Single-Cell RNA-Seq Reveals Effects of Leukemia–Derived Exosomes on Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Leukemia-derived exosomes are emerging as key modulators of the bone marrow microenvironment. In this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to characterize the impact of leukemia exosomes on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Our results reveal that exosome-treated HSCs exhibit transcriptional signatures associated with impaired self-renewal, altered lineage commitment, and disrupted quiescence. Pathway analysis highlighted activation of inflammatory and stress-response pathways, suggesting that leukemia exosomes reprogram HSC function to favor leukemic progression. These findings provide mechanistic insight into how leukemia-derived extracellular vesicles contribute to hematopoietic dysfunction and disease propagation.