Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2024;40(11):1029-1034

The role of tumor-associated macrophages in the development and progression of cervical cancer.

Siyi MAO 1 ; Zheng FANG 1 ; Yiming XU 1 ; Kun YANG 2 ; Shuya YANG 3 4

Affiliations

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Country

China

Language

Chinese

Abstract

Cervical cancer (CC) has been a hot topic in the field of gynecological cancer due to its high morbidity and mortality. As one of the major components, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a crucial role in the tumor microenvironment (TME), differentiating into M1 and M2 phenotypes under the influence of various cytokines, with a predominance of the M2 phenotype among TAMs. Notably, the functions of these two phenotypes are almost opposite. M1 macrophages promote inflammation and inhibit tumor development, while M2 macrophages tend to suppress the immune response and promote tumor growth. Additionally, TAMs can influence tumor invasion, metastasis and immune regulation through interacting with various lymphocytes and cytokines. Numerous studies have demonstrated that TAMs can be used as prognostic markers for CC, and as therapeutic targets in clinical setting. A deeper comprehension of interactions between TAMs and CC, achieved by integrating findings and conclusions from various studies, is conducive to the discovery of new directions for research and new perspectives for clinical treatment.