Context-Dependent Glioblastoma-Macrophage/Microglia Symbiosis and Associated Mechanisms

  • Trends Immunol. 2021 Apr;42(4):280-292. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2021.02.004.
Wenjing Xuan  1 ,  Maciej S Lesniak  1 ,  Charles David James  1 ,  Amy B Heimberger  2 ,  Peiwen Chen  3
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
  • 2. Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77007, USA.
  • 3. Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 33663953 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2021.02.004
Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a lethal form of primary brain tumor in human adults. The impact of tumor-intrinsic alterations is not exclusively confined to Cancer cells but can also be extended to the tumor microenvironment (TME). Glioblastoma-associated Macrophages/microglia (GAMs) are a prominent type of immune cells that account for up to 50% of total cells in GBM. Emerging evidence suggests that context-dependent GBM-GAM symbiotic interactions are pivotal for tumor growth and progression. Here, we discuss how specific genetic alterations in GBM cells affect GAM biology and, reciprocally, how GAMs support GBM progression. We hypothesize that understanding context-dependent GBM-GAM symbiosis may reveal the molecular basis of GBM tumorigenesis and lead to novel candidate treatment approaches aiming to improve GBM patient outcomes.

Keywords
crosstalk; glioblastoma; heterogeneity; macrophages; microglia; symbiosis.