Lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of MDSCs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor development

Abstract A subset of immature myeloid cells known as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an immunosuppressive role and actively stimulate the growth of tumors. Lymphocyte adaptor protein (Lnk) regulates the development of hematopoietic stem cells and inflammatory CD8+ T cells by inhibiting...

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Main Authors: Jingwen Zhou, Hui Yin, JiaHua Pan, Rui Yin, Xin Wei, Min Shen, Liangliang Cai, Ziqi Liu, Jie Zhao, Wenyan Chen, Ruoxun Wang, Xinrui Lan, Wenshu Han, Dongkun Li, Xiaoyu Zhu, Weijuan Gong, Li Qian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-08-01
Series:Cell Death and Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07948-8
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author Jingwen Zhou
Hui Yin
JiaHua Pan
Rui Yin
Xin Wei
Min Shen
Liangliang Cai
Ziqi Liu
Jie Zhao
Wenyan Chen
Ruoxun Wang
Xinrui Lan
Wenshu Han
Dongkun Li
Xiaoyu Zhu
Weijuan Gong
Li Qian
author_facet Jingwen Zhou
Hui Yin
JiaHua Pan
Rui Yin
Xin Wei
Min Shen
Liangliang Cai
Ziqi Liu
Jie Zhao
Wenyan Chen
Ruoxun Wang
Xinrui Lan
Wenshu Han
Dongkun Li
Xiaoyu Zhu
Weijuan Gong
Li Qian
author_sort Jingwen Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract A subset of immature myeloid cells known as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an immunosuppressive role and actively stimulate the growth of tumors. Lymphocyte adaptor protein (Lnk) regulates the development of hematopoietic stem cells and inflammatory CD8+ T cells by inhibiting cytokine signaling. However, it is unclear how Lnk regulates the function of MDSCs during tumorigenesis. Here, using Lnk –/– mice, we showed that Lnk deficiency inhibited tumor growth in an MDSC-dependent manner. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that Lnk deficiency weakened the immunosuppressive effects of MDSCs through ferroptosis. In addition, Lnk deficiency-induced ferroptosis was regulated by the Flt3/STAT1/IRF1/Alox12 axis. Besides, Lnk was more highly expressed in MDSCs from lung cancer patients. Knocking down Lnk in human MDSCs resulted in increased TNF-α and decreased Arg-1 expression. These findings demonstrate that the role of Lnk is vital in the immunosuppressive ability of MDSCs and offers a novel target for cancer treatment.
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publisher Nature Publishing Group
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series Cell Death and Disease
spelling doaj-art-ac1aa19dbda240b8b2d413a95c2601b32025-08-20T03:06:09ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death and Disease2041-48892025-08-0116111610.1038/s41419-025-07948-8Lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of MDSCs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor developmentJingwen Zhou0Hui Yin1JiaHua Pan2Rui Yin3Xin Wei4Min Shen5Liangliang Cai6Ziqi Liu7Jie Zhao8Wenyan Chen9Ruoxun Wang10Xinrui Lan11Wenshu Han12Dongkun Li13Xiaoyu Zhu14Weijuan Gong15Li Qian16Key Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Taizhou Second People’s Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityDepartment of Ophthalmology, the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityKey Laboratory of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions for Nucleic Acid & Cell Fate Regulation (Yangzhou University), School of Medicine, Yangzhou UniversityAbstract A subset of immature myeloid cells known as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an immunosuppressive role and actively stimulate the growth of tumors. Lymphocyte adaptor protein (Lnk) regulates the development of hematopoietic stem cells and inflammatory CD8+ T cells by inhibiting cytokine signaling. However, it is unclear how Lnk regulates the function of MDSCs during tumorigenesis. Here, using Lnk –/– mice, we showed that Lnk deficiency inhibited tumor growth in an MDSC-dependent manner. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that Lnk deficiency weakened the immunosuppressive effects of MDSCs through ferroptosis. In addition, Lnk deficiency-induced ferroptosis was regulated by the Flt3/STAT1/IRF1/Alox12 axis. Besides, Lnk was more highly expressed in MDSCs from lung cancer patients. Knocking down Lnk in human MDSCs resulted in increased TNF-α and decreased Arg-1 expression. These findings demonstrate that the role of Lnk is vital in the immunosuppressive ability of MDSCs and offers a novel target for cancer treatment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07948-8
spellingShingle Jingwen Zhou
Hui Yin
JiaHua Pan
Rui Yin
Xin Wei
Min Shen
Liangliang Cai
Ziqi Liu
Jie Zhao
Wenyan Chen
Ruoxun Wang
Xinrui Lan
Wenshu Han
Dongkun Li
Xiaoyu Zhu
Weijuan Gong
Li Qian
Lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of MDSCs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor development
Cell Death and Disease
title Lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of MDSCs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor development
title_full Lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of MDSCs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor development
title_fullStr Lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of MDSCs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor development
title_full_unstemmed Lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of MDSCs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor development
title_short Lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of MDSCs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor development
title_sort lnk deficiency attenuates the immunosuppressive capacity of mdscs via ferroptosis to suppress tumor development
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07948-8
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