Chemotherapeutic Tumor Microparticles Elicit a Neutrophil Response Targeting Malignant Pleural Effusions

Abstract

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a frequent complication of various cancers and often leads to a poor quality of life, prognosis, and life expectancy, and its management remains palliative. New approaches that can effectively treat MPE are highly desirable. Here, we show that methotrexate (MTX)-packaging tumor cell-derived microparticles (MTX-MP) act as an effective immunotherapeutic agent to treat patients with MPE by mobilizing and activating neutrophils. We find that MTX-MP perfusion via a pleural catheter elicits the recruitment of neutrophils in patients through macrophage-released CXCL1 and CXCL2. By performing <i>ex vivo</i> experiments, we find that the recruited neutrophils are activated and release reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) to kill tumor cells. Neutrophil-released NETs were also able to seal off the damaged endothelium, facilitating MPE resolution <i>in vitro</i> and in tumor-bearing mice. These findings reveal the potential for use of cell-derived materials to package drugs as an immunotherapeutic agent against MPE.