The family of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) includes a heterogeneous group of partially immature cells belonging to the myeloid lineage with potent immunosuppressive functions. They might be increased in the peripheral blood of cancer patients and in the microenvironment of cancer lesions, where they act in suppressing adaptive and innate immune cells, promoting tumor progression, and facilitating resistance to therapy. Several—albeit still limited—studies have shown higher levels of MDSCs in elderly cancer patients, correlating with poorer outcomes and a reduced response to immunotherapies. Thus, MDSCs may serve as biomarkers for prognosis or therapy response in this population, and MDSC-targeting therapies aimed at reducing their number or function may enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapies in older adults. Additionally, a better understanding of MDSCs may help to overcome some age-related barriers in cancer treatments.
髓源性抑制细胞（MDSCs）家族包含一组异质性的部分未成熟细胞，属于具有强大免疫抑制功能的髓系谱系。这类细胞在癌症患者外周血及肿瘤病灶微环境中可能增多，通过抑制适应性及先天性免疫细胞、促进肿瘤进展、增强治疗抵抗性发挥作用。尽管目前研究仍有限，但已有数项研究表明老年癌症患者体内MDSCs水平升高，且与不良预后及免疫疗法反应减弱相关。因此，MDSCs可作为该人群预后或治疗反应的生物标志物，而针对MDSCs数量或功能的靶向治疗可能提升老年患者免疫疗法的有效性。此外，深入理解MDSCs的作用机制有助于克服癌症治疗中某些与年龄相关的障碍。
Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs) at the Crossroad of Senescence and Cancer
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家