The role of hematopoietic microenvironment in the pathogenesis and spontaneous remission of fetal leukemia

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K09729
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Embryonic/Neonatal medicine
• Research Institution: Tokyo Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Miyauchi Jun 東京歯科大学, 歯学部, 客員教授 (20146707)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 川口 裕之 防衛医科大学校(医学教育部医学科進学課程及び専門課程、動物実験施設、共同利用研究施設、病院並びに防衛, 小児科学, 准教授 (00313130) ; 宮下 俊之 北里大学, 医学部, 教授 (60174182)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ダウン症候群 / 胎児性白血病 / 一過性白血病 / 自然治癒 / 造血微小環境 / 胎児造血 / 造血因子 / サイトカイン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Transient leukemia (TL) in neonates with Down syndrome is a unique fetal leukemia, which arises in fetal liver and spontaneously resolves after birth. Prenatal hematopoietic microenvironment is thought to be relevant to the pathogenesis of TL. We analyzed the functions of hepatoblasts, one of the major constituents of fetal liver hematopoietic microenvironment, on TL cells by using co-culture system. The hepatoblasts produced several human hematopoietic growth factors, including stem cell factor, and stimulated growth and induced megakaryocytic differentiation of TL cells. These data indicate that hematopoietic growth factors produced from fetal liver hematopoietic microenvironment play an important role in the pathogenesis of TL.

Free Research Field

胎児・新生児医学