IP3 3-Kinase B Controls Hematopoietic Stem Cell Homeostasis and Prevents Lethal Hematopoietic Failure in Mice

Tight regulation of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homeostasis ensures life-long hematopoiesis and prevents blood cancers. The mechanisms balancing HSC quiescence with expansion and differentiation into hematopoietic progenitors are incompletely understood. Here, we identify inositoltrisphosphate (IP3) 3-kinase B (Itpkb) as a novel essential regulator of HSC quiescence and function. Young Itpkb-/- mice accumulated phenotypic HSC which were less quiescent and proliferated more than wildtype controls. Itpkb-/- HSC downregulated quiescence and stemness associated mRNAs, but upregulated activation, oxidative metabolism, protein synthesis and lineage associated transcripts. Although they showed no significant homing defects and had normal to elevated viability, Itpkb-/- HSC had a severely reduced competitive long-term repopulating potential. Aging Itpkb-/- mice lost hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and died with severe anemia. Wildtype HSC normally repopulated Itpkb-/- hosts, indicating a HSC-intrinsic Itpkb requirement. In vitro, Itpkb-/- HSC had reduced cobblestone-area forming cell activity and showed increased stem cell factor activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) effector Akt. This was reversed by exogenous provision of the Itpkb product IP4, a known PI3K/Akt antagonist. Itpkb-/- HSC also showed transcriptome changes consistent with hyperactive Akt/mTOR signaling. Thus, we propose that Itpkb ensures HSC quiescence and function in part by limiting cytokine-induced PI3K signaling in HSC. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Identification and Function of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell Specific Micrornas.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v116.21.2631.2631 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 116 (21) ◽

pp. 2631-2631

Author(s):

Bernhard Gentner ◽

Alice Giustacchini ◽

Francesco Boccalatte ◽

Giulia Schira ◽

Massimo Saini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Biology ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Human Cord Blood ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Long Run ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase ◽

And Function

Abstract Abstract 2631 Little is known about microRNA function in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). Using a lentivector genetic reporter strategy to functionally detect miRNA activity in hematopoietic cells at single cell resolution, we identified several miRNAs which were specifically expressed in mouse and human HSC and early progenitors, defined according to cell surface phenotype and functional repopulation assays. One of these HSPC-specific miRNAs, miR-126, was further studied. We generated a stable miR-126 knockdown (kd) or forced its expression (“knock-in”, ki) in mouse HSPC using lentiviral vectors. Kd or ki cells were competitively transplanted with congenic, control vector-transduced cells, and hematopoietic chimerism was followed for >1 year in both primary and secondary recipients. miR-126 kd HSPC displayed enhanced myeloid and/or lymphoid contribution during the early phases of reconstitution, while they subsequently contributed similarly as the control cells. When this steady state bone marrow (BM) was transplanted into secondary recipients, we noted an even more pronounced over-contribution of miR-126 kd cells to hematopoiesis. In the long run, however, some secondary mice showed signs of exhaustion of miR-126 kd cells. These data suggest that miR-126 kd enhances hematopoiesis, likely at the stem/early progenitor level and in particular under stress conditions. On the other hand, forced expression of miR-126 (ki) resulted in an early competitive disadvantage in vivo, with progressively decreasing contribution to all hematopoietic lineages, paralleled by a nearly complete depletion of Kit+Sca+Lin- (KSL) miR-126 ki cells in the BM at 6 weeks after transplant. At 3 weeks post-transplant, when miR-126 ki KSL cells could still be detected, we found an increased proliferative index in these cells as judged by EdU incorporation in vivo, paralleled by a higher hematopoietic output respect to control cells at week 2–4 after transplant. These data suggest that miR-126 ki might favor HSC commitment at the cost of self-renewal. This phenotype was specific for miR-126 and not due to vector toxicity, as we demonstrate stable, long term overexpression of several control miRNAs in vivo. Moreover, miR-126 ki cells showed normal clonogenic activity in vitro. We then optimized a protocol to stably knock down miR-126 in human cord blood (huCB) HSPC, and validated this approach by demonstrating upregulation of previously described miR-126 targets including the beta subunit of phosphoinositide-3-kinase. Manipulation of miR-126 activity changed cell growth and differentiation of huCB, and we show altered activation of key signal transduction pathways upon miR-126 kd. Identification of additional miR-126 targets is ongoing using unbiased proteomic and transcriptomic approaches. In summary, these data suggest that a narrow range of miR-126 activity is required for robust and sustained HSC function, and that its manipulation may provide novel insights into stem cell biology. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Enhancement of Megakaryocyte Interactions with the Osteoblastic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche Improves Engraftment Efficiency Following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v120.21.211.211 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 120 (21) ◽

pp. 211-211

Author(s):

