University of Milan researchers identify new multiple myeloma mechanism

Researchers at the University of Milan have identified a new mechanism driving the development of multiple myeloma. The study, published in the journal ‘Leukemia’, reveals that extracellular vesicles play a critical role in how this blood cancer alters its microenvironment.

These small vesicles transport two specific molecules, Jagged1 and Jagged2, on their surface. These molecules activate the Notch receptor, which is essential for the growth and survival of tumor cells. Crucially, the study found that these vesicles allow the tumor’s influence to extend beyond direct cell-to-cell contact, enabling the cancer to signal at a distance. This process promotes the formation of new blood vessels and the differentiation of osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone resorption.

The findings were observed through laboratory experiments involving myeloma cell cultures and zebrafish embryos. The research, coordinated by Raffaella Chiaramonte and Domenica Giannandrea, suggests that targeting Jagged1 and Jagged2 could provide a potential new therapeutic strategy for treating the disease.