NES and acute myeloid leukemia: On the other hand, the role of nestin-positive MSC is different in AML as here, no depletion of these MSC has been observed (Figures 1A, B) and it is speculated that AML blasts are in need of MSC for survival and chemotherapy resistance, being dependent on the oxidative phosphorylation and tricarboxylic acid cycle activity, and antioxidant defense of the latter (42).