TY - JOUR

T1 - Cyclophosphamide-Mediated Induction of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells In Vivo: Kinetics of Accumulation, Immune Profile, and Immunomodulation by Oleanane-Type Triterpenoids

AU - Awad, Mona S.

AU - Sen’kova, Aleksandra V.

AU - Markov, Andrey V.

AU - Salomatina, Oksana V.

AU - Zenkova, Marina A.

AU - Markov, Oleg V.

N1 - The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant no. 19-74-30011) (in vivo studies with CHOP and CTX), and partly by the Russian state-funded project for ICBFM SB RAS (grant number 125012300659-6) (in vitro experiments with BM-derived MDSCs).

PY - 2026/1/6

Y1 - 2026/1/6

N2 - Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are immature myeloid cells that strongly suppress immunity and expand during tumor progression. Various antitumor chemotherapy agents can induce MDSC accumulation, reducing treatment effectiveness. We investigated the impact of the CHOP regimen and its components (cyclophosphamide (CTX), doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) on the dynamics of MDSC accumulation and the associated changes in immune cell profiles in the peripheral blood and spleen of healthy and lymphosarcoma RLS40-bearing CBA mice. CHOP induced significant thymic atrophy and splenomegaly, T-cell depletion, and robust accumulation of MDSCs, primarily polymorphonuclear MDSCs. Kinetic analysis in healthy mice revealed splenic MDSC expansion and T-cell depletion peaked 10-day post-CHOP, driven mainly by CTX; whereas doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone exerted minimal immunological effects. To mitigate CTX-induced MDSCs, glycyrrhizic acid (GLZ), a natural triterpenoid with known immunomodulatory properties, and febroxolone methyl (FM), its novel cyano enone derivative, were administered to CTX-treated mice. GLZ significantly attenuated splenic MDSC accumulation, partially restored T-cell function, and improved immune organ morphology. Conversely, FM exacerbated immunosuppression by expanding MDSCs, enhancing their function by upregulation of Nos1 and Ido1 in vivo, and promoting the generation of highly immunosuppressive bone marrow-derived MDSCs in vitro. Thus, our results highlight CTX’s central role in CHOP-induced MDSC expansion. The structure-dependent duality of triterpenoids, countering (GLZ) or promoting (FM) MDSC expansion, offers therapeutic potential for pathologies ranging from chemotherapy-induced side effects to autoimmunity.

AB - Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are immature myeloid cells that strongly suppress immunity and expand during tumor progression. Various antitumor chemotherapy agents can induce MDSC accumulation, reducing treatment effectiveness. We investigated the impact of the CHOP regimen and its components (cyclophosphamide (CTX), doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) on the dynamics of MDSC accumulation and the associated changes in immune cell profiles in the peripheral blood and spleen of healthy and lymphosarcoma RLS40-bearing CBA mice. CHOP induced significant thymic atrophy and splenomegaly, T-cell depletion, and robust accumulation of MDSCs, primarily polymorphonuclear MDSCs. Kinetic analysis in healthy mice revealed splenic MDSC expansion and T-cell depletion peaked 10-day post-CHOP, driven mainly by CTX; whereas doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone exerted minimal immunological effects. To mitigate CTX-induced MDSCs, glycyrrhizic acid (GLZ), a natural triterpenoid with known immunomodulatory properties, and febroxolone methyl (FM), its novel cyano enone derivative, were administered to CTX-treated mice. GLZ significantly attenuated splenic MDSC accumulation, partially restored T-cell function, and improved immune organ morphology. Conversely, FM exacerbated immunosuppression by expanding MDSCs, enhancing their function by upregulation of Nos1 and Ido1 in vivo, and promoting the generation of highly immunosuppressive bone marrow-derived MDSCs in vitro. Thus, our results highlight CTX’s central role in CHOP-induced MDSC expansion. The structure-dependent duality of triterpenoids, countering (GLZ) or promoting (FM) MDSC expansion, offers therapeutic potential for pathologies ranging from chemotherapy-induced side effects to autoimmunity.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028603179

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/211b50e5-f283-3d86-8a61-d4eecde388f7/

U2 - 10.3390/ijms27020564

DO - 10.3390/ijms27020564

M3 - Article

C2 - 41596216

VL - 27

JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences

JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences

SN - 1661-6596

IS - 2

M1 - 564

ER -