Differential Gene Expression Underlying the Functional Distinctions of Primary Human CD34+Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells from Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow

Abstract CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells are used clinically to support cytotoxic therapy, and recent studies raised hope that they could even serve as a cellular source for nonhematopoietic tissue engineering. Here, we examined in 18 volunteers the gene expressions of 1185 genes in highly enriched bone marrow CD34+(BM-CD34+) or granulocyte–colony-stimulating factor–mobilized peripheral blood CD34+(PB-CD34+) cells by means of cDNA array technology to identify molecular causes underlying the functional differences between circulating and sedentary hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. In total, 65 genes were significantly differentially expressed. Greater cell cycle and DNA synthesis activity of BM-CD34+ than PB-CD34+ cells were reflected by the 2- to 5-fold higher expression of 9 genes involved in cell cycle progression, 11 genes regulating DNA synthesis, and cell cycle–initiating transcription factor E2F-1. Conversely, 9 other transcription factors, including the differentiation blocking GATA2 and N-myc, were expressed 2 to 3 times higher in PB-CD34+ cells than in BM-CD34+cells. Expression of 5 apoptosis driving genes was also 2 to 3 times greater in PB-CD34+ cells, reflecting a higher apoptotic activity. In summary, our study provides a gene expression profile of primary human CD34+ hematopoietic cells of the blood and marrow. Our data molecularly confirm and explain the finding that CD34+ cells residing in the bone marrow cycle more rapidly, whereas circulating CD34+ cells consist of a higher number of quiescent stem and progenitor cells. Moreover, our data provide novel molecular insight into stem cell physiology.

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ALL Cells Mobilized by AMD3100 Are More Proliferative, and Remain In the Circulation Longer Than Normal HSC, Enhancing the Action of Vincristine

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v116.21.2137.2137 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 116 (21) ◽

pp. 2137-2137 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Linda J. Bendall ◽

Robert Welschinger ◽

Florian Liedtke ◽

Carole Ford ◽

Aileen Dela Pena ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Bone Marrow Microenvironment ◽

Hematopoietic Progenitors ◽

Cxcr4 Antagonist ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Cell Mobilization ◽

Cycle Dependent

Abstract Abstract 2137 The chemokine CXCL12, and its receptor CXCR4, play an essential role in homing and engraftment of normal hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow, with the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 inducing the rapid mobilization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells into the blood in mice and humans. We have previously demonstrated that AMD3100 similarly induces the mobilization of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells into the peripheral blood. The bone marrow microenvironment is thought to provide a protective niche for ALL cells, contributing to chemo-resistance. As a result, compounds that disrupt leukemic cell interactions with the bone marrow microenvironment are of interest as chemo-sensitizing agents. However, the mobilization of normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells may also increase bone marrow toxicity. To better evaluate how such mobilizing agents affect normal hematopoietic progenitors and ALL cells, the temporal response of ALL cells to the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 was compared to that of normal hematopoietic progenitor cells using a NOD/SCID xenograft model of ALL and BALB/c mice respectively. ALL cells from all 7 pre-B ALL xenografts were mobilized into the peripheral blood by AMD3100. Mobilization was apparent 1 hour and maximal 3 hours after drug administration, similar to that observed for normal hematopoietic progenitors. However, ALL cells remained in the circulation for longer than normal hematopoietic progenitors. The number of ALL cells in the circulation remained significantly elevated in 6 of 7 xenografts examined, 6 hours post AMD3100 administration, a time point by which circulating normal hematopoietic progenitor levels had returned to baseline. No correlation between the expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 or the adhesion molecules VLA-4, VLA-5 or CD44, and the extent or duration of ALL cell mobilization was detected. In contrast, the overall motility of the ALL cells in chemotaxis assays was predictive of the extent of ALL cell mobilization. This was not due to CXCL12-specific chemotaxis because the association was lost when correction for background motility was undertaken. In addition, AMD3100 increased the proportion of actively cells ALL cells in the peripheral blood. This did not appear to be due to selective mobilization of cycling cells but reflected the more proliferative nature of bone marrow as compared to peripheral blood ALL cells. This is in contrast to the selective mobilization of quiescent normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells by AMD3100. Consistent with these findings, the addition of AMD3100 to the cell cycle dependent drug vincristine, increased the efficacy of this agent in NOD/SCID mice engrafted with ALL. Overall, this suggests that ALL cells will be more sensitive to effects of agents that disrupt interactions with the bone marrow microenvironment than normal progenitors, and that combining agents that disrupt ALL retention in the bone marrow may increase the therapeutic effect of cell cycle dependent chemotherapeutic agents. Disclosures: Bendall: Genzyme: Honoraria.

