Tracking Biodistribution of Myeloid-Derived Cells in Murine Models of Breast Cancer

A growing tumor is constantly secreting inflammatory chemokines and cytokines that induce release of immature myeloid cells, including myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and macrophages, from the bone marrow. These cells not only promote tumor growth, but also prepare distant organs for tumor metastasis. On the other hand, the myeloid-derived cells also have phagocytic potential, and can serve as vehicles for drug delivery. We have previously identified thioaptamers that bind a subset of MDSCs with high affinity and specificity. In the current study, we applied one of the thioaptamers as a probe to track myeloid cell distribution in the bone, liver, spleen and tumor in multiple murine models of breast cancer including the 4T1 syngeneic model and MDA-MB-231 and SUM159 xenograft models. Information generated from this study will facilitate further understanding of tumor growth and metastasis, and predict biodistribution patterns of cell-mediated drug delivery.