Timothy S. Olson ◽

Satoru Otsuru ◽

Ted Hofmann ◽

Edwin M. Horwitz

Keyword(s):

Stem Cell ◽

Growth Factor ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cell ◽

Stem Cell Niche ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Imatinib Treatment ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Cell Niche

Abstract Abstract 211 Bone marrow (BM) radioablation produces structural changes in the endosteal osteoblastic stem cell niche, a critical site of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment following HSC transplantation (HSCT). We have previously shown that total body irradiation (TBI) in wildtype (WT) mice induces migration of recipient megakaryocytes to the niche and an expansion of niche osteoblasts that supports HSC engraftment following transplantation. We have also demonstrated that c-MPL-deficient (mpl−/−) recipients have decreases in total megakaryocytes (35% of WT), the percentage of megakaryocytes migrating to the endosteum (<20% of WT), and niche osteoblast expansion (<50% of WT) following TBI, leading to profound deficits in long-term (LT)-HSC engraftment following HSCT. We now present data examining mechanisms by which megakaryocytes facilitate both niche osteoblast expansion post-TBI and donor HSC engraftment following HSCT, and a therapeutic strategy utilizing these mechanisms to enhance donor HSC engraftment. The decrease in total megakaryocytes and absent thrombopoietin (TPO) signaling in mpl−/− mice resulted in a 90% reduction in post-TBI mpl−/− versus WT BM levels of platelet-derived growth factor beta (PDGFβ), a known osteoblast growth factor. In vitro, megakaryocytes cultured together or across a transwell membrane markedly enhanced osteoblast growth (> 2.5 fold, p < 0.001), but PDGFβ signaling inhibition completely abrogated megakaryocyte-driven osteoblast growth. In vivo, inhibition of PDGF receptor signaling in WT mice via imatinib treatment resulted in near complete blockade of TBI-induced osteoblast expansion, and imatinib treatment of primary recipients resulted in diminished LT-HSC engraftment in secondary transplant assays. Blockade of CD41 integrin-mediated adhesion of megakaryocytes in WT recipient BM blocked TBI-induced megakaryocyte migration to the endosteal niche and severely abrogated LT-HSC engraftment efficiency. However, in contrast to c-MPL deficiency, CD41 blockade did not decrease PDGFβ expression or niche osteoblast expansion, suggesting that in addition to PDGFβ-dependent effects on niche expansion, the megakaryocyte migration to the niche itself is also required to efficiently engraft HSC. Mice with decreased GATA-1 expression (Gata-1tm2sho/J), have a large increase in total BM megakaryocytes a >2-fold (p < 0.001) increase in PDGFβ levels, and greatly increased expansion of osteoblast and other mesenchymal elements 48 hours post-TBI compared to WT mice. However, Gata-1tm2sho/J megakaryocytes have known defective terminal differentiation and function including decreased platelet production, and Gata-1tm2sho/J primary recipients did not engraft LT-HSC more efficiently than WT primary recipients, demonstrating the need for fully functional megakaryocytes, and not only increased PDGFβ-induced mesenchymal proliferation, to foster HSC engraftment. Finally, we have examined whether TPO administration prior to radioablation and HSCT can enhance host megakaryocyte effects on the niche and HSC engraftment. TPO administration for 5 days prior to radioablation, resulted in a significant increase in BM megakaryocytes and a 50% increase in niche osteoblast expansion. Furthermore, competitive secondary transplantation assays demonstrated that TPO- versus sham-treatment of primary recipients prior to TBI and BM transplant, resulted in increased initial engraftment at 24 hours post-primary transplant (40% increase, p < 0.05) increased short-term HSC and progenitor engraftment 3–6 weeks following secondary transplant (4–20 fold increase, p < 0.02), and sustained LT-HSC engraftment at 28 weeks post-transplant in 47% versus 7% (p < 0.05) of secondary recipients of TPO- versus sham-treated primary recipient BM, respectively. Taken together, our results demonstrate that host megakaryocytes facilitate efficient HSC engraftment following TBI and HSCT through PDGFβ-dependent enhancement of niche osteoblast expansion and through direct interactions of megakaryocytes with the niche. TPO-treatment of transplant recipients prior to radioablation and stem cell infusion enhances these megakaryocyte-dependent pathways and subsequent donor HSC engraftment efficiency, providing a clinically applicable strategy to enhance niche function and stem cell engraftment following clinical transplantation. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Identification of a Developmentally-Restricted Hematopoietic Stem Cell That Gives Rise to Innate-like Lymphocytes

