Abstract 4077: Crucial factors of the inflammatory microenvironment (IL-1β/TNF-α/TIMP-1) promote the selection of highly malignant hemopoietic clone of myelofibrosis
Authors: Sollazzo Daria , Forte Dorian , Polverelli Nicola , Romano Marco , Perricone Margherita , Fatica Sofia , Lapi Francesco , Ottaviani Emanuela , Giovanni Martinelli , Vianelli Nicola , Cavo Michele , Pantaleo Maria , Palandri Francesca , Catani Lucia 
Published: July 2016

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a clonal disorder of the hemopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). Together with molecular abnormalities (mutations in JAK2, Calreticulin (CALR) and MPL genes), chronic inflammation is the major hallmark of MF pathogenesis. It is argued that the up-regulated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines selects for the malignant clone. However, the key players linking inflammation and cancer in MF are still poorly known. Here, we investigated the in vitro effects of crucial factors of the inflammatory microenvironment (Interleukin (IL)-1β, Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 and ATP) on the functional behaviour of MF-derived HSPCs.

Plasma TIMP-1, TNF-α and IL-1β were measured by ELISA assay. Circulating CD34+ cells from MF patients (JAK2V617F (10 cases) and CALR (10 cases) mutations) or cord blood (CB; 8 samples) were functionally characterized after incubation with or without ATP (1000 μM), IL-1β (10 ng/mL), TNF-α (10 ng/mL) or TIMP-1 (100 ng/mL) (alone or in combination). Cells were then analyzed for survival/apoptosis (Annexin-V/Propidium Iodide staining), cell cycle and clonogenic capacity. Migration was assessed towards a C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12) gradient in the presence or absence of the pro-inflammatory factors. MF-derived CD34+ cells were co-cultured with normal mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in the presence of the pro-inflammatory factors and then evaluated for survival.

Regardless mutation status, the plasma levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and TIMP-1 are increased in MF patients and the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines confers a survival advantage of MF-derived CD34+/CD34+CD38- cells. In addition, MF-derived CD34+ cells promoted cell-cycle progression to the S-phase. Whereas in the JAK2V617F mutated group, the addition of IL-1β or TNF-α ± TIMP-1 impaired the erythroid clonogenic output of the CALR mutated patients. Of note, IL-1β + TNF-α ± TIMP-1 highly promoted the in vitro migration of MF-derived CD34+ cells in the presence of CXCL12. Intriguingly, MF-derived CD34+ cells revealed increased clonogenic ability after migration toward CXCL12 and IL-1β + TNF-α ± TIMP-1, suggesting a pivotal role of inflammation in the selection of the malignant clone. Finally, co-cultures of normal MSCs with MF-derived CD34+ cells sustained the survival effects of IL-1β+TNF-α±TIMP-1.

Overall, our data indicate that the behavior of the MF-derived HSPCs can be influenced by regulatory signals provided by the microenvironment through the cooperation between various pro-inflammatory factors. The interplay of these pro-inflammatory factors promotes and selects the circulating MF-derived HSPCs with higher proliferative activity, clonogenic potential and migration ability. Targeting these micro-environmental interactions may be a clinically relevant approach.

Citation Format: Daria Sollazzo, Dorian Forte, Nicola Polverelli, Marco Romano, Margherita Perricone, Sofia Fatica, Francesco Lapi, Emanuela Ottaviani, Martinelli Giovanni, Nicola Vianelli, Michele Cavo, Maria Pantaleo, Francesca Palandri, Lucia Catani. Crucial factors of the inflammatory microenvironment (IL-1β/TNF-α/TIMP-1) promote the selection of highly malignant hemopoietic clone of myelofibrosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4077.