Fig. 5

Supporting abilities of BM EPCs from MDS patients to leukaemia cells. A Schematic diagram of the study design for BM EPC coculture processes with HL-60 cells. After 5 days of coculture, the EdU-positive rates, apoptosis ratio and CFU-L efficiencies of HL-60 cells were detected. Representative images (B) and quantification of the EdU-positive rates (C) of HL-60 cells after coculture with BM EPCs are shown. Quantification (D) of the CFU-L plating efficiencies and representative images (scale bars represent 500 μm) (E) of CFU-L after coculture with BM EPCs are shown (original magnification, 4×). Three power fields were randomly counted and averaged per sample. F Quantification of the apoptosis ratio of HL-60 cells after coculture. G The relative mRNA levels of CASP2, CASP3, BAX, TP53, CDKN1A, CCNE1 and MCL1 in HL-60 cells after coculture with BM EPCs were determined by qRT‐PCR. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test. The relative mRNA analyses were using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test. Data are presented as the means ± SEM (*P ≤ 0.05, **P ≤ 0.005, ***P ≤ 0.001). AML Acute myeloid leukaemia, BM Bone marrow, BMMNCs Bone marrow mononuclear cells, CFU-L Leukaemia colony-forming unit, EdU 5-ethynyl-20 deoxyuridine, EPCs Endothelial progenitor cells, HD Healthy donor, H-MDS Higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, L-MDS Lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes