Role of tumor-associated macrophages in hepatocellular carcinoma: impact, mechanism, and therapy

Front Immunol. 2024 Aug 7:15:1429812. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1429812. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly frequent malignancy worldwide. The occurrence and progression of HCC is a complex process closely related to the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The polarization of TAMs is affected by a variety of signaling pathways and surrounding cells. Evidence has shown that TAMs play a crucial role in HCC, through its interaction with other immune cells in the TME. This review summarizes the origin and phenotypic polarization of TAMs, their potential impacts on HCC, and their mechanisms and potential targets for HCC immunotherapy.

Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma; immunotherapy; treatment resistance; tumor angiogenesis; tumor microenvironment; tumor-associated macrophages.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / immunology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods
  • Liver Neoplasms* / immunology
  • Liver Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Microenvironment* / immunology
  • Tumor-Associated Macrophages* / immunology
  • Tumor-Associated Macrophages* / metabolism

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the General Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81972768).