The role of macrophages and cytokines in the occurrence and development of MDS

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a clonal hematopoietic system disease characterized by decreased blood cells, hematopoietic failure, and a higher risk of conversion to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). There are a large number of inflammatory cytokines present in the tumor microenvironment, which play different roles in different stages of tumor development. The pathogenesis of MDS is complex, persistent inflammatory signaling and cytokine dysregulation play critical roles in disease initiation, progression, and leukemic transformation.This article provides a review of the relationship between interaction between immune cells—particularly macrophages—and inflammatory cytokines in the tumor microenvironment and the occurrence and development of MDS.