Hsp-90 Inhibition Decreases Survival of BCR-ABL T315I Leukemic Stem Cells in Mice.

Abstract Although advances have been made in the development of novel molecularly targeted drugs, a major therapeutic challenge in the treatment of patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) leukemia includes understanding how to target the leukemic stem cell. We used the bone marrow transplant (BMT) model of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) to study effects of imatinib mesylate and the novel, orally active heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor, IPI-504, on leukemic stem cells, based on our observation that unlike imatinib, IPI-504, prolongs survival in a murine model of drug-resistant T315I BCR-ABL-induced CML. We first identified BCR-ABL-expressing hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) (Lin-c-Kit+Sca-1+) in mouse bone marrow as CML stem cells, as these cells sorted out by FACS from primary CML mice are sufficient to confer leukemia in recipient mice. We then investigated the effects of imatinib and IPI-504 on survival of leukemic stem cells from BCR-ABL T315I induced CML. Bone marrow cells from mice with T315I-induced CML were cultured under conditions that support survival and growth of stem cells, with or without IPI-504 or imatinib. FACS analysis of GFP+Lin-c-Kit+Sca-1+ cells showed that imatinib treatment did not lower the percentage and the number of leukemia stem cells, whereas IPI-504 treatment had a dramatic inhibitory effect on this population (p<0.001) at therapeutically achievable doses. To determine whether IPI-504 attenuates development of leukemia by specifically inhibiting stem cell survival, GFP+Lin-c-Kit+Sca-1+ cells were sorted from bone marrow of mice with BCR-ABL T315I-induced CML, and cultured with a placebo or IPI-504. When these cells were transferred into lethally-irradiated recipient mice, FACS analysis showed that myeloid leukemia cells were present in mice receiving the placebo-treated leukemic stem cells but not in mice receiving the IPI-504 treated leukemic stem cells. To examine whether IPI-504 inhibits leukemia stem cells in vivo, mice with BCR-ABL-T315I-induced CML were treated with a placebo, imatinib, or orally administered IPI-504 for six days. Bone marrow cells were analyzed by FACS for GFP+Lin-c-Kit+Sca-1+ cells. Consistent with the in vitro results, imatinib treatment did not lower the percentage and number of leukemia stem cells, as compared with the untreated group, whereas IPI-504 treatment had a dramatic inhibitory effect on the stem cells. Analysis of bone marrow from non-leukemic mice treated with IPI-504 for two weeks showed no change in levels of Lin-c-Kit+Sca-1+ cells, indicating that IPI-504 treatment did not inhibit survival of normal HSCs. These results provide a rationale for use of an Hsp90 inhibitor as a first-line treatment to inhibit leukemia stem cells and prevent emergence of imatininb-resistant clones in patients.

Download Full-text

Loss of the Cell Cycle Regulator p26INCA1 Induces Exhaustion of Leukemic Stem Cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v116.21.96.96 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 116 (21) ◽

pp. 96-96

Author(s):

Petra Tschanter ◽

Nicole Baeumer ◽

Lisa Lohmeyer ◽

Frank Berkenfeld ◽

Lara Tickenbrock ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Cell Cycle Regulation ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Leukemic Cells ◽

Leukemic Stem Cells ◽

Cycle Regulation

Abstract Abstract 96 Acute myeloid leukemia is a clonal disease characterized by a malignant proliferation and accumulation of myeloid progenitor cells. Current therapeutic strategies are often not able to eradicate the leukemic cells. Malignancy is associated with deregulation of cell cycle check- points and the deregulation of checkpoints is associated with altered stem cell properties. A better understanding of malignant stem cells and their cell cycle regulation might help to develop new therapies. Recently, we identified p26INCA1 as a novel cell cycle regulator. GST pulldown assays revealed binding of INCA1 predominantly to CDK2- specific Cyclins and we demonstrated an inhibitory effect of INCA1 on CDK2/ CyclinA complexes in kinase activity assays. The loss of INCA1 and its inhibitory effect on the cell cycle regulation led to an increased cell cycling and consequently to an enlarged stem cell pool in vivo. Upon cytotoxic stress, the loss of Inca1 enhanced cell cycling and bone marrow exhaustion. To analyze a potential role of INCA1 in leukemogenesis we retrovirally transduced wildtype and Inca1−/− bone marrow cells with AML1-ETO9a (A1E9a) and transplanted these cells into wildtype recipients. Most of the wildtype cell- transplanted recipients died due to AML. In contrast, only one of the Inca1−/− cell- transplanted mice developed AML. Engraftment was higher upon transplantion of Inca1−/− cells but engraftment was not sustained. To consider the repopulation capacity of the leukemic cells we performed transplantation of primary leukemic cells into secondary recipients. A1E9a induced leukemia in Inca1 wildtype cells was transplantable and lethal. However Inca1−/− leukemic cells were severely impaired in leukemia development in secondary recipients. Colony forming units and replating capacity were significantly reduced in A1E9a Inca1−/− bone marrow cells although these cells showed increased CDK2 activity. Exhaustion of leukemic cells in the absence of Inca1 was confirmed by cloning efficiency assays. Further analyses were performed with c-myc induced leukemias. Interestingly, Inca1 deletion precluded the development of leukemias in secondary recipients. Taken together, these findings identify an important role for p26INCA1 in the maintenance of leukemia and potentially the self-renewal capacity of leukemic stem cells. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Download Full-text

