Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and its impact on myeloid-derived suppressor cells

Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a neuropeptide with immunomodulatory properties that has been shown to reduce MDSC expansion in a murine carcinogenesis model. However, its molecular effects on human MDSC differentiation remain poorly understood.

Here, we investigated the transcriptional effects of α-MSH during GM-CSF and IL-6 induced differentiation of T and B cell depleted, myeloid enriched peripheral blood cells from healthy donors. Whole transcriptome analysis revealed gene expression changes during cytokine induced differentiation and subtle but reproducible transcriptional alterations following α-MSH treatment. Differentially expressed genes were mainly associated with immune regulation, intracellular signaling, cell migration and metabolic processes.