Alterations of microenvironment in multiple myeloma patients: interactions between myeloma cells and osteoprogenitor cells

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasmacell malignancy characterized by the tight relationship with the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment that has a pivotal role in the regulation of myeloma cell growth and survival through the production of several growth factors and the increase of BM angiogenesis. Bone microenvironment cells as osteoclasts and osteoblasts also support the survival of MM cells. The study of the alterations of the microenvironment and that of the interactions between MM and microenviroment cells has leaded to identify new therapeutics targets in MM patients and to develop new drugs targeting both MM cells and the microenvironment including endothelial cells, T lymphocytes osteoclast and osteoblast. Particularly in the last years we and other authors have studied the alterations occurring in the bone cells in MM patients, the biological mechanisms involved in the interactions between MM cells and osteoprogenitor/osteoblastic cells and the potential role of osteoblastic cells in the antitumoral effect of the new drugs.