Requirement for p85α Regulatory Subunit of Class IA PI3Kinase and Rac2 GTPase in Myeloproliferative Disease Driven by Activation Loop Mutant of KIT.

Abstract Oncogenic activation-loop mutants of KIT, the receptor for stem cell factor (SCF), are commonly observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and systemic mastocytosis (SM); however, unlike the KIT juxtamembrane mutants (found in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors [GISTs]), the activation-loop mutants are commonly insensitive to inhibition by tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Furthermore, little is known about the signaling pathways that contribute to oncogenic KIT-induced transformation in SM or AML. We demonstrate that expression of KITD814V (KIT activation-loop mutant) in primary hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells induces constitutive KIT autophosphorylation, promotes ligand-independent hyperproliferation, skews myeloid differentiation towards the granulocytic lineage, and promotes promiscuous cooperation with multiple cytokines, including G-CSF, M-CSF and IL-3. KITD814V expressing primary mast cells also demonstrated hyperproliferation in response to SCF, IL-3, IL-4 and IL-10. Biochemical analyses of KITD814V expressing cells revealed constitutively elevated levels of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and its downstream substrate, the Rho family GTPase Rac. Genetic disruption of p85a, the regulatory subunit of class IA PI-3Kinase, but not of p85β, or genetic disruption of the hematopoietic cell-specific Rho GTPase, Rac2, normalized KITD814V-induced ligand independent hyperproliferation in vitro. Additionally, deficiency of p85α or Rac2 corrected the promiscuous hyperproliferation observed in response to multiple cytokines in both KITD814V expressing stem/progenitor cells as well as mast cells in vitro. Although p85α is hyperphosphorylated and constitutively bound to KITD814V in bone marrow cells in vitro; its physiologic role in transformation in vivo is not known. To address this, we generated a new mouse model to study KITD814V induced transformation in myeloid cells as opposed to previously described models that primarily result in the generation of phenotypes resembling acute lymphocytic leukemia via this mutation. Our results show that transplantation of KITD814V expressing bone marrow cells from C57/BL6 strain of mice into syngeneic recipients results in a fatal myeloproliferative disease (MPD) characterized by leukocytosis, splenomegaly, disruption of the splenic architecture as well as myeloid cell infiltration in the lung and liver. Importantly, in this model, transplantation of KITD814V expressing p85α deficient bone marrow cells rescued the MPD phenotype, including splenomegaly, peripheral blood leukocytosis and the reduced life span associated with the transplantation of KITD814V expressing wildtype bone marrow cells. Treatment of KITD814V-expressing hematopoietic progenitors with either a Rac inhibitor (NC23766) or rapamycin showed a dose-dependent suppression in KITD814V induced growth. Taken together, our results describe the generation of a new murine transplant model to study KITD814V induced transformation and identify p85a and Rac2 as potential novel therapeutic target for the treatment of KITD814V-bearing diseases including SM and AML.

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Survivin Regulates Proliferation of Normal Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells In Vivo.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v108.11.859.859 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 108 (11) ◽

pp. 859-859

Author(s):

