Polarization of macrophages: mechanisms, markers and factors of induction

Macrophages are key components of the innate immune system. The variability of the macrophage’s participation in tumor progression, determined by their functional polarization, opens up a wide prospect for modulating their functional profile, primarily in the direction of increasing antitumor activity. The purpose of the study was to provide up-to-date data on the process of macrophage polarization, mechanisms of its regulation, polarization markers and induction factors. Material and methods. A search was made for available literature sources published in Web of Science, Scopus and other databases. more than 160 sources devoted to the study of the process of macrophage polarization were found, of which 121 were included in this review. Results. This review presents data on the molecular mechanisms and gene signatures associated with M1 and M2 polarization of macrophages. We displayed information on metabolic, phenotypic characteristics and cytokine profile of M1- and M2-macrophages, as well as highlighted data on polarization factors and targets of their action. Conclusion. The information presented in the review can serve as an information base for the development of experimental and clinical approaches for editing the functional profile of macrophages in order to control their involvement in various pathological processes.