Neutrophils are abundant immune cells in the circulation and frequently infiltrate tumors in substantial numbers. However, their precise functions in different cancer types remain incompletely understood, including in the brain microenvironment. A collaborative team including researchers from the University of Lausanne, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the University of Castilla-La Mancha and Yale University School of Medicine investigated the role neutrophils in tumor tissue of glioma and brain metastasis patients, and herein described the first in-depth analysis of neutrophil phenotypes and functions in these tissues. Myeloid cells, including tumor-associated macrophages, emerged at the core of a network of pro-inflammatory mediators, supporting the concept of a critical myeloid niche regulating overall immune suppression in human brain tumors.

R. Maas et al, "The local microenvironment drives activation of neutrophils in human brain tumors", Cell 186, 1-23 (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2023.08.043