Identification of Myeloma-Initiating Cells By Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

Background: The outcomes of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have improved due to treatment advances. However, some patients still experience rapid progression, multiple drug resistance or recurrent relapse. Tumor-initiating cells, also known as cancer stem cells (CSC) in some cancer types, have been speculated to induce recurrence of the disease. The aim of this study is to infer the identity of myeloma-initiating cells (MICs) utilizing single-cell transcriptome analysis and explore the unique biological characteristics relating with high-risk and drug-resistance.