title: Epigenetics in myeloid derived suppressor cells: a sheathed sword towards cancer.
abstract: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), a heterogeneous population of cells composed of progenitors and precursors to myeloid cells, are deemed to participate in the development of tumor-favoring immunosuppressive microenvironment. Thus, the regulatory strategies targeting MDSCs' expansion, differentiation, accumulation and function could possibly be effective "weapons" in anti-tumor immunotherapies. Epigenetic mechanisms, which involve DNA modification, covalent histone modification and RNA interference, result in the heritable down-regulation or silencing of gene expression without a change in DNA sequences. Epigenetic modification of MDSC's functional plasticity leads to the remodeling of its characteristics, therefore reframing the microenvironment towards countering tumor growth and metastasis. This review summarized the pertinent findings on the DNA methylation, covalent histone modification, microRNAs and small interfering RNAs targeting MDSC in cancer genesis, progression and metastasis. The potentials as well as possible obstacles in translating into anti-cancer therapeutics were also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: General Surgery, Department of Nursing, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yufeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019175:DNA Methylation; D018450:Disease Progression; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D000072737:Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering
keywords: DNA methylation; epigenetics; microRNA (miRNA); myeloid derived suppressor cell (MDSC); small interfering RNA (siRNA)