Seiji Fukuda ◽

Edward M. Conway ◽

Louis M. Pelus

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Gene Deletion ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Survivin Gene ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract The inhibitor of apoptosis protein Survivin is barely detectable in most normal adult tissues but is over-expressed in almost all cancers. Survivin regulates apoptosis, cell division and cell cycle, making anti-Survivin therapy an attractive cancer treatment strategy. We reported that Survivin is expressed and regulated by hematopoietic growth factors in normal human CD34+ cells and that over-expression of wild-type Survivin in bone marrow cells enhances in vitro proliferation and survival of normal hematopoietic progenitor cells, whereas disrupting Survivin reduced their proliferation and survival. These results suggest that Survivin regulates normal hematopoietic progenitor cell function. Although targeted anti-Survivin therapies for cancers demonstrate efficacy without overt toxicity in animal models, the consequences of in vivo Survivin disruption in normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) has not been determined. In order to understand the physiological roles of Survivin in normal HSPC function in vivo, we created Cre-ER™/Survivin flox/flox mice, in which the Survivin gene can be excised by Tamoxifen treatment and characterized HSPC growth following Survivin gene deletion. RT-PCR analysis showed that Survivin mRNA is expressed in freshly isolated normal mouse marrow Sca-1+, c-kit+, lin− (SKL) cells and more primitive CD34−SKL cells, which contain long term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Administration of 5mg of Tamoxifen for 6 days (3 days injection, 3 days off, 3 additional days and analyzed 14 days after final injection) in Cre-ER™/Survivin flox/flox mice induced Survivin gene deletion in marrow cells, but had little effect on peripheral blood cell count, marrow cellularity (3.5+/−7.1%, NS) or the proportion or total number of lineage committed cells (Gr-1+, Mac-1+, B220+, CD4+ and/or CD8+) in marrow and in peripheral blood. In contrast, short term Survivin deletion significantly decreased the frequency and the absolute number of undifferentiated linneg cells (37+/−6% reduction), c-kit+, lin− cells (35.2+/−8.4% reduction,), CFU-GM (31+/−9 % reduction), Lin−, IL7Ra−, Sca-1−, c-kit+, CD34+, Fcglow common myeloid progenitor cells (52+/−13% reduction), SKL cells (56.8+/−5.4% reduction) and CD34−SKL cells (60.6+/−5.5% reduction) in bone marrow compared to control mice. The effect of Survivin gene deletion was more dramatic on primitive hematopoietic populations compared to mature cells, which is consistent with down-regulation of Survivin in hematopoietic cells with terminal differentiation. Similarly, treatment of bone marrow cells from Cre-ER™/Survivin flox/flox mice with 1uM of Tamoxifen in vitro significantly reduced the number of CFU-GM, (c-kit+, lin−) KL, SKL and CD34−SKL cells cultured with hematopoietic cytokines and increased apoptosis measured by Annexin-V staining. These results suggest that Survivin is required and regulates normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor function in vivo and that Survivin function may be selectively essential for growth and differentiation of primitive hematopoietic cells. In addition, acute ablation of Survivin may cause adverse toxicity on HSPC that provide long term hematopoiesis in the patients receiving anti-Survivin target therapies.

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Phenotypic correction of Fanconi anemia group C knockout mice

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v95.2.700 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 95 (2) ◽

pp. 700-704 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Kimberly A. Gush ◽

Kai-Ling Fu ◽

Markus Grompe ◽

Christopher E. Walsh

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Mitomycin C ◽

Fanconi Anemia ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Bone Marrow Failure ◽

Genetic Disorder ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Marrow Cells

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetic disorder characterized by bone marrow failure, congenital anomalies, and a predisposition to malignancy. FA cells demonstrate hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents, such as mitomycin C (MMC). Mice with a targeted disruption of the FANCC gene (fancc −/− nullizygous mice) exhibit many of the characteristic features of FA and provide a valuable tool for testing novel therapeutic strategies. We have exploited the inherent hypersensitivity offancc −/− hematopoietic cells to assay for phenotypic correction following transfer of the FANCC complementary DNA (cDNA) into bone marrow cells. Murine fancc −/− bone marrow cells were transduced with the use of retrovirus carrying the humanfancc cDNA and injected into lethally irradiated recipients. Mitomycin C (MMC) dosing, known to induce pancytopenia, was used to challenge the transplanted animals. Phenotypic correction was determined by assessment of peripheral blood counts. Mice that received cells transduced with virus carrying the wild-type gene maintained normal blood counts following MMC administration. All nullizygous control animals receiving MMC exhibited pancytopenia shortly before death. Clonogenic assay and polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed gene transfer of progenitor cells. These results indicate that selective pressure promotes in vivo enrichment offancc-transduced hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. In addition, MMC resistance coupled with detection of the transgene in secondary recipients suggests transduction and phenotypic correction of long-term repopulating stem cells.

