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Updated: May 24, 2025
Real-time Imaging of Myeloid Cells Dynamics in ApcMin/+ Intestinal Tumors by Spinning Disk Confocal Microscopy
Published on: October 6, 2014
Myeloid cells: key players in tumor microenvironments
Qiaomin Hua1,2, Zhixiong Li1,2, Yulan Weng1
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Functional Genes, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
Abstract:
Cancer is the result of evolving crosstalk between neoplastic cell and its immune microenvironment. In recent years, immune therapeutics targeting T lymphocytes, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and CAR-T, have made significant progress in cancer treatment and validated targeting immune cells as a promising approach to fight human cancers. However, responsiveness to the current immune therapeutic agents is limited to only a small proportion of solid cancer patients. As major components of most solid tumors, myeloid cells played critical roles in regulating the initiation and sustentation of adaptive immunity, thus determining tumor progression as well as therapeutic responses. In this review, we discuss emerging data on the diverse functions of myeloid cells in tumor progression through their direct effects or interactions with other immune cells. We explain how different metabolic reprogramming impacts the characteristics and functions of tumor myeloid cells, and discuss recent progress in revealing different mechanisms-chemotaxis, proliferation, survival, and alternative sources-involved in the infiltration and accumulation of myeloid cells within tumors. Further understanding of the function and regulation of myeloid cells is important for the development of novel strategies for therapeutic exploitation in cancer.
Insights
Myeloid cells are crucial in cancer progression and immune response. Understanding their function and regulation is key to developing new cancer therapies beyond current immune checkpoint blockade and CAR-T treatments.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cancer involves complex interactions between tumor cells and the immune microenvironment.
- Current immunotherapies like immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and CAR-T therapy show promise but have limited efficacy in many solid tumors.
- Myeloid cells are key components of solid tumors, significantly influencing adaptive immunity and therapeutic outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the diverse roles of myeloid cells in tumor progression.
- To explore how metabolic reprogramming affects myeloid cell function within tumors.
- To discuss mechanisms of myeloid cell infiltration and accumulation in tumors.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent data on myeloid cell functions in cancer.
- Analysis of studies on metabolic reprogramming in tumor-associated myeloid cells.
- Synthesis of research on myeloid cell chemotaxis, proliferation, survival, and alternative sources.
Main Results:
- Myeloid cells exert direct effects and interact with other immune cells to influence tumor progression.
- Metabolic reprogramming critically impacts the phenotype and function of tumor myeloid cells.
- Chemotaxis, proliferation, survival, and alternative sources are key mechanisms driving myeloid cell infiltration and accumulation.
Conclusions:
- Myeloid cells play a pivotal role in cancer immunity and progression.
- Targeting myeloid cell functions and metabolism offers potential for novel cancer therapeutics.
- Further research into myeloid cell regulation is essential for advancing cancer treatment strategies.
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