Bone marrow microenvironment: The guardian of leukemia stem cells

Figure 3 AML LSCs and their interaction with the bone marrow microenvironment in contrast to chronic myeloid leukemia stem cells, AML LSCs have high expression of CXCR4 that help them to reside in the bone marrow microenvironment. Meanwhile, autocrine secretion of IL-8 by AML LSCs increases their survival. Enhanced secretion of pro-angiogenesis factors via autocrine and paracrine mechanism extends angiogenesis, which by providing metabolites and oxygen for AML LSCs leads to leukemia progression. AML LSCs: Acute myeloid leukemia stem cell; HSC: Hematopoietic stem cell; CAR cell: CXCL12-abundant reticular cell; CXCL12: C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12; CXCR4: C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4; CXCR2: C-X-C chemokine receptor type 2; IL-8: Interleukin-8.