Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Cells Contribute to the Stromal Myofibroblasts in Leukemic NODSCID Mouse In Vivo

Abstract EN

We recently reported that chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cells converted into myofibroblasts to create a microenvironment for proliferation of CML cells in vitro.

To analyze a biological contribution of CML-derived myofibroblasts in vivo, we observed the characters of leukemic nonobese diabetes/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mouse.

Bone marrow nonadherent mononuclear cells as well as human CD45-positive cells obtained from CML patients were injected to the irradiated NOD/SCID mice.

When the chimeric BCR-ABL transcript was demonstrated in blood, human CML cells were detected in NOD/SCID murine bone marrow.

And CML-derived myofibroblasts composed with the bone marrow-stroma, which produced significant amounts of human vascular endothelial growth factor A.

When the parental CML cells were cultured with myofibroblasts separated from CML cell-engrafted NOD/SCID murine bone marrow, CML cells proliferated significantly.

These observations indicate that CML cells make an adequate microenvironment for their own proliferation in vivo.