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. 2020 Apr 10;96(4):159–169. doi: 10.2183/pjab.96.013

Figure 4.

Figure 4.

(Color online) Immune regulation by bone cells. Bone cells critically contribute to the immune homeostasis that takes place in the bone marrow microenvironment. Osteoprogenitors, including leptin receptor-expressing (LepR+) cells and CXCL12-abundant reticular (CAR) cells support HSCs by producing SCF and CXCL12. Osteoblasts produce IL-7, delta-like 4 (DLL4) and CXCL12 to support common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs), T cell progenitors and B cells, respectively. Alterations in osteogenic cells predispose them toward the development of hematologic malignancy. Deletion of Dicer in osteoprogenitors leads to the development of myeloid leukemia. The constitutive activation of β-catenin in osteoblasts increases the expression of the Notch ligand Jagged1 in osteoblasts, leading to the development of myeloid leukemia. The activating mutations of Src homology phosphatase 2 (SHP2) in osteoprogenitor cells result in the development of myeloid leukemia. Thus, osteoblast lineage cells importantly contribute to the suppression of hematologic malignancy.