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Enrichment and Characterization of the Tumor Immune and Non-immune Microenvironments in Established Subcutaneous Murine Tumors
Published on: June 7, 2018
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Efferocytosis in the tumor microenvironment
Thomas A Werfel1, Rebecca S Cook2,3,4,5
1Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 759 Preston Research Building, 2220 Pierce Ave, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
Seminars in Immunopathology
|September 7, 2018
Summary
Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is managed by efferocytosis, a process where phagocytes clear apoptotic cells to prevent inflammation and maintain tissue homeostasis. Dysfunctional efferocytosis contributes to disease and cancer immunosuppression.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Pathology
Background:
- Millions of human cells undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) every minute.
- Apoptotic cells risk secondary necrosis, releasing inflammatory intracellular contents.
- Efferocytosis, the engulfment of apoptotic cells by phagocytes, prevents inflammation and maintains tissue homeostasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the molecular mechanisms of efferocytosis.
- To understand how efferocytosis failure contributes to disease.
- To investigate cancer's exploitation of efferocytosis for immune evasion.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on efferocytosis.
- Analysis of molecular pathways involved in efferent recognition and engulfment.
- Examination of the role of efferocytosis in tumor microenvironments.
Main Results:
- Efferocytosis is crucial for preventing inflammation and maintaining tissue homeostasis during normal cell turnover.
- Failures in efferocytosis are linked to various diseases.
- Cancers leverage efferocytosis to create an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, promoting tumor growth and immune evasion.
Conclusions:
- Efferocytosis is a vital physiological process with significant implications in disease pathogenesis.
- Targeting efferocytosis presents a potential therapeutic strategy, particularly as an adjunct to cancer treatments.
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