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Updated: Dec 7, 2025

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MicroRNAs: As Critical Regulators of Tumor- Associated Macrophages

Bilash Chatterjee1, Priyanka Saha1, Subhankar Bose1

  • 1Cancer Biology & Inflammatory Disorder Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, WB 700032, India.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|September 30, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are key players in cancer progression. This review explores how miRNAs regulate TAMs and their roles in tumor growth, offering potential new therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are crucial in the tumor microenvironment (TME), influencing cancer hallmarks like angiogenesis and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling.
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are epigenetic regulators impacting macrophage functions within the TME.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of how miRNAs regulate TAM differentiation, maturation, activation, polarization, and recruitment.
  • To elucidate the reciprocal roles of extracellular miRNAs from tumor cells and TAMs in modulating macrophage phenotype and supporting tumor growth.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on miRNA-macrophage interactions in cancer.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms connecting tumor cells and TAMs via miRNAs.

Main Results:

  • miRNAs critically control TAM behavior and phenotype within the TME.
  • Both tumor cells and TAMs secrete miRNAs that influence each other and promote tumor progression.
  • Extracellular miRNAs contribute to macrophage phenotypic plasticity, favoring tumor growth.

Conclusions:

  • The intricate interplay between miRNAs and TAMs is central to cancer development.
  • Targeting miRNA-macrophage interactions presents a promising strategy for novel cancer therapies.
Keywords:
dendritic cells (DCs)interleukins (ILs)microRNA (miRNA)tumor microenvironment (TME)tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs)tumor-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)

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