Glioma-derived CCL2 and CCL7 mediate migration of immune suppressive CCR2+/CX3CR1+ M-MDSCs into the tumor microenvironment in a redundant manner

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor, resulting in poor survival despite aggressive therapies. GBM is characterized in part by a highly heterogeneous and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) made up predominantly of infiltrating peripheral immune cells. One significant immune cell type that contributes to glioma immune evasion is a population of immunosuppressive, hematopoietic cells, termed myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Previous studies suggest that a potent subset of myeloid cells, expressing monocytic (M)-MDSC markers, distinguished by dual expression of chemokine receptors CCR2 and CX3CR1, utilize CCR2 to infiltrate into the TME. This study evaluated the T cell suppressive function and migratory properties of CCR2+/CX3CR1+ MDSCs. Bone marrow-derived CCR2+/CX3CR1+ cells adopt an immune suppressive cell phenotype when cultured with glioma-derived factors. Recombinant and glioma-derived CCL2 and CCL7 induce the migration of CCR2+/CX3CR1+ MDSCs with similar efficacy. KR158B-CCL2 and -CCL7 knockdown murine gliomas contain equivalent percentages of CCR2+/CX3CR1+ MDSCs compared to KR158B gliomas. Combined neutralization of CCL2 and CCL7 completely blocks CCR2-expressing cell migration to KR158B cell conditioned media. CCR2+/CX3CR1+ cells are also reduced within KR158B gliomas upon combination targeting of CCL2 and CCL7. High levels of CCL2 and CCL7 are also associated with negative prognostic outcomes in GBM patients. These data provide a more comprehensive understanding of the function of CCR2+/CX3CR1+ MDSCs and the role of CCL2 and CCL7 in the recruitment of these immune suppressive cells and further support the significance of targeting this chemokine axis in GBM.