Down-regulation of PLCγ2-β-catenin pathway promotes activation and expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cancer

J Exp Med. 2013 Oct 21;210(11):2257-71. doi: 10.1084/jem.20130281. Epub 2013 Oct 14.

Abstract

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) favor tumor promotion, mainly by suppressing antitumor T cell responses in many cancers. Although the mechanism of T cell inhibition is established, the pathways leading to MDSC accumulation in bone marrow and secondary lymphoid organs of tumor-bearing hosts remain unclear. We demonstrate that down-regulation of PLCγ2 signaling in MDSCs is responsible for their aberrant expansion during tumor progression. PLCγ2(-/-) MDSCs show stronger immune-suppressive activity against CD8(+) T cells than WT MDSCs and potently promote tumor growth when adoptively transferred into WT mice. Mechanistically, PLCγ2(-/-) MDSCs display reduced β-catenin levels, and restoration of β-catenin expression decreases their expansion and tumor growth. Consistent with a negative role for β-catenin in MDSCs, its deletion in the myeloid population leads to MDSC accumulation and supports tumor progression, whereas expression of β-catenin constitutively active reduces MDSC numbers and protects from tumor growth. Further emphasizing the clinical relevance of these findings, MDSCs isolated from pancreatic cancer patients show reduced p-PLCγ2 and β-catenin levels compared with healthy controls, similar to tumor-bearing mice. Thus, for the first time, we demonstrate that down-regulation of PLCγ2-β-catenin pathway occurs in mice and humans and leads to MDSC-mediated tumor expansion, raising concerns about the efficacy of systemic β-catenin blockade as anti-cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Disease Progression
  • Down-Regulation*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Myeloid Cells / metabolism*
  • Myeloid Cells / pathology*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Phospholipase C gamma / deficiency
  • Phospholipase C gamma / metabolism*
  • Protein Stability
  • Signal Transduction
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • beta Catenin
  • Phospholipase C gamma