A new therapy for the treatment of myeloproliferative diseases

Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) area group of diseases that affect normal blood cell production in the bone marrow. In this case the bone marrow causes an overproduction of one or more blood cell types (red cells, white cells or platelets). Complications arise over time due to the abnormally high number of blood cells that accumulate in the bone marrow and in the circulating blood. In many cases, these diseases develop slowly and get worse gradually. In some cases, MPN can progress to leukemia. Compounds capable of preventing and treating these types of diseases are urgently needed.

CNIC researchers have identified new therapeutic targets based on alterations in the regulation of MSC in the hematopoietic niche by sympathetic nerves. They have also defined an in vitro method for prognosis/diagnosis of MPNs and/or to define the disease´s stage, and a method to screen for therapeutic compounds useful to treat MPNs.