Research progress on the role of macrophages in tumor immunotherapy and related therapeutic agents
LIU Qi
CHEN Kelei
MENG Xiang
FENG Chengrui
QIAN Jingyi
ZHANG Hongjuan
GUAN Shikui
Abstract：Tumor immunotherapy,recognized as the fourth major treatment modality alongside surgery,radiotherapy,and chemotherapy,fundamentally relies on mobilizing and enhancing the body's intrinsic immune system to achieve the precise targeting and elimination of neoplastic lesions.In this therapeutic framework,macrophages derived from blood monocyte differentiation serve as critical components of the innate immune defense system and exert profound impacts within the tumor microenvironment(TME).As the dominant inflammatory cell population infiltrating the TME,tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs)not only perform a key function in immune regulation but also serve as a paradigm for the connection between inflammation and tumors.Therapeutic strategies targeting TAMs aim to reverse the immunosuppressive milieu of the TME through multifaceted regulatory mechanisms,including cellular depletion or functional reprogramming,thereby effectively impeding tumor progression.This review systematically analyzes the intricate immune regulatory mechanisms of macrophages in tumor immunotherapy and synthesizes research advancements in major therapeutic agents targeting TAMs,aiming to provide researchers in the field of tumor immunotherapy and developers of macrophage-modulating pharmaceuticals with novel theoretical insights and practical guidelines.
Keywords：Tumor microenvironmentMacrophageImmune regulationTumor-associated macrophagesImmunotherapyTargeted drugImmunosuppression
Publication Date：2025-06-28
Online Publishing Date：2025-09-10(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 433-439 )