Chronic myelogenous leukemia hematopoietic stem cells

We show the molecular and functional characterization of a novel population of lineage-negative CD34-negative (Lin- CD34-) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients at diagnosis. Molecular caryotyping and quantitative analysis of BCR/ABL transcript demonstrated that about one third of CD34- was leukemic. CML CD34- cells showed kinetic quiescence and limited clonogenic capacity. However, stroma-dependent cultures and cytokines induced CD34 expression on some HSCs, cell cycling, acquisition of clonogenic activity and increased expression of BCR/ABL transcript. CML CD34- cells showed an engraftment rate in immunodeficient mice similar to that of CD34+ cells. Gene expression profiling revealed the down-regulation of cell cycle arrest genes together with genes involved in antigen presentation and processing, while the expression of angiogenic factors was strongly up-regulated when compared to normal counterparts. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the significant down-regulation of HLA class I and II molecules in CML CD34-cells. Increasing doses of imatinib mesilate (IM) did not affect fusion transcript levels, BCR-ABL kinase activity and the clonogenic efficiency of CML CD34- cells as compared to leukemic CD34+cells.

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Lemoli RM, Salvestrini V, Bianchi E, Bertolini F, Fogli M, Amabile M, Tafuri A, Salati S, Zini R, Testoni N, Rabascio C, Rossi L, Martin-Padura I, Castagnetti F, Marighetti P, Martinelli G, Baccarani M, Ferrari S, Manfredini R