BONE MARROW PLASMA METABOLOME

The metabolome of the bone marrow plasma—the collection of small molecules and metabolites circulating in the fluid portion of the bone marrow—provides critical insight into the metabolic landscape and cellular interactions within the bone marrow microenvironment. This is particularly important in bone marrow-based blood cancers, such as multiple myeloma, acute leukemias, and myelodysplastic syndromes, where malignant cells grow and evolve in close communication with surrounding stromal cells, immune cells, and extracellular factors.

Unlike peripheral blood, bone marrow plasma directly reflects the local metabolic activity within the tumor niche. It captures not only the byproducts of malignant cell metabolism but also the influence of non-malignant components of the microenvironment. These include metabolites derived from mesenchymal stromal cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and immune cells, which play crucial roles in cancer progression, immune evasion, drug resistance, and bone remodeling.

Studying the bone marrow metabolome helps uncover how nutrient availability, metabolic competition, and metabolite-mediated signaling shape tumor behavior. For example, depletion of specific amino acids or accumulation of immunosuppressive metabolites like lactate or kynurenine can create a microenvironment that favors cancer cell survival while suppressing anti-tumor immune responses.

Furthermore, bone marrow metabolomics can identify metabolic biomarkers of disease progression, treatment response, or minimal residual disease—information that may be missed when analyzing only peripheral blood. It also opens the door to novel therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting tumor metabolism or reprogramming the bone marrow niche to restore normal hematopoiesis and immune function.