Context: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are a heterogeneous population of immune cells of myeloid lineage. Recent reports have suggested that human MDSC are divided into three subsets: monocytic MDSC (M-MDSC), granulocytic MDSC (G-MDSC), and immature MDSC (I-MDSC). However, the characteristics of each human MDSC subset still remain unclear.
Materials and methods: To evaluate the immunosuppressive effects and mechanisms, we first performed a T-cell suppression assay using cells obtained from healthy donor peripheral blood samples. The levels of immune inhibitory molecules in the culture supernatant of each MDSC subset were measured to reveal the T-cell suppressive mechanisms. Then, we compared these results with the results from cells obtained from cancer patient blood samples. Finally, we investigated the difference in the frequency of each MDSC subset between the healthy donors and the cancer patients.
Results: Although M-MDSC and G-MDSC suppressed T-cell activation, I-MDSC had no T-cell suppressive effect. We found that the culture supernatant of M-MDSC and G-MDSC contained high levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) and arginase, respectively, in both healthy donors and cancer patients. No inhibitory molecules were detected in the culture supernatant of I-MDSC. The population of functional MDSC (M-MDSC and G-MDSC) in the total MDSC was significantly increased in cancer patients compared with that in healthy donors.
Conclusions: Although M-MDSC and G-MDSC, which released IL-1RA and arginase, respectively, suppressed T-cell activation, I-MDSC did not have an immunosuppressive effect. The population of functional MDSC was increased in cancer patients compared with that in healthy donors.
Keywords: Cancer patients; interleukin-1 receptor antagonist; myeloid-derived suppressor cells; three myeloid-derived suppressor cells subsets.