FGF13 suppresses acute myeloid leukemia by regulating bone marrow niches

Fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13) is aberrantly expressed in multiple cancer types, suggesting its essential role in tumorigenesis. Hence, we aimed to explore its definite role in the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and emphasize its associations with bone marrow niches. Results showed that FGF13 was lowly expressed in patients with AML and that its elevated expression was related to prolonged overall survival (OS). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses identified FGF13 as an independent prognostic factor. A prognostic nomogram integrating FGF13 and clinicopathologic variables was constructed to predict 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS. Gene mutation and functional analyses indicated that FGF13 was not associated with AML driver mutations but was related to bone marrow niches. As for immunity, FGF13 was remarkably associated with T cell count, immune checkpoint genes, and cytokines. In addition, FGF13 overexpression substantially inhibited the growth and significantly induced the early apoptosis of AML cells. The xenograft study indicated that FGF13 overexpression prolonged the survival of recipient mice. Overall, FGF13 could serve as an independent prognostic factor for AML, and it was closely related to the bone marrow microenvironment.