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Improving cancer immunotherapy by targeting the STATe of MDSCs

Nienke de Haas1, Coco de Koning1, Lisanne Spilgies1

  • 1Department of Tumor Immunology, Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center , Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Oncoimmunology
|September 14, 2016
PubMed

Cancer immunotherapy is a promising therapeutic avenue; however, in practice its efficacy is hampered by an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that consists of suppressive cell types like myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Eradication or reprogramming of MDSCs could therefore enhance clinical responses to immunotherapy. Here, we review clinically available drugs that target MDSCs, often through inhibition of STAT signaling, which is essential for MDSC accumulation and suppressive functions. Interestingly, several drugs used for non-cancerous indications and natural compounds similarly inhibit MDSCs by STAT inhibition, but have fewer side effects than anticancer drugs. Therefore, they show great potential for combination strategies with immunotherapy.

Keywords:
DrugsMDSCsSTAT signalingimmunotherapytumor microenvironment

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