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Prostaglandin E2 Inhibits Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells and Enhances Their Survival Following Sub-Lethal Radiation Injury,

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v118.21.3401.3401 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 118 (21) ◽

pp. 3401-3401

Author(s):

Rebecca L Porter ◽

Mary A Georger ◽

Laura M Calvi

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Radiation Injury ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Cox 2 ◽

Apoptotic Genes

Abstract Abstract 3401 Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are responsible for the continual production of all mature blood cells during homeostasis and times of stress. These cells are known to be regulated in part by the bone marrow microenvironment in which they reside. We have previously reported that the microenvironmentally-produced factor Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) expands HSPCs when administered systemically in naïve mice (Porter, Frisch et. al., Blood, 2009). However, the mechanism mediating this expansion remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that in vivo PGE2 treatment inhibits apoptosis of HSPCs in naïve mice, as measured by Annexin V staining (p=0.0083, n=6–7 mice/group) and detection of active-Caspase 3 (p=0.01, n=6–7 mice/group). These data suggest that inhibition of apoptosis is at least one mechanism by which PGE2 expands HSPCs. Since PGE2 is a local mediator of injury and is known to play a protective role in other cell types, we hypothesized that it could be an important microenvironmental regulator of HSPCs during times of injury. Thus, these studies explored the role of PGE2 signaling in the bone marrow following myelosuppressive injury using a radiation injury model. Endogenous PGE2 levels in the bone marrow increased 2.9-fold in response to a sub-lethal dose of 6.5 Gy total body irradiation (TBI)(p=0.0004, n=3–11 mice/group). This increase in PGE2 correlated with up-regulation of microenvironmental Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) mRNA (p=0.0048) and protein levels at 24 and 72 hr post-TBI, respectively. Further augmentation of prostaglandin signaling following 6.5 Gy TBI by administration of exogenous 16,16-dimethyl-PGE2 (dmPGE2) enhanced the survival of functional HSPCs acutely after injury. At 24 hr post-TBI, the bone marrow of dmPGE2-treated animals contained significantly more LSK cells (p=0.0037, n=13 mice/group) and colony forming unit-spleen cells (p=0.037, n=5 mice/group). Competitive transplantation assays at 72 hr post-TBI demonstrated that bone marrow cells from irradiated dmPGE2-treated mice exhibited increased repopulating activity compared with cells from vehicle-treated mice. Taken together, these results indicate that dmPGE2 treatment post-TBI increases survival of functional HSPCs. Since PGE2 can inhibit apoptosis of HSPCs in naïve mice, the effect of dmPGE2 post-TBI on apoptosis was also investigated. HSPCs isolated from mice 24 hr post-TBI demonstrated statistically significant down-regulation of several pro-apoptotic genes and up-regulation of anti-apoptotic genes in dmPGE2-treated animals (3 separate experiments with n=4–8 mice/group in each), suggesting that dmPGE2 initiates an anti-apoptotic program in HSPCs following injury. Notably, there was no significant change in expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Survivin, which has previously been reported to increase in response to ex vivo dmPGE2 treatment of bone marrow cells (Hoggatt et. al., Blood, 2009), suggesting differential effects of dmPGE2 in vivo and/or in an injury setting. Additionally, to ensure that this inhibition of apoptosis was not merely increasing survival of damaged and non-functional HSPCs, the effect of early treatment with dmPGE2 post-TBI on hematopoietic recovery was assayed by monitoring peripheral blood counts. Interestingly, dmPGE2 treatment in the first 72 hr post-TBI significantly accelerated recovery of platelet levels and hematocrit compared with injured vehicle-treated mice (n=12 mice/group). Immunohistochemical analysis of the bone marrow of dmPGE2-treated mice also exhibited a dramatic activation of Cox-2 in the bone marrow microenvironment. This suggests that the beneficial effect of dmPGE2 treatment following injury may occur, both through direct stimulation of hematopoietic cells and also via activation of the HSC niche. In summary, these data indicate that PGE2 is a critical microenvironmental regulator of hematopoietic cells in response to injury. Exploitation of the dmPGE2-induced initiation of an anti-apoptotic program in HSPCs may represent a useful method to increase survival of these cells after sub-lethal radiation injury. Further, amplification of prostaglandin signaling by treatment with PGE2 agonists may also represent a novel approach to meaningfully accelerate recovery of peripheral blood counts in patients with hematopoietic system injury during a vulnerable time when few therapeutic options are currently available. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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PTPN11D61Y/+; Vavcre+ Animals Commonly Succumb to Leukemia Relapse Despite Robust Engraftment of Transplanted Wild-Type Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v128.22.496.496 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 128 (22) ◽

