Introduction
Phenotype and function of macrophages
M1-like phenotype macrophages
M2-like phenotype macrophages
Communication of TAMs with other immune cells in HCC
Communication of M2-like TAMs with other immune cells in HCC
Communication of M1-like TAMs with other immune cells in HCC
TAMs and associated clinical application in HCC
The characteristic of TAMs
TAMs-associated therapy in HCC
Cell metabolism and function
Glucose metabolism
Lipid metabolism
Fatty acid oxidation
Arachidonic acid metabolism
Redox metabolism
Lactate metabolism
Amino acid metabolism
Glutamine metabolism
Arginine metabolism
Tryptophan metabolism
Purine metabolism
Acid–base metabolism
Iron metabolism
Treatment prospects in targeting macrophage metabolism
ATO combined with CTS therapy for HCC
Decitabine combined with etomoxir therapy for HCC
Celecoxib regulates macrophage metabolism and function in tumors
Other therapies for regulating macrophage metabolism and function in tumor
Drug | Mechanism | References |
---|---|---|
Glucose metabolism | ||
Insulin | Promoting glycolysis in monocyte-phagocytes to enhance phagocytosis on tumor cells | [124] |
β-Glucan | Promoting glycolysis in macrophages and thereby inducing M1-like polarization | [125] |
Fucoidan | Inhibiting the oxidation reaction of macrophages, promoting glycolysis, inducing M1 polarization, and playing an anti-tumor effect | [126] |
Ibrutinib | Inhibiting glycolysis in monocyte-phagocyte and weakening its phagocytosis on tumor cells | [124] |
Lipid metabolism | ||
Simvastatin | Consuming lipids and transforming M2-like macrophages to M1-like | [127] |
Rapamycin + Hydroxychloroquine | Disrupting FAO in macrophages to inhibit M2-like polarization | [128] |
Perhexiline | Inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid metabolism to promote M1-like polarization | [129] |
Metformin | Inhibiting FAO to induce macrophage polarization to M1 phenotype, suppressing anti-inflammatory macrophage infiltration through decreasing COX2 and PGE2 | |
Indomethacin | Inhibiting COX and PGE2, inducing anti-tumor effect by macrophages | [131] |
Isoliquiritigenin | Inhibition of PGE2 production and reduction of M2-like polarization | [132] |
Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge aqueous extract | Inhibiting COX-2, reducing PGE2 production, decreasing tumor-promoting macrophage infiltration, and mediating anti-tumor immune responses | [133] |
Fe-5,5′-azosalicylic acid nanoscale coordination polymer nanomedicines | Producing 5-aminosalicylic acid to reduce COX-2 and PGE2 expression, conversely, generating Fe3 + to induce M1-like polarization | [134] |
5-Aminolevulinic Acid | Inhibiting COX-2 and PGE2 expressions, suppressing tumor by macrophages | [135] |
Lactic acid metabolism | ||
3-Bromopyruvate | Inhibiting tumor-promoting macrophages by decreasing lactate production | [136] |
Albiziabioside A + Dichloroacetate acid | Inhibiting lactate accumulation to reduce M2 macrophages and reprogram anti-tumor microenvironment | [137] |
Dual PI3Kδ/γ Inhibitor RP6530 | Reducing lactate, inducing M1-like polarization and inhibiting tumor progression | [138] |
Amino acid metabolism | ||
6-Diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine | Inhibiting glutamine metabolism, suppressing IDO expression, and inducing pro-inflammatory macrophages | [139] |
6-Gingerol | Inhibiting ARG expression, promoting iNOS and NO expression, enhancing M1-like polarization, and exerting anti-tumor effect | [140] |
Triptolide | Reducing ARG1 expression and decreasing M2-like polarization | [141] |
1,3-Diaryl-pyrazin-6-one-5-carboxamides | Inhibiting IDO level and reducing immunosuppressive macrophage infiltration | [142] |
Sulfasalazine | Inhibiting cystine-glutamate exchange (xCT) and thereby inducing M2-like polarization | [143] |
Acid–base metabolism | ||
Anti‐V‐ATPase‐V0a2 antibody | Inhibiting proton pump activity to induce M1-like macrophage | [144] |
Pantoprazole | Inhibiting proton pump to induce M1-like polarization and activating anti-tumor immunity | [145] |
Iron metabolism | ||
Iron oxide nanoparticles | Iron absorbed by macrophages and thereby replenished to promote M1-like polarization | [146] |
Iron chelated melanin-like nanoparticles | Iron supplemented by macrophages to induce M1-like polarization | [147] |
Intracellular iron chelator (TC3-S)2 | Transforming macrophage to iron-absorbing M1-like phenotype to play anti-tumor effects | [148] |
Conclusion and perspective
Cell | Pathway | Clinical outcome | References |
---|---|---|---|
The effect of HCC cells on macrophages | |||
HCC cells | FOXO1/ IRF1/ NO axis | Reprogramming macrophages and inhibiting HCC progression | [35] |
HCC cells | PKC/ZFP64/CSF1 axis | Inducing M2-like polarization to mediate immune suppression and resistance to anti-PD1 therapy | [42] |
HCC cells | MiR4458HG/ARG1 axis | Promoting M2-like polarization and creating an environment conducive to HCC cells | [73] |
HCC cells | PGE2/PD-L1; PGE2/cAMP pathway | Reducing anti-tumor response of T cells, promoting M2-like polarization and inducing HCC growth | |
HCC cells | Lactic acid/Gpr132; Lactic acid/ARG1, ARG2 axis | Transforming M1-like macrophages into M2-like; Promoting the release of tumor substances, damaging the activity of other immune cells, and enhancing the metastasis of cancer cells | |
The effect of macrophages on HCC | |||
Macrophages | TREM1/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway down-regulation | Transforming M2-like macrophages into M1-like, preventing HCC cell invasion and metastasis | [43] |
Macrophages | TNFR1/NF- κ B/p38/MAPK pathway | Reducing immunosuppressive effect of TAMs, promoting T cell related cytotoxicity, and inducing HCC cell apoptosis | [71] |
Macrophage | Wnt2b/β/C-Myc pathway | Promoting the conversion of M2-like TAMs and enhancing HCC progression | [72] |
Macrophage | Nogo-B-Yap/Taz axis | Promoting M2-like TAMs polarization and HCC cells proliferation | [74] |
Macrophage | LPS/HIF1 α/mTOR axis | Promoting glycolytic activity, leading to M1-like phenotype polarization, and inhibiting tumor progression | [76] |
Macrophage | SIRT4/FAO/PPAR/STAT3 pathway | Promoting M2-like polarization and HCC progression | [88] |
Macrophage | Glutamic acid/glutamine/OXPHOS pathway | Promoting M2-like polarization and tumor progression | [29] |
Macrophage | Arginine/iNOS/NO, glycolysis pathway | Promoting M1-like polarization and inhibiting tumor progression | [29] |
Macrophage | LncRNA cox-2/iNOS, TNF- α axis | Inhibiting HCC cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis | [104] |
Macrophage | Tryptophan/IDO pathway | Reducing tryptophan used by T cells, producing metabolites to inhibit T cell function, and inhibiting anti-tumor immunity | [89] |