Leptin: A Marker for AML Chemo-Sensitivity

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a malignant clonal disorder of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 30%. Chemotherapy resistance and relapse remain major challenges. Increased bone marrow adipocytes contribute to AML cell drug resistance.This study found that elevated levels of the adipokine leptin enhance oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in AML cells, accompanied by increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS), which stimulates antioxidant capacity and thereby induces chemotherapy resistance. By establishing a correlation between leptin levels in bone marrow supernatant and clinical outcomes in AML patients, this research provides novel strategic insights for targeting drug resistance and improving prognostic evaluation.