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Vanhaver C, Aboubakar Nana F, Delhez N, Luyckx M, Hirsch T, Bayard A, Houbion C, Dauguet N, Brochier A, van der Bruggen P, Bruger AM. Immunosuppressive low-density neutrophils in the blood of cancer patients display a mature phenotype. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302332. [PMID: 37931958 PMCID: PMC10628041 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of human neutrophils in the tumor microenvironment is strongly correlated to poor overall survival. Most previous studies have focused on the immunosuppressive capacities of low-density neutrophils (LDN), also referred to as granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which are elevated in number in the blood of many cancer patients. We observed two types of LDN in the blood of lung cancer and ovarian carcinoma patients: CD45high LDN, which suppressed T-cell proliferation and displayed mature morphology, and CD45low LDN, which were immature and non-suppressive. We simultaneously evaluated the classical normal-density neutrophils (NDN) and, when available, tumor-associated neutrophils. We observed that NDN from cancer patients suppressed T-cell proliferation, and NDN from healthy donors did not, despite few transcriptomic differences. Hence, the immunosuppression mediated by neutrophils in the blood of cancer patients is not dependent on the cells' density but rather on their maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Vanhaver
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank Aboubakar Nana
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC)/Pôle de Pneumologie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Delhez
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Luyckx
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Service de Gynécologie et Andrologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Centre de Chirurgie Oncologique, Institut Roi Albert II, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thibault Hirsch
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alexandre Bayard
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Camille Houbion
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Dauguet
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alice Brochier
- Hematology Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre van der Bruggen
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Annika M Bruger
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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Neyens D, Hirsch T, Abdel Aziz Issa Abdel Hadi A, Dauguet N, Vanhaver C, Bayard A, Wildmann C, Luyckx M, Squifflet JL, D’Hondt Q, Duhamel C, Huaux A, Montiel V, Dechamps M, van der Bruggen P. HELIOS-expressing human CD8 T cells exhibit limited effector functions. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1308539. [PMID: 38187391 PMCID: PMC10770868 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1308539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The transcription factor HELIOS is primarily known for its expression in CD4 regulatory T cells, both in humans and mice. In mice, HELIOS is found in exhausted CD8 T cells. However, information on human HELIOS+ CD8 T cells is limited and conflicting. Methods In this study, we characterized by flow cytometry and transcriptomic analyses human HELIOS+ CD8 T cells. Results These T cells primarily consist of memory cells and constitute approximately 21% of blood CD8 T cells. In comparison with memory HELIOS- T-BEThigh CD8 T cells that displayed robust effector functions, the memory HELIOS+ T-BEThigh CD8 T cells produce lower amounts of IFN-γ and TNF-α and have a lower cytotoxic potential. We wondered if these cells participate in the immune response against viral antigens, but did not find HELIOS+ cells among CD8 T cells recognizing CMV peptides presented by HLA-A2 and HLA-B7. However, we found HELIOS+ CD8 T cells that recognize a CMV peptide presented by MHC class Ib molecule HLA-E. Additionally, a portion of HELIOS+ CD8 T cells is characterized by the expression of CD161, often used as a surface marker for identifying TC17 cells. These CD8 T cells express TH17/TC17-related genes encoding RORgt, RORa, PLZF, and CCL20. Discussion Our findings emphasize that HELIOS is expressed across various CD8 T cell populations, highlighting its significance beyond its role as a transcription factor for Treg or exhausted murine CD8 T cells. The significance of the connection between HELIOS and HLA-E restriction is yet to be understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Neyens
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thibault Hirsch
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Nicolas Dauguet
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Alexandre Bayard
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Claude Wildmann
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Luyckx
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Département de gynécologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Luc Squifflet
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Département de gynécologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Quentin D’Hondt
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Céline Duhamel
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Antoine Huaux
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Virginie Montiel
- Unité de soins intensifs, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mélanie Dechamps
- Unité de soins intensifs, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre van der Bruggen
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), Wavre, Belgium
