The Role of Stromal Cells in Multiple Myeloma: Actors or Spectators?.

Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 2506-2506
Author(s):  
A. Corso ◽  
E. Ferretti ◽  
A. Gallì ◽  
A. M. Tenore ◽  
C. Pascutto ◽  
...  

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B cell neoplasia characterized by an accumulation of clonal plasma cells (PCs) in the bone marrow (BM). The growth and survival of MM plasma cells is regulated by their network with the microenvironment, mainly with the stromal cells. However, although bone marrow stromal cells have been shown to take part in the pathogenesis of the disease, it is still unknown whether these cells play an active or passive role. Namely, whether normal stromal cells simply supply the demand of MM plasma cells, or, during the course of the disease, they acquire abnormal characteristics becoming pathological. To address this question, we designed an in vitro co-culture model in which PCs isolated by immuno-magnetic separation from MGUS and MM patients are crossed with BM stromal cells (BMSCs) derived from MGUS and MM patients. As a result, four type of co-cultures were obtained: MM-BMSCs/MM-PCs, MM-BMSCs/MGUS-PCs, MGUS-BMSCs/MM-PCs, MGUS-BMSCs/MGUS-PCs. After two days of co-culture in a serum free medium, we evaluated the survival of MM-PCs or MGUS-PCs for each combination. We also quantified by ELISA assays in the supernatants of the same cultures, the level of several growth factors (IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, MIP-1a, MIP-1b, RANTES, MCP-1, TGF-b, SDF-1) to evaluate the possible influence of these cytokines on plasma cells. Multivariate general linear models were applied to compare survival in the different combinations of BMSCs and PCs, also accounting for the various growth factors. MM-BMSCs showed to support the survival of both MM-PCs and MGUS-PCs significantly better than MGUS-BMSCs (p=0.0007). However, in the combination MGUS-PCs/MGUS-BMSCs plasma cells survived statistically better than in that MM-PCs/MGUS-BMSCs (p=0.00003). As regards the cytokines, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, MIP-1a, MIP-1b, and RANTES did not show to be significantly associated with plasma cell survival in all settings. TGF-B and SDF-1 levels were significantly associated with better survival of both MM-PCs and MGUS-PCs when cultured with MM-BMSCs compared to MGUS-BMSCs (p=0.0001 and p=0.038, respectively), while MCP-1 was significantly associated with reduced survival of MM-PCs and MGUS-PCs in the same setting (p=0.006). In conclusion, these data favours the concept that the behaviour of stromal cells may change during the transition from the condition of MGUS to the overt state of myeloma, evolving from a simple role of a spectator to that of an actor. It also appears that overt MM plasma cells have the highest need for cytokine supply and therefore are more dependent on BMSCs activity.

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 4987-4987
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Ikeda ◽  
Yuka Aoki ◽  
Nasanori Nojima ◽  
Hiroshi Yasui ◽  
Toshiaki Hayashi ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 4987 The Bone marrow (BM) microenvironment plays crucial role in pathogenesis of Multiple myeloma(MM). Myeloma cells contacts with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), which secrete factors/cytokines, promoting tumor cell growth and survival. Paracrine secretion of cytokines(i. e., interleukin-6 (IL-6) insulin-like growth factor-1, inflammatory protein-1a) in BM stromal cells promotes multiple myeloma cell proliferation and protects against drug-induced cytotoxicity. These cytokines provide stimulatory signals for multiple myeloma growth and survival. Bone involvement is a common feature in MM patient, solid and hematologic cancers. MM localizes to the bone in nearly all patients ranges between 40% and 75%. Disease-related skeletal complications result in significant morbidity due to pain, pathologic fractures and spinal cord compression. The bone microenvironment creates a supportive niche for tumor growth. Osteoclasts and bone marrow stromal cells, along with extracellular matrix and cytokines stimulate tumor cell proliferation and confer chemoresistance. Therefore, the reciprocal interactions between tumor cells, osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and bone marrow stromal cells present an important. In current study, monocyte can directly promote mesenchymal stem cells osteogenic differentiation through cell contact interactions, thus resulting in the production of osteogenic factors by the monocytes. This mechanism is mediated by the activation of STAT3 signaling pathway in the mesechymal stem cells that leads to the upregulation of Osteoblasts-associated genes such as Runx2 and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and the down-regulation of inhibitors such as DKK1 to drive the differentiation of mesechymal stem cells into osteoblasts. In this study, we examined the role of monocyte, component of BM cells, as a potential niche component that supports myeloma cells. We investigated the proliferation of MM cell lines cultured alone or co-cultured with BM stromal cells, monocytes, or a combination of BM stromal cells and monocytes. Consistently, we observed increased proliferation of MM cell lines in the presence of either BM stromal cells or monocytes compared to cell line-only control. Furthermore, the co-culture of BM stromal cells plus monocytes induced the greatest degree of proliferation of myeloma cells. In addition to increased proliferation, BMSCs and monocytes decreased the rate of apoptosis of myeloma cells. Our results therefore suggest that highlights the role of monocyte as an important component of the BM microenvironment. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Romano ◽  
Concetta Conticello ◽  
Maide Cavalli ◽  
Calogero Vetro ◽  
Alessia La Fauci ◽  
...  