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Enhanced endothelialization and microvessel formation in polyester grafts seeded with CD34+ bone marrow cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v95.2.581 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 95 (2) ◽

pp. 581-585 ◽

Cited By ~ 198

Author(s):

Vishwanath Bhattacharya ◽

Peter A. McSweeney ◽

Qun Shi ◽

Benedetto Bruno ◽

Atsushi Ishida ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Vascular Graft ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Venous Blood ◽

Immunomagnetic Bead ◽

Composite Grafts ◽

Cd34 Cells ◽

Marrow Cells

The authors have shown accelerated endothelialization on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) grafts preclotted with autologous bone marrow. Bone marrow cells have a subset of early progenitor cells that express the CD34 antigen on their surfaces. A recent in vitro study has shown that CD34+ cells can differentiate into endothelial cells. The current study was designed to determine whether CD34+ progenitor cells would enhance vascular graft healing in a canine model. The authors used composite grafts implanted in the dog's descending thoracic aorta (DTA) for 4 weeks. The 8-mm × 12-cm composite grafts had a 4-cm PET graft in the center and 4-cm standard ePTFE grafts at each end. The entire composite was coated with silicone rubber to make it impervious; thus, the PET segment was shielded from perigraft and pannus ingrowth. There were 5 study grafts and 5 control grafts. On the day before surgery, 120 mL bone marrow was aspirated, and CD34+ cells were enriched using an immunomagnetic bead technique, yielding an average of 11.4 ± 5.3 × 106. During surgery, these cells were mixed with venous blood and seeded onto the PET segment of composite study grafts; the control grafts were treated with venous blood only. Hematoxylin and eosin, immunocytochemical, and AgNO3staining demonstrated significant increases of surface endothelialization on the seeded grafts (92% ± 3.4% vs 26.6% ± 7.6%; P = .0001) with markedly increased microvessels in the neointima, graft wall, and external area compared with controls. In dogs, CD34+ cell seeding enhances vascular graft endothelialization; this suggests practical therapeutic applications.

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Cell surface peptidase CD26/DPPIV mediates G-CSF mobilization of mouse progenitor cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2002-12-3893 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 101 (12) ◽

pp. 4680-4686 ◽

Cited By ~ 144

Author(s):

Kent W. Christopherson ◽

Scott Cooper ◽

Hal E. Broxmeyer

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Mouse Bone Marrow ◽

Peptidase Activity ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Migratory Response ◽

Stromal Cell Derived Factor ◽

Marrow Cells

AbstractCXC ligand 12 (CXCL12; also known as stromal cell–derived factor 1α/SDF-1α) chemoattracts hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSCs/HPCs) and is thought to play a crucial role in the mobilization of HSCs/HPCs from the bone marrow. CD26 (dipeptidylpeptidase IV [DPPIV]) is a membrane-bound extracellular peptidase that cleaves dipeptides from the N-terminus of polypeptide chains. CD26 has the ability to cleave CXCL12 at its position-2 proline. We found by flow cytometry that CD26 is expressed on a subpopulation of normal Sca-1+c-kit+lin— hematopoietic cells isolated from mouse bone marrow, as well as Sca-1+c-kit—lin— cells, and that these cells possess CD26 peptidase activity. To test the functional role of CD26 in CXCL12-mediated normal HSC/HPC migration, chemotaxis assays were performed. The CD26 truncated CXCL12(3-68) showed an inability to induce the migration of sorted Sca-1+c-kit+lin— or Sca-1+c-kit—lin— mouse marrow cells compared with the normal CXCL12. In addition, CXCL12(3-68) acts as an antagonist, resulting in the reduction of migratory response to normal CXCL12. Treatment of Sca-1+c-kit+lin— mouse marrow cells, and myeloid progenitors within this population, or Sca-1+c-kit—lin— cells with a specific CD26 inhibitor, enhanced the migratory response of these cells to CXCL12. Finally, to test for potential in vivo relevance of these in vitro observations, mice were treated with CD26 inhibitors during granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)–induced mobilization. This treatment resulted in a reduction in the number of progenitor cells in the periphery as compared with the G-CSF regimen alone. This suggests that a mechanism of action of G-CSF mobilization involves CD26.

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Involvement of the Integrin Alpha 6 Receptor in the Homing and Engraftment of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells to Bone Marrow.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v104.11.1293.1293 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 104 (11) ◽

pp. 1293-1293

Author(s):

Hong Qian ◽

Sten Eirik W. Jacobsen ◽

Marja Ekblom

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Progenitor Cell ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Functional Blocking

