摘要：SummarySignals provided by the microenvironment can modify and circumvent pathway activities that are therapeutically targeted by drugs. Bone marrow stromal cell coculture models are frequently used to study the influence of the bone marrow niche onex vivodrug response. Here, we show that mesenchymal stromal cells from selected donors and NKTert, a stromal cell line, which is commonly used for coculture studies with primary leukemia cells, extensively phagocytose apoptotic cells. This could lead to misinterpretation of results, especially if viability readouts of the target cells (e.g. leukemic cells) in such coculture models are based on the relative proportions of dead and alive cells. Future coculture studies which aim to investigate the impact of bone marrow stromal cells on drug response should take into account that stromal cells have the capacity to phagocytose apoptotic cells.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•Some bone marrow stroma cells extensively phagocytose apoptotic cells•Disappearance of dead cells from cocultures due to phagocytosis confounds results•This needs to be considered in studies using relative viabilities in cocultures•Bone marrow stroma cell line NKTert could also phagocytose glass spheresBiological sciences; Cell biology; Stem cells research; Cancer
