Decoding macrophage heterogeneity in the pulmonary fibrosis lung cancer transition - PubMed
6 hours ago
- #Pulmonary Fibrosis-Lung Cancer Transition
- #Macrophage Heterogeneity
- #Metabolic Reprogramming
- Macrophage heterogeneity is central in the transition from pulmonary fibrosis to lung cancer.
- Profibrotic and pro-tumor macrophage subpopulations include SPP1+, MERTK+, TREM2+, and MARCO+ cells.
- The fibrotic microenvironment causes metabolic reprogramming (e.g., aerobic glycolysis) and epigenetic memory stabilization.
- Metabolic changes enhance pathogenic functions and suppress T cell activity.
- Epigenetic modifications lock macrophages into a tumor-promoting phenotype.
- Macrophages interact with fibroblasts and epithelial cells via secreted factors, creating disease-promoting feedback loops.
- New technologies like multi-omic spatial models aid mechanistic discoveries.
- Potential therapies include biomarker-based patient stratification and targeted drug delivery systems.