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a systemic hematologic disease due to uncontrolled proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells (PC) in bone marrow (BM). Emerging in other solid and liquid cancers, the host immune system and the microenvironment have a pivotal role for PC growth, proliferation, survival, migration, and resistance to drugs and are responsible for some clinical manifestations of MM. In MM, microenvironment is represented by the cellular component of a normal bone marrow together with extracellular matrix proteins, adhesion molecules, cytokines, and growth factors produced by both stromal cells and PC themselves. All these components are able to protect PC from cytotoxic effect of chemo- and radiotherapy. This review is focused on the role of immunome to sustain MM progression, the emerging role of myeloid derived suppressor cells, and their potential clinical implications as novel therapeutic target.


Blood ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 3153-3153
Author(s):  
Christopher Richard Marlein ◽  
Rebecca H Horton ◽  
Rachel E Piddock ◽  
Jayna J Mistry ◽  
Charlotte Hellmich ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is malignancy highly reliant on its microenvironment. In this study, we investigated whether mitochondrial transfer occurred between bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and malignant plasma cells. We then used our observations as a platform to investigate the mechanisms controlling pro-tumoral mitochondrial transfer with a view to identifying druggable targets. Methods Primary MM cells were obtained from patients' bone marrow after informed consent and under approval from the United Kingdom Health Research Authority. Animal experiments were conducted under approvals from the UK Home Office and the University of East Anglia Animal Welfare and Ethics Review Board. Primary BMSC were also obtained from patient bone marrow, using adherence and characterised using flow cytometry. Mitochondrial transfer was assessed using two methods; a MitoTracker Green based staining of the BMSC (in-vitro), rLV.EF1.AcGFP-Mem9 labelling of the MM plasma membrane with MitoTracker CMXRos staining of the BMSC (in-vitro) and an in vivo MM NSG xenograft model. CD38 expression on MM cells was tested after ATRA treatment, using RT-qPCR and flow cytometry. Mitochondrial transfer levels were assessed when CD38 was over expressed using ATRA or inhibited using lentivirus targeted shRNA. Results We report that mitochondria are transferred from BMSC to MM cells. First, we cultured MM cells on MitoTracker Green labelled BMSC and found increased MitoTracker Green fluorescence in the MM cells. We then transduced MM with rLV.EF1.AcGFP-Mem9 lentivirus and stained BMSC with MitoTracker CMXRos and used wide field microscopy to show MM derived tunnelling nanotubles (TNT) formed between MM cells and BMSC, with red mitochondria located within the GFP-tagged TNT. Next, we engrafted the MM cell lines MM1S and U266 into NSG mouse, after isolation we detected the presence of mouse mitochondrial DNA in the purified MM population. Together, these data show that mitochondria are transferred from BMSC to MM cells. We next analysed OXPHOS levels in MM cells grown on BMSC, using the seahorse extracellular flux assay. We found that the MM cells had increased levels of OXPHOS after culture with BMSC, which was also the case for MM cell lines analysed after isolation from NSG mice, showing the micro-environment of MM can alter the metabolism of the malignant cell. To examine whether the mitochondrial transfer process was controlled by CD38, we knocked down CD38 in MM cells using lentiviral targeted shRNA. We found reduced levels of mitochondrial transfer in CD38KD MM cells, with a consequent reduction of OXPHOS in the malignant cells. Finally, as ATRA has previously been shown to increase CD38 expression in AML, we next quantified CD38 mRNA and surface glycoprotein level on malignant plasma cells with and without ATRA treatment. We found ATRA increased CD38 expression at the mRNA and protein levels and this resulted in an increase in mitochondrial transfer from BMSC to MM cells. Conclusion Here we show that CD38 mediated mitochondrial transfer in the MM micro-environment forms part of the malignant phenotype of multiple myeloma. This finding develops our understanding of the mechanisms which underpin the efficacy of CD38 directed therapy in MM. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4462
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Giannakoulas ◽  
Ioannis Ntanasis-Stathopoulos ◽  
Evangelos Terpos