pp. 496-496

Author(s):

Stefan P. Tarnawsky ◽

Mervin C. Yoder ◽

Rebecca J. Chan

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Wild Type ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Donor Cells ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Leukemia Relapse ◽

Conditioning Regimens

Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML) is a rare childhood myelodysplastic / myeloproliferative overlap disorder. JMML exhibits myeloid populations with mutations in Ras-Erk signaling genes, most commonly PTPN11, which confer growth hypersensitivity to GM-CSF. While allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is the treatment of choice for children with JMML, 50% of children succumb to leukemia relapse; however, the mechanism leading to this high relapse rate is unknown. We hypothesized that the hyperinflammatory nature of JMML may damage the bone marrow microenvironment, leading to poor engraftment of normal donor cells following transplant, permitting residual leukemia cells to outcompete the normal graft, and thus promoting leukemia relapse. Using Vav1 promoter-directed Cre, we generated a mouse model of JMML that conditionally expresses gain-of-function PTPN11D61Yin utero during development. While PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+embryos did not demonstrate in utero lethality, we observed a modest reduction of PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+ mice at the time of weaning compared to predicted Mendelian frequencies. Further, surviving PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+ mice developed elevated peripheral blood leukocytosis and monocytosis as early as 4 weeks of age compared to PTPN11+/+; VavCre+ controls. To address the hypothesis that an aberrant bone marrow microenvironment in the PTPN11D61Y/+ mice leads to poor engraftment of wild-type donor cells following transplant, we examined engraftment of wild-type hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+ mice and monitored animals for disease relapse. 16-24 week-old diseased PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+ and control PTPN11+/+; VavCre+ mice were lethally irradiated (11 Gy split dose) and transplanted with 5 x 105 CD45.1+ wild-type bone marrow low density mononuclear cells (LDMNCs), which simulates a limiting stem cell dose commonly available in a human HSCT setting. 6 weeks post-HSCT, PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+recipients demonstrated an unexpected elevated CD45.1+ donor cell contribution in peripheral blood compared to the control PTPN11+/+; VavCre+ recipients. However, despite superior engraftment in the PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+ recipients, these mice had a significantly shorter median survival post-HSCT due to a resurgence of recipient CD45.2-derived leukemic cells. We repeated the experiment using a high dose of CD45.1+ LDMNCs (10 x 106 cells) to determine if providing a saturating dose wild-type cells could prevent the relapse of recipient-derived leukemogenesis and normalize the survival of the PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+recipients. While this saturating dose of wild-type cells resulted in high peripheral blood chimerism in both the PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+ and PTPN11+/+; VavCre+ recipients, the PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+ animals nevertheless demonstrated significantly reduced overall survival. When we examined the cause of mortality in the HSCT-treated PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+mice, we found enlarged spleens, hypercellular bone marrow, and enlarged thymuses. Flow cytometry revealed that the majority of cells in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, and spleen were recipient-derived CD45.2+ CD4+ CD8+ T cells. To verify that the disease was neoplastic in origin, secondary transplants into CD45.1/.2 recipients were performed from two independent primary PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+and two independent primary PTPN11+/+; VavCre+ controls. Secondary recipients of bone marrow from PTPN11D61Y/+; VavCre+ animals rapidly succumbed to a CD45.2-derived T-cell acute lymphoid leukemia (T-ALL). Previous studies demonstrated that wild-type PTPN11 is needed to protect the integrity of the genome by regulating Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) during the mitosis of the cell cycle (Liu et al., PNAS, 2016). We now demonstrate that even when PTPN11 mutant animals are provided with saturating doses of wild-type HSCs, dysregulated residual recipient cells are able to produce relapsed disease. Collectively, these studies highlight the propensity of residual mutant PTPN11 cells to transform after being subjected to mutagenic agents that are commonly used for conditioning regimens prior to allogeneic HSCT. These findings suggest that modified pre-HSCT conditioning regimens bearing reduced mutagenicity while maintaining adequate cytoreductive efficacy may yield lower post-HSCT leukemia relapse in children with PTPN11mutations. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Neuropeptides Orexin A and B Are Funktionally Aktive in CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v114.22.4593.4593 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 114 (22) ◽

