Newly recruited CD11b+, GR-1+, Ly6C(high) myeloid cells augment tumor-associated immunosuppression immediately following the therapeutic administration of oncolytic reovirus.

Tumor-associated immunosuppression aids cancer cells to escape immune-mediated attack and subsequent elimination. Recently, however, many oncolytic viruses, including reovirus, have been reported to overturn such immunosuppression and promote the development of a clinically desired antitumor immunity, which is known to promote favorable patient outcomes. Contrary to this existing paradigm, in this article we demonstrate that reovirus augments tumor-associated immunosuppression immediately following its therapeutic administration. Our data show that reovirus induces preferential differentiation of highly suppressive CD11b(+), Gr-1(+), Ly6C(high) myeloid cells from bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells. Furthermore, reovirus administration in tumor-bearing hosts drives time-dependent recruitment of CD11b(+), Gr-1(+), Ly6C(high) myeloid cells in the tumor milieu, which is further supported by virus-induced increased expression of numerous immune factors involved in myeloid-derived suppressor cell survival and trafficking. Most importantly, CD11b(+), Gr-1(+), Ly6C(high) myeloid cells specifically potentiate the suppression of T cell proliferation and are associated with the absence of IFN-γ response in the tumor microenvironment early during oncotherapy. Considering that the qualitative traits of a specific antitumor immunity are largely dictated by the immunological events that precede its development, our findings are of critical importance and must be considered while devising complementary interventions aimed at promoting the optimum efficacy of oncolytic virus-based anticancer immunotherapies.

Core needle biopsy of breast cancer tumors increases distant metastases in a mouse model.

INTRODUCTION: Incisional biopsies, including the diagnostic core needle biopsy (CNB), routinely performed before surgical excision of breast cancer tumors are hypothesized to increase the risk of metastatic disease. In this study, we experimentally determined whether CNB of breast cancer tumors results in increased distant metastases and examine important resultant changes in the primary tumor and tumor microenvironment associated with this outcome. METHOD: To evaluate the effect of CNB on metastasis development, we implanted murine mammary 4T1 tumor cells in BALB/c mice and performed CNB on palpable tumors in half the mice. Subsequently, emulating the human scenario, all mice underwent complete tumor excision and were allowed to recover, with attendant metastasis development. Tumor growth, lung metastasis, circulating tumor cell (CTC) levels, variation in gene expression, composition of the tumor microenvironment, and changes in immunologic markers were compared in biopsied and non-biopsied mice. RESULTS: Mice with biopsied tumors developed significantly more lung metastases compared to non-biopsied mice. Tumors from biopsied mice contained a higher frequency of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) accompanied by reduced CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, and macrophages, suggesting biopsy-mediated development of an increasingly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. We also observed a CNB-dependent up-regulation in the expression of SOX4, Ezh2, and other key epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes, as well as increased CTC levels among the biopsy group. CONCLUSION: CNB creates an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, increases EMT, and facilitates release of CTCs, all of which likely contribute to the observed increase in development of distant metastases.