Abstract Within the bone marrow environment, adhesive interactions between stromal cells and extracellular matrix molecules are required for stem and progenitor cell survival, proliferation and differentiation as well as their transmigration between bone marrow (BM) and the circulation. This regulation is mediated by cell surface adhesion receptors. In experimental mouse stem cell transplantation models, several classes of cell adhesion receptors have been shown to be involved in the homing and engraftment of stem and progenitor cells in BM. We have previously found that integrin a6 mediates human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell adhesion to and migration on its specific ligands, laminin-8 and laminin-10/11 in vitro (Gu et al, Blood, 2003; 101:877). Using FACS analysis, the integrin a6 chain was now found to be ubiquitously (>95%) expressed in mouse hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (lin−Sca-1+c-Kit+, lin−Sca-1+c-Kit+CD34+) both in adult bone marrow and in fetal liver. In vitro, about 70% of mouse BM lin−Sca-1+c-Kit+ cells adhered to laminin-10/11 and 40% adhered to laminin-8. This adhesion was mediated by integrin a6b1 receptor, as shown by functional blocking monoclonal antibodies. We also used a functional blocking monoclonal antibody (GoH3) against integrin a6 to analyse the role of the integrin a6 receptor for the in vivo homing of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. We found that the integrin a6 antibody inhibited the homing of bone marrow progenitors (CFU-C) into BM of lethally irradiated recipients. The number of homed CFU-C was reduced by about 40% as compared to cells incubated with an isotype matched control antibody. To study homing of long-term repopulating stem cells (LTR), antibody treated bone marrow cells were first injected intravenously into lethally irradiated primary recipients. After three hours, bone marrow cells of the primary recipients were analysed by competitive repopulation assay in secondary recipients. Blood analysis 16 weeks after transplantation revealed an 80% reduction of stem cell activity of integrin a6 antibody treated cells as compared to cells treated with control antibody. These results suggest that integrin a6 plays an important role for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell homing in vivo.

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Dnmt3a is Required For Aberrant Self-Renewal Driven by PML-RARA

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v122.21.477.477 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 122 (21) ◽

pp. 477-477

Author(s):

Christopher B Cole ◽

Angela M. Verdoni ◽

David H Spencer ◽

Timothy J. Ley

Keyword(s):

Dna Methylation ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Myeloid Cells ◽

Cd11b Expression ◽

Self Renewal ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Marrow Cells

We previously identified recurrent mutations in the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). DNMT3A and the highly homologous gene DNMT3B encode the two methyltransferases that are primarily responsible for mediating de novo methylation of specific CpG residues during differentiation. Loss of Dnmt3a in hematopoietic stem cells impairs their ability to differentiate into committed progenitors (Challen et al Nat Gen 44:23, 2011). Importantly, DNMT3A mutations are mutually exclusive of the favorable prognosis AML-initiating translocations, including the t(15;17) translocation (which creates the PML-RARA fusion gene), and translocations involving MLL. PML-RARA has been shown to interact with DNMT3A in vitro (Di Croce et al Science 295:1079,2002), and to require DNMT3A to induce methylation and transcriptional silencing of a subset of specific target genes. These findings, and the lack of DNMT3A mutations in APL patients, suggest that PML-RARA may require functional DNMT3A to initiate leukemia. To investigate this possibility, we utilized a well-characterized transgenic mouse model (in a pure B6 background) in which expression of PML-RARA is driven in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells by the mouse Cathepsin G locus (Ctsg-PML-RARA+/- mice). These mice spontaneously develop acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with high penetrance and long latency, and also exhibit a preleukemic phenotype marked by the accumulation of myeloid cells in bone marrow and spleen. In addition, myeloid progenitor cells derived from these mice have the ability to serially replate in methylcellulose cultures, demonstrating aberrant self-renewal. We generated Ctsg-PML-RARA+/- mice lacking Dnmt3a (PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3a-/-) as well as mice in which conditional ablation of Dnmt3b in hematopoietic cells is driven by Vav-Cre (PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3b fl/fl x Vav-Cre+). Loss of Dnmt3a completely abrogated the ex vivo replating ability of PML-RARA bone marrow (Figure 1). Although colonies from both PML-RARA+/- and PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3a-/- mice appeared similar in morphology and number on the first plating, PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3a-/- marrow ceased to form colonies with subsequent replating (see Figure), and cultured cells lost the expression of the myeloid marker CD11b. The same phenotype was also observed using bone marrow from both genotypes that was secondarily transplanted into wild type recipients, indicating that it is intrinsic to transplantable hematopoietic progenitors. Reintroduction of DNMT3A into bone marrow cells derived from PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3a-/- mice with retroviral transduction restored replating ability and CD11b expression. Competitive repopulation experiments with PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3a-/- marrow revealed a decreased contribution to peripheral lymphoid and myeloid cells at 4 weeks, relative to PML-RARA+/- or WT control animals. Finally, 12 weeks after transplantation, recipients of PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3a-/- bone marrow did not display an accumulation of myeloid cells in the bone marrow and spleen. Importantly, bone marrow from PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3b fl/fl x Vav-Cre+/- mice displayed no replating deficit or loss of CD11b expression ex vivo, indicating different functions for Dnmt3a versus Dnmt3b in this model. Finally, we interrogated the effect of Dnmt3a loss on bone marrow DNA methylation patterns using a liquid phase DNA capture technique that sampled ∼1.9 million mouse CpGs at >10x coverage. Loss of Dnmt3a caused a widespread loss of DNA methylation in whole bone marrow cells, with 36,000 CpGs that were highly methylated (methylation value >0.7) in the PML-RARA+/- and WT mice, but hypomethylated (methylation value <0.4) in Dnmt3a-/- and PML-RARA+/- x Dnmt3a-/- mice. Characterization of the effect of Dnmt3a loss on leukemia latency, penetrance, and phenotype in PML-RARA+/- mice is currently being defined in a tumor watch. In summary, we have demonstrated that PML-RARA requires functional Dnmt3a (but not Dnmt3b) to drive aberrant self-renewal of myeloid progenitors ex vivo, and that loss of Dnmt3a leads to widespread DNA hypomethylation in bone marrow cells, and abrogates preleukemic changes in mice expressing PML-RARA. This data may explain why DNMT3A mutations are not found in patients with APL initiated by PML-RARA. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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HIF-1α is a negative regulator of plasmacytoid DC development in vitro and in vivo

