REVIEW: Tumor-Associated Senescent Macrophages, Their Markers, and Their Role in Tumor Microenvironment

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Tamara V. Pukhalskaia^1,2,3, Taisiya R. Yurakova², Daria A. Bogdanova^1,3, and Oleg N. Demidov^1,3,4,a*

¹Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Federal Territory Sirius, Sirius Russia

²Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia

³Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia

⁴ INSERM UMR1231, Université de Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France

Received December 21, 2023; Revised April 27, 2024; Accepted April 27, 2024

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Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are an important component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the most abundant population of immune cells infiltrating a tumor. TAMs can largely determine direction of anti-tumor immune response by promoting it or, conversely, contribute to formation of an immunosuppressive TME that allows tumors to evade immune control. Through interactions with tumor cells or other cells in the microenvironment and, as a result of action of anti-cancer therapy, macrophages can enter senescence. In this review, we have attempted to summarize information available in the literature on the role of senescent macrophages in tumors. With the recent development of senolytic therapeutic strategies aimed at removing senescent cells from an organism, it seems important to discuss functions of the senescent macrophages and potential role of the senolytic drugs in reprogramming TAMs to enhance anti-tumor immune response and improve efficacy of cancer treatment.

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KEY WORDS: senescent cells, p16^INK4, p21^cip1, CD206, CXCR1, tumor microenvironment, immunosuppression

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297924050055

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