Research progress in immune cells regulating drug resistance of tumor cells in tumor microenvironment

Abstract

Tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex cellular environment where tumor cells reside, along with various types of cells and extracellular components surrounding the tumor cells. Immune cells are key components of TME, including tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), lymphocytes, regulatory T cells (Tregs), natural killer cells (NK cells), dendritic cells (DCs), and many others. It is worth noting that drug resistance is currently a major factor limiting the efficacy of cancer treatment methods such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, and a leading cause of treatment failure. Research has found that the development of drug resistance in tumor cells is the result of interactions between tumor cells and TME. Consequently, overcoming drug resistance in tumors caused by TME is considered a significant challenge in cancer treatment. In recent years, with in-depth research into immune cells within TME, significant progress has been made in understanding the specific mechanisms by which immune cells regulate drug resistance in tumor cells. Furthermore, therapeutic strategies that target these immune cells, signaling pathways, or cytokines have been shown to effectively combat tumor drug resistance and enhance the therapeutic outcomes of cancer treatment. This article reviews the research advancements regarding the roles of TAMs, MDSCs, Tregs, and NK cells in tumor drug resistance within TME and discusses the development of targeting strategies to overcome this resistance. Additionally, we explore the relationship of tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) and B regulatory cells (Bregs) with tumor drug resistance. It is hoped that this review will offer insights and serve as reference for reducing tumor drug resistance and improving the efficacy of anti-tumor therapies.

Keywords

• tumor microenvironment (tme)
• drug resistance
• tumor-associated macrophage (tam)
• myeloid-derived suppressor cell (mdsc)
• regulatory t cell (treg)
• natural killer cell (nk cell)