012046842010
Early_Phase1Recurrent MelanomaCompletedNCT017487472012
Phase1 and 2MelanomaUnknownNCT021265792014
Phase4Postoperative PainCompletedNCT035705412018
Phase1 and 2Advanced Solid TumourRecruitingNCT047990542021
Phase1 and 2Non-muscle-invasive Bladder CancerRecruitingNCT057108482023
CpG ODNPhase2Lymphoma, Mantle-CellCompletedNCT004905292007
Early_Phase1Breast CancerCompletedNCT006408612008
Phase2Breast CancerTerminatedNCT008247332009
Phase1MelanomaCompletedNCT011493432010
Phase2Malignant MelanomaRecruitingNCT041268762019
Phase1Pancreatic Cancer and Metastatic Pancreatic CancerRecruitingNCT046125302020
Phase1Lung Cancer and Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Solid TumourRecruitingNCT049522722021
Poly(I:C)Phase1Prostate CancerCompletedNCT034127862018
Phase1LeiomyosarcomaActive_Not_RecruitingNCT044209752020
Early_Phase1Advanced Hepatocellular CarcinomaTerminatedNCT047777082021
CMP-001Phase1 and 2Advanced CancerTerminatedNCT025548122015
Phase1Non-Small Cell Lung CancerCompletedNCT034383182018
Phase1Colorectal Neoplasms Malignant and Liver MetastasesCompletedNCT035076992018
Phase2Melanoma and Lymph Node CancerActive_Not_RecruitingNCT036186412018
Phase1 and 2LymphomaRecruitingNCT039836682019
Phase1 and 2Locally Advanced Malignant Solid NeoplasmTerminatedNCT043870712020
Phase2MelanomaRecruitingNCT044019952020
Phase2Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckActive_Not_RecruitingNCT046332782020
Phase2Triple Negative Breast CancerRecruitingNCT048071922021
Phase2Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Triple Negative Breast Cancer and Non-Small Cell Lung CancerRecruitingNCT049160022021
Phase3Solid TumoursRecruitingNCT050595222021
Phase2Multiple Primary CancersNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT051645102021
Phase2Metastatic Prostate AdenocarcinomaNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT054456092022
TREM2 inhibitor
PY314Phase1Advanced Solid TumourRecruitingNCT046913752020
Clever 1 inhibitor
FP-1305Phase1 and 2CancerRecruitingNCT037339902018
Phase1Non-small Cell Lung CancerNot_Yet_RecruitingNCT051710622021
Phase1 and 2Acute Myeloid LeukemiaRecruitingNCT054289692022
Complement inhibitor
IPH5401Phase1Advanced Solid TumoursTerminatedNCT036651292018
Macrophage cell therapy
CT-0508Phase1Solid TumoursNCT046609292020
TEMFERONPhase1 and 2Glioblastoma MultiformeRecruitingNCT038661092019
Phase1 and 2Multiple MyelomaTerminatedNCT038754952019

Selected clinical trials of drugs targeting TAMs.

Depletion of macrophages

TAM recruitment by CCL2 and CCR2 is critical to tumour invasion and metastasis (Xu et al., 2021b). CCL2-CCR2 signaling controls the supply of circulating inflammatory monocytes (Argyle and Kitamura, 2018) and inhibiting CCR2 keeps monocytes in bone marrow, reducing TAMs at cancer sites (Flores-Toro et al., 2020). Blocking CCL2-CCR2 axis also hinders TAM recruitment, decreasing tumour incidence and enhancing CD8+ T cells anti-tumour activity (Teng et al., 2017; Tu et al., 2020). Another target is CSF-1, which promotes monocyte and macrophage differentiation, proliferation, and function (Stanley and Chitu, 2014). Mouse models with CSF-1R inhibition had smaller tumors and better survival (Tan et al., 2021). Small molecule inhibitors of CSF1-R have also been shown to deplete some TAMs, enhancing tumour sensitivity to chemotherapy (O'Brien et al., 2021).

