Summary
This narrative review synthesises current understanding of how the immune microenvironment — encompassing immune cells, cytokines, the extracellular matrix, and vesicles — forms a local immune microecology that shapes the course of chronic noncommunicable diseases. The authors outline how aberrant immune activation within these microenvironments contributes to disease development and progression across a broad spectrum of chronic conditions. The review further identifies the immune microenvironment as a promising therapeutic target, mapping the regulatory networks that could be modulated for clinical benefit.
UK applicability
This review addresses mechanistic and therapeutic themes in chronic disease immunology that are broadly applicable to UK clinical research, public health strategy, and pharmaceutical development, particularly given the high burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases in the UK population.
Key measures
Immune cell composition and activity; cytokine profiles; extracellular matrix remodelling; extracellular vesicle signalling; disease progression markers across chronic disease categories
Outcomes reported
The review examines how components of the immune microenvironment — including immune cells, cytokines, extracellular matrix, and extracellular vesicles — interact to influence the progression of chronic diseases. It also evaluates the therapeutic potential of targeting immune microenvironmental pathways in noncommunicable conditions.
Topic tags
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