Targeting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Stem Cells by BMS-214662 in Mice.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v106.11.2861.2861 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 106 (11) ◽

pp. 2861-2861

Author(s):

Cong Peng ◽

Yiguo Hu ◽

Francis Y. Lee ◽

Shaoguang Li

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Philadelphia Chromosome ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Leukemia Stem Cells ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract The BCR-ABL inhibitor imatinib mesylate is the current approved treatment for Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). While this agent is effective in the chronic phase of CML, it is less effective in advanced disease (acelerated phase or blast crisis), and resistance to imatinib is an issue at all stages of disease, particularly advanced. Resistance is mediated primarily by BCR-ABL mutations, although other mechanisms have also been implicated. Another key issue with imatinib therapy is that molecular remission in imatinib-treated CML patients is difficult to achieve, leaving patients at risk of relapse. We have previously observed that imatinib significantly prolongs survival of CML mice, but is not curative (Hu et al, Nature Genetics36[5]:453–461, 2004). We hypothesize that this can be attributed to the inability of imatinib to completely kill CML stem cells. We identified that BCR-ABL-expressing Lin-c-KIT+Sca-1+ bone marrow cells are CML stem cells in mice. We tested whether BMS-214662 (which has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on growth of non-proliferating cancer cells) (Lee et al, Proceedings of the AACR42:260s, 2001) reduces leukemia stem cell populations in CML mice. Donor bone marrow cells from C57BL/6 mice were transduced with P210BCR-ABL-IRES-GFP retrovirus, followed by transplantation into lethally irradiated C57BL/6 recipient mice. Eight days after transplantation, BMS-214662 was given orally once a day at a dose of 300 mg/kg for 7 days. Bone marrow cells from the treated CML mice were then analyzed by FACS for CML stem cells (GFP+Lin-c-Kit+Sca-1+). CML mice treated with placebo, dasatinib (a novel, oral, multi-targeted kinase inhibitor that targets BCR-ABL and SRC family kinases) 10 mg/kg, twice daily (BID), BMS-214662, or dasatinib 10 mg/kg BID in combination with BMS-214662. Numbers of leukemia stem cells per bone were significantly lower in mice treated with BMS-214662 alone, dasatinib alone, or both BMS-214662 and dasatinib, compared with placebo-treated mice. Among different treatments, the combination of BMS-214662 and dasatinib had the strongest inhibitory effect on CML stem cells. Inhibition of the leukemia stem cells by dasatinib could be due to its inhibitory effect on BCR-ABL or SRC kinases, whereas BMS-214662 must function through other mechanisms. BMS-214662 is also a farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI), which reduces Ras activation. However, our control experiment showed that other FTIs did not inhibit proliferation of non-proliferating cancer cells (data not shown). This suggests that BMS-214662 inhibits CML stem cells through unknown mechanisms. In summary, BMS-214662 is a potent inhibitor of CML stem cells, and combinatorial use of BMS-214662 and dasatinib may provide more durable responses, and potentially a curative therapy for CML patients. Given the proven activity of dasatinib against a spectrum of imatinib-resistant BCR-ABL mutations (O’Hare, et al. Cancer Res65[11]:4500–5, 2005; Shah et al, Science, 305:399, 2004), and the apparent activity of dasatinib against stem cells in vivo shown here, this combination could potentially suppress the emergence of resistance, further adding to the durability of response.

