© Springer International Publishing AG 2017 19
A. Birbrair (ed.), Stem Cell Microenvironments and Beyond,
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 1041,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-69194-7_3
Chapter 3
Leukemia Stem Cells Microenvironment
Yoko Tabe and Marina Konopleva
Abstract The dynamic interactions between leukemic cells and bone marrow
(BM) cells in the leukemia BM microenvironment regulate leukemia stem cell
(LSC) properties including localization, self-renewal, differentiation, and prolifera-
tion. Recent research of normal and leukemia BM microenvironments has revealed
several key components of specific niches that provide a sanctuary where subpopu-
lations of leukemia cells evade chemotherapy-induced death and acquire a drug-
resistant phenotype, as well as the molecular pathways critical for microenvironment/
leukemia interactions. Although the biology of LSCs shares many similarities with
that of normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), LSCs are able to outcompete HSCs
and hijack BM niches. Increasing evidence indicates that these niches fuel the
growth of leukemia cells and contribute to therapeutic resistance and the metastatic
potential of leukemia cells by shielding LSCs. Not only “microenvironment-induced
oncogenesis,” but also a “malignancy-induced microenvironment” have been pro-
posed. In this chapter, the key components and regulation of BM niches in leukemic
BM is described. In addition, metabolic changes in LSCs, which are currently a
subject of intense investigation, will also be discussed to understand LSC survival.
Keywords Microenvironment • Stem cell • Niche
Y. Tabe
Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston,
TX, USA
Department of Next Generation Hematology Laboratory Medicine, Juntendo University
Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
e-mail: [email protected]
M. Konopleva (*)
Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Houston, TX, USA
e-mail: [email protected]