CD4+ T cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia inhibit the proliferation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by secretion of miR-10a.

Background: The abnormality of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) has been reported to contribute to the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). T cell immunodeficiencies play important roles in the progression of leukemia. This study investigated the effect of CD4+ T cells from AML patients on the proliferation of BM-MSCs.

Methods: The growth rate of BM-MSCs from AML patients and healthy donor was compared. CD4+ T cells were separated and identified from AML patients. Through co-culturing CD4+ T cells from AML patients and BM-MSCs from healthy, we detected the proliferation of BM-MSCs from healthy by MTT assay. qRT-PCR was performed to examine the expression of miR-10a. Luciferase reporter assay was used to analyze the regulation of miR-10a on the expression of BCL6.

Results: Here, we observed that BM-MSC from AML patients grew slower than that from healthy. CD4+ T cells from AML patients inhibited the proliferation of BM-MSCs through secreting miR-10a. In addition, miR-10a was found to target BCL6 and regulated its expression in transcription and translation levels. Correlation analysis revealed that the level of miR-10a in serum of AML patients was negatively correlated with BCL6 in BM-MSC.

Conclusions: This study provides evidence that CD4+ T cells from AML patients suppress the proliferation of BM-MSCs via secreting miR-10a.