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There is growing evidence that myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are directly involved in all stages leading to metastasis. Many mechanisms for this effect have been proposed, but mechanisms of coregulation between tumor cells and MDSCs remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that MDSCs are a source of milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor (EGF) factor 8 (MFGE8), which is known to be involved in tumor metastasis. Interestingly, TGF-β, an abundant cytokine in the tumor microenvironment (TME), increased MFGE8 production by MDSCs. In addition, co-culturing MDSCs with B16F10 melanoma cells increased B16F10 cell migration, while MFGE8 neutralization decreased their migration. Taken together, these findings suggest that MFGE8 is an important effector molecule through which MDSCs promote tumor metastasis, and the TME positively regulates MFGE8 production by MDSCs through TGF-β.

PDK1 is essential for T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated activation of NF-κB, and PDK1-induced phosphorylation of PKCθ is important for TCR-induced NF-κB activation. However, inverse regulation of PDK1 by PKCθ during T cell activation has not been investigated. In this study, we found that PKCθ is involved in human PDK1 phosphorylation and that its kinase activity is crucial for human PDK1 phosphorylation. Mass spectrometry analysis of wild-type PKCθ or of kinase-inactive form of PKCθ revealed that PKCθ induced phosphorylation of human PDK1 at Ser-64. This PKCθ-induced PDK1 phosphorylation positively regulated T cell activation and TCR-induced NF-κB activation. Moreover, phosphorylation of human PDK1 at Ser-64 increased the stability of human PDK1 protein. These results suggest that Ser-64 is an important phosphorylation site that is part of a positive feedback loop for human PDK1-PKCθ-mediated T cell activation.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are well known regulators of regulatory T cells (Treg cells); however, the direct regulation of MDSCs by Treg cells has not been well characterized. We find that colitis caused by functional deficiency of Treg cells leads to altered expansion and reduced function of MDSCs. During differentiation of MDSCs in vitro from bone marrow cells, Treg cells enhanced MDSC function and controlled their differentiation through a mechanism involving transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). TGF-beta-deficient Treg cells were not able to regulate MDSC function in an experimentally induced model of colitis. Finally, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of TGF-beta-mediated in-vitro-differentiated MDSCs on colitis. Adoptive transfer of MDSCs that differentiated with TGF-beta led to better colitis prevention than the transfer of MDSCs that differentiated without TGF-beta. Our results demonstrate an interaction between Treg cells and MDSCs that contributes to the regulation of MDSC proliferation and the acquisition of immunosuppressive functions.

Some cases of chronic myelogenous leukemia are resistant to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) independently of mutation in BCR-ABL, but the detailed mechanism underlying this resistance has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we generated a TKI-resistant CML cell line, K562R, that lacks a mutation in BCR-ABL. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was more highly expressed in K562R than in the parental cell line K562S, and higher levels of IL-1β contributed to the imatinib resistance of K562R. In addition, IL-1β secreted from K562R cells affected stromal cell production of CXCL11, which in turn promoted migration of K562R cells into the stroma. Thus, elevated IL-1β production from TKI-resistant K562R cells may contribute to TKI resistance by increasing cell viability and promoting cell migration.

Cereblon (CRBN) is a substrate receptor protein for the CRL4A E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. In this study, we report on a new regulatory role of CRBN in TLR4 signaling. CRBN overexpression leads to suppression of NF-κB activation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and IL-1β in response to TLR4 stimulation. Biochemical studies revealed interactions between CRBN and TAK1, and TRAF6 proteins. The interaction between CRBN and TAK1 did not affect the association of the TAB1 and TAB2 proteins, which have pivotal roles in the activation of TAK1, whereas the CRBN-TRAF6 interaction critically affected ubiquitination of TRAF6 and TAB2. Binding mapping results revealed that CRBN interacts with the Zinc finger domain of TRAF6, which contains the ubiquitination site of TRAF6, leading to attenuation of ubiquitination of TRAF6 and TAB2. Functional studies revealed that CRBN-knockdown THP-1 cells show enhanced NF-κB activation and p65- or p50-DNA binding activities, leading to up-regulation of NF-κB-dependent gene expression and increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in response to TLR4 stimulation. Furthermore, Crbn−/− mice exhibit decreased survival in response to LPS challenge, accompanied with marked enhancement of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-6. Taken together, our data demonstrate that CRBN negatively regulates TLR4 signaling via attenuation of TRAF6 and TAB2 ubiquitination.