pp. 4593-4593

Author(s):

Ron-Patrick Cadeddu ◽

Akos G. Czibere ◽

Sebastian Büst ◽

Johannes C Fischer ◽

Ulrich Steidl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Calcium Influx ◽

Receptor Stimulation ◽

Orexin A ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Human Cd34 ◽

Orexin Receptors ◽

Cd34 Cells ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells

Abstract Abstract 4593 Orexin receptors are involved in the regulation of sleep-wake-rhythm, food intake and energy homeostasis and it was still recently believed that their expression is restricted to the nervous system. But, during the last years orexin receptors have been detected in an increasing number of peripheral tissues. We have earlier found orexin receptor 1 and 2 expression on human CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Still, the sources of their physiological ligands, the peptides orexin A and B, seemed so far to be restricted to the central nerve system. Ca2+-dependent signaling and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathways are considered as main downstream signaling pathways of the orexin receptors. In this study, we investigated the signaling and functional role of orexin receptors in CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Using confocal fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry we found that stimulation of purified CD34+ cells with orexin A and B led to an increase of the intracellular calcium concentration due to both calcium influx and calcium release from intracellular stores. Of interest, incubation with orexin reduces the SDF-1β-induced calcium influx. Furthermore orexin receptor stimulation led to a decrease of the intracellular cAMP concentration. Following orexin receptor stimulation with orexin A and B, we observed an initial increase of ERK1/2 phosphorylation up to 30 minutes upon incubation with orexin followed by a decrease at several time points up to 8 hours in comparison to the unstimulated control. To investigate a potential impact on the functional properties of human CD34+ cells we performed proliferation and apoptosis assays, migration and adhesion assays as well as colony forming and long-term culture assays. Remarkably, stimulation with orexin A and B led to a significant higher proportion of early pluripotent hematopoietic progenitor (CFU-GEMM) colonies and a significant reduction of erythroid precursors. A more immature phenotype of orexin-stimulated CD34+ cells is also reflected by array-based gene expression profiling. Long-term culture assays revealed a significant higher frequency of LTC-IC indicating also a more immature phenotype of orexin-stimulated cells. In line, orexin receptor stimulation led to a significant increase of the proportion of Lin-, CD34+, CD38- HSC in the G0-phase of the cell cycle. Furthermore, stimulation with orexin A and B increased the number of apoptotic cells in the Lin-, CD34+, CD38- HSC fraction and the total hematopoietic stem and progenitor population determined by flowcytometric analysis of intracellular cleaved caspase 3 content. The adhesive capacity of CD34+ cells to fibronectin and collagen coated dishes and the migratory capacity was significantly decreased upon orexin receptor stimulation. Concurrent incubation with the selective Gi-protein inhibitor pertussis toxin abrogated these effects. Given the functional impact of the orexin system on CD34+ cells, we asked if orexins are secreted locally in the bone marrow or autocrine by CD34+ cells or if they are humorally transported to the bone marrow cavity. Using FACS analysis, immunfluorescent staining and western blotting we could detect prepro-Orexin in CD34+ cells and using ELISA orexin was found in the serum obtained by bone marrow biopsies and peripheral blood. Taken together, the phenotype of orexin-stimulated hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells suggest a mobilizing effect of the orexin receptor stimulation as well as an increased repopulation capacity which might be of relevance in clinical stem cell mobilization and transplantation and is currently verified in murine models. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Distinct Bone Marrow Blood Vessels Differentially Regulate Normal and Malignant Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v126.23.664.664 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 126 (23) ◽

