title: Neutrophilic myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cord blood modulate innate and adaptive immune responses.
abstract: Neonates show an impaired anti-microbial host defence, but the underlying immune mechanisms are not understood fully. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) represent an innate immune cell subset characterized by their capacity to suppress T cell immunity. In this study we demonstrate that a distinct MDSC subset with a neutrophilic/granulocytic phenotype (Gr-MDSCs) is highly increased in cord blood compared to peripheral blood of children and adults. Functionally, cord blood isolated Gr-MDSCs suppressed T cell proliferation efficiently as well as T helper type 1 (Th1), Th2 and Th17 cytokine secretion. Beyond T cells, cord blood Gr-MDSCs controlled natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity in a cell contact-dependent manner. These studies establish neutrophilic Gr-MDSCs as a novel immunosuppressive cell subset that controls innate (NK) and adaptive (T cell) immune responses in neonates. Increased MDSC activity in cord blood might serve as key fetomaternal immunosuppressive mechanism impairing neonatal host defence. Gr-MDSCs in cord blood might therefore represent a therapeutic target in neonatal infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics I, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rieber
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gille
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Köstlin
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spring
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ost
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spieles
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kugel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Heininger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alkhaled
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hector
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mays
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kormann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zundel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Handgretinger
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Poets
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hartl
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000328:Adult; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*
keywords: Gr-MDSC; MDSC; NK cells; Th17; cord blood; myeloid-derived suppressor cells; neonatal; neutrophilic