Targeting MDSC in Cancer Therapy

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer program cellular infiltrates sustain a dysregulated inflammation that is hypo-responsive to the cancer. Contributing to the cellular inflammatory infiltrates are myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) that negatively modulate immune responses and promote tumor angiogenesis, drug resistance, tumor progression, and metastases. MDSCs are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells consisting of myeloid progenitors and precursors of macrophages, granulocytes, and dendritic cells (DC). Increases in the number of MDSCs evoke strong natural suppressive activity in cancer. MDSCs suppress T cell and NK cell activity. Progressive tumor growth is associated with the down-regulation of T cell responses, and MDSCs are involved in negative immunoregulatory mechanisms. Although cancer immunotherapy offers an attractive therapeutic option, activation of the immune system alone is not sufficient for antitumor activity. Targeting pathways of immune activation and mechanisms of immune suppression presents an attractive therapeutic opportunity to combat cancer. Targeting MDSCs may improve cancer immunotherapy.

Prof. Dr. Sherven Sharma
Guest Editor

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