As the predominant infiltrated immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are associated with poor prognosis and correlate with metastasis and resistance to therapy. Phenotypic plasticity endows them to adapt in response to the harsh tumor milieu and contributes to malignant cell proliferation, inflammation, host cell immunosuppression, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, and therapy resistance. Whereas TAMs are also antineoplastic, especially in response to pharmacological agents that boost their phagocytic and oxidative functions. Currently, TAMs-targeting strategies, including TAM elimination, changing TAMs’ phenotype, and improving the antigen presentation function of TAMs, lead to an anti-tumor innate immune response and good synergy with other anti-cancer therapies in both preclinical and clinical studies. Abundant studies have delineated that the metabolism of TAMs is closely related to the polarization and functions of macrophages. The molecular mechanisms underlying the metabolism of TAMs and the metabolic landscape during cancer progression and therapies are of much interest and high significance, which will bring novel TAM targets for the modulation of the TME to improve therapy.
The goal of this research topic is to bring together thoughtful papers that report the advancement and prospect of the immunity and metabolism in TAMs and to inspire the researchers for future studies on the tumor immuno-editing, as well as to provide clues for targeting TAMs for the modulation of the TME to improve clinical cancer therapy.
We welcome submissions covering, but not limited to, the following aspects:
• Metabolic heterogeneity of TAMs in TME
• Molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic reprogramming of TAMs
• TAM metabolic landscape during cancer progression
• TAM metabolic reprogramming in response to anti-cancer therapies
• Metabolomics in revealing the profiles of TAMs
• Macrophage-based diagnostic and immunotherapeutic approaches
As the predominant infiltrated immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are associated with poor prognosis and correlate with metastasis and resistance to therapy. Phenotypic plasticity endows them to adapt in response to the harsh tumor milieu and contributes to malignant cell proliferation, inflammation, host cell immunosuppression, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, and therapy resistance. Whereas TAMs are also antineoplastic, especially in response to pharmacological agents that boost their phagocytic and oxidative functions. Currently, TAMs-targeting strategies, including TAM elimination, changing TAMs’ phenotype, and improving the antigen presentation function of TAMs, lead to an anti-tumor innate immune response and good synergy with other anti-cancer therapies in both preclinical and clinical studies. Abundant studies have delineated that the metabolism of TAMs is closely related to the polarization and functions of macrophages. The molecular mechanisms underlying the metabolism of TAMs and the metabolic landscape during cancer progression and therapies are of much interest and high significance, which will bring novel TAM targets for the modulation of the TME to improve therapy.
The goal of this research topic is to bring together thoughtful papers that report the advancement and prospect of the immunity and metabolism in TAMs and to inspire the researchers for future studies on the tumor immuno-editing, as well as to provide clues for targeting TAMs for the modulation of the TME to improve clinical cancer therapy.
We welcome submissions covering, but not limited to, the following aspects:
• Metabolic heterogeneity of TAMs in TME
• Molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic reprogramming of TAMs
• TAM metabolic landscape during cancer progression
• TAM metabolic reprogramming in response to anti-cancer therapies
• Metabolomics in revealing the profiles of TAMs
• Macrophage-based diagnostic and immunotherapeutic approaches