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Updated: Jun 14, 2025

Studying the Effects of Tumor-Secreted Paracrine Ligands on Macrophage Activation using Co-Culture with Permeable Membrane Supports
Published on: November 28, 2019
Macrophage crosstalk and therapies: Between tumor cells and immune cells
Cheng-Yuan Fan1, Jing-Sen Zheng2, Lian-Lian Hong2
1Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, No.109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, 325027 Zhejiang, China.
Abstract:
In the tumor microenvironment, macrophages exhibit different phenotypes and functions in response to various signals, playing a crucial role in the initiation and progression of tumors. Several studies have indicated that intervention in the functions of different phenotypes of tumor-associated macrophages causes significant changes in the crosstalk between tumor cells and immune-related cells, such as T, NK, and B cells, markedly altering the course of tumor development. However, only a few specific therapeutic strategies targeting macrophages are yet available. This article comprehensively reviews the molecular biology mechanisms through which tumor-associated macrophages mediate the crosstalk between tumor cells and immune-related cells. Also, various treatment methods currently used in clinical practice and those in the clinical trial phase have been summarized, and the novel strategies for targeting tumor-associated macrophages have been categorized accordingly.
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