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v124.21.4302.4302 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 124 (21) ◽

pp. 4302-4302

Author(s):

Anna E Beaudin ◽

Scott W. Boyer ◽

Gloria Hernandez ◽

Camilla E Forsberg

Keyword(s):

Stem Cell ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cell ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Fetal Liver ◽

Lineage Tracing ◽

Lymphoid Cells ◽

Gfp Expression ◽

Hematopoietic Stem

Abstract The generation of innate-like immune cells distinguishes fetal hematopoiesis from adult hematopoiesis, but the cellular mechanisms underlying differential cell production during development remain to be established. Specifically, whether differential lymphoid output arises as a consequence of discrete hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) populations present during development or whether the fetal/neonatal microenvironment is required for their production remains to be established. We recently established a Flk2/Flt3 lineage tracing mouse model wherein Flk2-driven expression of Cre recombinase results in the irreversible switching of a ubiquitous dual-color reporter from Tomato to GFP expression. Because the switch from Tom to GFP expression in this model involves an irreversible genetic excision of the Tomato gene, a GFP+ cell can never give rise to Tom+ progeny. Using this model, we have definitively demonstrated that all functional, adult HSC remain Tomato+ and therefore that all developmental precursors of adult HSC lack a history of Flk2 expression. In contrast, adoptive transfer experiments of Tom+ and GFP+ fetal liver Lin-cKit+Sca1+ (KLS) fractions demonstrated that both Tom+ and GFP+ fetal HSC support serial, long-term multilineage reconstitution (LTR) in irradiated adult recipients. We have therefore identified a novel, developmentally restricted HSC that supports long-term multilineage reconstitution upon transplantation into an adult recipient but does not normally persist into adulthood. Developmentally-restricted GFP+ HSC display greater lymphoid potential, and regenerated both innate-like B-1 lymphocytes and Vg3-expressing T lymphocytes to a greater extent than coexisting Tom+ FL and adult HSC. Interestingly, whereas developmental regulation of fetal-specific B-cell subsets appears to be regulated cell-instrinsically, as fetal HSC generated more innate-like B-cells than adult HSC even within an adult environment, T-cell development may be regulated both cell intrinsically and extrinsically, as both the cell-of-origin and the fetal microenvironment regulated the generation of innate-like T-cells. Our results provide direct evidence for a developmentally restricted HSC that gives rise to a layered immune system and describes a novel mechanism underlying the source of developmental hematopoietic waves. As early lymphoid cells play essential roles in establishing self-recognition and tolerance, these findings are critical for understanding the development of autoimmune diseases, allergies, and tolerance induction upon organ transplantation. Furthermore, by uncoupling self-renewal capacity in situ with that observed upon transplantation, our data suggests that transplantation- and/or irradiation-induced cues may allow for the engraftment of developmental HSC populations that do not normally persist in situ. As LTR upon transplantation has served as the prevailing definition of adult HSC origin during development, our data challenge the current conceptual framework of adult HSC origin. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Human fetal bone marrow early progenitors for T, B, and myeloid cells are found exclusively in the population expressing high levels of CD34

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v84.2.421.bloodjournal842421 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 84 (2) ◽

pp. 421-432 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

D DiGiusto ◽

S Chen ◽

J Combs ◽

S Webb ◽

R Namikawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Cell Activity ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Fetal Bone ◽

