Constitution of a Biological Cohort Following Bone Marrow Sampling From MDS or AML Patients and Age-matched Healthy Donors

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal malignancies that are characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, progressive bone marrow failure, cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities, and increased risk for progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It is a well-accepted theory that MDS and AML originate from primary alterations of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) compartment, which confer a survival advantage to them at the expense of physiological hematopoiesis. More recently, there is growing evidences regarding the contribution of the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment to the pathogenesis of MDS and AML. Of particular interest, several studies have pointed towards a pivotal role of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), one of the main components of the BM niche, in the initiation and propagation of myeloid disorders. In this context, it is of clinical significance to better characterize the intrinsic defects harbored by MSC in MDS and AML context, as compared to physiological conditions. Such research initiative aims to dissect the cross-talk between malignant HSC and their BM partners in crime, further prospecting for innovative stromal-directed strategies for the treatment of MDS and AML.