MDS-macrophage derived inhibitory activity on myelopoiesis of MDS abnormal clones

We studied the effect of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)-derived adherent cells on colony formation of granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (CFU-GM) in both normal and MDS bone marrow cells. MDS-adherent cells suppressed the growth of normal CFU-GM colony formation. Antibodies against ferritin almost totally neutralized the haematopoietic inhibitory activity. Antibody against gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) did not have such effect. By cytogenetic analysis using G-staining method, MDS-derived CFU-GM colony showed abnormal clones. MDS have been recognized to be a mosaic of normal and abnormal clones. MDS-macrophages suppressed the growth of progenitor cells derived from normal clones by soluble factors, but did not suppress the growth of those from abnormal clones. It is suggested that progenitor cells derived from abnormal clones are freed from the negative myelopoietic regulator that may be related to the progress of leukaemia.