Circulating CD14(+) HLA-DR(-/low) myeloid-derived suppressor cells in leukemia patients with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: novel clinical potential strategies for the prevention and cellular therapy of graft-versus-host disease.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous cell population that includes immature myeloid cells and the progenitor cells of macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), monocytes, and neutrophils. The expansion and functional importance of MDSCs in patients with cancer and noncancer pathogenic conditions has been recognized. As a result, there has been growing interest in understanding their roles in acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogenetic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). In order to evaluate possible effects of MDSCs on aGVHD development and clinical outcomes, this study systematically detected the dynamic changes of MDSCs accumulation in patients during the first 100 days after allo-HSCT, and investigated the levels of other cell types and relative cytokines during MDSCs accumulation. Results showed that accumulation of MDSCs in the graft and in peripheral blood when engraftment might contribute to patients' overall immune suppression and result in the successful control of severe aGVHD and long-term survival without influence on risk of recurrence after allo-HSCT. But MDSCs levels in the graft had more favorable predictive abilities. Furthermore, MDSCs proportion significantly increased in patients developing aGVHD after allo-HSCT. It might be caused by secondary inflammatory response, especially related to high concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α. But this accumulation would not be able to counterbalance the aggravation of aGVHD and would not have influence on clinical outcomes and risk of relapse. Overall, MDSCs might be considered as potential new therapeutic option for aGVHD and achieve long-term immunological tolerance and survival.