TLR stimulation of bone marrow lymphoid precursors from childhood acute leukemia modifies their differentiation potentials
Authors: Elva Jiménez
Elisa Dorantes-Acosta
Adriana Contreras-Quiroz
Aurora Medina-Sanson
Jessica Purizaca
Wendy Aguilera
Rosana Pelayo
Eduardo Vadillo
Héctor Mayani
Sara Huerta-Yepez
Juan Carlos Balandrán
Lourdes Arriaga-Pizano
Journal: BioMed Research International (2013)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: Acute leukemias; childhood malignancies; genetic aberrations; bone marrow microenvironment; leukemic precursor cells
Affiliations: Oncology Research Unit, Oncology Hospital, Mexican Institute for Social Security, Avenue Cuauhtemoc 330, Colonia Doctores, 06720 Mexico City, Mexico ; Federico Gómez Children's Hospital, 06720 Mexico City, Mexico ; Medical Sciences Program, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico., Oncology Research Unit, Oncology Hospital, Mexican Institute for Social Security, Avenue Cuauhtemoc 330, Colonia Doctores, 06720 Mexico City, Mexico, National School of Biological Sciences, National Polytechnic Institute, 11340 Mexico City, Mexico, Molecular Biomedicine Program, CINVESTAV, 07360 Mexico City, Mexico, Immunochemistry Research Unit, Medical Specialties Hospital, Mexican Institute for Social Security, 06720 Mexico City, Mexico, Federico Gómez Children’s Hospital, 06720 Mexico City, Mexico, Moctezuma Children's Hospital, 15340 Mexico City, Mexico, General Hospital, La Raza Medical Center, Mexican Institute for Social Security, 02990 Mexico City, Mexico

Abstract:  Acute leukemias are the most frequent childhood malignancies worldwide and remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality of relapsed patients. While remarkable progress has been made in characterizing genetic aberrations that may control these hematological disorders, it has also become clear that abnormalities in the bone marrow microenvironment might hit precursor cells and contribute to disease. However, responses of leukemic precursor cells to inflammatory conditions or microbial components upon infection are yet unexplored. Our previous work and increasing evidence indicate that Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the earliest stages of lymphoid development in mice and humans provide an important mechanism for producing cells of the innate immune system. Using highly controlled co-culture systems, we now show that lymphoid precursors from leukemic bone marrow express TLRs and respond to their ligation by changing cell differentiation patterns. While no apparent contribution of TLR signals to tumor progression was recorded for any of the investigated diseases, the replenishment of innate cells was consistently promoted upon in vitro TLR exposure, suggesting that early recognition of pathogen-associated molecules might be implicated in the regulation of hematopoietic cell fate decisions in childhood acute leukemia. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
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 The authors have duplicated figures in at least two of their articles, especially histograms. The authors have not given their comments nor asked the editor for the amendments to the figures https: pubpeer.com publications 5AA5107EF488EF7C2455B3006D9BD3 ![file] , 
 Call your attention the last panel 18S lines 1,2-3,4 and 7,8 (yellow) the same bands are observed in the panel, consistent with previously comments regarding the figure. That has not had any response from the author. ![file] , 
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 2021 expression of concern. https: www.hindawi.com journals bmri 2021 3750480 BioMed Research International would like to express concern with the article titled u201cTLR Stimulation of Bone Marrow Lymphoid Precursors from Childhood Acute Leukemia Modifies Their Differentiation Potentialsu201d [1], due to concerns about potential image duplication and manipulation in Figures 1 and 7. Details of the concerns, as first raised on PubPeer [2], are as follows: 1. Figure 1(a): u2013The eighth band in TLR-2 appears to be similar to the eighth bands in TLR-4 and TLR-6. u2013The ninth and eleventh bands in TLR-2 appear to be similar. u2013The fourteenth bands in TLR-2 and TLR-4 appear to be similar. u2013The fourteenth bands in TLR-5, TLR-8 and TLR-9 appear to be the same. u2013The ninth and eleventh bands in TLR-7 appear to be similar. u2013The first band in TLR-8 appears to be similar to the first and tenth bands in TLR-9. u2013The seventh band in TLR-8 appears to be similar to the seventh and the twelfth bands in TLR-10. u2013There appears to be undeclared splicing in the seventh band in TLR-2, the second and eleventh bands in TLR-4, the second, seventh, tenth and twelfth bands in TLR-5, the twelfth band in TLR-6, the twelfth band in TLR-9, and the thirteenth band in TLR-10. u2013In the 18S panel, bands 1-2, 3-4, and 7-8 appear to be similar. 2. Figure 7(e): u2013In PAX-5, there appears to be undeclared splicing between the bands. u2013EBPu03b1 and 18s are similar, when panel 4 is rotated 180 degrees. Additionally, in Figure 5(a) for PreB-ALL, the LPS and Flag images are the same and the PolyU and CpG images are the same. This error was introduced during the redrawing of the figures in the production process. The authors provided the underlying images and raw data for all the figures, however they did not sufficiently address the concerns raised. We have asked the institution to formally investigate. References E. Dorantes-Acosta, E. Vadillo, A. Contreras-Quiroz et al., u201cTLR Stimulation of Bone Marrow Lymphoid Precursors from Childhood Acute Leukemia Modifies Their Differentiation Potentials,u201d BioMed Research International, vol. 2013, Article ID 846724, 13 pages, 2013. u201cTLR stimulation of bone marrow lymphoid precursors from childhood acute leukemia modifies their differentiation potentials,u201d PubPeer [27 06 2016], https: pubpeer.com publications 5AA5107EF488EF7C2455B3006D9BD3. ,