Characterization of the myeloid-derived suppressor cell subset regulated by NK cells in malignant lymphoma

Abstract

TNFa, tumor necrosis factor a; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population with the ability to suppress immune responses and are currently classified into three distinct MDSC subsets: monocytic, granulocytic and non-monocytic, and non-granulocytic MDSCs. Although NK cells provide an important first-line defense against newly transformed cancer cells, it is unknown whether NK cells can regulate MDSC populations in the context of cancer. In this study, we initially found that the frequency of MDSCs in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients was increased and inversely correlated with that of NK cells, but not that of T cells. To investigate the regulation of MDSC subsets by NK cells, we used an EL4 murine lymphoma model and found the non-monocytic and non-granulocytic MDSC subset, i.e., Gr1 C CD11b C Ly6G med Ly6C med MDSC, is increased after NK cell depletion. The MDSC population that expresses MHC class II, CD80, CD124, and CCR2 is regulated mainly by CD27 C CD11b C NK cells. In addition, this MDSC subset produces some immunosuppressive cytokines, including IL-10 but not nitric oxide (NO) or arginase. We also examined two subsets of MDSCs (CD14 C HLA-DR ¡ and CD14 ¡ HLA-DR ¡ MDSC) in NHL patients and found that higher IL-10-producing CD14 C HLA-DR ¡ MDSC subset can be seen in lymphoma patients with reduced NK cell frequency in peripheral blood. Our analyses of MDSCs in this study may enable a better understanding of how MDSCs manipulate the tumor microenvironment and are regulated by NK cells in patients with lymphoma.

Circulating CD14+HLA‐DR−/low myeloid‐derived suppressor cells predicted early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgery

“…Host immune surveillance plays an important role in tumor development and progression . In particular, myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have been shown to exert suppressive effects on the host immune system in many different human malignancies . An increased level of MDSCs with the CD14 + HLA‐DR −/low phenotype has been reported in HCC patients .…”

Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells as effectors of immune suppression in cancer

“…More recently several studies have investigated the role of MDSCs in hematological malignancies, demonstrating their importance in lymphomas such as B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia …”

Microenvironment abnormalities and lymphomagenesis: Immunological aspects

“…[126] Populations of this cell subset are inversely proportional to NK cell numbers in NHL and increase with NK cell depletion suggesting that they may be regulated by NK cells, a hypothesis supported by the observation that MDSCs express NKG2D ligands and activate NK cells to produce high amounts of IFN-γ. [127, 128]…”