Caspase-9 inhibition promotes hematopoietic cell proliferation in MDS.

MNCs derived from RA, RARS, and NBM were incubated in the presence or absence of the selective caspase-9 inhibitor, LEHD-fmk (20 μM), for 24 hours and cell proliferation was determined by³H-thymidine incorporation. Increased cell proliferation was observed in the majority of RA and RARS cultures, but not in NBM cultures. Data are expressed as means of 3 independent experiments.