title: CTLA4 blockade reduces immature myeloid cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Immature myeloid cells such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and M2 macrophages play a vital role in the tumor immune escape and tumor progression. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4), as a negative immune checkpoint, is highly expressed in numerous solid tumors. However, precise functions of CTLA4 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that the ratio of CD8(+)/CTLA4 can be used as a potential index with a clinical prognostic value for HNSCC. Using immunocompetent transgenic mouse model with spontaneous HNSCC, we directly observed that targeting CTLA4 decreases MDSCs and M2 macrophages and promotes T cell activation in both tumor microenvironment and macro-environment. In all, our study provides direct evidence in vivo and proposes a rationale for CTLA4 inhibition as a future therapeutic strategy in patients with HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education , Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Tao
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education , Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Lin-Lin
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education , Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Yue
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education , Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education , Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Tian-Fu
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China; Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Sun
keywords: CTLA4; HNSCC; M2 macrophages; MDSCs; immunotherapy; myeloid cells