Neutrophils in Tumorigenesis and Progression: Dual Roles and Clinical Translation

Clicks: 1
ID: 317496
2026
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal

Ranked #55 of 88 articles by views in journal of leukocyte biology

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Abstract
Neutrophils, the most abundant innate immune cells, act as first responders in host defense via phagocytosis, degranulation, ROS production and Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) formation. Emerging evidence reveals that neutrophils are highly plastic and heterogeneous, acting as critical regulators in tumor biology. Tumor-derived CXCL8 and G-CSF drive emergency granulopoiesis, neutrophil recruitment and functional reprogramming, leading to immune suppression, angiogenesis, matrix remodeling, metastasis and therapy resistance. In specific contexts, neutrophils also exert anti-tumor effects by direct cytotoxicity, enhancing T-cell responses and restricting metastasis, displaying a dual role in cancer. Notably, anti-tumor neutrophils are rare in steady-state tumors but emerge during therapy-induced immune remodeling. Single-cell and spatial multi-omics have challenged the classical N1/N2 dichotomy. Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) and polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) are now viewed as overlapping, dynamic populations along a functional continuum, shaped by maturation, metabolism, hypoxia and tissue niches. This review summarizes the dual roles of neutrophils in tumor progression, abnormal granulopoiesis, functional polarization, and revised concepts of TANs and PMN-MDSCs. We highlight NETosis, immune suppression, metabolic reprogramming and therapy resistance, and outline clinical translation including biomarkers (e.g., NLR) and therapeutic strategies. Current challenges and future directions are discussed, aiming to precisely target pro-tumor neutrophils while preserving host antimicrobial immunity.
Reference Key
openalex_W7164971382 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Kexin Hu, Hui Li, Puwei Huang, Xi Zhang, Rong Hu, Qianming Du
Journal journal of leukocyte biology
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/jleuko/qiag079
URL
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.