CD206 as a pattern recognition and prognostic marker for immune regulation and cancer

Annika Hou Grade 12, White Oaks Secondary, Sun Life Gene Medical Science Institute Cancer Research Program Student, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

Abstract CD206, also known as the mannose receptor (MR), is a type-C lectin receptor predominantly expressed on the surfaces of macrophages, dendritic cells, and liver endothelial cells. This review will discuss its function in immune surveillance, antigen presentation, and endocytosis as both a scavenger receptor and pattern recognition receptor. It will focus on the mechanism of how it binds mannose-rich glycans as a means of clearing pathogens. Furthermore, the review will focus on the role of CD206 in cancer progression. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), CD206 is highly expressed on M2-polarized tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), contributing to immunosuppression, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Elevated CD206 expression is associated with poor prognosis in various cancers, suggesting its potential as a prognostic marker in cancer progression. However, emerging evidence also suggests that CD206 can exert antitumor effects by recruiting cytotoxic immune cells through chemokine secretion. Keywords: CD206, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), tumor microenvironment (TME), M2 polarization