Work

Osteoblastic niche supports the growth of quiescent multiple myeloma cells

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: The heterogeneity of multiple myeloma (MM) contributes to variable responses to therapy. In this study, we aim to correlate the heterogeneity of MM to the presence of quiescent cells using the PKH26 dye. We tracked the rare quiescent cells in different niches of the bone marrow by allowing the cells to cycle in vivo. Surprisingly, quiescent PKH(+) MM cells prefer to reside within the osteoblastic niches of the bone marrow (PKH(+)/OS) rather than the vascular (VS) niches or the spleen. These cells (PKH(+)/OS) displayed enhanced stemlike properties by forming colonies in semisolid medium. PKH(+) cells were highly tumorigenic compared with PKH(-) cells and were resistant to a variety of drugs. However, the levels of drug resistance were somewhat similar regardless of where the PKH(+) cells were isolated. Our data indicate that osteoblastic niches support the growth of quiescent PKH(+) cells and allow them to have stemlike functions.

Source: Blood

DOI: 10.1182/blood-2013-07-517136

Authors: Zheng Chen, Robert Z. Orlowski, Michael Wang, Larry Kwak, Nami McCarty

Institutions: Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Language: English

Topic: Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments

Subfield: Hematology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Cancer Institute