Exosomes Produced by Mesenchymal Stem Cells Drive Differentiation of Myeloid Cells into Immunosuppressive M2-Polarized Macrophages in Breast Cancer.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Tumor-associated macrophages are major contributors to malignant progression and resistance to immunotherapy, but the mechanisms governing their differentiation from immature myeloid precursors remain incompletely understood. In this study, we demonstrate that exosomes secreted by human and mouse tumor-educated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) drive accelerated breast cancer progression by inducing differentiation of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells into highly immunosuppressive M2-polarized macrophages at tumor beds. Mechanistically, MSC-derived exosomes but not exosomes from tumor cells contain TGF-β, C1q, and semaphorins, which promote myeloid tolerogenic activity by driving PD-L1 overexpression in both immature myelomonocytic precursors and committed CD206+ macrophages and by inducing differentiation of MHC class II+ macrophages with enhanced l-Arginase activity and IL-10 secretion at tumor beds. Accordingly, administration of tumor-associated murine MSC-derived exosomes accelerates tumor growth by dampening antitumor immunity, and macrophage depletion eliminates exosome-dependent differences in malignant progression. Our results unveil a new role for MSC-derived exosomes in the differentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells into macrophages, which governs malignant growth.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Biswas, S; Mandal, G; Roy Chowdhury, S; Purohit, S; Payne, KK; Anadon, C; Gupta, A; Swanson, P; Yu, X; Conejo-Garcia, JR; Bhattacharyya, A

Published Date

  • December 15, 2019

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 203 / 12

Start / End Page

  • 3447 - 3460

PubMed ID

  • 31704881

Pubmed Central ID

  • PMC6994919

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1550-6606

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.4049/jimmunol.1900692

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States