Biomedicines (Nov 2023)

Intracellular Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II and C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 10-Expressing Neutrophils Indicate the State of Anti-Tumor Activity Induced by <i>Bacillus Calmette–Guérin</i>

  • Yuji Takeda,
  • Tomoyuki Kato,
  • Saima Sabrina,
  • Sei Naito,
  • Hiromi Ito,
  • Naoto Emi,
  • Yuya Kuboki,
  • Yuki Takai,
  • Hiroki Fukuhara,
  • Masaki Ushijima,
  • Takafumi Narisawa,
  • Mayu Yagi,
  • Hidenori Kanno,
  • Toshihiko Sakurai,
  • Hayato Nishida,
  • Akemi Araki,
  • Yoshitaka Shimotai,
  • Mikako Nagashima,
  • Yusuke Nouchi,
  • Shinichi Saitoh,
  • Hidetoshi Nara,
  • Norihiko Tsuchiya,
  • Hironobu Asao

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11113062
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 11
p. 3062

Abstract

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(1) Background: Inflammatory responses induce the formation of both anti-tumor and pro-tumor neutrophils known as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Intermittent intravesical infusion of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is an established cancer immunotherapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, the types of neutrophils induced via the inflammatory response to both tumor-bearing and BCG remain unclear. (2) Methods: We therefore analyzed neutrophil dynamics in the peripheral blood and urine of patients with NMIBC who received BCG therapy. Further, we analyzed the effects of BCG in a mouse intraperitoneal tumor model. (3) Results: BCG therapy induced the formation of CXCL10 and MHC class II-positive neutrophils in the urine of patients with NMIBC but did not induce MDSC formation. CXCL10- and MHC class II-expressing neutrophils were detected in peritoneal exudate cells formed after BCG administration. Partial neutrophil depletion using an anti-Ly6G antibody suppressed the upregulation of CXCL10 and MHC class II in neutrophils and reversed the anti-tumor activity of BCG in mouse models. (4) Conclusions: These results indicated that intracellular MHC class II- and CXCL10-expressing neutrophils indicate the state of anti-tumor activity induced via BCG. The status of neutrophils in mixed inflammation of immunosuppressive and anti-tumor responses may therefore be useful for evaluating immunological systemic conditions.

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