pp. 664-664

Author(s):

Tomer Itkin ◽

Shiri Gur Cohen ◽

Joel A. Spencer ◽

Amir Schajnovitz ◽

Saravana K. Ramasamy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Blood Plasma ◽

Blood Vessels ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Progenitor Cell ◽

Leukocyte Trafficking ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Barrier Integrity ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells

Abstract Bone marrow (BM) endothelial cells (BMECs) form a network of blood vessels (BVs) that regulate both leukocyte trafficking and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) maintenance. However, it is not clear how BMECs balance between these dual regulatory roles and if these events occur at the same vascular site. We define the BM architecture of functionally distinct BVs, their spatial localization and association with specific stromal precursors, which cooperatively regulate HSPC fate. BM stem and progenitor cell maintenance in a metabolically non-active state and leukocyte trafficking occur at separate sites and are differentially regulated by specific BVs with distinct permeability properties. BM arteries were found to be mostly encircled by aSMA+ pericytes whereas the ensuing small-diameter endosteal and trabecular arterioles were predominantly surrounded by stem cell-niche supporting stromal precursor cells. Live imaging and flow analysis revealed that endosteal arteriole BVs exhibited high flow rate, low permeability to external plasma from the peripheral blood, and high levels of adhesion- and tight-junction molecules. Primitive HSPCs located in peri-arteriole regions were found in a non-activated, low reactive oxygen species (ROS) state. Exposure of BM HSPCs to peripheral blood plasma, enhanced their metabolic activity, exhibited by enhanced intracellular ROS levels, and glucose uptake. The same was also evident for circulating HSPCs in the blood. Plasma-exposed HSPCs displayed enhanced motility alongside with reduced long-term repopulation potential. Live imaging showed that all immature and mature leukocyte bi-directional trafficking occurred exclusively at the more permeable sinusoids, located downstream to the endosteal arterioles. Of note, BM sinusoids contained a higher prevalence of ROShigh cells in their microenvironment, including HSPCs. Rapid AMD3100-induced HSPC mobilization preferentially affected sinusoidal but not arterial BVs permeability and CXCL12 chemokine release. Endothelial specific in vivo interference with CXCL12-CXCR4 interactions, via conditional CXCR4 genetic deletion, hampered BM barrier integrity resulting in enhanced HSPC egress. In line with these results we found that during conditions favoring BM stem and progenitor cells expansion, endothelial integrity was enhanced along with reduced HSPC bi-directional trafficking. Conversely, conditional endothelial specific induced genetic or pharmacologic disruption of barrier integrity augmented ROS levels in HSPCs, enhancing their bi-directional trafficking and differentiation while reducing their BM pool size and maintenance in a metabolically non-active state. Of note, humanized mice engrafted with pre-B ALL cells exhibited reduced BM barrier permeability most probably due to BM endothelium modification via FGF-2 secretion by the leukemic clone. Interestingly, human pre-B ALL cells displayed hypersensitivity to plasmatic exposure. We hypothesize that malignant cells modify BM endothelium to provide themselves with a supportive and protective microenvironment composed of undifferentiated BM stromal progenitors and tightly sealed endothelial barrier. In conclusion, our study identifies anatomically distinct BM BVs with different barrier functions serving as systemic leukocyte trafficking or HSPC BM maintenance sites with clinical therapeutic relevance. Disclosures Rafii: Angiocrine Bioscience: Consultancy, Equity Ownership.

