Pharmacological modulation of monocytes and macrophages.

Mononuclear phagocytes are major players in diverse pathological conditions which include chronic inflammatory diseases, infection, autoimmunity, atherosclerosis, metabolic disorders, and cancer. Plasticity is a fundamental property of cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage and a variety of modulators profoundly affect monocytes and macrophages. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) provide a paradigm for macrophage plasticity and anticancer therapeutic modalities (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy) profoundly affect their function. The development of innovative strategies targeting cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage may pave the way to innovative therapies for a wide range of diseases.