技术资料

Growth factor independence-1B (Gfi-1B) is a transcriptional repressor essential for erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis. Targeted gene disruption of GFI1B in mice leads to embryonic lethality resulting from failure to produce definitive erythrocytes,hindering the study of Gfi-1B function in adult hematopoiesis. We here show that,in humans,Gfi-1B controls the development of erythrocytes and megakaryocytes by regulating the proliferation and differentiation of bipotent erythro-megakaryocytic progenitors. We further identify in this cell population the type III transforming growth factor-beta receptor gene,TGFBR3,as a direct target of Gfi-1B. Knockdown of Gfi-1B results in altered transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling as shown by the increase in Smad2 phosphorylation and its inability to associate to the transcription intermediary factor 1-gamma (TIF1-gamma). Because the Smad2/TIF1-gamma complex is known to specifically regulate erythroid differentiation,we propose that,by repressing TGF-beta type III receptor (TbetaRIotaII) expression,Gfi-1B favors the Smad2/TIF1-gamma interaction downstream of TGF-beta signaling,allowing immature progenitors to differentiate toward the erythroid lineage. View Publication

Loss or mutation of the TP53 tumor suppressor gene is not commonly observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML),suggesting that there is an alternate route for cell transformation. We investigated the hypothesis that previously observed Bcl-2 family member overexpression suppresses wild-type p53 activity in AML. We demonstrate that wild-type p53 protein is expressed in primary leukemic blasts from patients with de novo AML using 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and phospho-specific flow cytometry. We found that p53 was heterogeneously expressed and phosphorylated in AML patient samples and could accumulate following DNA damage. Overexpression of antiapoptosis protein Bcl-2 in AML cells was directly correlated with p53 expression and phosphorylation on serine residues 15,46,and 392. Within those patients with the highest levels of Bcl-2 expression,we identified a mutation in FLT3 that duplicated phosphorylation site Y591. The presence of this mutation correlated with greater than normal Bcl-2 expression and with previously observed profiles of potentiated STAT and MAPK signaling. These results support the hypothesis that Flt3-mediated signaling in AML enables accumulation of Bcl-2 and maintains a downstream block to p53 pathway apoptosis. Bcl-2 inhibition might therefore improve the efficacy of existing AML therapies by inactivating this suppression of wild-type p53 activity. View Publication

Expression of the constitutively activated TEL/PDGFbetaR fusion protein is associated with the t(5;12)(q33;p13) chromosomal translocation found in a subset of patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. TEL/PDGFbetaR activates multiple signal transduction pathways in cell-culture systems,and expression of the TEL-PDGFRB fusion gene induces myeloproliferative disease (MPD) in mice. We used gene-targeted mice to characterize the contribution of signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat) and Src family genes to TEL-PDGFRB-mediated transformation in methylcellulose colony and murine bone marrow transduction/transplantation assays. Fetal liver hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells harboring targeted deletion of both Stat5a and Stat5b (Stat5ab(null/null)) genes were refractory to transformation by TEL-PDGFRB in methylcellulose colony assays. Notably,these cell populations were maintained in Stat5ab(null/null) fetal livers and succumbed to transformation by c-Myc. Surprisingly,targeted disruption of either Stat5a or Stat5b alone also impaired TEL-PDGFRB-mediated transformation. Survival of TPiGFP--textgreaterStat5a(-/-) and TPiGFP--textgreaterStat5a(+/-) mice was significantly prolonged,demonstrating significant sensitivity of TEL-PDGFRB-induced MPD to the dosage of Stat5a. TEL-PDGFRB-mediated MPD was incompletely penetrant in TPiGFP--textgreaterStat5b(-/-) mice. In contrast,Src family kinases Lyn,Hck,and Fgr and the Stat family member Stat1 were dispensable for TEL-PDGFRB disease. Together,these data demonstrate that Stat5a and Stat5b are dose-limiting mediators of TEL-PDGFRB-induced myeloproliferation. View Publication

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) with specificity for proteinase 3 (PR3) are central to a form of ANCA-associated vasculitis. Membrane PR3 (mPR3) is expressed only on a subset of neutrophils. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism of PR3 surface expression on human neutrophils. Neutrophils were isolated from patients and healthy controls,and hematopoietic stem cells from cord blood served as a model of neutrophil differentiation. Surface expression was analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy,and proteins were analyzed by Western blot experiments. Neutrophil subsets were separated by magnetic cell sorting. Transfection experiments were carried out in HEK293 and HL60 cell lines. Using neutrophils from healthy donors,patients with vasculitis,and neutrophilic differentiated stem cells we found that mPR3 display was restricted to cells expressing neutrophil glycoprotein NB1,a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked surface receptor. mPR3 expression was decreased by enzymatic removal of GPI anchors from cell membranes and was absent in a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. PR3 and NB1 coimmunoprecipitated from and colocalized on the neutrophil plasma membrane. Transfection with NB1 resulted in specific PR3 surface binding in different cell types. We conclude that PR3 membrane expression on neutrophils is mediated by the NB1 receptor. View Publication