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2012-03-417022 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 120 (15) ◽

pp. 3001-3006 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Andreas Weigert ◽

Benjamin Weichand ◽

Divya Sekar ◽

Weixiao Sha ◽

Christina Hahn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Cell Function ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Negative Regulator ◽

Low Oxygen ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Lineage Differentiation ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) regulate hematopoiesis in the embryo and maintain hematopoietic stem cell function in the adult. How hypoxia and HIFs contribute to hematopoietic lineage differentiation in the adult is ill defined. Here we provide evidence that HIF-1 limits differentiation of precursors into plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). Low oxygen up-regulated inhibitor of DNA binding 2 (ID2) and suppressed Flt3-L–induced differentiation of bone marrow cells to pDCs in wild-type but not HIF-1αfl/fl LysM-Cre bone marrow cells. Moreover, pDC differentiated normally in hypoxic ID2−/− bone marrow cultures. Finally, we observed elevated pDC frequencies in bone marrow, blood, and spleen of HIF-1αfl/fl LysM-Cre and ID2−/−, but not HIF-2αfl/fl LysM-Cre mice. Our data indicate that the low oxygen content in the bone marrow might limit pDC development. This might be an environmental mechanism to restrict the numbers of these potentially autoreactive cells.

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Thrombopoietin Does Not Induce Lineage-Restricted Commitment of Mpl-R Expressing Pluripotent Progenitors But Permits Their Complete Erythroid and Megakaryocytic Differentiation

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v89.10.3544.3544_3544_3553 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 89 (10) ◽

pp. 3544-3553 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Frédérique Goncalves ◽

Catherine Lacout ◽

Jean-Luc Villeval ◽

Françoise Wendling ◽

William Vainchenker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Constitutive Expression ◽

Retroviral Vectors ◽

Granulocytic Differentiation ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Infected Cells ◽

