These are fat cells (white circles) in healthy human bone marrow, left, compared to bone marrow in a patient with leukemia, right.
(Image courtesy McMaster University)
Boosting fat cells in the bone marrow helped suppress cancer cells while regenerating healthy blood cells, new research suggests. According to study authors, the present research is unique in its focus on the bone marrow as an ecosystem, which led to the identification of fat cells as a possible therapy target – instead of the traditional approach that focuses on killing cancerous cells. A drug commonly used to battle diabetes, which induces fat cell production in the bone marrow, was used in the bone marrow samples of leukemia patients. It was found to help foster red blood cell production as well as suppress leukemic disease.
Authors:
Allison L. Boyd, Jennifer C. Reid, Kyle R. Salci, Lili Aslostovar, Yannick D. Benoit, Zoya Shapovalova, Mio Nakanishi, Deanna P. Porras, Mohammed Almakadi, Clinton J. V. Campbell, Michael F. Jackson, Catherine A. Ross, Ronan Foley, Brian Leber, David S. Allan, Mitchell Sabloff, Anargyros Xenocostas, Tony J. Collins & Mickie Bhatia
Corresponding author:
Mick Bhatia, McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Email: mbhatia@mcmaster.ca
Original paper published in Nature Cell Biology on October 16, 2017.
