title: Circulating CD14(+)HLA-DR(-/low) myeloid-derived suppressor cell is an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with ESCC.
abstract: Accumulating evidences demonstrate that a population of suppressive cells known as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) is key immune modulators which suppress antitumor immunity. In this study, we found that the level of circulating CD14(+)HLA-DR(-/low) cells in patients was significantly higher than that of healthy donors and was correlated with tumor burden, lymph node metastasis, and tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) clinical stage. More importantly, we for the first time find the level of CD14(+)HLA-DR(-/low) is a biological indicator of poor prognosis through the analysis of 3-year overall survival. Furthermore, we evidenced that the proportion of CD14(+)HLA-DR(-/low) cells in the tumor metastatic tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) was notably higher compared to tumor-free TDLNs. Additionally, CD14(+)HLA-DR(-/low) cells from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients expressed dramatically increased programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) comparing to that from healthy control. Subsequently, blocking PD-L1 pathway by antibody could effectively reverse the suppressive effect on autologous T cell proliferation mediated by CD14(+)HLA-DR(-/low) cells in vitro. In conclusion, our data revealed CD14(+)HLA-DR(-/low) MDSCs which increase in ESCC patients is a novel poor prognostic indicator and may exert immunosuppressive properties through PD-L1/PD-1 pathway.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 708 Renmin Road, Suzhou, 215007, China.|Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Stem Cell Research, Soochow University, 708 Renmin Road, Suzhou, 215007, China.|Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 708 Renmin Road, Suzhou, 215007, China.|Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Stem Cell Research, Soochow University, 708 Renmin Road, Suzhou, 215007, China.
authors.forename: Guangbo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Guangbin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China. MHT7403@163.com.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 708 Renmin Road, Suzhou, 215007, China. xueguangzh@126.com.|Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Stem Cell Research, Soochow University, 708 Renmin Road, Suzhou, 215007, China. xueguangzh@126.com.
authors.forename: Xueguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors
keywords: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; MDSC; PD-L1; Prognostic marker