Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40993759›Full record

ReviewJournal of translational medicine2025

Engineering macrophages for targeted immunotherapy and drug delivery in melanoma.

Xudong Liu, Ye Liu, Danyu Zhao, Dehong Shan, Chenghao Guo, Lianqun Jia

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of translational medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Engineering Oncolytic Virus-Armed Macrophages for Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Beyond autologousMolecular therapy. Oncology · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Xudong Liu *College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 116600, China.
Ye Liu *Department of Nephrology, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110000, China.
Danyu ZhaoCollege of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 116600, China.
Dehong ShanCollege of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 116600, China.
Chenghao GuoMedical school of Yangzhou university, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China.
Lianqun JiaCollege of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 116600, China. jlq-8@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Melanoma is a highly aggressive skin cancer with a high metastatic potential and poor prognosis. While immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized treatment, many patients remain unresponsive. Engineered macrophages have emerged as promising tools in immunotherapy and targeted drug delivery. This review explores three major strategies: cytokine engineering to enhance pro-inflammatory activity, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified macrophages for antigen-specific targeting, and macrophage-based platforms for nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery. Preclinical evidence supports their capacity to modulate the tumor microenvironment, enhance T cell recruitment, and reduce tumor growth. These strategies offer complementary approaches that may overcome resistance to current therapies. We also discuss current limitations and future directions, emphasizing the potential for clinical translation of these macrophage-based interventions.

Indexed as

Drug Delivery SystemsImmunotherapyMacrophagesMelanomaAnimalsHumansNanoparticlesTumor MicroenvironmentDrug deliveryEngineered macrophagesImmunotherapyM1/M2 polarizationMelanomaTargeted therapy

Identifiers

PMID40993759
PMCPMC12462037

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.