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R4 Rgs Subfamily Proteins Negatively Regulates SDF-1/CXCR4 Signaling in CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v128.22.5048.5048 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 128 (22) ◽

pp. 5048-5048

Author(s):

Kam Tong Leung ◽

Yorky Tsin Sik Wong ◽

Karen Li ◽

Kathy Yuen Yee Chan ◽

Xiao-Bing Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Rgs Proteins ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Cxcr4 Signaling ◽

Human Cd34 ◽

Cd34 Cells ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells

Abstract RGS family proteins are known to negatively regulate G-protein-coupled receptor signaling through their GTPase-accelerating activity. In several types of hematopoietic cells (e.g., B lymphocytes and megakaryocytes), responses to stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) are subjected to regulation by R4 subfamily RGS proteins. However, their expression patterns and functional roles in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSC) are poorly characterized. Here, we showed that human CD34+ HSC derived from cord blood (CB, n = 10) expressed 7 out of 10 R4 RGS proteins at mRNA level (RGS1-3, 5, 13, 16 and 18), whereas expressions of RGS4, 8 and 21 were undetectable. Exposure of CB CD34+ cells to SDF-1 significantly increased RGS1, 2, 13 and 16 expressions and decreased RGS3 and 18 expressions (P ≤ 0.0402, n = 5). Expressions of RGS1, 13 and 16 were significantly higher in bone marrow (BM, n = 10) CD34+ cells when compared to mobilized peripheral blood (MPB, n = 5) CD34+ cells (P ≤ 0.0160), while RGS3 and 18 expressions were lower in BM CD34+ cells (P ≤ 0.0471), suggesting a SDF-1- and niche-dependent regulation of RGS expressions. To investigate the potential involvement of RGS proteins in SDF-1-mediated homing-related functions, we introduced RGS overexpression constructs into CB CD34+ cells by lentiviral transduction. With >80% transduction efficiency, we showed that overexpression of RGS1, 13 and 16 but not RGS2 significantly inhibited migration of CD34+ cells to a SDF-1 gradient (P ≤ 0.0391, n = 4-5). Similarly, RGS1, 13 and 16 overexpression suppressed SDF-1-induced Akt phosphorylation (n = 2), but none of them affected SDF-1-mediated actin polymerization (n = 3). In the NOD/SCID mouse xenotransplantation model, preliminary results showed that bone marrow homing was impaired in RGS1- (16.3% reduction), RGS13- (12.7% reduction) or RGS16-overexpressing CD34+ cells (33.7% reduction). Taken together, we provided the first evidence that expressions of R4 RGS proteins are regulated by the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in human CD34+ HSC. We also presented evidence that specific R4 RGS proteins (RGS1, 13 and 16) negatively regulate in vitro SDF-1-mediated responses and in vivo homing of CD34+ cells, suggesting that RGS proteins may serve as a feedback mechanism to regulate SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling. Strategies to inhibit RGS signaling could thus be a potential method for enhancing efficiency of HSC homing and long-term engraftment, which is particularly important in the setting of CB transplantation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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The sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor agonist FTY720 supports CXCR4-dependent migration and bone marrow homing of human CD34+ progenitor cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2003-03-0875 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 103 (12) ◽

pp. 4478-4486 ◽

Cited By ~ 113

Author(s):

