MSC/MAPC-based modulation of the immune/inflammatory mechanisms underlying bone marrow failure in MDS.

Primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are heterogeneous clonal blood stem cell disorders, causing poor production of mature blood cells and eventually leading to acute leukemia. MDS is the most common blood stem cell disorder and in Belgium, more than 300 new patients are annually diagnosed with this disease. The etiology of bone marrow (BM) failure in MDS is multifactorial and is believed to be caused by genetic defects in the blood stem cell and/or abnormalities in the immune system and the BM microenvironment. As medications that modulate the immune system and cells in the BM microenvironment improve blood cell production, we will here test in cell cultures as well as in MDS mouse models if stem cells (MSC and MAPC) derived from donor BM, which are known to be strong immunomodulators and which are part of the BM microenvironment, can improve blood cell production. These studies will be accompanied by studies aimed at following the development of MDS and the fate of the grafted stem cells in mice non-invasively, as well as extensive longitudinal characterization of the immune signature in MDS patients and MDS mouse models.

Keywords:Immune signature, Bioluminescence imaging, Immunomodulation, Adult bone marrow-derived stem cells, MDS

Disciplines:Laboratory medicine, Palliative care and end-of-life care, Regenerative medicine, Other basic sciences, Other health sciences, Nursing, Other paramedical sciences, Other translational sciences, Other medical and health sciences