Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Myeloperoxidase expressing tumor associated neutrophils are associated with worse prognosis in metastatic breast cancer patients

Leandersson, Karin LU orcid ; Blomgård, Dag ; Tuvesson, Oscar ; Rydén, Lisa LU orcid ; Bergenfelz, Caroline LU orcid and Larsson, Anna Maria LU (2025) In Scientific Reports 15(1).
Abstract

Tumor associated neutrophils (TANs) exert dual and opposing functions in tumors, acting pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic, depending on tumor progression, polarization state and subtype. Consequently, the prognostic impact of TANs in breast cancer is also contradictory. Since neutrophils are critically needed to fight infections in cancer patients, the mediators leading to tumor progression need more investigation as potential future targets. The neutrophil derived mediator myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a peroxidase with dual functions in tumors, acting both immune enhancing and suppressing. Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) have aggressive tumors with a dismal prognosis and urgently need novel treatment strategies. Therefore,... (More)

Tumor associated neutrophils (TANs) exert dual and opposing functions in tumors, acting pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic, depending on tumor progression, polarization state and subtype. Consequently, the prognostic impact of TANs in breast cancer is also contradictory. Since neutrophils are critically needed to fight infections in cancer patients, the mediators leading to tumor progression need more investigation as potential future targets. The neutrophil derived mediator myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a peroxidase with dual functions in tumors, acting both immune enhancing and suppressing. Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) have aggressive tumors with a dismal prognosis and urgently need novel treatment strategies. Therefore, we here aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of TANs, MPO+ TANs and MPO+ non-neutrophils using a cohort with newly diagnosed MBC patients specifically. We show that high infiltration of MPO+ TANs and MPO+ non-neutrophils in the primary tumor (PT), was associated with clinicopathological features and worse prognosis in patients with MBC. However, only infiltration of MPO+ TANs showed independent prognostic impact in multivariable analysis adjusting for other prognostic factors in MBC. The results need to be validated in a larger cohort but suggests that MPO targeting strategies could be relevant in breast cancer patients with aggressive disease.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
G-MDSC, Metastatic breast cancer (MBC), MPO, TAM, TAN
in
Scientific Reports
volume
15
issue
1
article number
25270
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:40652059
  • scopus:105010608041
ISSN
2045-2322
DOI
10.1038/s41598-025-08854-x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c930b352-608b-441b-af57-a15d6c6ee317
date added to LUP
2025-10-27 09:35:51
date last changed
2025-10-28 03:07:55
@article{c930b352-608b-441b-af57-a15d6c6ee317,
  abstract     = {{<p>Tumor associated neutrophils (TANs) exert dual and opposing functions in tumors, acting pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic, depending on tumor progression, polarization state and subtype. Consequently, the prognostic impact of TANs in breast cancer is also contradictory. Since neutrophils are critically needed to fight infections in cancer patients, the mediators leading to tumor progression need more investigation as potential future targets. The neutrophil derived mediator myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a peroxidase with dual functions in tumors, acting both immune enhancing and suppressing. Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) have aggressive tumors with a dismal prognosis and urgently need novel treatment strategies. Therefore, we here aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of TANs, MPO<sup>+</sup> TANs and MPO<sup>+</sup> non-neutrophils using a cohort with newly diagnosed MBC patients specifically. We show that high infiltration of MPO<sup>+</sup> TANs and MPO<sup>+</sup> non-neutrophils in the primary tumor (PT), was associated with clinicopathological features and worse prognosis in patients with MBC. However, only infiltration of MPO<sup>+</sup> TANs showed independent prognostic impact in multivariable analysis adjusting for other prognostic factors in MBC. The results need to be validated in a larger cohort but suggests that MPO targeting strategies could be relevant in breast cancer patients with aggressive disease.</p>}},
  author       = {{Leandersson, Karin and Blomgård, Dag and Tuvesson, Oscar and Rydén, Lisa and Bergenfelz, Caroline and Larsson, Anna Maria}},
  issn         = {{2045-2322}},
  keywords     = {{G-MDSC; Metastatic breast cancer (MBC); MPO; TAM; TAN}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Scientific Reports}},
  title        = {{Myeloperoxidase expressing tumor associated neutrophils are associated with worse prognosis in metastatic breast cancer patients}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08854-x}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41598-025-08854-x}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}