RNA Interference in Haematopoietic and Leukaemic Cells

The haematopoietic system is currently the best characterized mammalian differentiation system. On the one hand, pathologic disturbance of the differentiation programmes results in the development of haemopoietic malignancies such as leukaemias and lymphomas. On the other hand, systematic interference with haemopoietic differentiation is a prerequisite for ex vivo expansion of stem and progenitor cells during, for instance, stem cell transplantation. RNA interference (RNAi) provides exciting options for the molecular dissection of processes relevant for stem cell maintenance and leukaemogenesis. However, in comparison to most adhesive cell types, haematopoietic cells require special techniques for the successful application of RNAi, particularly for the delivery of RNAi-triggering molecules. Nevertheless, RNAi has not only been proven to enable functional analysis of haemopoietic processes, but may also contribute to the therapy of haemopoietic malignancies