Alteration of macrophage phenotypes

TAMs change into a tumour-suppressing phenotype (Liu et al., 2021) which is a promising clinical strategy for cancer treatment. Inducing M1 macrophage phenotype through the use of selective class IIa HDAC inhibitors (Li et al., 2021a) enhances T cell responses to chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockades (McCaw et al., 2019). The CD47/SIRP-α pathway is crucial for tumour immune escape, and blocking it enhances macrophages immune killing against tumours (Wang et al., 2020; Jia et al., 2021). Cancer immunotherapy research has also focused on anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment (Tomlins et al., 2023). TAMs, particularly M2 TAMs, express PD-L1 on their surface and contribute to immunosuppression by promoting T-cell apoptosis (Li et al., 2022b; Shinchi et al., 2022). In vitro-transcribed mRNA could stimulate effector molecule synthesis or cell reprogramming. mRNA in an injectable nanocarrier genetically reprogrammed TAMs into antitumour effectors. Nanoparticles formulated with mRNAs encoding the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) and its activating kinase, inhibitor of NF-B kinase subunit-β (IKKβ), reversed the immunosuppressive TME and reprogrammed TAMs, regressing tumours in mouse cancer models (Zhang et al., 2019; Petty et al., 2021). The LILRB family, specifically LILRB2, is integral to the immune evasion strategies of cancer cells (Chen et al., 2018). LILRB2, an MHC-binding protein rich in TAMs, interacts with MHC class I molecules, which cancer cells often downregulate to dodge T cell recognition (Liu et al., 2023c). Blocking LILRB2 enhances macrophage pro-inflammatory and phagocytic activity. Its effect on macrophage activation and phagocytosis is unknown (Chen et al., 2018). MK-4830, an antibody against LILRB2, showed promising results in early trials with advanced-stage tumours (Siu et al., 2022). Responses correlated with the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhanced cytotoxic T cell-mediated anti-tumour immune response (Sharma et al., 2021). These approaches have been tested with other clinical used immunotherapies like immune checkpoints for their clinical potential with animal models and clinical trials.

Antigen presentation enhancement

Scavenger receptors on TAMs are becoming therapeutic targets for their role in promoting TME pro-inflammatory shifts. Scavenger receptor CD163 is associated to tumour progression in several malignancies but the mechanism is unclear (Xie et al., 2022). However, CD163+ macrophage depletion causes tumor regression and re-establish anti-PD1 treatment response (Etzerodt et al., 2019). Macrophage mannose receptor 1 (MRC1), also known as CD206, affects tumour immunity (Rahabi et al., 2020). Its activation induces immunosuppressive macrophages. Intriguingly, MRC1-binding peptide RP-182 converts TAMs into anti-tumour M1-like effector cells (Jaynes et al., 2020). The collagenous macrophage receptor (MARCO) is abundantly present on TAMs. Targeting MARCO potentially reprogrammes TAMs from tumour-supportive to pro-inflammatory effectors (Sa et al., 2020; La Fleur et al., 2021). Another scavenger receptor Clever 1 also suppresses macrophages and T helper 1 lymphocytes (Virtakoivu et al., 2021). Blocking it switches TAMs from immunosuppressive to pro-inflammatory (Viitala et al., 2019). Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), upregulated on TAMs in human and mouse tumours, is a potential target (Katzenelenbogen et al., 2020; Molgora et al., 2020). Blocking TREM2+ macrophages limit tumour growth and augment anti-PD1 therapy (Binnewies et al., 2021). PSGL1, highly expressed in TAMs, represents a valuable target for TAMs re-education (Johnston et al., 2019). Using anti-PSGL1 monoclonal antibody potentially triggers a pro-inflammatory response in tumour tissues, exhibiting notable antitumour activity (DeRogatis et al., 2022; Lin et al., 2023).

Innovative strategies for TAM modulation

Recent strategies explore TAM modulation. One approach involves the engineering of T cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) (Maalej et al., 2023) specifically tailored to recognize and eliminate TAMs. Research shows CAR T cells targeting macrophages are effective against various solid organ tumours, including ovarian and pancreatic cancer (Sanchez-Paulete et al., 2022). Eliminating M2-like FRβ+ TAMs in the murine models of ovarian cancer, colon cancer and melanoma TME through FR-specific CAR-T cells delay tumour progression and prolong life (Rodriguez-Garcia et al., 2021). These CAR-engineered T cells show potential in redirecting immune responses against the tumour. Another method focuses on harnessing invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells (Li et al., 2021b). These cells possess innate and adaptive immune properties, CAR-iNKT cells use iNKT TCR/CD1d and CAR recognition to deplete TAMs and tumours (Simonetta et al., 2021). Recent studies harness iNKT cells to modulate TAMs, boosting antitumour responses. Other innate T cells, including MAIT, and γδT cells, have potential clinical applications as they target and eliminate TAMs (Li et al., 2022c). In synthesis, these innovative strategies signify a shift in tumour immunotherapy (Table 2).

