Macrophage Polarization in Inflammatory Diseases

Abstract

Diversity and plasticity are two hallmarks of macrophages. M1 macrophages (classically activated macrophages) are pro-inflammatory and have a central role in host defense against infection, while M2 macrophages (alternatively activated macrophages) are associated with responses to anti-inflammatory reactions and tissue remodeling, and they represent two terminals of the full spectrum of macrophage activation. Transformation of different phenotypes of macrophages regulates the initiation, development, and cessation of inflammatory diseases. Here we reviewed the characters and functions of macrophage polarization in infection, atherosclerosis, obesity, tumor, asthma, and sepsis, and proposed that targeting macrophage polarization and skewing their phenotype to adapt to the microenvironment might hold great promise for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Role of the receptor Mas in macrophage-mediated inflammation in vivo

“…Signaling via Mas modulates the delicate balance between M(LPS+IFNγ)-like and M(IL-4+IL-13)-like macrophages, pushing it toward the M(IL-4+IL-13)-like phenotype, which is an important regulator controlling inflammation and autoimmunity (32,33). Therefore, the receptor Mas may be an interesting therapeutic target to treat autoimmune diseases via regulating inflammatory processes.…”

Artificial macrophages and the human immune system computational modeling for the investigation of sepsis pathophysiology: Perspectives DOI - 10.5752/P.2316-9451.2015v3n2p54

“…On the other hand, once started the resolution of this process, macrophages acquire anti-inflammatory action, with an increase in the expression of cytokines IL-10 and TNF-, in addition to start a process of tissue repair -a characteristic called alternative activation or M2 (LIU et al, 2014). In M1 inflammatory macrophages, the effect of polarization is performed by the Th1 cell, or natural killer, derived from IFN-gamma, along with TFN-↵.…”

Macrophage Polarization in AIDS: Dynamic Interface between Anti-Viral and Anti-Inflammatory Macrophages during Acute and Chronic Infection

“…Current thinking suggests that the M1-M2 paradigm likely represents an extreme of macrophage phenotypes and is over simplistic [2]. Evidence suggests that macrophage phenotypes are not static but dynamic and tissue microenvironment-dependent and diseases play a role in the polarization of macrophages [3][4][5]. It has been shown that M1 and M2 macrophages can switch their phenotype based on the tissue microenvironment [6].…”