“…Expression levels of ANGPT1 and KDR, the ligands of TIE2 and VEGFR, are of special interest because the related signaling pathways are important for the maintenance of quiescent HSCs and a physiologic HSC niche. 7 Consistently, the HLXB9/TEL gene expression profile revealed expression of early hematopoietic marker genes such as KITL and CD34, corresponding with the immunotypic findings. To further investigate the ability for malignant transformation of HLXB9/TEL or HLXB9 in comparison with MLL fusion proteins, we collected murine wild-type HSCs from 5-fluoruracil-treated mice and transduced the cells with a g-retroviral vector expressing MLL/ENL, HLXB9, HLXB9/TEL, HLXB9/TEL þ HLXB9 or an empty g-retroviral vector and subsequently plated the cells on methylcellulose.…”