Therapeutic Strategies Targeting CD163 and CD169 in Macrophages for Cancer

Macrophage activation markers, specifically CD163 and CD169, play pivotal roles in the modulation of immune responses within the tumor microenvironment (TME), influencing the outcome of various cancers. These markers delineate the activation states of macrophages, with CD163 associated with the protumoral phenotype and CD169 with activation of tumor immunity. This review comprehensively explores the dualistic roles of these markers in cancer progression and immune suppression, and discusses the mechanisms through which these markers influence macrophage behavior, the impact of their expression on cancer progression, and the therapeutic potential of targeting these pathways to reprogram the TME toward enhancing antitumor immunity. This review aims to underscore the therapeutic potential of macrophage activation markers as targets for cancer treatment, highlighting emerging strategies and future directions in cancer immunotherapy.