Therapeutic targeting of tumour myeloid cells

Barry, S. T., Gabrilovich, D. I., Sansom, O. J. , Campbell, A. D. and Morton, J. P. (2023) Therapeutic targeting of tumour myeloid cells. Nature Reviews Cancer, 23(4), pp. 216-237. (doi: 10.1038/s41568-022-00546-2) (PMID:36747021)

Abstract

Myeloid cells are pivotal within the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment. The accumulation of tumour-modified myeloid cells derived from monocytes or neutrophils — termed ‘myeloid-derived suppressor cells’ — and tumour-associated macrophages is associated with poor outcome and resistance to treatments such as chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Unfortunately, there has been little success in large-scale clinical trials of myeloid cell modulators, and only a few distinct strategies have been used to target suppressive myeloid cells clinically so far. Preclinical and translational studies have now elucidated specific functions for different myeloid cell subpopulations within the tumour microenvironment, revealing context-specific roles of different myeloid cell populations in disease progression and influencing response to therapy. To improve the success of myeloid cell-targeted therapies, it will be important to target tumour types and patient subsets in which myeloid cells represent the dominant driver of therapy resistance, as well as to determine the most efficacious treatment regimens and combination partners. This Review discusses what we can learn from work with the first generation of myeloid modulators and highlights recent developments in modelling context-specific roles for different myeloid cell subtypes, which can ultimately inform how to drive more successful clinical trials.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Morton, Professor Jen and Sansom, Professor Owen and Campbell, Dr Andrew
• Authors: Barry, S. T., Gabrilovich, D. I., Sansom, O. J., Campbell, A. D., and Morton, J. P.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cancer Sciences
• Journal Name: Nature Reviews Cancer
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 1474-175X
• ISSN (Online): 1474-1768
• Published Online: 06 February 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 Springer Nature Limited
• First Published: First published in Nature Reviews Cancer 23(4): 216-237
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy