The studies are indicating that reduced levels of transcription factor MEF are related to subtypes of leukemia.

Drs. Stephen D. Nimer and Daniel Lacorazza from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center studied blood cells from mice that do not express MEF in their bone marrow. What they found was an increased population of hematopoietic stem cells or HSCs.

The researchers found that MEF regulates a process where HSCs exist in a form of suspended animation until they are recruited to promote rapid repopulation of depleted blood cells.

MEF-deficient mice accumulated quiescent HSCs that can result in repopulation and further, demonstrated enhanced resistance to the effects of chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation. "This feature can also be helpful to maintain HSCs in an undifferentiated state during gene therapy protocols," explains Dr. Lacorazza, now a faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine.

Protein That Regulates Quiescent Blood Stem Cells May Enhance Recovery From Radiation And Chemo