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Research progress of tumor microenvironment and tumor-associated macrophages

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Abstract

Cancer is a health issue causing utmost concern and continuing to be one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Effective tumor eradication methods that will improve the prognosis and prolong human life are an important topic in modern medicine. Increasing amounts of evidence indicate that the tumor microenvironment plays a significant role in tumor development and migration. Macrophages are important immune cells that commonly infiltrate the tumor microenvironment. Several studies found that macrophages play different roles in the process of cancer development. This article focuses on the tumor microenvironment and the generation, classification, and function of tumor-associated macrophages as well as their significance for tumor immunotherapy and other aspects, it summarizes nearly 10 years of tumor microenvironment and tumor-associated macrophage research, providing a novel insight for tumor immunotherapy.

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Abbreviations

TAMs:

Tumor-associated macrophage

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

α-SMA:

Alpha-smooth muscle actin

MMPS:

Matrix metalloproteinases

CAFs:

Cancer-associated fibroblasts

TEMs:

Tumor endothelial markers

MDSCs:

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells

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Acknowledgements

We thank all the cited authors for providing the research results for our reference.

Funding

This research was supported by Youth Science Foundation of Guangxi Medical University (GXMUYSF201612), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81560446) and the National Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi (Grant No. 2016GXNSFBA380157).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No. 166 Daxuedong Road, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China

    W. Liang

  2. Guangxi International Travel Healthcare Center, No. 24 Zhuxi Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China

    X. Huang

  3. The Department of Immunology, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China

    C. J. J. Carlos

  4. College of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, No. 10 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China

    X. Lu

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Liang, W., Huang, X., Carlos, C.J.J. et al. Research progress of tumor microenvironment and tumor-associated macrophages. Clin Transl Oncol 22, 2141–2152 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-020-02367-x

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