搜索结果: 'methocult media formulations for mouse hematopoietic cells serum containing'

Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity has been implicated in multiple biological and biochemical pathways and has been used to identify potential cancer stem cells. Our main hypothesis is that ALDH activity may be a lung cancer stem cell marker. Using flow cytometry,we sorted cells with bright (ALDH(br)) and dim (ALDH(lo)) ALDH activity found in H522 lung cancer cell line. We used in vitro proliferation and colony assays as well as a xenograft animal model to test our hypothesis. Cytogenetic analysis demonstrated that the ALDH(br) cells are indeed a different clone,but when left in normal culture conditions will give rise to ALDH(lo) cells. Furthermore,the ALDH(br) cells grow slower,have low clonal efficiency,and give rise to morphologically distinct colonies. The ability to form primary xenografts in NOD/SCID mice by ALDH(br) and ALDH(lo) cells was tested by injecting single cell suspension under the skin in each flank of same animal. Tumor size was calculated weekly. ALDH1A1 and ALDH3A1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on excised tumors. These tumors were also used to re-establish cell suspension,measure ALDH activity,and re-injection for secondary and tertiary transplants. The results indicate that both cell types can form tumors but the ones from ALDH(br) cells grew much slower in primary recipient mice. Histologically,there was no significant difference in the expression of ALDH in primary tumors originating from ALDH(br) or ALDH(lo) cells. Secondary and tertiary xenografts originating from ALDH(br) grew faster and bigger than those formed by ALDH(lo) cells. In conclusion,ALDH(br) cells may have some of the traditional features of stem cells in terms of being mostly dormant and slow to divide,but require support of other cells (ALDH(lo)) to sustain tumor growth. These observations and the known role of ALDH in drug resistance may have significant therapeutic implications in the treatment of lung cancer. View Publication

The purpose of this study is to review the development of BRAF inhibitors,with emphasis on the trials conducted with dabrafenib (GSK2118436) and the evolving role of dabrafenib in treatment for melanoma patients. Fifty percent of cutaneous melanomas have mutations in BRAF,resulting in elevated activity of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Dabrafenib inhibits the mutant BRAF (BRAF(mut)) protein in melanomas with BRAF(V600E) and BRAF(V600K) genotypes. BRAF(V600E) metastatic melanoma patients who receive dabrafenib treatment exhibit high clinical response rates and compared with dacarbazine chemotherapy,progression-free survival. Efficacy has also been demonstrated in BRAF(V600K) patients and in those with brain metastases. Dabrafenib has a generally mild and manageable toxicity profile. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas and pyrexia are the most significant adverse effects. Dabrafenib appears similar to vemurafenib with regard to efficacy but it is associated with less toxicity. It is expected that new combinations of targeted drugs,such as the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib (GSK1120212,a MEK inhibitor),will provide higher response rates and more durable clinical benefit than dabrafenib monotherapy. View Publication

Bacterial lipopeptides (bLPs) are increasingly used as adjuvants to activate cell-mediated immune responses to foreign Ags. To explore mechanisms whereby bLPs adjuvant T cell responses,we stimulated human PBMCs with bLPs. We found that bLPs stimulate T cells to proliferate and produce IFN-gamma in an accessory cell-dependent manner and in the absence of exogenous protein Ags. The ability of bLPs to stimulate T cell proliferation was Toll-like receptor 2 dependent and required IL-12,interaction with costimulatory molecules,and MHC proteins. Our data suggest that bLPs adjuvant adaptive Th1 responses by enhancing Ag presentation of endogenous peptides. View Publication

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signals coordinate developmental patterning and have essential physiological roles in mature organisms. Here we describe the first known small-molecule inhibitor of BMP signaling-dorsomorphin,which we identified in a screen for compounds that perturb dorsoventral axis formation in zebrafish. We found that dorsomorphin selectively inhibits the BMP type I receptors ALK2,ALK3 and ALK6 and thus blocks BMP-mediated SMAD1/5/8 phosphorylation,target gene transcription and osteogenic differentiation. Using dorsomorphin,we examined the role of BMP signaling in iron homeostasis. In vitro,dorsomorphin inhibited BMP-,hemojuvelin- and interleukin 6-stimulated expression of the systemic iron regulator hepcidin,which suggests that BMP receptors regulate hepcidin induction by all of these stimuli. In vivo,systemic challenge with iron rapidly induced SMAD1/5/8 phosphorylation and hepcidin expression in the liver,whereas treatment with dorsomorphin blocked SMAD1/5/8 phosphorylation,normalized hepcidin expression and increased serum iron levels. These findings suggest an essential physiological role for hepatic BMP signaling in iron-hepcidin homeostasis. View Publication

