# Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs)

Source: https://onco.cc/terms/myeloid-derived-suppressor-cells/  
OnCo record `myeloid-derived-suppressor-cells` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Immature immune cells that tumours summon to switch off T cells. Their numbers in blood predict worse immunotherapy outcomes.

## Summary

Granulocytic (PMN-MDSC) and monocytic (M-MDSC) subsets; suppress T cells via arginase, iNOS, ROS, and PD-L1. Expanded by G-CSF, IL-6, and VEGF from tumours. Targets under study: CXCR2, STAT3, arginase inhibitors, PI3Kγ; also depleted by some chemotherapies (gemcitabine, 5-FU) and inhibited by PDE5 inhibitors in pilot trials.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-08

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myeloid-derived_suppressor_cell
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myeloid-derived_suppressor_cell

## Connected records

- targets: [PD-L1](https://onco.cc/targets/pdl1/), [VEGF / VEGFR](https://onco.cc/targets/vegf/)
- pathways: [Complement in cancer](https://onco.cc/pathways/complement-in-cancer/), [JAK-STAT signalling](https://onco.cc/pathways/jak-stat/), [Myeloid suppression: TAMs, MDSCs & don't-eat-me signals](https://onco.cc/pathways/myeloid-suppression-axis/), [Nutrient competition & metabolic immunosuppression](https://onco.cc/pathways/nutrient-competition-tme/), [The pre-metastatic niche](https://onco.cc/pathways/pre-metastatic-niche/), [Tumour microenvironment (TME)](https://onco.cc/pathways/tumor-microenvironment/)
- terms: [Macrophage](https://onco.cc/terms/macrophage/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/myeloid-derived-suppressor-cells.json