Download Full-text

Loss of P-Selectin Promotes the Function of Aged Hematopoietic and Leukemic Stem Cells.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v116.21.1577.1577 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 116 (21) ◽

pp. 1577-1577

Author(s):

Yaoyu Chen ◽

Sullivan Con ◽

Yiguo Hu ◽

Linghong Kong ◽

Cong Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Flow Cytometry ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Leukemic Stem Cells ◽

Wild Type ◽

Post Transplant ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract Abstract 1577 Hematopoiesis is a tightly regulated biological process that relies upon complicated interactions between the blood cells and their microenvironment. Adhesion molecules like P-selectin are essential to hematopoiesis, and their dysregulation has been implicated in leukemogenesis. We have previously shown a role for P-selectin in chronic myeloid leukemia and demonstrated that in its absence the disease process accelerates. Recently, there has also been speculation that P-selectin may play a role in the aging hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), as its expression in upregulated as a mouse ages. In this study, we show that the loss of P-selectin function dysregulates the balance of stem cells and progenitors and that these differences become more pronounced with age. We compared the percentages of HSCs, long-term (LT)-HSCs, short-term (ST)-HSCs, multipotent progenitors (MPPs), CMPs, GMPs and MEPs in bone marrow by flow cytometry between wild type (WT) and Selp-/- mice. An age-dependent LT-HSC expansion was observed in WT mice. However, this expansion was prevented by the loss of Selp as observed in Selp-/-mice. Further, we demonstrate that with age LT-HSCs in particular express more elevated levels of P-selectin. LT-HSCs and ST-HSC/MPPs were isolated from the bone marrow of young (2 months old) and old (15 months old) WT mice and examined P-selectin expression by FACS. A significant increase in P-selectin expression was observed in LT-HSCs of old mice, and this increase was not observed in the ST-HSC+MPP subpopulations. We also show that the loss of P-selectin gene has profound effects of stem cell function, altering the capacity of these cells to home. Despite impaired homing capacity, stem cells lacking P-selectin possess a competitive advantage over their wild type counterparts. Using a stem cell competition assay, HSCs derived from Selp-/- mice (CD45.2+) and WT control mice (CD45.2+GFP+) were mixed in 1:1 ratio and transplanted into irradiated WT recipients (CD45.1). The initial findings were potentially indicative of the ability of cells derived from GFP mice to more efficiently home and engraft. Despite this initial advantage, cells derived from Selp-/- eventually exhibited a competitive and statistically significant advantage over the cells derived from GFP mice. At 30 days post-transplant, 49.9±1.4% of the CD45.2 subpopulation was GFP+. At 86 days post-transplant, 25.7±3.3 % of the CD45.2 cells derived from the peripheral blood were GFP+. Similarly, 23.0±3.7% of the CD45.2 cells derived from the bone marrow of these mice were GFP+. Indeed, we demonstrate that recipients of P-selectin deficient bone marrow cells more efficiently repopulate the bone marrow than controls and that this advantage extends and expands in the long-term. Finally, we demonstrate that recipients of leukemic cells lacking P-selectin develop a more accelerated form of leukemia accompanied by significant increases in stem and progenitor cells. Bone marrow cells from donor WT and Selp-/- mice were infected with retrovirus expressing BCR-ABL-GFP, and irradiated WT recipients were transplanted with 2×105 of these transduced donor cells. At 14 days post-transplant, recipient mice from each of the groups were sacrificed, and bone marrow cells were harvested and analyzed by flow cytometry. Recipients of leukemic Selp-/- cells possessed 3.5-fold more LSCs than recipients of wild-type cells. There were 3.1-fold more LT-LSCs and 3.8-fold more ST-LSCs and MPPs in recipients of Selp-/- cells than WT cells. In addition, recipients of leukemic Selp-/- cells possessed significantly more CMP (16.9-fold) and MEP (4.5-fold) cells. Because P-selectin expression increases with age on LT-HSCs, we sought to determine the role that age plays in CML development and progression. Bone marrow cells derived from 15-month-old donor Selp-/- and WT mice were transduced with BCR-ABL, respectively, followed by transplantation of the transduced cells into recipient mice. All recipients of BCR-ABL transduced Selp-/- cells died by 23 days after induction of CML and had a median survival of 19 days, whereas recipients of the transduced WT cells survived significantly longer. This pro-leukemic role for cells lacking P-selectin expression is leukemic stem cell-specific rather than stromal cell-specific and supports an essential role for P-selectin on leukemic stem cells. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Download Full-text