Small-molecule inhibitors targeting growth factor receptors have failed to show efficacy for brain cancers,potentially due to their inability to achieve sufficient drug levels in the CNS. Targeting non-oncogene tumor co-dependencies provides an alternative approach,particularly if drugs with high brain penetration can be identified. Here we demonstrate that the highly lethal brain cancer glioblastoma (GBM) is remarkably dependent on cholesterol for survival,rendering these tumors sensitive to Liver X receptor (LXR) agonist-dependent cell death. We show that LXR-623,a clinically viable,highly brain-penetrant LXRα-partial/LXRβ-full agonist selectively kills GBM cells in an LXRβ- and cholesterol-dependent fashion,causing tumor regression and prolonged survival in mouse models. Thus,a metabolic co-dependency provides a pharmacological means to kill growth factor-activated cancers in the CNS. View Publication

A cDNA clone encoding a novel hematopoietic growth factor activity produced by a gibbon T cell line has been identified using a mammalian cell expression cloning system. The sequence of this cDNA proved to have significant homology to the sequence encoding murine interleukin 3 (IL-3). The human gene,which was readily identified because of its high degree of homology to the gibbon sequence,also displayed significant homology with the murine IL-3 sequence. The recombinant gibbon IL-3 protein proved to have multipotent colony stimulating activity when tested with normal human bone marrow cells,proving that this primate hematopoietin is not only structurally but also functionally related to murine IL-3. View Publication

The complex hematopoietic effects of placental growth factor (PlGF) prompted us to test in mice and nonhuman primates the mobilization of peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) elicited by recombinant mouse PlGF-2 (rmPlGF-2) and recombinant human PlGF-1 (rhPlGF-1). PBPC mobilization was evaluated by assaying colony-forming cells (CFCs),high-proliferative potential-CFCs (HPP-CFCs),and long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-ICs). In mice,both rmPlGF-2 and rhPlGF-1 used as single agents failed to mobilize PBPCs,whereas the combination of rhPlGF-1 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) increased CFCs and LTC-ICs per milliliter of blood by four- and eightfold,respectively,as compared with rhG-CSF alone. rhPlGF-1 plus rhG-CSF significantly increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 plasma levels over rhG-CSF alone,suggesting a mechanistic explanation for rhPlGF-1/rhG-CSF synergism. In rhesus monkeys,rhPlGF-1 alone had no mobilization effect,whereas rhPlGF-1 (260 microg/kg per day) plus rhG-CSF (100 microg/kg per day) increased rhG-CSF-elicited mobilization of CFCs,HPP-CFCs,and LTC-ICs per milliliter of blood by 5-,7-,and 15-fold,respectively. No specific toxicity was associated with the administration of rhPlGF-1 alone or in combination. In conclusion,our data demonstrate that rhPlGF-1 significantly increases rhG-CSF-elicited hematopoietic mobilization and provide a preclinical rationale for evaluating rhPlGF-1 in the clinical setting. View Publication

Clonal expansion of B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) occurs within lymphoid tissue pseudofollicles. IL-15,a stromal cell-associated cytokine found within spleens and lymph nodes of B-CLL patients,significantly boosts in vitro cycling of blood-derived B-CLL cells following CpG DNA priming. Both IL-15 and CpG DNA are elevated in microbe-draining lymphatic tissues,and unraveling the basis for IL-15-driven B-CLL growth could illuminate new therapeutic targets. Using CpG DNA-primed human B-CLL clones and approaches involving both immunofluorescent staining and pharmacologic inhibitors,we show that both PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT5 pathways are activated and functionally important for IL-15→CD122/ɣc signaling in ODN-primed cells expressing activated pSTAT3. Furthermore,STAT5 activity must be sustained for continued cycling of CFSE-labeled B-CLL cells. Quantitative RT-PCR experiments with inhibitors of PI3K and STAT5 show that both contribute to IL-15-driven upregulation of mRNA for cyclin D2 and suppression of mRNA for DNA damage response mediators ATM,53BP1,and MDC1. Furthermore,protein levels of these DNA damage response molecules are reduced by IL-15,as indicated by Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining. Bioinformatics analysis of ENCODE chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data from cell lines provides insight into possible mechanisms for STAT5-mediated repression. Finally,pharmacologic inhibitors of JAKs and STAT5 significantly curtailed B-CLL cycling when added either early or late in a growth response. We discuss how the IL-15-induced changes in gene expression lead to rapid cycling and possibly enhanced mutagenesis. STAT5 inhibitors might be an effective modality for blocking B-CLL growth in patients. View Publication

Pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes are currently being investigated for in vitro human heart models and as potential therapeutics for heart failure. In this study,we have developed a differentiation protocol that minimizes the need for specific human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line optimization. We first reduced the heterogeneity that exists within the starting population of bulk cultured hESCs by using cells adapted to single-cell passaging in a 2-dimensional (2D) culture format. Compared with bulk cultures,single-cell cultures comprised larger fractions of TG30(hi)/OCT4(hi) cells,corresponding to an increased expression of pluripotency markers OCT4 and NANOG,and reduced expression of early lineage-specific markers. A 2D temporal differentiation protocol was then developed,aimed at reducing the inherent heterogeneity and variability of embryoid body-based protocols,with induction of primitive streak cells using bone morphogenetic protein 4 and activin A,followed by cardiogenesis via inhibition of Wnt signaling using the small molecules IWP-4 or IWR-1. IWP-4 treatment resulted in a large percentage of cells expressing low amounts of cardiac myosin heavy chain and expression of early cardiac progenitor markers ISL1 and NKX2-5,thus indicating the production of large numbers of immature cardiomyocytes (˜65,000/cm(2) or ˜1.5 per input hESC). This protocol was shown to be effective in HES3,H9,and,to a lesser,extent,MEL1 hESC lines. In addition,we observed that IWR-1 induced predominantly atrial myosin light chain (MLC2a) expression,whereas IWP-4 induced expression of both atrial (MLC2a) and ventricular (MLC2v) forms. The intrinsic flexibility and scalability of this 2D protocol mean that the output population of primitive cardiomyocytes will be particularly accessible and useful for the investigation of molecular mechanisms driving terminal cardiomyocyte differentiation,and potentially for the future treatment of heart failure. View Publication

In this unit,we describe a simple coculture-free method for obtaining mast cells from mouse and human embryonic stem (ES) cells. Much of our knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which mast cells are activated comes from studies of mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells. Studies of human mast cells have been hampered by the limited sources from which they can be cultured,the difficulty in introducing specific genetic changes into these cells,and differences between established cultures that reflect the unique genetic makeup of the tissue donor. Derivation of mast cells from embryonic stem cells addresses these limitations. ES-derived mast cells can be generated in numbers sufficient for studies of the pathways involved in mast cell effector functions. These ES cell-derived mast cells respond to antigens and other stimuli by releasing histamine,cytokines,lipids,and other bioactive mediators. The derivation of human mast cells from ES cells carrying mutations introduced by homologous recombination should provide a novel means of testing the function of genes in both the development and the effector functions of mast cells. View Publication

Cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) have the capacity to differentiate into cardiomyocytes,smooth muscle cells (SMC),and endothelial cells and hold great promise in cell therapy against heart disease. Among various methods to isolate CPCs,differentiation of embryonic stem cell (ESC) into CPCs attracts great attention in the field since ESCs can provide unlimited cell source. As a result,numerous strategies have been developed to derive CPCs from ESCs. In this protocol,differentiation and purification of embryonic CPCs from both mouse and human ESCs is described. Due to the difficulty of using cell surface markers to isolate embryonic CPCs,ESCs are engineered with fluorescent reporters activated by CPC-specific cre recombinase expression. Thus,CPCs can be enriched by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). This protocol illustrates procedures to form embryoid bodies (EBs) from ESCs for CPC specification and enrichment. The isolated CPCs can be subsequently cultured for cardiac lineage differentiation and other biological assays. This protocol is optimized for robust and efficient derivation of CPCs from both mouse and human ESCs. View Publication

Tristetraprolin (TTP,Zfp36,Nup475,Tis11) dramatically reduces the stability of target mRNAs by binding to AU-rich elements in their 3' untranslated regions. Through this mechanism,TTP functions as a rheostatic,temporal regulator of gene expression. TTP knockout (KO) mice exhibit completely penetrant granulocytic hyperplasia. We have shown that the hematopoietic stem-progenitor cell compartment in TTP KO mice is also altered. Although no change was detected in long-term hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) frequency or function,as assayed by immunophenotypic markers or limiting dilution transplants,we observed increases in the frequencies and numbers of short-term HSCs,multipotent progenitors,and granulocyte-monocyte progenitors. This pattern is consistent with reactive granulopoiesis� View Publication