Marrow Cells

In this study, we examined the in vitro and in vivo effects of forced expression of Mpl-R (the thrombopoietin receptor) on the progeny of murine hematopoietic stem cells. Bone marrow cells from 5-FU–treated mice were transduced with retroviral vectors containing the human Mpl-R cDNA, or the neomycine gene as a control. After 7 days cocultivation on virus-producer cells, GpE86-Mpl-R or Gp86-Neo, the types of hematopoietic progenitor cells responding to thrombopoietin (TPO) were studied by clonogenic assays. Mpl-R–infected cells gave rise to CFU-GEMM, BFU-E, CFU-MK, but not CFU-GM while Neo-infected cells produced only megakaryocytic colonies. In addition, when nonadherent cells from GpE86-Mpl-R cocultures were grown with TPO as the only stimulus for 7 days, a marked expansion of CFU-GEMM, BFU-E, and CFU-MK was observed, while no change in CFU-GM number was seen. Erythroid and megakaryocytic maturation occurred in the presence of TPO while a block in granulocytic differentiation was observed at the myeloblast stage. The direct effects of TPO on Mpl-R–transduced progenitor cells were demonstrated by single cell cloning experiments. To analyze the effects of the constitutive expression of Mpl-R on the determination of multipotent progenitors (CFU-S) and long-term repopulating stem cells, Mpl-R– or Neo-infected cells were injected into lethally irradiated recipient mice. No difference was seen in (1) the number of committed progenitor cells contained in individual CFU-S12 whether colonies arose from noninfected or Mpl-R–infected CFU-S; (2) the mean numbers of progenitor cells per leg or spleen of mice reconstituted with Mpl-R– or Neo-infected cells, 1 or 7 months after the graft; and (3) the blood parameters of the two groups of animals, with the exception of a 50% reduction in circulating platelet counts after 7 months in mice repopulated with Mpl-R–infected bone marrow cells. These results indicate that retrovirus-mediated expression of Mpl-R in murine stem cells does not modify their ability to reconstitute all myeloid lineages of differentiation and does not result in a preferential commitment toward the megakaryocytic lineage.

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Frequent in Vivo redundancy of C/EBPβ and C/EBPε during Myeloid Development

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v112.11.2440.2440 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 112 (11) ◽

pp. 2440-2440

Author(s):

Nils Heinrich Thoennissen ◽

Tadayuki Akagi ◽

Sam Abbassi ◽

Daniel Nowak ◽

Ann George ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Transcription Factors ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Double Knockout ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Gm Csf ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) transcription factors are involved in a variety of cellular responses including proliferation and differentiation. Although C/EBPβ and C/EBPε are believed to be most important for macrophage and granulocyte activity, respectively, experiments by others and ourselves suggest a possible overlap in their function in myelopoiesis. In order to explore further this potential redundancy, we assessed the in vivo and in vitro function of both transcription factors by generating a double knockout (KO) germline murine model (C/EBPβ/ε−/−/−/−) and compared their hematopoiesis to those of single deficient (C/EBPβ−/−, C/EBPε−/−) and wild-type (WT) mice. Gene expression analysis of bone marrow cells showed expression of C/EBPβ in C/EBPε−/− and WT mice, and vice versa. The weight of the double-KO mice was significantly less as measured at 4 weeks of age (11.5 ± 0.9 g) compared to WT (13.4 ± 0.6 g), C/EBPβ−/− (14.5 ± 1.4 g), and C/EBPε−/− mice (15.4 ± 2.3 g) (p < 0.05). The double-KO mice were prone to infections of the eyes, lungs, liver, and peritoneum. In contrast, C/EBPβ−/−, C/EBPε−/− and WT mice demonstrated no signs of infection. Microscopic imaging of peripheral blood showed metamyelocytes and myelocytes in the double-KO mice. FACS analysis found that the fraction of bone marrow cells which were Lin(−) (no expression of B220, CD3, Gr1, Ter119, and Mac1) were modestly elevated in double-KO and C/EBPβ−/− mice (8.42 % and 8.1 %, respectively) compared to C/EBPε−/− (4.24 %) and WT (3.93 %) mice. A subanalysis highlighted an elevated level of B220(−)/Gr1(−) bone marrow cells in the double-KO mice (54 %) compared to the levels in the C/EBPβ−/− (31 %), C/EBPε−/− (33 %) and WT (21.5 %) mice. Moreover, the proportion of hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow were significantly increased in the hematopoietic stem cell compartment [Sca1(+)/c-Kit(+)] in the double-KO mice (20.8 %) compared to the C/EBPβ−/− (6.9 %), C/EBPε−/− (5.9 %) and WT (6.9 %) mice. When given a cytotoxic stress (5-FU) to kill cycling hematopoietic progenitor cells, the mean neutrophil count at their nadir (day 4) was 0.14 × 109 cells/L in the double-KO mice compared to 0.71 × 109 cells/L in the WT mice (p < 0.001); both reached normal values again on day 10. Taken together, these results indicated a relatively higher percentage of immature hematopoietic cells in the double-KO mice compared to the WT mice. Nevertheless, clonogenic assays in methylcellulose using bone marrow cells of the double-KO showed a significant decreased number of myeloid colonies. For example, in the presence of G-CSF, GM-CSF, and SCF, a mean of 83 ± 10 hematopoietic colonies formed in the double-KO mice compared to 135 ± 6 in C/EBPβ−/−, 159 ± 12 in C/EBPε−/− and 165 ± 2 in WT mice (p < 0.001, double-KO vs. WT). Similar clonogenic results occurred when bone marrow cells were stimulated with either G-CSF, GM-CSF or SCF/G-CSF alone. Although our in vitro experiments suggested that double-KO mice had a decreased clonogenic response to G-CSF, their bone marrow cells had normal levels of phosphorylated STAT3 protein when stimulated with G-CSF. Hence, the G-CSFR and its secondary signaling pathway seemed to be intact. In further experiments, downstream targets of the C/EBP transcription factors were examined. Bone marrow macrophages activated with LPS and IFNγ from both double-KO and C/EBPβ−/− mice had decreased gene expression of IL6, IL12p35, TNFα, and G-CSF compared to the levels detected in macrophages of C/EBPε−/− and WT. Interestingly, expression levels of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) were similarly robust in the macrophages from C/EBPβ−/−, C/EBPε−/−, and WT mice. In sharp contrast, CAMP expression was undetectable in the activated macrophages of the double-KO mice. In conclusion, the phenotype of the double-KO mice was often distinct from the C/EBPβ−/− and C/EBPε−/− mice suggesting a redundancy of activity of both transcription factors in myeloid hematopoiesis.