AIM: The recently published REPAIR-AMI and ASTAMI trial showed differences in contractile recovery of left ventricular function after infusion of bone marrow-derived cells in acute myocardial infarction. Since the trials used different protocols for cell isolation and storage (REPAIR-AMI: Ficoll,storage in X-vivo 10 medium plus serum; ASTAMI: Lymphoprep,storage in NaCl plus plasma),we compared the functional activity of BMC isolated by the two different protocols. METHODS AND RESULTS: The recovery of total cell number,colony-forming units (CFU),and the number of mesenchymal stem cells were significantly reduced to 77 +/- 4%,83 +/- 16%,and 65 +/- 15%,respectively,when using the ASTAMI protocol compared with the REPAIR protocol. The capacity of the isolated BMC to migrate in response to stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) was profoundly reduced when using the ASTAMI cell isolation procedure (42 +/- 8% and 78 +/- 3% reduction in healthy and CAD-patient cells,respectively). Finally,infusion of BMC into a hindlimb ischaemia model demonstrated a significantly blunted blood-flow-recovery by BMC isolated with the ASTAMI protocol (54 +/- 6% of the effect obtained by REPAIR cells). Comparison of the individual steps identified the use of NaCl and plasma for cell storage as major factors for functional impairment of the BMC. CONCLUSION: Cell isolation protocols have a major impact on the functional activity of bone marrow-derived progenitor cells. The assessment of cell number and viability may not entirely reflect the functional capacity of cells in vivo. Additional functional testing appears to be mandatory to assure proper cell function before embarking on clinical cell therapy trials. View Publication

The cell-surface straight and branched repeats of N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) units,called poly-LacNAc chains,characterize the histo-blood group i and I antigens,respectively. The transition of straight to branched poly-LacNAc chain (i to I) is determined by the I locus,which expresses 3 IGnT transcripts,IGnTA,IGnTB,and IGnTC. Our previous investigation demonstrated that the i-to-I transition in erythroid differentiation is regulated by the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha). In the present investigation,the K-562 cell line was used as a model to show that the i-to-I transition is determined by the phosphorylation status of the C/EBPalpha Ser-21 residue,with dephosphorylated C/EBPalpha Ser-21 stimulating the transcription of the IGnTC gene,consequently resulting in I branching. Results from studies using adult erythropoietic and granulopoietic progenitor cells agreed with those derived using the K-562 cell model,with lentiviral expression of C/EBPalpha in CD34(+) hematopoietic cells demonstrating that the dephosphorylated form of C/EBPalpha Ser-21 induced the expression of I antigen,granulocytic CD15,and also erythroid CD71 antigens. Taken together,these results demonstrate that the regulation of poly-LacNAc branching (I antigen) formation in erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis share a common mechanism,with dephosphorylation of the Ser-21 residue on C/EBPalpha playing the critical role. View Publication

In ischemic congestive heart failure (CHF),anemia is associated with poor prognosis. Whether anemia develops in nonischemic CHF is uncertain. The hematopoietic inhibitors TNF-alpha and nitric oxide (NO) are activated in ischemic CHF. We examined whether mice with ischemic or nonischemic CHF develop anemia and whether TNF-alpha and NO are involved. We studied mice (n = 7-9 per group) with CHF either due to myocardial infarction (MI) or to overexpression of the Ca(2+)-binding protein calsequestrin (CSQ) or to induced cardiac disruption of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase 2 gene (SERCA2 KO). Hematopoiesis was analyzed by colony formation of CD34(+) bone marrow cells. Hemoglobin concentration was 14.0 +/- 0.4 g/dl (mean +/- SD) in controls,while it was decreased to 10.1 +/- 0.4,9.7 +/- 0.4,and 9.6 +/- 0.3 g/dl in MI,CSQ,and SERCA2 KO,respectively (P textless 0.05). Colony numbers per 100,000 CD34(+) cells in the three CHF groups were reduced to 33 +/- 3 (MI),34 +/- 3 (CSQ),and 39 +/- 3 (SERCA2 KO) compared with 68 +/- 4 in controls (P textless 0.05). Plasma TNF-alpha nearly doubled in MI,and addition of anti-TNF-alpha antibody normalized colony formation. Inhibition of colony formation was completely abolished with blockade of endothelial NO synthase in CSQ and SERCA2 KO,but not in MI. In conclusion,the mechanism of anemia in CHF depends on the etiology of cardiac disease; whereas TNF-alpha impairs hematopoiesis in CHF following MI,NO inhibits blood cell formation in nonischemic murine CHF. View Publication