TABLE 2

Cell typeTumour typeFunction
FRβ.CAR-TOvarian, Pancreatic, Colon, MelanomaRecognize and eliminate TAMs, delay tumour progression and prolong life
F4.CAR-TOrthotopic Lung TumoursDeplete TAMs, inhibit tumour growth, enhance MHC upregulation via IFNγ, and boost CD8 T cell expansion and tumour cell immune editing
iNKTMelanoma, Multiple myeloma, OvarianUse iNKT TCR/CD1d and CAR recognition to deplete TAMs
γδTRaise MDSCs, induce antitumour responses with zoledronic acid, target monocytes, and kill macrophages
MCAR-MAITKill OVCAR3-FG tumour cells, have dual CAR/TCR targeting mechanisms, sustain antitumour capacity in presence of macrophages, and target TAMs

Innovative strategies targeting TAMs in tumour microenvironment.

Prospects of macrophages in cancer

TAMs are an important immune cell type that shapes TME properties. Targeting TAMs effectively blocks the progression of various cancer types. Moreover, popularity of single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis enhances the mechanistic study and preclinical research of TAMs in TME (Tang et al., 2020; Tang et al., 2021a; Chung et al., 2023). Dissecting the heterogeneity and regulatory mechanism of macrophages in cancer at single-cell resolution leads to the discovery of novel macrophage-specific therapeutics targets from the TME, for example, MMT and MNT (Xue et al., 2021; Tang et al., 2022a; Tang et al., 2022b). They are emphasizing the adaptive plasticity of macrophages. MMTs, derived from M2 TAMs with protumour activities, lead to the formation of CAFs. These CAFs are key in driving cancer progression (Chen and Song, 2019; Li et al., 2020). The roles of MMT-derived CAFs in functions, including adaptive immunity suppression, drug resistance, metastasis, and promoting cancer cell stemness warrant investigation. Conversely, MNTs highlight the transformation of TAMs into neuron-like entities, influencing de novo neurogenesis in the TME (Tang et al., 2022b) and contributing to cancer-associated pain (Shepherd et al., 2018). This transition, while prevalent in NSCLC, is also seen in other tumours, emphasizing its importance in cancer pain and tumour innervation (Tang et al., 2022b). Given the impact of cancer pain on quality of life, especially in patients with advanced stages of the disease (Wang et al., 2021c), understanding MNT is vital for pain management strategies. Notably, these transitions were found to be mediated by a Smad3-centric gene network in TAMs, highlighting the potential of macrophage-targeted Smad3 interventions as a promising therapeutic approach in cancer immunotherapy (Tang et al., 2017; Feng et al., 2018; Tang et al., 2021b; Tang et al., 2022b). These new findings lead to the development of effective therapeutic approaches to enhance the efficiency of conventional anticancer treatments as well as the latest immunotherapies which are not primary or secondary resistant in patients with solid cancers (Kim et al., 2019b; Kim et al., 2020; Tang et al., 2020; Chung et al., 2021; Xue et al., 2021). Besides, macrophages are considered as a primary target of anti-inflammatory therapy for cancer prevention, their therapeutic potential is explored by new trials worldwide (Tang et al., 2019; Lee et al., 2021; Tang et al., 2022d). Despite the challenges, a better understanding of the immunodynamics of TAM shows a substantial potential for improving the therapeutic efficiency and clinical outcomes of cancer patients in the future.

Statements

Author contributions

ZZJ: Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing, Visualization. MK-KC: Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing, Visualization. AS-WC: Data curation. K-TL: Writing–review and editing. XJ: Writing–review and editing. K-FT: Writing–review and editing. YW: Writing–review and editing. PM-KT: Writing–original draft, Writing–review & editing Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Resources, Supervision. Validation: All authors have read and agreed to the published version.

Funding

The authors declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (14106518, 14111019, 14111720, and 24102723); RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (PDFS2122-4S06); Hong Kong Government Health and Medical Research Fund (10210726); CU Medicine Passion for Perfection Scheme (PFP202210-004) and Faculty Innovation Award (4620528), CUHK Strategic Seed Funding for Collaborative Research Scheme (178896941), Direct Grant for Research (4054722), Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (NL/LT/PDFS 2022/0360/22lt and WW/PDFS 2023/0640/23en).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Summary

Keywords

tumour-associated macrophages, tumour microenvironment, immunotherapy, macrophage plasticity, macrophage-myofibroblast transition, macrophage-neuron transition

Citation

Ji ZZ, Chan MK-K, Chan AS-W, Leung K-T, Jiang X, To K-F, Wu Y and Tang PM-K (2023) Tumour-associated macrophages: versatile players in the tumour microenvironment. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 11:1261749. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1261749

Received

19 July 2023

Accepted

12 October 2023

Published

26 October 2023

Volume

11 - 2023

Edited by

Yu Zhao, Capital Medical University, China

Reviewed by

Yanruide Li, University of California, Los Angeles, United States

Updates

Copyright

*Correspondence: Patrick Ming-Kuen Tang,

†These authors have contributed equally to this work

Disclaimer

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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