CD14^-CD10^-CD45⁺HLA-DR^-SSC+ neutrophils may be granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cell-like cells and relate to disease progression in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients

We explored the frequency of CD14(-)CD10(-)CD45(+)HLA(-)DR(-)SSC(++) neutrophils (CD10(-) neutrophils) in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and their immunologic characteristics and clinical significance. Patients with NHL who were newly diagnosed (NDP; n = 33), in remission (RMP; n = 28) and relapsed (RLP; n = 29) were included, and 47 volunteers were recruited as healthy controls (HCs). The frequency of CD10- neutrophils in the peripheral blood from HC and patients with NHL was detected. CD10- and CD10(+) neutrophils were sorted, and their cytology was analyzed. CD3(+) T cells were also isolated and cultured with the autologous CD10(-) or CD10(+) neutrophils, after which the proliferation and death rates of T cells were determined. The levels of arginase-1 (Arg-1) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in CD10(+) or CD10(-) neutrophils were examined. Few CD10(-) neutrophils were detected in HCs but were significantly elevated in patients with NHL, especially in NDP and RLP. In addition, CD10(-) neutrophils in NDP with advanced stage and high risk were markedly higher than those in NDP with limited stage and low risk. In RMP and RLP, the relapse-free survival and overall survival in patients with high CD10(-) neutrophils were shorter than those with low CD10(- )neutrophils. CD10(-) neutrophils from patients with NHL, which mainly consist of immature neutrophils, inhibit T-cell proliferation and facilitate T-cell death. Furthermore, a significant increase was observed in Arg-1 expression, along with an increase to a certain extent in ROS. CD10(- )neutrophils in patients with NHL have characteristics of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and may be related to disease progression and poor prognosis.