Alternatively activated macrophages; a double-edged sword in allergic asthma

作者：Mohamed Hamed Abdelaziz, Sayed F. Abdelwahab, Jie Wan, Wei Cai, Huixuan Wang, Jianjun Cheng, Kesavan Dinesh Kumar, Aparna Vasudevan, Ahmed Sadek, Zhaoliang Su, Shengjun Wang, Huaxi Xu · 发表于：Journal of Translational Medicine · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1186/s12967-020-02251-w · 被引用次数：289 · 研究领域：Immune cells in cancer、Asthma and respiratory diseases、IL-33, ST2, and ILC Pathways

BACKGROUND: Macrophages are heterogenous phagocytic cells with an important role in the innate immunity. They are, also, significant contributors in the adaptive immune system. Macrophages are the most abundant immune cells in the lung during allergic asthma, which is the most common chronic respiratory disease of both adults and children. Macrophages activated by Th1 cells are known as M1 macrophages while those activated by IL-4 and IL-13 are called alternatively activated macrophages (AAM) or M2 cells. AAM are subdivided into four distinct subtypes (M2a, M2b, M2c and M2d), depending on the nature of inducing agent and the expressed markers. BODY: IL-4 is the major effector cytokine in both alternative activation of macrophages and pathogenesis of asthma. Thus, the role of M2a macrophages in asthma is a major concern. However, this is controversial. Therefore, further studies are required to improve our knowledge about the role of IL-4-induced macrophages in allergic asthma, through precisive elucidation of the roles of specific M2a proteins in the pathogenesis of asthma. In the current review, we try to illustrate the different functions of M2a macrophages (protective and pathogenic roles) in the pathogenesis of asthma, including explanation of how different M2a proteins and markers act during the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. These include surface markers, enzymes, secreted proteins, chemokines, cytokines, signal transduction proteins and transcription factors. CONCLUS...