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In Vitro Myelo-Lymphoid Colony Formation by Mouse Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v112.11.3861.3861 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 112 (11) ◽

pp. 3861-3861

Author(s):

Jun Ooehara ◽

Hina Takano ◽

Shin-ichiro Takayanagi ◽

Hiromitsu Nakauchi ◽

Hideo Ema

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Culture Conditions ◽

Differentiation Potential ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Lymphoid Progenitors ◽

Marrow Cells

Abstract Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) clonally differentiate into all myeloid, B-lymphoid, and T-lymphoid lineages. Mouse HSCs are known to form in vitro colonies comprised of morphologically identifiable myeloid cells such as neutrophils, macrophages, erythroblasts, and megakaryocytes. Whether HSCs are able to differentiate along B-and T-lymphoid lineages in such colonies remains obscure. The co-culture systems with stromal cells such as S17, OP9, OP9/Delta cells have been shown to support B- and T-cell development. These systems have been used to identify subclasses of progenitors with lymphoid potentials. However, neither B cells nor T cells have been successfully generated from HSCs in vitro. This is most likely due to the lack of culture conditions which support HSCs to differentiate into a certain stage of lymphoid progenitors. In this study, we attempted to use serum-free single-cell culture to identify cytokines which fill the developmental gap between HSCs and lymphoid progenitors. Here we show that myelo-lymphoid colonies are formed by HSCs in the presence of thrombopoietin (TPO), interleukin (IL)-11, or IL-12 together with stem cell factor (SCF). CD34-negative/low, c-Kit-positive, Sca-1-positive, lineage marker-negative (CD34-KSL) bone marrow cells were individually cultured with a combination of cytokines for 7 days. All cells in each colony were transplanted into each from a group of lethally irradiated mice, along with compromised bone marrow cells. The recipient mice were periodically analyzed after transplantation to detect transient myeloid and lymphoid reconstitution. All myeloid, B-, and T-lymphoid progenitor activities were detected in single colonies formed in the presence of SCF+TPO, SCF+IL-11, SCF+IL-12. Only myeloid progenitor activity was predominantly detected in single colonies formed in the presence of SCF+IL-3, consistent with previous observations in blast colony assays. All these combinations of cytokines support self-renewal in HSCs to varying degrees. We conclude that TPO, IL-11, and IL-12 directly act on HSCs and support them to differentiate into progenitors with lymphoid differentiation potential. Early differentiation pathways in HSCs are likely to be used in common by myeloid and lymphoid lineages and be supported in common by multiple cytokines.

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