Intraperitoneal neutrophils activated by KRAS-induced ovarian cancer exert antitumor effects by modulating adaptive immunity

Int J Oncol. 2018 Oct;53(4):1580-1590. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2018.4504. Epub 2018 Jul 26.

Abstract

Increased neutrophil counts are a hallmark of a poor prognosis for cancer. We previously reported that KRAS promoted tumorigenesis and increased neutrophil counts in a mouse peritoneal cancer model. In the current study, we evaluated the role of increased neutrophils in cancer progression, as well as their influence on the intraperitoneal microenvironment. A mouse peritoneal cancer model was established using the KRAS-transduced mouse ovarian cancer cell line, ID8-KRAS. Neutrophil function was assessed by neutrophil depletion in ID8-KRAS mice. Neutrophil depletion markedly accelerated tumor formation; this was accompanied by an increase in interleukin-6 concentrations in ascites. Neutrophil depletion significantly decreased the amount of local and systemic CD8+ T cells, while increasing the amount of local CD4+ T cells, accompanied by an increased amount of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) (P<0.05). The roles of peritoneal neutrophils (PENs) in CD8+ T cell activation were assessed in vitro. PENs of ID8-KRAS mice had a strong potential to enhance T cell proliferation with a higher expression of the T cell costimulatory molecules OX40 ligand (OX40L) and 4-1BB ligand (4-1BBL), as compared with peripheral blood neutrophils (PBNs). These findings suggest that neutrophils recruited into the KRAS-induced tumor microenvironment (TME) have antitumor properties with the potential to modulate the numbers of M-MDSCs and Tregs and activate CD8+ T cells through T cell costimulatory molecules.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity*
  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mutation
  • Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells / immunology
  • Neutrophils / immunology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / blood
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Peritoneal Cavity / cytology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Transduction, Genetic
  • Tumor Microenvironment / immunology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • KRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)