Table 1 Heterogeneity of TAMs in the tumour microenvironment

APOE⁺CTSZ⁺ TAMs

CRC

Colocalize with Treg cells

Enhanced glutamine metabolism

Immunosuppression function

[65]

Lipid-associated macrophages (LAMs)

BC; HCC

Tumour-adipose adjacent regions; Tumour invasion regions

Upregulation of lipid metabolism

Extracellular matrix remodelling; recruit Treg cell; inhibit T-cell activation

[35,36,37]

C1Q⁺TREM2⁺APOE⁺ macrophages

ccRCC

–

–

Associate with postsurgical recurrence

[28]

TREM2⁺ macrophages

NSCLC

–

Upregulation of lipid metabolism

Interaction with Treg; suppress CD8⁺ T-cell function

[38]

MARCO⁺ macrophages

GBM; NSCLC; MEL

Perivascular areas

Anti-MARCO treatment increases glycolysis in MEL

Downregulate inflammatory pathways; weak antigen presentation capability; suppress T-cell an NK cell function; support tumour vascularization

[39,40,41, 43]

MMP9⁺ macrophages

HCC; Gastric cancer; PDAC

–

–

Terminal differentiated TAMs; promote tumour cell invasion and migration; angiogenesis; promote epithalami–mesenchymal transition

[44,45,46]

FLOR2⁺ macrophages

BC

Perivascular niche

–

Trigger CD8⁺ T-cell activation

[47]

^TLSTIM4⁺FOLR2⁺ macrophages

LCA; SCC; CRC; Gastric cancer

Tertiary lymphoid structures

–

Correlate to active immune infiltration and antitumour immune response

[25]

embryonic-like FOLR2⁺ macrophages

HCC

Perivascular niche

–

Express high level immunomodulatory chemokines; interact with Tregs

[48]

CD163⁺TIM4⁺ omental macrophages

Ovarian cancer

–

–

Promote cancer stem cell-like properties acquisition and epithalami–mesenchymal transition

[49]

TUBB3⁺ macrophages

LCA

–

–

Neuron-like cell transition; exhibit nociceptor-like activities

[31]

IL2RA⁺ VSIG4⁺ macrophages

ATC

–

–

Bifunction phenotype: promote immunosuppression; associate with increased lymphocytes (B cells, CD8+ T cells, Tregs) infiltration

[50]

LAM2: APOE/c2

BC

Tumour invasive regions

High expression of lipid metabolism genes

Immunosuppressive function

[72]

F4/80⁺ TAMs

CRC liver metastasis

Perivascular areas

–

Angiogenic function

[73]

Lyve-1⁺ TAMs

BC

Perivascular areas

–

Direct αSMA⁺ CAFs expansion to form pro-angiogenesis niche

[74]

PDPN⁺ TAMs

BC

Perilymphatic localization

–

Support lymphangiogenesis and tumour lymph-invasion

Extracellular matrix remodelling

[32]

SPP1⁺ TAMs

HCC

Tumour border proximal to CAFs

High expression of lipid metabolism genes

Interact with CAFs to form immunosuppressive TME

[75]

MRC1⁺ TAMs

BC

Perivascular areas

–

Angiogenic function

[77]

CD169⁺ lymph node macrophages

BC metastasis

Tumour-draining lymph node

–

Anti-metastasis function

[81]