Exploring Vitamin K as a fibrosis-modulating dietary supplementation in the treatment of chronic blood cancer

Project summary

No treatments currently exist to modify myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), blood cancers that can develop into myelofibrosis (MF), significantly impairing quality of life and reducing median survival from 15 years to 1.5 years. Early detection of MF is hampered by a lack of biomarkers. Recent research highlights the role of mesenchymal stromal cells in MF development, with fibrosis linked to osteosclerosis. We identified that Matrix Gla Protein (MGP), a Vitamin K-dependent calcification inhibitor, increases during MF progression. This project will investigate MGP expression in MPN patients and its modulation using VitaminK and standard therapy, exploring its potential as a therapeutic target.