Abstract: The invention relates to a method of detecting and/or characterising an immunosuppressive neutrophil comprising determining and/or measuring the expression of one or more anti-apoptotic markers in a neutrophil population. In an embodiment, the immunosuppressive neutrophil is a polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cell (PMNMDSC) and the anti-apoptotic marker is TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-receptor 3 (TRAILR3/TNFRSF10C) and/or decoy TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-receptor (dcTRAILR1). Also disclosed are methods of evaluating the progression of a proliferative disease in a subject, methods of evaluating the efficacy of a treatment regimen for a proliferative disease in a subject, methods of treating a proliferative disease in a subject, and kits thereof.

Abstract: There is provided a method of identifying a neutrophil progenitor, the method comprising: determining an expression of at least one biomarker selected from the group consisting of: CD71, LOX-1, CD164, CD112, CD181, TACSTD2, CD11b and CD49d in a cell. In various embodiments, the cell is identified as a neutrophil progenitor when it is determined to have at least one of the following expression profiles: CD71hi/+, LOX-1int/lo/?, CD164hi/+, CD112hi/+, CD181int/lo/?, TACSTD2hi/+, CD11blo/? and/or CD49dint/hi/+. Also disclosed are a method of sorting and/or separating neutrophil progenitors from a cell population, a composition that is enriched in neutrophil progenitors and related uses and methods.

Abstract: There is provided a method of evaluating risk of severe outcome of an infectious disease and/or an inflammatory disease in a patient, the method comprising: determining/measuring the number of one or more immune cells selected from the group consisting of VD2 T cells, CD8 T cells, and immature neutrophils in a sample obtained from the patient, wherein the patient has an enhanced risk of severe infectious disease and/or inflammatory disease outcome when: (i) the ratio of immature neutrophils to VD2 T cell is at least 2:1, and/or (ii) the ratio of immature neutrophils to CD8 T cell is at least 0.5:1. Also disclosed are method of treating a patient with a severe infectious disease and/or inflammatory disease and kit for use in methods thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of characterising and/or separating neutrophils, the method comprises characterising and/or separating the neutrophils into a first population comprising proliferative neutrophils and a second population comprising mature neutrophils, according to the expression of CD101 on the neutrophils. Also disclosed are compositions comprising proliferative neutrophils that are CD10?CD101?, and methods of treatment, diagnostic or prognostic using neutrophils thereof, as well as kits for characterising and/or separating proliferative neutrophils based on the expression of CD101 or CD10. In a preferred embodiment, the population of neutrophils may be characterised as proliferative neutrophils if CD10?CD101?, as immature neutrophils if CD10?CD101+ and as mature neutrophils if CD10+CD101+.