Episode 128

Iron Metabolism in Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

In this episode of EHA Unplugged, Prof Kirsten Grønbæk and our guests Prof Yelena Ginzburg and Prof Amit Verma discuss iron metabolism and its role in erythropoiesis in MDS.

The experts share their views on the management of iron overload in the transfusion-dependent patients with MDS, as they acknowledge that it poses a real challenge in their clinical practice. Starting from the criteria used to select patients for iron chelation and then discussing its beneficial effects and limitations, the podcast guests formulate clear thoughts on the role of this therapy in both low- and high-risk MDS. They then clarify recent scientific insights into the putative mechanisms that may link iron overload with the ineffective erythropoiesis.

Please tune in to hear about the data from a mouse model pointing to the role of iron transport in erythroblast function and differentiation (please also see the Reference). You will also hear what direction the future research into the mechanism of the communication between ineffective erythropoiesis and iron metabolism may take.

Host: Prof Kirsten Grønbæk

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Guests:

Prof Yelena Ginzburg

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, USA

Prof Amit Verma

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA

Reference: An W, et al. Iron chelation improves ineffective erythropoiesis and iron overload in myelodysplastic syndrome mice. Elife. 2023 Dec 28:12:e83103. doi: 10.7554/eLife.83103