Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2016. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Immunol. Nov 27, 2016; 6(3): 119-125
Published online Nov 27, 2016. doi: 10.5411/wji.v6.i3.119
Myeloid derived suppressor cells in breast cancer: A novel therapeutic target?
Rebekah M Weston, Cordula M Stover
Rebekah M Weston, Cordula M Stover, Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 9HN, United Kingdom
Cordula M Stover, Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 9HN, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Weston RM researched the field, extracted and compiled the findings; Stover CM discussed the evaluation and revised the paper.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this publication.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Cordula M Stover, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Maurice Shock Medical Sciences Building, University Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, United Kingdom. cms13@le.ac.uk
Telephone: +44-116-2525032 Fax: +44-116-2525030
Received: August 26, 2016
Peer-review started: August 29, 2016
First decision: September 27, 2016
Revised: October 16, 2016
Accepted: October 25, 2016
Article in press: October 27, 2016
Published online: November 27, 2016
Abstract

The relationship of the immune system and tumour cells is complex; although recognised that the immune system can protect the host against tumour development, the immune system also facilitates tumour progression through immune suppression. Pro-inflammatory mediators associated with chronic inflammation are responsible for the expansion and activation of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs); a heterogeneous group of cells that originates from myeloid progenitor cells but does not complete the final stages of differentiation. A causal relationship between chronic inflammation and tumour progression relies on the accumulation and maintenance of MDSCs as its linchpin; responsible for immunosuppression through the down-regulation of anti-tumour responses. MDSCs cause immunosuppression through a number of mechanisms; inhibiting the proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, blocking natural killer cell activation and limiting dendritic cell maturation and function. As well as using various mechanisms to inhibit adaptive and immune responses, MDSCs also have non-immunological functions that aid tumour spread; including directly promoting tumour proliferation and metastasis by having an important role in tumour angiogenesis, secretion of matrix metalloproteinases and induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United Kingdom with 44540 new cases of invasive carcinoma in 2013 and results in the second highest cancer mortality rate in women, with 11600 deaths in 2012. Considering this, the need for novel therapeutic interventions is higher than ever. This review summarises the rationale for the targeting of MDSCs in breast cancer as a realistic avenue to increase survival from breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast cancer, Immune cells, Treatment, Suppression, Survival

Core tip: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United Kingdom; there were 44540 new cases of invasive carcinoma in 2013. The incidence rate is 169.8:100000, an increase of 5.5% in 10 years. Despite significant advances in the detection and treatment of breast cancer, breast cancer still results in 11600 deaths a year; the second highest number of cancer deaths in women. With increased appreciation of the sustaining importance of cells in the tumour microenvironment, in particular myeloid derived suppressor cells, their targeting is being considered as a novel treatment approach.