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Lecomte S, Devreux J, de Streel G, van Baren N, Havelange V, Schröder D, Vaherto N, Vanhaver C, Vanderaa C, Dupuis N, Pecquet C, Coulie PG, Constantinescu SN, Lucas S. Therapeutic activity of GARP:TGF-β1 blockade in murine primary myelofibrosis. Blood 2023; 141:490-502. [PMID: 36322928 PMCID: PMC10651781 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022017097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by the clonal expansion of myeloid cells, notably megakaryocytes (MKs), and an aberrant cytokine production leading to bone marrow (BM) fibrosis and insufficiency. Current treatment options are limited. TGF-β1, a profibrotic and immunosuppressive cytokine, is involved in PMF pathogenesis. While all cell types secrete inactive, latent TGF-β1, only a few activate the cytokine via cell type-specific mechanisms. The cellular source of the active TGF-β1 implicated in PMF is not known. Transmembrane protein GARP binds and activates latent TGF-β1 on the surface of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) and MKs or platelets. Here, we found an increased expression of GARP in the BM and spleen of mice with PMF and tested the therapeutic potential of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that blocks TGF-β1 activation by GARP-expressing cells. GARP:TGF-β1 blockade reduced not only fibrosis but also the clonal expansion of transformed cells. Using mice carrying a genetic deletion of Garp in either Tregs or MKs, we found that the therapeutic effects of GARP:TGF-β1 blockade in PMF imply targeting GARP on Tregs. These therapeutic effects, accompanied by increased IFN-γ signals in the spleen, were lost upon CD8 T-cell depletion. Our results suggest that the selective blockade of TGF-β1 activation by GARP-expressing Tregs increases a CD8 T-cell-mediated immune reaction that limits transformed cell expansion, providing a novel approach that could be tested to treat patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lecomte
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Julien Devreux
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Nicolas van Baren
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Violaine Havelange
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Hematology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Schröder
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Noora Vaherto
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Noémie Dupuis
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christian Pecquet
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre G. Coulie
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Wavre, Belgium
| | - Stefan N. Constantinescu
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
- Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Wavre, Belgium
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Lucas
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Wavre, Belgium
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Vanhaver C, van der Bruggen P, Bruger AM. MDSC in Mice and Men: Mechanisms of Immunosuppression in Cancer. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10132872. [PMID: 34203451 PMCID: PMC8268873 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10132872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) expand during pathological conditions in both humans and mice and their presence is linked to poor clinical outcomes for cancer patients. Studying MDSC immunosuppression is restricted by MDSCs’ rarity, short lifespan, heterogeneity, poor viability after freezing and the lack of MDSC-specific markers. In this review, we will compare identification and isolation strategies for human and murine MDSCs. We will also assess what direct and indirect immunosuppressive mechanisms have been attributed to MDSCs. While some immunosuppressive mechanisms are well-documented in mice, e.g., generation of ROS, direct evidence is still lacking in humans. In future, bulk or single-cell genomics could elucidate which phenotypic and functional phenotypes MDSCs adopt in particular microenvironments and help to identify potential targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Vanhaver
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 74, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
- Correspondence: (C.V.); (A.M.B.)
| | - Pierre van der Bruggen
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 74, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
- WELBIO, Avenue Hippocrate 74, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Annika M. Bruger
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 74, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
- Correspondence: (C.V.); (A.M.B.)
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Bruger AM, Vanhaver C, Bruderek K, Amodio G, Tavukçuoğlu E, Esendagli G, Gregori S, Brandau S, van der Bruggen P. Protocol to assess the suppression of T-cell proliferation by human MDSC. Methods Enzymol 2019; 632:155-192. [PMID: 32000895 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2019.05.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of T-cell proliferation is the most common approach to assess human myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) functions. However, diverse methodologies hinder the comparison of results obtained in different laboratories. In this chapter, we present a T-cell proliferation assay procedure based on allogeneic MDSC and T-cells that is potentially suitable to multi-center studies. The T-cells are isolated from non-cancerous donors and frozen for later use in different research groups. We observed that pure thawed T-cells showed poor proliferative capacities. To retain proliferation, T-cell-autologous mature dendritic cells are supplemented after thawing. MDSC are isolated from clinical samples and represent the sole variant between assays. Flow cytometry is used to assess T-cell proliferation by the dilution of a tracking dye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika M Bruger
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Kirsten Bruderek
- Research Division, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, Essen, Germany
| | - Giada Amodio
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), San Raffaele Scientific Institute IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Ece Tavukçuoğlu
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Günes Esendagli
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Silvia Gregori
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), San Raffaele Scientific Institute IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Sven Brandau
- Research Division, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center, Essen, Germany
| | - Pierre van der Bruggen
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; WELBIO, Brussels, Belgium.
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