Understanding and reversing mammary tumor-driven reprogramming of myelopoiesis to reduce metastatic spread

Abstract

Tumor-induced systemic accumulation and polarization of neutrophils to an immunosuppressive phenotype is a potent driver of metastasis formation. Yet, how mammary tumors reprogram granulopoiesis at the molecular level and when tumor imprinting occurs during neutrophil development remains underexplored. Here, we combined single-cell, chromatin and functional analyses to unravel the tumor-driven reprogramming of granulopoiesis in the bone marrow, along with intervention studies aimed at reversing this process. We observe that mammary tumors accelerate commitment to the neutrophil lineage at the expense of lymphopoiesis and erythropoiesis without stimulating the development of a novel myeloid lineage. Moreover, tumor-directed immunosuppressive imprinting of neutrophils starts early in hematopoiesis. Treatment with anti-IL-1β normalizes tumor-induced granulopoiesis, reducing neutrophil immunosuppressive phenotype and mitigating metastatic spread. Together, these data provide molecular insights into the aberrant, tumor-driven neutrophil differentiation pathway leading to metastasis-promoting chronic inflammation and how it can be reversed to reduce metastatic spread.