Takafumi Kimura ◽

Andreas M. Boehmler ◽

Gabriele Seitz ◽

Selim Kuçi ◽

Tina Wiesner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Actin Polymerization ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Human Cd34 ◽

Sphingosine 1 Phosphate ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Stromal Cell Derived Factor

Abstract The novel immunosuppressant FTY720 activates sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors (S1PRs) that affect responsiveness of lymphocytes to chemokines such as stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1), resulting in increased lymphocyte homing to secondary lymphoid organs. Since SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 are also involved in bone marrow (BM) homing of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPCs), we analyzed expression of S1PRs and the influence of FTY720 on SDF-1/CXCR4-mediated effects in human HPCs. By reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), S1PRs were expressed in mobilized CD34+ HPCs, particularly in primitive CD34+/CD38- cells. Incubation of HPCs with FTY720 resulted in prolonged SDF-1-induced calcium mobilization and actin polymerization, and substantially increased SDF-1-dependent in vitro transendothelial migration, without affecting VLA-4, VLA-5, and CXCR4 expression. In nonobese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice, the number of CD34+/CD38- cells that homed to the BM after 18 hours was significantly raised by pretreatment of animals and cells with FTY720, tending to result in improved engraftment. In addition, in vitro growth of HPCs (week-5 cobblestone area-forming cells [CAFCs]) was 2.4-fold increased. We conclude that activation of S1PRs by FTY720 increases CXCR4 function in HPCs both in vitro and in vivo, supporting homing and proliferation of HPCs. In the hematopoietic microenvironment, S1PRs are involved in migration and maintenance of HPCs by modulating the effects of SDF-1. (Blood. 2004;103:4478-4486)

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Highly efficient editing of the β-globin gene in patient-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells to treat sickle cell disease

Nucleic Acids Research ◽

10.1093/nar/gkz475 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (15) ◽

pp. 7955-7972 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

So Hyun Park ◽

Ciaran M Lee ◽

Daniel P Dever ◽

Timothy H Davis ◽

Joab Camarena ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Sickle Cell Disease ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Globin Gene ◽

Cell Disease ◽

Gene Correction ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Target Effects

AbstractSickle cell disease (SCD) is a monogenic disorder that affects millions worldwide. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only available cure. Here, we demonstrate the use of CRISPR/Cas9 and a short single-stranded oligonucleotide template to correct the sickle mutation in the β-globin gene in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from peripheral blood or bone marrow of patients with SCD, with 24.5 ± 7.6% efficiency without selection. Erythrocytes derived from gene-edited cells showed a marked reduction of sickle cells, with the level of normal hemoglobin (HbA) increased to 25.3 ± 13.9%. Gene-corrected SCD HSPCs retained the ability to engraft when transplanted into non-obese diabetic (NOD)-SCID-gamma (NSG) mice with detectable levels of gene correction 16–19 weeks post-transplantation. We show that, by using a high-fidelity SpyCas9 that maintained the same level of on-target gene modification, the off-target effects including chromosomal rearrangements were significantly reduced. Taken together, our results demonstrate efficient gene correction of the sickle mutation in both peripheral blood and bone marrow-derived SCD HSPCs, a significant reduction in sickling of red blood cells, engraftment of gene-edited SCD HSPCs in vivo and the importance of reducing off-target effects; all are essential for moving genome editing based SCD treatment into clinical practice.

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