๐งฌ Tumor-Associated Macrophage Polarization in Wilms’ Tumor After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
๐ Introduction Wilms’ tumor, a common pediatric renal malignancy, exhibits a dynamic tumor microenvironment where immune cells play decisive roles. Among them, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are key regulators of tumor progression, immune evasion, and therapeutic response. Their polarization into distinct phenotypes becomes especially significant following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. ๐งช 1. Tumor Microenvironment in Wilms’ Tumor The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of stromal cells, immune cells, cytokines, and extracellular matrix. TAMs infiltrate this environment and adapt based on signals from cancer cells. Immune cell diversity ๐งซ Cytokine signaling networks ๐ Tumor–immune interaction dynamics ⚡ ๐ 2. Macrophage Polarization: M1 vs M2 Macrophages can polarize into two main phenotypes: M1 macrophages (pro-inflammatory) ๐ฅ Anti-tumor activity Production of nitric oxide and cytokines like IL-12 M2 macrophages (anti-inflammatory) ๐ฟ Promote tumor growth...