技术资料

Reliance on volunteer blood donors can lead to transfusion product shortages,and current liquid storage of red blood cells (RBCs) is associated with biochemical changes over time,known as 'the storage lesion'. Thus,there is a need for alternative sources of transfusable RBCs to supplement conventional blood donations. Extracorporeal production of stem cell-derived RBCs (stemRBCs) is a potential and yet untapped source of fresh,transfusable RBCs. A number of groups have attempted RBC differentiation from CD34+ cells. However,it is still unclear whether these stemRBCs could eventually be effective substitutes for traditional RBCs due to potential differences in oxygen carrying capacity,viability,deformability,and other critical parameters. We have generated ex vivo stemRBCs from primary human cord blood CD34+ cells and compared them to donor-derived RBCs based on a number of in vitro parameters. In vivo,we assessed stemRBC circulation kinetics in an animal model of transfusion and oxygen delivery in a mouse model of exercise performance. Our novel,chronically anemic,SCID mouse model can evaluate the potential of stemRBCs to deliver oxygen to tissues (muscle) under resting and exercise-induced hypoxic conditions. Based on our data,stem cell-derived RBCs have a similar biochemical profile compared to donor-derived RBCs. While certain key differences remain between donor-derived RBCs and stemRBCs,the ability of stemRBCs to deliver oxygen in a living organism provides support for further development as a transfusion product. View Publication

We report that embryonic stem cells efficiently undergo differentiation in vitro to mesoderm and hematopoietic cells and that this in vitro system recapitulates days 6.5 to 7.5 of mouse hematopoietic development. Embryonic stem cells differentiated as embryoid bodies (EBs) develop erythroid precursors by day 4 of differentiation,and by day 6,more than 85% of EBs contain such cells. A comparative reverse transcriptase-mediated polymerase chain reaction profile of marker genes for primitive endoderm (collagen alpha IV) and mesoderm (Brachyury) indicates that both cell types are present in the developing EBs as well in normal embryos prior to the onset of hematopoiesis. GATA-1,GATA-3,and vav are expressed in both the EBs and embryos just prior to and/or during the early onset of hematopoiesis,indicating that they could play a role in the early stages of hematopoietic development both in vivo and in vitro. The initial stages of hematopoietic development within the EBs occur in the absence of added growth factors and are not significantly influenced by the addition of a broad spectrum of factors,including interleukin-3 (IL-3),IL-1,IL-6,IL-11,erythropoietin,and Kit ligand. At days 10 and 14 of differentiation,EB hematopoiesis is significantly enhanced by the addition of both Kit ligand and IL-11 to the cultures. Kinetic analysis indicates that hematopoietic precursors develop within the EBs in an ordered pattern. Precursors of the primitive erythroid lineage appear first,approximately 24 h before precursors of the macrophage and definitive erythroid lineages. Bipotential neutrophil/macrophage and multilineage precursors appear next,and precursors of the mast cell lineage develop last. The kinetics of precursor development,as well as the growth factor responsiveness of these early cells,is similar to that found in the yolk sac and early fetal liver,indicating that the onset of hematopoiesis within the EBs parallels that found in the embryo. View Publication

Efficient gene transfer into human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is an important goal in the study of the hematopoietic system as well as for gene therapy of hematopoietic disorders. A lentiviral vector based on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was able to transduce human CD34+ cells capable of stable,long-term reconstitution of nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice. High-efficiency transduction occurred in the absence of cytokine stimulation and resulted in transgene expression in multiple lineages of human hematopoietic cells for up to 22 weeks after transplantation. View Publication

PURPOSE: Genz-644282 [8,9-dimethoxy-5-(2-N-methylaminoethyl)-2,3-methylenedioxy-5H-dibenzo[c,h][1,6]naphthyridin-6-one] has emerged as a promising candidate for antitumor agents. This report describes the bone marrow colony-forming unit,granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM) and tumor cell CFU activity of topoisomerase I (Top1) inhibitors,such as Genz-644282,topotecan,irinotecan/SN-38,and ARC-111,and examines their activity in several human tumor xenograft models. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Colony-forming assays were conducted with mouse and human bone marrow and eight human tumor cell lines. In addition,29 human tumor cell lines representing a range of histology and potential resistance mechanisms were assayed for sensitivity to Genz-644282 in a 72-hour exposure assay. The efficacy of Genz-644282 was compared with standard anticancer drugs (i.e.,irinotecan,docetaxel,and dacarbazine) in human tumor xenografts of colon cancer,renal cell carcinoma,non-small cell lung cancer,and melanoma. RESULTS: Human bone marrow CFU-GM was more sensitive to the Top1 inhibitors than was mouse bone marrow CFU-GM. The ratio of mouse to human IC(90) values was more than 10 for the camptothecins and less than 10 for Genz-644282,which had more potency as a cytotoxic agent toward human tumor cells in culture than the camptothecins in the colony-forming and 72-hour proliferation assays. Genz-644282 has superior or equal antitumor activity in the human tumor xenografts than the standard drug comparators. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of preclinical activity and safety,Genz-644282 was selected for development and is currently undergoing phase 1 clinical trial. View Publication

