Exosome-mediated molecular alterations in endothelial cells in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

This study aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets in CML by analyzing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the presence and absence of K562-derived exosomes and BCR/ABL overexpression.Methods: Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) were cultured and divided into four groups: control(Z), co-cultured with K562 exosomes (Zexo), overexpressing BCR/ABL(ZBA), and co-cultured with K562 exosomes and BCR/ABL overexpression (ZBAexo). Differentially expressed genes were identified, and functional enrichment analysis was conducted. A logistic regression model was constructed, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify biological pathways associated with the identified biomarkers.Results: Seven specificized expressed genes in ZBAexo group were identified: CAMK2B, CDC25C, SV2A, MND1, CDC20, CLSPN, and GRM1. These genes are involved in cell cycle, DNA replication, and cell adhesion pathways and show significant correlation with the BCR/ABL fusion gene. The study also revealed the potential regulatory roles of transcription factors CREB1 and NFKB1, as well as the involvement of a complex ceRNA network including miRNAs and lncRNAs in the regulation of these biomarkers.