High-density neutrophils in MGUS and multiple myeloma are dysfunctional and immune-suppressive due to increased STAT3 downstream signaling

Sci Rep. 2020 Feb 6;10(1):1983. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-58859-x.

Abstract

To understand neutrophil impairment in the progression from MGUS through active MM, we investigated the function of mature, high-density neutrophils (HDNs), isolated from peripheral blood. In 7 MM, 3 MGUS and 3 healthy subjects by gene expression profile, we identified a total of 551 upregulated and 343 downregulated genes in MM-HDN, involved in chemokine signaling pathway and FC-gamma receptor mediated phagocytosis conveying in the activation of STAT proteins. In a series of 60 newly diagnosed MM and 30 MGUS patients, by flow-cytometry we found that HDN from MM, and to a lesser extend MGUS, had an up-regulation of the inducible FcγRI (also known as CD64) and a down-regulation of the constitutive FcγRIIIa (also known as CD16) together with a reduced phagocytic activity and oxidative burst, associated to increased immune-suppression that could be reverted by arginase inhibitors in co-culture with lymphocytes. In 43 consecutive newly-diagnosed MM patients, who received first-line treatment based on bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone, high CD64 could identify at diagnosis patients with inferior median overall survival (39.5 versus 86.7 months, p = 0.04). Thus, HDNs are significantly different among healthy, MGUS and MM subjects. In both MGUS and MM neutrophils may play a role in supporting both the increased susceptibility to infection and the immunological dysfunction that leads to tumor progression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Disease Susceptibility / immunology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / immunology
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance / drug therapy
  • Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance / genetics
  • Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance / immunology*
  • Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance / mortality
  • Multiple Myeloma / drug therapy
  • Multiple Myeloma / genetics
  • Multiple Myeloma / immunology*
  • Multiple Myeloma / mortality
  • Neutrophils / immunology*
  • Neutrophils / metabolism
  • Phagocytosis / genetics
  • Phagocytosis / immunology
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • Tumor Escape / genetics

Substances

  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human