Cd34 Antigen

Experimentation on human stem cells is hampered by the relative paucity of this population and by the lack of assays identifying multilineage differentiation, particularly along the lymphoid lineages. In our current study, phenotypic analysis of low-density fetal bone marrow cells showed two distinct populations of CD34+ cells: those expressing a high density of CD34 antigen on their surface (CD34hi) and those expressing an intermediate level of CD34 antigen (CD34lo). Multiple tissues were used to characterize the in vitro and in vivo potential of these subsets and showed that only CD34hi cells support long-term B lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis in vitro and mediate T, B, and myeloid repopulation of human tissues implanted into SCID mice. CD34lo cells repeatedly failed to provide long-term hematopoietic activity in vivo or in vitro. These results indicate that a simple fractionation based on well-defined CD34 antigen levels can be used to reproducibly isolate cells highly enriched for in vivo long-term repopulating activity and for multipotent progenitors, including T- and B-cell precursors. Additionally, given the limited variability in the results and the high correlation between in vitro and in vivo hematopoietic potential, we propose that the CD34hi population contains virtually all of the stem cell activity in fetal bone marrow and therefore is the population of choice for future studies in hematopoietic stem cell development and gene therapy.

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Identification of hematopoietic stem cell subsets on the basis of their primitiveness using antibody ER-MP12

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v85.4.952.bloodjournal854952 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 85 (4) ◽

pp. 952-962 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

JC van der Loo ◽

WA Slieker ◽

D Kieboom ◽

RE Ploemacher

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cell ◽

Antigen Expression ◽

Chimeric Mouse ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Colony Forming Units

Monoclonal antibody ER-MP12 defines a novel antigen on murine hematopoietic stem cells. The antigen is differentially expressed by different subsets in the hematopoietic stem cell compartment and enables a physical separation of primitive long-term repopulating stem cells from more mature multilineage progenitors. When used in two-color immunofluorescence with ER-MP20 (anti-Ly-6C), six subpopulations of bone marrow (BM) cells could be identified. These subsets were isolated using magnetic and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, phenotypically analyzed, and tested in vitro for cobblestone area-forming cells (CAFC) and colony-forming units in culture (CFU-C; M/G/E/Meg/Mast). In addition, they were tested in vivo for day-12 spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S-12), and for cells with long-term repopulating ability using a recently developed alpha-thalassemic chimeric mouse model. Cells with long-term repopulation ability (LTRA) and day-12 spleen colony-forming ability appeared to be exclusively present in the two subpopulations that expressed the ER-MP12 cell surface antigen at either an intermediate or high level, but lacked the expression of Ly- 6C. The ER-MP12med20- subpopulation (comprising 30% of the BM cells, including all lymphocytes) contained 90% to 95% of the LTRA cells and immature day-28 CAFC (CAFC-28), 75% of the CFU-S-12, and very low numbers of CFU-C. In contrast, the ER-MP12hi20- population (comprising 1% to 2% of the BM cells, containing no mature cells) included 80% of the early and less primitive CAFC (CAFC-5), 25% of the CFU-S-12, and only 10% of the LTRA cells and immature CAFC-28. The ER-MP12hi cells, irrespective of the ER-MP20 antigen expression, included 80% to 90% of the CFU-C (day 4 through day 14), of which 70% were ER-MP20- and 10% to 20% ER-MP20med/hi. In addition, erythroblasts, granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes could almost be fully separated on the basis of ER-MP12 and ER-MP20 antigen expression. Functionally, the presence of ER-MP12 in a long-term BM culture did not affect hematopoiesis, as was measured in the CAFC assay. Our data demonstrate that the ER-MP12 antigen is intermediately expressed on the long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cell. Its level of expression increases on maturation towards CFU-C, to disappear from mature hematopoietic cells, except from B and T lymphocytes.