FLT4 Expressing CD34+CD38- Leukemic Stem Cells in Bone Marrow of Refractory Patients are Protected by Receptor Internalization under Abundant VEGF-C Condition

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v128.22.1669.1669 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 128 (22) ◽

pp. 1669-1669

Author(s):

Ji Yoon Lee ◽

Sung-Eun Lee ◽

A-Reum Han ◽

Hee-Sun Hwang ◽

Woo-Sung Min ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Complete Remission ◽

Stem Cell Transplantation ◽

Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation ◽

Clinical Correlation ◽

Leukemic Stem Cells ◽

Facs Analysis ◽

Refractory Aml

Abstract So far, the cause of relapse or refractoriness in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is regarded as the persistence of chemoresistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs). Even VEGF-C/FLT4 axis mediates blast proliferation and survival, understanding of the dynamic behavior of LSCs in bone marrow remains elusive. Especially, FLT4 endocytosis by VEGF-C is related to various biologic functions including signal activation. Based on our previous study, which addressed the potential of FLT4 as a marker for LSCs, we showed that surface FLT4 can be internalized by VEGF-C exposure in bone marrow (BM) derived LSCs. It resulted in resistant to chemotherapy, suggesting LSCs protection. In addition, data for apoptosis revealed that inhibition of FLT4 using MAZ51 with cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) can effectually increase cell death under abundant VEGF-C in refractory patients. It indicated that targeting FLT4 allows investigators to establish advanced therapeutic strategy with conventional Ara-C in refractory patients with high VEGF-C. In clinic, low level of surface FLT4 in de novo AML-BM LSCs, but not PB cells were inclined to undergo refractory status after induction chemotherapy. To investigate whether FLT4 expressing CD34+CD38- LSCs can be protected by VEGF-C via internalization, FACS analysis, western blotting and immunocytochemistry were performed. Meanwhile, total 66 newly diagnosed (ND) AML patients were used to analyze for clinical correlation. (BM, n=37; PB, n=19). FACS analysis showed that surface FLT4 expressing CD34+CD38- LSCs in BM, but not PB, were significantly decreased by VEGF-C (In BM; without VEGF-C & with VEGF-C, 38.7±8.1% & 16.0±5.1%). Similar with surface FLT4 in PB cells, both intracellular FLT4 in BM and PB was highly sustained, regardless of VEGF-C (In BM; without VEGF-C & with VEGF-C, 62.9±17.2% & 69.7±14.9%, In PB; without VEGF-C & with VEGF-C, 77.4±15.6% & 70.4±21.8%). Immunocytochemistry and western blotting also showed internalization of surface FLT4 by VEGF-C treatment. FLT4+CD34+CD38- cells both in BM and PB were significantly higher in refractory patients than in post allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) group, implying clinical correlation of FLT4 with refractory patients. Consistent with findings in ND-AML and refractory groups, FLT4+CD34+CD38- cells were highly sustained in complete remission group, showing drug resistant population (ND-AML, n=30; refractory AML, n=9; Complete remission AML, n=18; post-allogeneic stem cell transplantation, n=9). High level of VEGF-C was detected in refractory patients, compared to that of normal donors (Refractory AML, n=9, normal donors, n=7). Apoptosis results showed that high number of apoptotic CD45dimCD34+CD38- cells in MAZ51 (FLT4 antagonist) and Ara-C dual treatment under VEGF-C exposure, compared to no treatment of both MAZ51 and Ara-C (without VEGF-C; 0.5-1.3 folds, with VEGF-C; 2.7-43.3 folds) or single exposure either to MAZ51 or Ara-C (In Ara-C only; without VEGF-C; 1.0-9.5 folds, with VEGF-C; 0.1- 1.3 folds, In MAZ51 only; without VEGF-C; 1.1-1.7 folds, with VEGF-C; 1.3-39.3 folds), suggesting that Ara-C induced-blast apoptosis can be augmented by FLT4 inhibition even in the presence of VEGF-C in a sub-group of either refractory or relapsed AML patients. VEGF-C/FLT4 axis in AML is involved in PI3K and AKT pathway. Collectively, we demonstrated that FLT4 internalization under VEGF-C in BM leads to protection of FLT4 expressing LSCs and is clinically relevant to refractory subgroup. This data could suggest some clues to develop therapeutic strategies in targeting FLT4 expressing refractory LSCs. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Download Full-text