Gene therapy has proven its potential to cure diseases of the hematopoietic system. However,severe adverse events observed in clinical trials have demanded improved gene-transfer conditions. Whereas progress has been made to reduce the genotoxicity of integrating gene vectors,the role of pretransplantation cultivation is less well investigated. We observed that the STIF (stem cell factor [SCF],thrombopoietin [TPO],insulin-like growth factor-2 [IGF-2],and fibroblast growth factor-1 [FGF-1]) cytokine cocktail developed to effectively expand murine hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) also supports the expansion of leukemia-initiating insertional mutants caused by gammaretroviral gene transfer. We compared 4 protocols to examine the impact of prestimulation and posttransduction culture in STIF in the context of lentiviral gene transfer. Observing 56 transplanted mice for up to 9.5 months,we found consistent engraftment and gene-marking rates after prolonged ex vivo expansion. Although a lentiviral vector with a validated insertional-mutagenic potential was used,longitudinal analysis identifying textgreater 7000 integration sites revealed polyclonal fluctuations,especially in expanded" groups� View Publication

SerpinB1 is among the most efficient inhibitors of neutrophil serine proteases--NE,CG,and PR-3--and we investigated here its role in neutrophil development and homeostasis. We found that serpinB1 is expressed in all human bone marrow leukocytes,including stem and progenitor cells. Expression levels were highest in the neutrophil lineage and peaked at the promyelocyte stage,coincident with the production and packaging of the target proteases. Neutrophil numbers were decreased substantially in the bone marrow of serpinB1(-/-) mice. This cellular deficit was associated with an increase in serum G-CSF levels. On induction of acute pulmonary injury,neutrophils were recruited to the lungs,causing the bone marrow reserve pool to be completely exhausted in serpinB1(-/-) mice. Numbers of myeloid progenitors were normal in serpinB1(-/-) bone marrow,coincident with the absence of target protease expression at these developmental stages. Maturation arrest of serpinB1(-/-) neutrophils was excluded by the normal CFU-G growth in vitro and the normal expression in mature neutrophils of early and late differentiation markers. Normal absolute numbers of proliferating neutrophils and pulse-chase kinetic studies in vivo showed that the bone marrow deficit in serpinB1(-/-) mice was largely restricted to mature,postmitotic neutrophils. Finally,upon overnight culture,apoptosis and necrosis were greater in purified bone marrow neutrophils from serpinB1(-/-) compared with WT mice. Collectively,these findings demonstrate that serpinB1 sustains a healthy neutrophil reserve that is required in acute immune responses. View Publication

Thpo/Mpl signaling plays an important role in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in addition to its role in megakaryopoiesis. Patients with inactivating mutations in Mpl develop thrombocytopenia and aplastic anemia because of progressive loss of HSCs. Yet,it is unknown whether this loss of HSCs is an irreversible process. In this study,we used the Mpl knockout (Mpl(-/-)) mouse model and expressed Mpl from newly developed lentiviral vectors specifically in the physiologic Mpl target populations,namely,HSCs and megakaryocytes. After validating lineage-specific expression in vivo using lentiviral eGFP reporter vectors,we performed bone marrow transplantation of transduced Mpl(-/-) bone marrow cells into Mpl(-/-) mice. We show that restoration of Mpl expression from transcriptionally targeted vectors prevents lethal adverse reactions of ectopic Mpl expression,replenishes the HSC pool,restores stem cell properties,and corrects platelet production. In some mice,megakaryocyte counts were atypically high,accompanied by bone neo-formation and marrow fibrosis. Gene-corrected Mpl(-/-) cells had increased long-term repopulating potential,with a marked increase in lineage(-)Sca1(+)cKit(+) cells and early progenitor populations in reconstituted mice. Transcriptome analysis of lineage(-)Sca1(+)cKit(+) cells in Mpl-corrected mice showed functional adjustment of genes involved in HSC self-renewal. View Publication

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy with a relapse rate approaching 50%,despite aggressive chemotherapy. New therapies for AML are targeted at signal transduction pathways known to support blast survival,such as the Stat3 pathway. Aberrant activation of Stat3 has been demonstrated in many different malignancies,including AML,and this finding is frequently associated with more aggressive disease. The objectives of this study were: (1) to characterize Stat3 signaling patterns in AML cells lines and primary pediatric samples; and (2) to test the efficacy and potency of a novel Stat3 inhibitor in inducing apoptosis in AML cells. We found that Stat3 was constitutively activated in 6 of 7 AML cell lines and 6 of 18 primary pediatric AML samples. Moreover,constitutively phosphorylated Stat3 was frequent in samples with normal karyotype but uncommon in samples with t(8;21). Most cell lines and primary samples responded to G-CSF stimulation,although the sensitivity and magnitude of the response varied dramatically. Our novel small-molecule Stat3 inhibitor,C188-9,inhibited G-CSF-induced Stat3 phosphorylation,induced apoptosis in AML cell lines and primary samples,and inhibited AML blast colony formation with potencies in the low micromolar range. Therefore,Stat3 inhibition may be a valuable strategy for targeted therapies for AML. View Publication