The development and effectiveness of novel therapies in multiple myeloma have been established in large clinical trials. However, multiple myeloma remains an incurable malignancy despite significant therapeutic advances. Accumulating data have elucidated our understanding of the genetic background of the malignant plasma cells along with the role of the bone marrow microenvironment. Currently, the interaction among myeloma cells and the components of the microenvironment are considered crucial in multiple myeloma pathogenesis. Adhesion molecules, cytokines and the extracellular matrix play a critical role in the interplay among genetically transformed clonal plasma cells and stromal cells, leading to the proliferation, progression and survival of myeloma cells. In this review, we provide an overview of the multifaceted role of the bone marrow microenvironment in the growth and development of malignant plasma cells in multiple myeloma.


Haemopoietic stem cells in vivo proliferate and develop in association with stromal cells of the bone marrow. Proliferation and differentiation of haemopoietic stem cells also occurs in vitro , either in association with stromal cells or in response to soluble growth factors. Many of the growth factors that promote growth and development of haemopoietic cells in vitro have now been molecularly cloned and purified to homogeneity and various techniques have been described that allow enrichment (to near homogeneity) of multipotential stem cells. This in turn, has facilitated studies at the mechanistic level regarding the role of such growth factors in self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells and their relevance in stromal-cell mediated haemopoiesis. Our studies have shown that at least some multipotential cells express receptors for most, if not all, of the haemopoietic cell growth factors already characterized and that to elicit a response, several growth factors often need to be present at the same time. Furthermore, lineage development reflects the stimuli to which the cells are exposed, that is, some stimuli promote differentiation and development of multipotential cells into multiple cell lineages, whereas others promote development of multipotential cells into only one cell lineage. We suggest that, in the bone marrow environment, the stromal cells produce or sequester different types of growth factors, leading to the formation of microenvironments that direct cells along certain lineages. Furthermore, a model system has been used to show the possibility that the self-renewal probability of multipotential cells can also be modulated by the range and concentrations of growth factors present in the environment. This suggests that discrete microenvironments, preferentially promoting self-renewal rather than differentiation of multipotential cells, may also be provided by marrow stromal cells and sequestered growth factors.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2542
Author(s):  
Patricia Maiso ◽  
Pedro Mogollón ◽  
Enrique M. Ocio ◽  
Mercedes Garayoa

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy of plasma cells that proliferate and accumulate within the bone marrow (BM). Work from many groups has made evident that the complex microenvironment of the BM plays a crucial role in myeloma progression and response to therapeutic agents. Within the cellular components of the BM, we will specifically focus on mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which are known to interact with myeloma cells and the other components of the BM through cell to cell, soluble factors and, as more recently evidenced, through extracellular vesicles. Multiple structural and functional abnormalities have been found when characterizing MSCs derived from myeloma patients (MM-MSCs) and comparing them to those from healthy donors (HD-MSCs). Other studies have identified differences in genomic, mRNA, microRNA, histone modification, and DNA methylation profiles. We discuss these distinctive features shaping MM-MSCs and propose a model for the transition from HD-MSCs to MM-MSCs as a consequence of the interaction with myeloma cells. Finally, we review the contribution of MM-MSCs to several aspects of myeloma pathology, specifically to myeloma growth and survival, drug resistance, dissemination and homing, myeloma bone disease, and the induction of a pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive microenvironment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1103
Author(s):  
Marco Cippitelli ◽  
Helena Stabile ◽  
Andrea Kosta ◽  
Sara Petillo ◽  
Angela Gismondi ◽  
...  