SIRT1 Deacetylase Is Essential for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Activity Via Regulation of Foxo3.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v120.21.2315.2315 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 120 (21) ◽

pp. 2315-2315 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pauline Rimmele ◽

Carolina L. Bigarella ◽

Valentina d'Escamard ◽

Brigitte Izac ◽

David Sinclair ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cell ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Leukemic Stem Cells ◽

Wild Type ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract Abstract 2315 SIRT1 is a member of the NAD-dependent family of sirtuin deacetylases with critical functions in cellular metabolism, response to stress and aging. Although SIRT1 is clearly a regulator of embryonic stem cells, reports on the function of SIRT1 in adult hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) have been conflicting. While SIRT1 was positively associated with HSC activity on a genetic screen, using a germline deletion of SIRT1 three groups found SIRT1 to be dispensable for adult HSC. Here, we first showed that nuclear SIRT1 expression is enriched in bone marrow-derived Lin−Sca1+cKit+ (LSK) cells, as compared to total bone marrow cells. Germline deletion of SIRT1 is associated with developmental defects and high perinatal mortality resulting in only 10% of mice reaching adulthood. To circumvent the potential developmental adaptation of these mice, we used an adult-tamoxifen inducible SIRT1 knockout mouse model. Full-length SIRT1 protein was nearly undetectable in the bone marrow and spleen of SIRT1−/− mice. Analysis of wild type and SIRT1−/− bone marrow cells, 4 weeks after tamoxifen treatment, showed that loss of SIRT1 increased the size and frequency of the LSK compartment. Interestingly, this was associated with a significant decrease in the frequency of long-term repopulating HSC as determined by SLAM markers (CD48−CD150+LSK) within LSK cells. This decrease was even more pronounced with time. In agreement with these results, the long-term repopulation ability of CD48−CD150+LSK cells is severely compromised in SIRT1−/− mice as measured 16 weeks after transplantation, strongly suggesting that SIRT1 is essential for long-term HSC function. Thus, loss of SIRT1 results in loss of long-term repopulating stem cells in favor of total LSK cells that is a more heterogeneous population of stem cells. SIRT1 has several substrates with a potential function in HSC. Among these, we focused on Foxo3 Forkhead transcription factor which is essential for the maintenance of hematopoietic and leukemic stem cell pool. Despite the importance of Foxo3 to the control of HSC function, mechanisms that regulate Foxo3 activity in HSC remain unknown. Negative regulation of FoxOs by AKT phosphorylation promotes their cytosolic localization in response to growth factors stimulation. Interestingly, Foxo3 is constitutively nuclear in bone marrow LSK and in leukemic stem cells, strongly suggesting that negative phosphorylation may not be the sole Foxo3 regulatory mechanism in these stem cells. FoxO proteins are regulated by several post-translational modifications including acetylation in addition to phosphorylation, although the impact of acetylation on Foxo3 function remains unresolved. Therefore, we asked whether regulation of adult HSC activity by SIRT1 deacetylase is mediated by Foxo3. The in vivo injection of sirtinol, a SIRT1 inhibitor, for 3 weeks compromised significantly the long-term repopulation capacity of wild type but not Foxo3−/− HSC as measured by the repopulation ability of CD48−CD150+LSK cells in lethally irradiated mice after 16 weeks. These results suggest that Foxo3 is likely to be required for SIRT1 regulation of HSC activity. In agreement with this, we showed that in contrast to wild type LSK cells, Foxo3 is mostly cytoplasmic in SIRT1−/− LSK cells, indicating that loss of SIRT1 is sufficient to translocate Foxo3 to the cytosol and presumably inhibit its activity. We further showed that ectopically expressed acetylation-mimetic mutant of Foxo3 where all putative acetyl-lysine residues are mutated to glutamine, in bone marrow mononuclear cells, is mostly localized in the cytosol in contrast to wild type Foxo3 protein and results in significant decrease of colony-forming unit-spleen (CFU-S) activity. Using pharmacological antagonism as well as conditional deletion of SIRT1 in adult HSC, we identified a critical function for SIRT1 in the regulation of long-term HSC activity. Our results contrast with previously published data obtained from germline deleted SIRT1 mice, and suggest that the use of a conditional approach is essential for unraveling SIRT1 function in adult tissues. Our data also suggest that SIRT1 regulation of HSC activity is through activation of Foxo3. These findings are likely to have an important impact on our understanding of the regulation of hematopoietic and leukemic stem cells and may be of major therapeutic value for hematological malignancies and disorders of stem cells and aging. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Download Full-text

