Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes and Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 910095, China.
Department of Surgery, Nanjing Lishui People's Hospital, Nanjing 211200, China.
Biomolecules. 2022 Jun 19;12(6):850. doi: 10.3390/biom12060850.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subset of highly tumorigenic cells in tumors. They have enhanced self-renewal properties, are usually chemo-radioresistant, and can promote tumor recurrence and metastasis. They can recruit macrophages into the tumor microenvironment and differentiate them into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). TAMs maintain CSC stemness and construct niches that are favorable for CSC survival. However, how CSCs and TAMs interact is not completely understood. An understanding on these mechanisms can provide additional targeting strategies for eliminating CSCs. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the reported mechanisms of crosstalk between CSCs and TAMs and update the related signaling pathways involved in tumor progression. In addition, we discuss potential therapies targeting CSC-TAM interaction, including targeting macrophage recruitment and polarization by CSCs and inhibiting the TAM-induced promotion of CSC stemness. This review also provides the perspective on the major challenge for developing potential therapeutic strategies to overcome CSC-TAM crosstalk.
癌症干细胞（CSCs）是肿瘤中具有高致瘤性的细胞亚群。它们具有增强的自我更新特性，通常对化疗和放疗具有抗性，并能促进肿瘤复发和转移。它们可以招募巨噬细胞进入肿瘤微环境，并将其分化为肿瘤相关巨噬细胞（TAMs）。TAMs 维持 CSC 的干性并构建有利于 CSC 存活的龛位。然而，CSCs 和 TAMs 之间的相互作用机制尚不完全清楚。了解这些机制可以为消除 CSCs 提供额外的靶向策略。在这篇综述中，我们全面总结了 CSCs 和 TAMs 之间相互作用的报道机制，并更新了涉及肿瘤进展的相关信号通路。此外，我们还讨论了针对 CSC-TAM 相互作用的潜在治疗策略，包括靶向 CSC 募集和极化巨噬细胞以及抑制 TAM 诱导的 CSC 干性促进。本文还就开发潜在治疗策略以克服 CSC-TAM 相互作用所面临的主要挑战提供了新的视角。
