Inlfammatory response of macrophages in infection

摘要

BACKGROUND: Macrophages  are  widely-distributed  innate immune cells playing diverse roles in various physiological and pathological processes. The primary function of macrophages is to phagocytize and clear invading pathogens. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search of PubMed was performed to identify relevant studies in English language literature using the key words such as macrophage and inlfammation. A total of 122 articles related to inlfammatory response of macrophages in infection were systematically reviewed. RESULTS: The  inlfammatory  responses  of  macrophages triggered  by  infection  comprise  four  interrelated  phases: recognition  of  pathogen-associated  molecular  patterns  by pattern-recognition receptors expressed on/in macrophages; enrichment  of  quantity  of  macrophages  in  local  infected tissue  by  recruitment  of  circulating  monocytes  and/or  in situ  proliferation;  macrophage-mediation  of  microbicidal activity and conversion to anti-inlfammatory phenotype to terminate anti-infectious response and to promote tissue repair. Complicated regulation of macrophage activation at molecular level recognized in the past decade is also reviewed, including intracellular multiple signaling molecules, membrane molecules, microRNAs and even epigenetic-associated molecules. CONCLUSION: The inlfammatory response of macrophages in infection is an orderly and complicated process under elaborate regulation at molecular level.