The identification in adult bone marrow of pluripotent and restricted stem cells of the myeloid and lymphoid systems

Journal of Experimental Medicine ◽

10.1084/jem.145.6.1567 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 145 (6) ◽

pp. 1567-1579 ◽

Cited By ~ 348

Author(s):

S Abramson ◽

RG Miller ◽

RA Phillips

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

T Lymphocytes ◽

Chromosome Aberrations ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Hemopoietic Stem Cell ◽

Lymphoid System ◽

Unique Chromosome ◽

Marrow Cells

The precise relationship between the stem cells for the lymphoid system and those for the blood-forming system is unclear. While it is generally assumed that the hemopoietic stem cell, the spleen colony-forming unit (CFU-S), is also the stem cell for the lymphoid system, there is little evidence for this hypothesis. To investigate the stem cells in these two systems, we irradiated bone marrow cells to induce unique chromosome aberrations in the stem cell population and injected them at limiting dilution into stem cell-deficient recipients. Several months (between 3 and 11) were allowed for the injected cells to repopulate the hemopoietic system. At that time, the bone marrow, spleen, and thymus were examined for a high frequency of cells having the same unique chromosome aberration. The presence of such markers shows that the marker was induced in a cell with extensive proliferative capacity, i.e., a stem cell. In addition, the splenic lymphocytes were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to search for unique chromosomes in dividing T and B cells, respectively. Finally, bone marrow cells were injected into secondary irradiated recipients to determine if the marker occurred in CFU-S and to determine whether or not the same tissue distributions of marked cells could be propogated by bone marrow cells in a second recipient. After examination of 28 primary recipients, it was possible to identify three unique patterns of stem cell regeneration. In one set of mice, a unique chromosome marker was observed in CFU-S and in PHA- and LPS-stimulated cultures. These mice provide direct evidence for a pluripotent stem cell in bone marrow. In addition, two restricted stem cells were identified by this analysis. In three recipients, abnormal karyotypes were found only in myeloid cells and not in B and T lymphocytes. These mice presumably received a marked stem cell restricted to differentiate only into myeloid progeny. In three other recipients, chromosome aberrations were found only in PHA-stimulated cells; CFU-S and cells from LPS cultures did not have cells with the unique chromosome. This pattern suggests that bone marrow contains cells committed to differentiation only into T lymphocytes. For each of the three types of stem cells, secondary recipients had the same cellular distribution of marked cells as the primary recipients. This observation provides further evidence that unique markers can be induced in both pluripotent and restricted stem cells.

Download Full-text

The quiescent fraction of chronic myeloid leukemic stem cells depends on BMPR1B, Stat3 and BMP4-niche signals to persist in patients in remission

Haematologica ◽

10.3324/haematol.2019.232793 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 106 (1) ◽

pp. 111-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sandrine Jeanpierre ◽

Kawtar Arizkane ◽

Supat Thongjuea ◽

Elodie Grockowiak ◽

Kevin Geistlich ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Tyrosine Kinase ◽

Stromal Cells ◽

Kinase Inhibitor ◽

Bmp Signaling ◽

Myelogenous Leukemia ◽

Leukemic Stem Cells ◽

Hematopoietic Stem

Chronic myelogenous leukemia arises from the transformation of hematopoietic stem cells by the BCR-ABL oncogene. Though transformed cells are predominantly BCR-ABL-dependent and sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment, some BMPR1B+ leukemic stem cells are treatment-insensitive and rely, among others, on the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway for their survival via a BMP4 autocrine loop. Here, we further studied the involvement of BMP signaling in favoring residual leukemic stem cell persistence in the bone marrow of patients having achieved remission under treatment. We demonstrate by single-cell RNA-Seq analysis that a sub-fraction of surviving BMPR1B+ leukemic stem cells are co-enriched in BMP signaling, quiescence and stem cell signatures, without modulation of the canonical BMP target genes, but enrichment in actors of the Jak2/Stat3 signaling pathway. Indeed, based on a new model of persisting CD34+CD38- leukemic stem cells, we show that BMPR1B+ cells display co-activated Smad1/5/8 and Stat3 pathways. Interestingly, we reveal that only the BMPR1B+ cells adhering to stromal cells display a quiescent status. Surprisingly, this quiescence is induced by treatment, while non-adherent BMPR1B+ cells treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors continued to proliferate. The subsequent targeting of BMPR1B and Jak2 pathways decreased quiescent leukemic stem cells by promoting their cell cycle re-entry and differentiation. Moreover, while Jak2-inhibitors alone increased BMP4 production by mesenchymal cells, the addition of the newly described BMPR1B inhibitor (E6201) impaired BMP4-mediated production by stromal cells. Altogether, our data demonstrate that targeting both BMPR1B and Jak2/Stat3 efficiently impacts persisting and dormant leukemic stem cells hidden in their bone marrow microenvironment.

