Bahar Naseri
1 
, Amirhossein Mardi
1,2 , Najibeh Shekari
2 , Neda Shajari
3,1 , Samin Abdolzadeh
1, Hossein Khorramdelazad
4, Amirhossein Hatami-Sadr
1, Milad Taghizadeh Anvar
5, Mohammad Reza Javan
6, Amirhossein Heibatollahi
1, Javad Masoumi
1 , Farid Ghorbaninezhad
7* , Behzad Baradaran
1,2* 1 Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2 Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
3 Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
4 Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
5 Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
6 Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran
7 Student Research Committee, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME), comprising malignant and non-transformed cells like immune cells, endothelial cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts, significantly affects tumor growth and progression. Tumor cells manipulate the TME by releasing chemokines and inhibitory cytokines, reprogramming surrounding cells to support their survival and evade immune detection. Innate immune cells within the TME play dual roles, either promoting or inhibiting tumor progression, impacting immunotherapy outcomes. Recent studies highlight the influence of innate immune cells in shaping the TME and the pivotal role of tumor-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) in modulating these cells. miRNAs regulate gene expression and enhance tumor immune evasion, angiogenesis, drug resistance, and invasion. Their tumor-specific expression patterns suggest potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study focuses on how miRNAs affect innate immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and natural killer cells, contributing to immunosuppressive or immunogenic environments. Understanding miRNA-mediated interactions between cancer and immune cells opens new possibilities for improving targeted immunotherapy and advancing cancer treatments.