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TIMP-1 Deficiency Subverts Cell Cycle Dynamics in Long-Term HSCs.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v114.22.2514.2514 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 114 (22) ◽

pp. 2514-2514

Author(s):

Lara Rossi ◽

Margaret Goodell

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Biological Behavior ◽

Cell Cycle Distribution ◽

Matrix Remodeling ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Stem Cell Quiescence

Abstract Abstract 2514 Poster Board II-491 In addition to the consolidated role in extracellular matrix remodeling, the Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) has been suggested to be involved in the regulation of numerous biological functions, including cell proliferation and survival. We therefore hypothesized that TIMP-1 might be involved in the homeostatic regulation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), whose biological behavior is the synthesis of both microenvironmental and intrinsic cues. We found that TIMP-1−/− mice have decreased HSC numbers and, consistent with this finding, TIMP-1−/− HSCs display reduced capability of long-term repopulation. Interestingly, the cell cycle distribution of TIMP-1−/− LT-HSCs is profoundly distorted, with a consistent proportion of the stem cell pool arrested in the G1 phase, suggesting that TIMP-1 is intrinsically involved in the regulation of the HSC proliferation dynamics. Indeed, HSCs exhibit a higher proliferation rate, leading to an increased formation of CFU-C in vitro and spleen colonies (CFU-S) after transplant. Of note, TIMP-1−/− HSCs present decreased levels of CD44 glycoprotein, whose expression has been proven to be controlled by p53, the master regulator of the G1/S transition. Our findings establish TIMP-1 role in HSC function, suggesting a novel mechanism presiding over stem cell quiescence and potentially involved in the development of hematological diseases. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Screen for Small Molecules Capable of Expanding Human Hematopoietic Stem Cell Ex Vivo

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v118.21.1919.1919 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 118 (21) ◽

pp. 1919-1919

Author(s):

Iman Hatem Fares ◽

Jalila Chagraoui ◽

Jana Krosl ◽

Denis-Claude Roy ◽

Sandra Cohen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cell ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cell ◽

Mononuclear Cells ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Fold Increase ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Cd34 Cells

Abstract Abstract 1919 Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is a life saving procedure whose applicability is restricted by the lack of suitable donors, by poor responsiveness to mobilization regimens in preparation of autologous transplantations, by insufficient HSC numbers in individual cord blood units, and by the inability to sufficiently amplify HSCs ex vivo. Characterization of Stemregenin (SR1), an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) antagonist that promotes HSC expansion, provided a proof of principle that low molecular weight (LMW) compounds have the ability to promote HSC expansion. To identify novel putative agonists of HSC self-renewal, we initiated a high throughput screen (HTS) of a library comprising more than 5,000 LMW molecules using the in vitro maintenance of the CD34+CD45RA- phenotype as a model system. Our study was based on the fact that mobilized peripheral blood-derived CD34+CD45RA- cells cultured in media supplemented with: stem cell factor, thrombopoietin, FLT3 ligand and interleukin 6, would promote the expansion of mononuclear cells (MNC) concomitant with a decrease in CD34+CD45RA- population and HSC depletion. LMW compounds preventing this loss could therefore act as agonists of HSC expansion. In a 384-well plate, 2000 CD34+cells were initially cultured/well in 50μl medium comprising 1μM test compounds or 0.1% DMSO (vehicle). The proportions of CD34+CD45RA− cells were determined at the initiation of experiment and after a 7-day incubation. Six of 5,280 LMW compounds (0.11%) promoted CD34+CD45RA− cell expansion, and seventeen (0.32%) enhanced differentiation as determined by the increase in proportions of CD34−CD45RA+ cells compared to control (DMSO). The 6 LMW compounds promoting expansion of the CD34+CD45RA− cell population were re-analyzed in a secondary screen. Four out of these 6 molecules suppressed the transcriptional activity of AHR, suggesting that these compounds share the same molecular pathway as SR1 in stimulating HSC expansion, thus they were not further characterized. The remaining 2 compounds promoted, similar to SR1 or better, a 10-fold and 35-fold expansion of MNC during 7 and 12-day incubations, respectively. The expanded cell populations comprised 65–75% of CD34+ cells compared to 12–30% determined for DMSO controls. During 12-day incubation with these compounds, the numbers of CD34+ cells increased ∼25-fold over their input values, or ∼ 6-fold above the values determined for controls. This expansion of CD34+ cells was associated with a ∼5-fold increase in the numbers of multilineage CFC (granulocyte, erythroid, monocyte, and megakaryocyte, or CFU-GEMM) compared to that found in DMSO control cultures. The ability of the 2 newly identified compounds to expand functional HSCs is currently being evaluated in vivo usingimmunocompromised mice. In conclusion, results of our initial screen suggest that other mechanism, besides inhibition of AhR, are at play for expansion of human HSC. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Ionizing Radiation Induces Hematopoietic Stem Cell Senescence and Long-Term Bone Marrow Suppression in a p16Ink4a/Arf-Independent manner