Download Full-text

Long-term monoclonal reconstitution of erythropoiesis in genetically anemic W/Wv mice by injection of 5-fluorouracil-treated bone marrow cells of Pgk-1b/Pgk-1a mice

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v70.6.1758.1758 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 70 (6) ◽

pp. 1758-1763 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

T Nakano ◽

N Waki ◽

H Asai ◽

Y Kitamura

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Electrophoretic Pattern ◽

Phosphoglycerate Kinase ◽

X Chromosomes ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Colony Forming Units ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract The spleen colony-forming assay does not represent the number of hematopoietic stem cells with extensive self-maintaining capacity because five to 50 spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S) are necessary to rescue a genetically anemic (WB X C57BL/6)F1-W/Wv(WBB6F1-W/Wv) mouse. We investigated which is more important for the reconstitution of erythropoiesis, the transplantation of multiple CFU-S or that of a single stem cell with extensive self-maintaining potential. The electrophoretic pattern of hemoglobin was used as a marker of reconstitution and that of phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK), an X chromosome-linked enzyme, as a tool for estimating the number of stem cells. For this purpose, we developed the C57BL/6 congeneic strain with the Pgk-1a gene. Bone marrow cells were harvested after injection of 5- fluorouracil from C57BL/6-Pgk-1b/Pgk-1a female mice in which each stem cell had either A-type PGK or B-type PGK due to the random inactivation of one or two X chromosomes. When a relatively small number of bone marrow cells (ie, 10(3) or 3 X 10(3] were injected into 200-rad- irradiated WBB6F1-W/Wv mice, the hemoglobin pattern changed from the recipient type (Hbbd/Hbbs) to the donor type (Hbbs/Hbbs) in seven of 150 mice for at least 8 weeks. Erythrocytes of all these WBB6F1-W/Wv mice showed either A-type PGK alone or B-type PGK alone during the time of reconstitution, which suggests that a single stem cell with extensive self-maintaining potential may sustain the whole erythropoiesis of a mouse for at least 8 weeks.

Download Full-text

Enforced P-glycoprotein pump function in murine bone marrow cells results in expansion of side population stem cells in vitro and repopulating cells in vivo

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v96.3.902 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 96 (3) ◽

pp. 902-909 ◽

Cited By ~ 126

Author(s):

Kevin D. Bunting ◽

Sheng Zhou ◽

Taihe Lu ◽

Brian P. Sorrentino

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Side Population ◽

Murine Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell Expansion ◽

Myeloproliferative Syndrome ◽

P Glycoprotein ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract The human multidrug resistance-1 (MDR1) gene product, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), is well known for its ability to confer drug resistance; however, recent evidence suggests that P-gp expression can have more general effects on cellular development. In support of this idea, it was previously shown that retroviral-mediated MDR1 expression in murine bone marrow cells resulted in the expansion of stem cells in culture and in the development of a myeloproliferative syndrome in transplanted mice. It is now reported that MDR1-mediated stem cell expansion is associated with an increase in side population (SP) stem cells, defined by Hoechst dye staining. Transduction of murine bone marrow cells with an MDR1 retroviral vector resulted in an almost 2 log increase in SP cell numbers over 12 days in culture, whereas there was a rapid loss of SP cells from control cultures. Stem cell amplification was not limited to ex vivo expansion cultures but was also evident when MDR1-transduced cells were directly transplanted into irradiated mice. In these cases, stem cell expansion was associated with relatively high vector copy numbers in stem cell clones. As previously reported, some cases were associated with a characteristic myeloproliferative syndrome. A functionally inactive MDR1 mutant cDNA was used to show that P-gp pump function was required both for amplification of phenotypically defined SP cells and functionally defined repopulating cells. These studies further support the concept that ABC transporter function can have important effects on hematopoietic stem cell development.

