Valentina Giudice, MD

Circulating low-density granulocytes (LDGs) are a subgroup of neutrophils with immunoregulatory functions which can spontaneously release extracellular web-like structures (NETs) and cytokines sustaining T cell T cell: see lymphocyte responses and dendritic cell activation. We hypothesize that LDGs and NETs might be impaired in functions and frequency during myelodysplastic syndromes myelodysplastic syndromes: (my-eh-lo-diss-PLASS-tik SIN-dromez) A group of disorders where the bone marrow does not work well, and the bone marrow cells fail to make enough healthy blood cells. Myelo refers to the bone marrow. Dysplastic means abnormal growth or development. People with MDS have low blood cell count for at… (MDS) and acquired aplastic anemia aplastic anemia: (ay-PLASS-tik uh-NEE_mee-uh) A rare and serious condition in which the bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells - red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The term aplastic is a Greek word meaning not to form. Anemia is a condition that happens when red blood cell count is low. Most… (AA) and might contribute to the suppression of hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and differentiation. We aim at investigating over a 12 month period the frequency and functions of LDGs and NET formation and composition in MDS and AA at diagnosis and during treatments. Moreover, the number of LDGs and NET levels will be correlate to other markers of inflammation and genomic alterations. This study would likely identify new biomarkers of differential diagnosis of MDS and/or of AML development from higher-risk MDS, and molecular and cellular targets for the development of novel therapeutic strategies specifically targeting neutrophils.