Regulation of hematopoietic progenitors by estrogens as a basis for new antileukemic strategies.

We recently reported that estrogens regulate survival, proliferation, and self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors via estrogen receptor-α activation. Through its proapoptotic effect on malignant progenitors, tamoxifen treatment blocks the development of JAK2 (V617F) -induced myeloproliferative neoplasms in mice and sensitizes MLL-AF9-induced leukemias to chemotherapy, without detrimental effects on normal hematopoiesis.