Acute myelogenous leukemia cells with the MLL-ELL translocation convert morphologically and functionally into adherent myofibroblasts.
Bone marrow-myofibroblasts, a major component of bone marrow-stroma, are reported to originate from hematopoietic stem cells. We show in this paper that non-adherent leukemia blasts can change into myofibroblasts. When myeloblasts from two cases of acute myelogenous leukemia with a fusion product comprising mixed lineage leukemia and RNA polymerase II elongation factor, were cultured long term, their morphology changed to that of myofibroblasts with similar molecular characteristics to the parental myeloblasts. The original leukemia blasts, when cultured on the leukemia blast-derived myofibroblasts, grew extensively. Leukemia blasts can create their own microenvironment for proliferation.
Tashiro
Haruko
H
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8606, Japan.
Mizutani-Noguchi
Mitsuho
M
Shirasaki
Ryosuke
R
Shirafuji
Naoki
N
D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 / Q000235:genetics*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D051788:Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000473:pathology*; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
C472772:MLL-ELL fusion protein, human; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D051788:Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein