Increased CCL2 and IL-8 in the bone marrow microenvironment in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Background The interactions of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) blasts with bone marrow (BM) stromal cells have a positive impact on leukemia cell survival. In the present study, we proposed to identify and investigate the role of molecules critically involved in leukemia—microenvironment crosstalk. Procedure Gene expression profiling analyses of BM mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSC) were performed following stimulation by ALL cells. CCL2 and IL‐8 plasma levels were evaluated from ALL patients and controls. Expression of the CCL2 and IL‐8 receptors in ALL was determined by RT‐PCR. The biological effects of CCL2, IL‐8 or its neutralizing antibodies in primary precursor‐B ALL and BMMSC cells were evaluated using in vitro assays. Results Leukemia stimulation of BMMSC upregulated the expression of several inflammatory chemokines, including CCL2 and IL‐8. The BM plasma levels of CCL2 and IL‐8 in children at diagnosis were significantly higher than in healthy controls (P