The Ikaros zing-finger family transcription factors (IKZF TFs) are important regulators of lymphocyte development and differentiation and are also highly expressed in B cell malignancies, including Multiple Myeloma (MM), where they are required for cancer cell growth and survival. Moreover, IKZF TFs negatively control the functional properties of many immune cells. Thus, the targeting of these proteins has relevant therapeutic implications in cancer. Indeed, accumulating evidence demonstrated that downregulation of Ikaros and Aiolos, two members of the IKZF family, in malignant plasma cells as well as in adaptative and innate lymphocytes, is key for the anti-myeloma activity of Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs). This review is focused on IKZF TF-related pathways in MM. In particular, we will address how the depletion of IKZF TFs exerts cytotoxic effects on MM cells, by reducing their survival and proliferation, and concomitantly potentiates the antitumor immune response, thus contributing to therapeutic efficacy of IMiDs, a cornerstone in the treatment of this neoplasia.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Roseth Aass ◽  
Robin Mjelle ◽  
Martin H. Kastnes ◽  
Synne S. Tryggestad ◽  
Luca M. van den Brink ◽  
...  

AbstractIL-32 is a non-classical cytokine expressed in cancers, inflammatory diseases and infections. IL-32 can have both extracellular and intracellular functions, and its receptor is not identified. We here demonstrate that endogenously expressed, intracellular IL-32 binds to components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and promotes oxidative phosphorylation. Knocking out IL-32 in malignant plasma cells significantly reduced survival and proliferation in vitro and in vivo. High throughput transcriptomic and MS-metabolomic profiling of IL-32 KO cells revealed that loss of IL-32 leads to profound perturbations in metabolic pathways, with accumulation of lipids, pyruvate precursors and citrate, indicative of reduced mitochondrial function. IL-32 is expressed in a subgroup of multiple myeloma patients with an inferior prognosis. Primary myeloma cells expressing IL-32 were characterized by a plasma cell gene signature associated with immune activation, proliferation and oxidative phosphorylation. We propose a novel concept for regulation of metabolism by an intracellular cytokine and identify IL-32 as an endogenous growth and survival factor for malignant plasma cells. IL-32 is a potential prognostic biomarker and a treatment target in multiple myeloma.


Leukemia ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1743-1751 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Hipp ◽  
Y-T Tai ◽  
D Blanset ◽  
P Deegen ◽  
J Wahl ◽  
...  

Abstract B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is a highly plasma cell-selective protein that is expressed on malignant plasma cells of multiple myeloma (MM) patients and therefore is an ideal target for T-cell redirecting therapies. We developed a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) targeting BCMA and CD3ɛ (BI 836909) and studied its therapeutic impacts on MM. BI 836909 induced selective lysis of BCMA-positive MM cells, activation of T cells, release of cytokines and T-cell proliferation; whereas BCMA-negative cells were not affected. Activity of BI 836909 was not influenced by the presence of bone marrow stromal cells, soluble BCMA or a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL). In ex vivo assays, BI 836909 induced potent autologous MM cell lysis in both, newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory patient samples. In mouse xenograft studies, BI 836909 induced tumor cell depletion in a subcutaneous NCI-H929 xenograft model and prolonged survival in an orthotopic L-363 xenograft model. In a cynomolgus monkey study, administration of BI 836909 led to depletion of BCMA-positive plasma cells in the bone marrow. Taken together, these results show that BI 836909 is a highly potent and efficacious approach to selectively deplete BCMA-positive MM cells and represents a novel immunotherapeutic for the treatment of MM.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
A. Bazine ◽  
M. Torreis ◽  
M. Elmarjany ◽  
M. Benlemlih ◽  
A. Maghous ◽  
...  

Multiple myeloma (MM) is typically characterized by neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow and can result in extensive skeletal destruction. Involvement of skull base is extremely rare, especially sphenoid bone. We report in this work the case of a 62-year-old woman, who presented with a sphenoid relapse of multiple myeloma treated with radiation therapy, with signicant clinical improvement and almost complete disappearance of the sphenoid metastasis. We shed light, through this case, on the rarity of sphenoid metastases in multiple myeloma and on the role of radiotherapy in the management of this type of location.


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