Macrophages in Glioblastoma and How Non-Coding RNAs Impact Their Differentiation

Within the glioblastoma (GBM) microenvironment, macrophages are widely implicated in immunosuppression. The neuro-oncology community is interested in modulating this immune suppression to improve therapies for GBM, but this approach poses significant challenges. Non-coding RNAs present an attractive target for therapeutic modulation of the immune system, and they are implicated, broadly, in macrophage polarization and the pathophysiology of GBM. Here, we discuss the extant literature on non-coding RNAs and how they impact the polarization of macrophages with particular emphasis on their impact within glioblastoma. We further discuss the clinical relevance of these non-coding RNAs and macrophage polarization to disease progression and associated therapeutic opportunities.