Download Full-text

Treatment with 8F4, An Anti-PR1/HLA-A2 T Cell Receptor-Like Antibody, Reduces Established Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Eliminates Leukemia Stem Cells in Mice

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v118.21.766.766 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 118 (21) ◽

pp. 766-766

Author(s):

Anna Sergeeva ◽

Hong He ◽

Kathryn Ruisaard ◽

Karen Clise-Dwyer ◽

Lisa S St. John ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Flow Cytometry ◽

Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Cell Receptor ◽

Leukemia Stem Cells ◽

Nsg Mice ◽

Secondary Transfer

Abstract Abstract 766 PR1 (VLQELNVTV) is an HLA-A2-restricted leukemia-associated peptide from proteinase 3 and neutrophil elastase that is recognized by PR1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes that contribute to cytogenetic remission of myeloid leukemia. We developed a high affinity T cell receptor (TCR)-like mouse monoclonal antibody (8F4) that binds to a conformational epitope of the PR1/HLA-A2 complex. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy of 8F4-labeled cells showed significantly higher PR1/HLA-A2 expression on AML blasts compared with normal leukocytes. Moreover, 8F4 mediated complement dependent cytolysis of AML blasts and Lin−CD34+CD38− leukemia stem cells (LSC), but not normal leukocytes. To investigate in vivo biological effects 8F4 on established leukemia, we established xenografts of primary human HLA-A2-positive AML in sublethally irradiated NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice. Leukemia engraftment was monitored in peripheral blood by flow cytometry. Mice with established PR1/HLA-A2-expressing leukemia were treated with twice-weekly intravenous injections of 200 μg 8F4 or isotype control antibody. Flow cytometry and histology analysis of tissues was used to assess leukemia burden and level of engraftment. After 5 weeks of treatment AML was reduced 300-fold in bone marrow of 8F4-treated mice compared to isotype-treated control animals (0.07 ± 0.06% hCD45+cells versus 20.4 ± 4.1%, n=5 mice per group). Moreover, leukemia stem cells (LSC, CD34+CD38−Lin-) were no longer detected in bone marrow of 8F4-treated mice, compared to 0.88 ± 0.24% in isotype-treated mice. Equally, AML was evident in the liver and spleen of isotype-treated mice (1.1 ± 0.16% and 0.32 ± 0.17%, respectively), but was undetectable in 8F4-treated mice (p<0.001). Similar results were obtained with AML from two additional patients, one with secondary AML (CMML) and one with AML-M7. Bone marrow contained 6.2 ± 3.0% (n=3) AML versus 41 ± 15% (n=2 mice; p=0.06) in the first case and 0.16 (n=1) versus 7.0 ± 4.1 (n=2) in the second case after 2–3 weeks of twice-weekly injection. To confirm 8F4-mediated elimination of LSC, we performed secondary transfer experiment with 1×106 bone marrow cells from 8F4- and isotype-treated mice, transplanted into recipient NSG mice, irradiated with 250 cGy. AML was undetectable in mice that received bone marrow from 8F4-treated animals versus 4.1 ± 2.4% (n=4) in bone marrow of mice that received cells from isotype- treated mice, determined at 16 weeks after secondary transfer. Because PR1/HLA-A2 expression on normal hematopoietic cells (HSC) is similar to LSC in AML patients, we sought to determine whether 8F4 treatment of NSG mice xenografted with CD34-selected umbilical cord blood resulted in elimination of xenograft. Fourteen weeks after transplant stable chimerism (4.1 - 7.7% hCD45+ cells) was established, mice were treated with 50 μg 8F4 intravenously and peripheral blood was monitored weekly for chimerism. Human CD45+ cells decreased to 0.35 – 0.95% by week 1, but increased to 1.9 – 2.1 % hCD45+ cells at week 3. Bone marrow at week three contained myeloid (CD13+CD33+) and lymphoid (CD19+) cells showing that while 8F4 has off- target effects against normal hematopoietic cells, HSC are preserved. This is consistent with our previous studies that showed no 8F4-mediated effect on colony formation of normal bone marrow cells. In conclusion, these results show that anti-PR1/HLA-A2 monoclonal antibody 8F4 is biologically active in vivo and selectively eliminates LSC, but not normal HSC. This justifies continued study of 8F4 as a novel therapy for AML. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Download Full-text