Distinct and targetable role of calcium-sensing receptor in leukaemia

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) reside in the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM), where they respond to extracellular calcium [eCa^(2+)] via the G-protein coupled calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR). Here we show that a calcium gradient exists in this BMM, and that [eCa^(2+)] and response to [eCa^(2+)] differ between leukaemias. CaSR influences the location of MLL-AF9^(+) acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells within this niche and differentially impacts MLL-AF9^(+) AML versus BCR-ABL1^(+) …