Selective surface marker and miRNA profiles of CD34⁺ blast-derived microvesicles in chronic myelogenous leukemia

The present study aimed at investigating the selective enrichment of surface marker and functional microRNA (miRNA) profiles of cluster of differentiation (CD)34⁺ blast-derived microvesicles (MVs) from parental cells in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), thus providing an experimental basis for MVs to be used to predict characteristics of CD34⁺ blasts. Magnetic activated cell sorting and continuous differential centrifugation were used to isolate primary CML CD34⁺ blasts and MVs, in addition to utilizing flow cytometry to identify surface markers of CD34⁺ blasts and blast-derived MVs. Microarray analysis and the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction were performed to analyze miRNA profiles of CD34⁺ blasts and MVs. The results of the present study indicated that primary CML CD34⁺ blasts were able to release MVs, which were selectively enriched with the surface markers CD34 and CD123, and functional miRNAs from parental cells. A total of 15 miRNAs were upregulated in CD34⁺ blast derived-MVs compared with in CD34⁺ cells. Distinct Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways and Gene Ontology terms characterized by altered gene expression and potentially associated miRNA were identified. Upregulated miRNAs in MVs were associated with cell development, tumorigenesis and signaling pathways involving ErbB and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B. The present study provides evidence, which increases the understanding of physiological functions of cancer-derived MVs, and aids the understanding of the roles of CD34⁺ blast-derived MVs in CML-associated processes.