Figures & data
Figure 1. Hypothetical diagram depicting immune orchestration of tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in TC. Immune cells infiltrating TCs can play two complementary roles at the same time. On one hand, several immune cells can modulate angiogenesis thus favoring tumor growth. On the other hand, TAMs and TAMCs, can play a dual role modulating not only angiogenesis but also lymphangiogenesis thus contributing to the formation of metastasis. The role of Tie2+ TEM, TAN and basophils (gray) in angiogenesis/lymphangiogenesis has been demonstrated in several human cancers and in chronic inflammatory disorders, but not yet in human TCs.
Figure 2. Hypothetical scheme of immune network in TC. The immune network in thyroid cancer is a complex and dynamic system characterized by multiple interactions between tumor cells and a wide spectrum of immune cells. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells interact each other and with tumor cells in a complex synergistic and opposite manner still largely unknown. Several cytokines, chemokines, angiogenic and lymphangiogenic factors, derived from both immune cells and tumor cells, enrich the complexity of the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. The roles of Tie2+ TEM, NKT cells, TAN, Tfh cells, γδ T cells and Th9 cells (gray) have been demonstrated in several other human cancers or are under investigation in human TCs. Protumor or antitumor activities of Th17 and Tc17 cells are context dependent (dashed line).