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v118.21.1345.1345 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 118 (21) ◽

pp. 1345-1345

Author(s):

Lijian Shao ◽

Wei Feng ◽

Hongliang Li ◽

Yong Wang ◽

Norman Sharpless ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Ionizing Radiation ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cell ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Sublethal Dose ◽

Independent Manner ◽

Hematopoietic Stem

Abstract Abstract 1345 Many patients receiving chemotherapy and/or ionizing radiation (IR) develop residual (or long-term) bone marrow (BM) injury that can not only limit the success of cancer treatment but also adversely affect their quality of life. Although residual BM injury has been largely attributed to the induction of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) senescence, neither the molecular mechanisms by which chemotherapy and/or IR induce HSC senescence have been clearly defined, nor has an effective treatment been developed to ameliorate the injury. The Ink4a-Arf locus encodes two important tumor suppressors, p16Ink4a (p16) and Arf. Both of them have been implicated in mediating the induction of cellular senscence in a variety of cells including HSCs. Therefore, we examined the role of p16 and/or Arf in IR-induced HSC senescence and long-term BM suppression using a total body irradiation (TBI) mouse model. The results from our studies show that exposure of wild-type (WT) mice to a sublethal dose (6 Gy) of TBI induces HSC senescence and long-term BM suppression. The induction of HSC senescence is not associated with a reduction in telemore length in HSCs and their progeny, but is associated with significant increases in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the expression of p16 and Arf mRNA, and the activity of senescence-associated β-galacotosidase (SA-β-gal) in HSCs. However, genetical deletion of Ink4a and/or Arf has no effect on TBI-induced HSC senescence, as HSCs from the Ink4a and/or Arf knockout mice after exposure to TBI exhibit similar changes as those seen in the cells from irradiated WT mice in comparison with the cells from un-irradiated mice with correspondent genotypes. In addition, TBI-induced long-term BM suppression is also not attenuated by the deletion of the Ink4a and/or Arf genes. These findings suggest that IR induces HSC senescence and long-term BM suppression in a p16Ink4a/Arf-independent manner. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Developing a Model of Human Pluripotent to Hematopoietic Stem Cell Development in Mistrg Mice

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v126.23.4755.4755 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 126 (23) ◽

pp. 4755-4755

Author(s):

John Astle ◽

Yangfei Xiang ◽

Anthony Rongvaux ◽

Carla Weibel ◽

Henchey Elizabeth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Cell Biology ◽

De Novo ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Hematopoietic Progenitors ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Immunodeficient Mice

Abstract De novo generation of HSCs has been described as a "holy grail" of stem cell biology, however the factors required for converting human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) to true hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) capable of robust long-term engraftment have yet to be fully characterized. Two groups have shown that injection of PSCs into immunodeficient mice leads to teratomas containing niches producing hematopoietic progenitors capable of long-term engraftment. Once these hematopoietic progenitors and their microenvironments are better characterized, this system could be used as a model to help direct in vitro differentiation of PSCs to HSCs. Toward this end, we have injected human PSCs into immunodeficient mice expressing human rather than mouse M-CSF, IL-3, GM-CSF, and thrombopoietin, as well as both human and mouse versions of the "don't eat me signal" Sirpa (collectively termed MISTRG mice). These cytokines are known to support different aspects of hematopoiesis, and thrombopoietin in particular has been shown to support HSC maintenance, suggesting these mice may provide a better environment for human PSC-derived HSCs than the more traditional mice used for human HSC engraftment. The majority of teratomas developed so far in MISTRG contain human hematopoietic cells, and the CD34+ population isolated from over half of the teratomas contained hematopoietic colony forming cells by colony forming assay. These findings further corroborate this approach as a viable method for studying human PSC to HSC differentiation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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