• 1. Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China;
  • 2. College of Medical Technology, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China;
  • 3. College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, P. R. China;
WU Zhaoxia, Email: wuzhaoxia@tjutcm.edu.cn; WANG Yu, Email: wangyu@tjutcm.edu.cn
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Pulmonary nodules (PN) are defined as focal, roundish or irregular opacities with a diameter of ≤3 cm detected by imaging examinations. Most patients present no obvious clinical symptoms and are often incidentally identified during physical examinations. Currently, clinical management is plagued by multiple challenges, including difficulties in differentiating benign from malignant nodules, anxiety induced by overdiagnosis, and dilemmas in the selection of follow-up and treatment strategies. Studies have indicated that the occurrence and progression of PN are closely associated with the local microenvironment, among which the "immune-metabolic axis" acts as a core regulatory link. The "immune-metabolic axis" refers to a bidirectional regulatory network formed by the interaction and coordinated regulation between immune cells and metabolic components in the local microenvironment of PN. Through the interactive regulation of immune cell infiltration and metabolites, this axis directly affects the progression and outcome of nodules, and also serves as a pivotal entry point for investigating the pathological mechanisms of PN. Endowed with the characteristics of holistic regulation, multi-components and multi-targets, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) exhibits significant potential in regulating immune cell functions and intervening in abnormal metabolic pathways. This paper systematically elaborates on the core regulatory mechanisms of the PN-related "immune-metabolic axis", clarifies the key targets and mechanisms through which TCM regulates this axis, aiming to deepen the understanding of the pathological mechanisms of PN and provide new strategies for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

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