Fig. 6

The levels of ROS and apoptosis ratio in BM EPCs from MDS patients. A and B GSEA was performed with differentially expressed genes in AML BM EPCs versus H-MDS BM EPCs or H-MDS BM EPCs versus L-MDS BM EPCs, highlighting enrichment in mitochondria-related signaling pathways. C ROS levels of precultivated BM EPCs from HD, L-MDS, H-MDS and AML patients. Representative images (D) (scale bars represent 200 μm) of the BM EPCs at day 7 in culture after incubation with 2ʹ,7ʹ-dichlorofluorescence diacetate (original magnification, 10×). E Quantification of the mean ROS grey value of the BM EPCs at day 7 in culture after incubation with 2ʹ,7ʹ-dichlorofluorescence diacetate (original magnification, 10×). Three power fields were randomly counted and averaged per sample. The mean grey value of ROS was improved in AML compared with H-MDS and increased in H-MDS compared with L-MDS, but the results were not statistically significant. F GSEA was performed with differentially expressed genes in AML BM EPCs versus H-MDS BM EPCs, highlighting the enrichment in the apoptosis signaling pathway. G The apoptosis ratio of precultivated BM EPCs from HDs, L-MDS, H-MDS and AML patients. H The relative mRNA levels of CASP2, CASP3 and BAX in BM EPCs at day 7 in culture from HDs, L-MDS, H-MDS and AML patients were determined using qRT-PCR. Statistical analyses were performed using 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, EPCs Endothelial progenitor cells, GSEA Gene set enrichment analysis, HD Healthy donor, H-MDS Higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, L-MDS Lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, ROS reactive oxygen species