Open Access

REVIEW

Targeting myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the tumor microenvironment: potential therapeutic approaches for osteosarcoma

HYE IN KA^#, SE HWAN MUN^#, SORA HAN^#, YOUNG YANG^*

Research Institute of Women’s Health, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, 04312, Republic of Korea

* Corresponding Author: YOUNG YANG. Email:
# These authors contributed equally to this work

Oncology Research 2025, 33(3), 519-531. https://doi.org/10.32604/or.2024.056860

Received 01 August 2024; Accepted 14 October 2024; Issue published 28 February 2025

Abstract

Osteosarcoma is a bone malignancy characterized by strong invasiveness and rapid disease progression. The tumor microenvironment of osteosarcoma contains various types of immune cells, including myeloid-derived suppressor cells, macrophages, T cells, and B cells. Imbalances of these immune cells can promote the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma. Recent studies have indicated a substantial increase in the levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, an immune cell associated with immunosuppressive and pro-cancer effects, in the peripheral blood of patients with osteosarcoma. Moreover, the levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 18 are positively correlated with those of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the peripheral blood of animal models of osteosarcoma. In this review, we explore the function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in osteosarcoma based on the clinical diagnoses of patients with osteosarcoma and discuss future therapeutic approaches for targeting osteosarcoma. Targeting myeloid-derived suppressor cells represents a promising approach to improving the prognosis and survival rates of patients with osteosarcoma.

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Keywords

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