Transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells from bone marrow is a widely used method for treating various diseases, such as blood cancers, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune diseases. However, some patients are unable to undergo this procedure effectively due to problems with mobilizing an adequate number of stem cells.
The study proposes to evaluate the role of small non-coding RNA molecules known as microRNAs (miRNAs) in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell mobilization. MiRNAs play a significant role in gene expression regulation, including processes related to differentiation, apoptosis, and migration of stem cells after transplantation. The study aims to identify miRNAs that may be key factors influencing mobilization failure.
The project consists of three stages:
- Sequencing miRNAs in a group of 18 patients to find the most differentially expressed miRNAs between patients with successful mobilization vs. unsuccessful mobilization and examine changes in their expression under treatment.
- Determining the expression of selected miRNAs in a larger group of patients using targeted techniques such as quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) and creating diagnostic models using data exploration and machine learning techniques.
- Evaluating the quality of the diagnostic tools on an independent group of patients and selecting the best predictor of mobilization failure.
The project aims to discover a miRNA signature associated with mobilization failure, identify new predisposing factors for this phenomenon, and develop a diagnostic tool for patient stratification based on mobilization risk. The study’s results may contribute to better personalized treatment and improved outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients.
The project is funded by the National Science Centre under the Preludium 21 grant, grant number 2022/45/N/NZ6/02904. For more information, please refer to the provided link.