Remarkably,apoptosis was induced by exposing peritoneal resident macrophages (PRM) of C3H mice,but not other strains of mice,to ionizing radiation. The molecular mechanism of this strain-specific apoptosis in PRM was studied. The apoptosis elicited in C3H mouse PRM 4 h after exposure was effectively blocked by proteasome inhibitors. Irradiation-induced disruption of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol were also suppressed by a proteasome inhibitor but not by a caspase inhibitor. To determine whether the apoptosis occurred due to a depletion of antiapoptotic proteins,Bcl-2 family proteins were examined. Irradiation markedly decreased the level of Mcl-1,but not Bcl-2,Bcl-X(L),Bax,A1,or cIAP1. Mcl-1's depletion was suppressed by a proteasome inhibitor but not by a caspase inhibitor. The amount of Mcl-1 was well correlated with the rate of apoptosis in C3H mouse PRM exposed to irradiation and not affected by irradiation in radioresistant B6 mouse PRM. Irradiation increased rather than decreased the Mcl-1 mRNA expression in C3H mouse PRM. On the other hand,Mcl-1 protein synthesis was markedly suppressed by irradiation. Global protein synthesis was also suppressed by irradiation in C3H mouse PRM but not in B6 mouse PRM. The down-regulation of Mcl-1 expression with Mcl-1-specific small interfering RNA or antisense oligonucleotide significantly induced apoptosis in both C3H and B6 mouse PRM without irradiation. It was concluded that the apoptosis elicited in C3H mouse PRM by ionizing radiation was attributable to the depletion of Mcl-1 through radiation-induced arrest of global protein synthesis. View Publication

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is characterized by a reciprocal chromosomal translocation (9;22) that generates the Bcr-Abl fusion gene. The Ras/Raf-1/MEK/ERK pathway is constitutively activated in Bcr-Abl-transformed cells,and Ras activity enhances the oncogenic ability of Bcr-Abl. However,the mechanism by which Bcr-Abl activates the Ras pathway is not completely understood. Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) inhibits activation of MEK by Raf-1 and its downstream signal transduction,resulting in blocking the MAP kinase pathway. In the present study,we found that RKIP was depleted in CML cells. We investigated the interaction between RKIP and Bcr-Abl in CML cell lines and Bcr-Abl(+) progenitor cells from CML patients. The Abl kinase inhibitors and depletion of Bcr-Abl induced the expression of RKIP and reduced the pERK1/2 status,resulting in inhibited proliferation of CML cells. Moreover,RKIP up-regulated cell cycle regulator FoxM1 expression,resulting in G(1) arrest via p27(Kip1) and p21(Cip1) accumulation. In colony-forming unit granulocyte,erythroid,macrophage,megakaryocyte,colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage,and burst-forming unit erythroid,treatment with the Abl kinase inhibitors and depletion of Bcr-Abl induced RKIP and reduced FoxM1 expressions,and inhibited colony formation of Bcr-Abl(+) progenitor cells,whereas depletion of RKIP weakened the inhibition of colony formation activity by the Abl kinase inhibitors in Bcr-Abl(+) progenitor cells. Thus,Bcr-Abl represses the expression of RKIP,continuously activates pERK1/2,and suppresses FoxM1 expression,resulting in proliferation of CML cells. View Publication

Recent studies support the notion that there is an intricate relationship between hematopoiesis and bone homeostasis in normal steady states. Using mice undergoing chronic inflammatory arthritis,we investigated the relationship between hematopoiesis and bone homeostasis in pathologic conditions. We demonstrate that mice undergoing chronic inflammatory arthritis displayed osteoporosis resulting from a severe defect in osteoblast function. Despite the defective osteoblast function,however,the hematopoietic stem cells from these mice exhibited normal properties in either long-term repopulation or cell cycling. Therefore,the bone-forming capacity of osteoblasts is distinct from their ability to maintain hematopoietic stem cells in chronic inflammatory conditions. View Publication

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH) activity is one hallmark of human bone marrow (BM),umbilical cord blood (UCB),and peripheral blood (PB) primitive progenitors presenting high reconstitution capacities in vivo. In this study,we have identified ALDH(+) cells within human skeletal muscles,and have analyzed their phenotypical and functional characteristics. Immunohistofluorescence analysis of human muscle tissue sections revealed rare endomysial cells. Flow cytometry analysis using the fluorescent substrate of ALDH,Aldefluor,identified brightly stained (ALDH(br)) cells with low side scatter (SSC(lo)),in enzymatically dissociated muscle biopsies,thereafter abbreviated as SMALD(+) (for skeletal muscle ALDH(+)) cells. Phenotypical analysis discriminated two sub-populations according to CD34 expression: SMALD(+)/CD34(-) and SMALD(+)/CD34(+) cells. These sub-populations did not initially express endothelial (CD31),hematopoietic (CD45),and myogenic (CD56) markers. Upon sorting,however,whereas SMALD(+)/CD34(+) cells developed in vitro as a heterogeneous population of CD56(-) cells able to differentiate in adipoblasts,the SMALD(+)/CD34(-) fraction developed in vitro as a highly enriched population of CD56(+) myoblasts able to form myotubes. Moreover,only the SMALD(+)/CD34(-) population maintained a strong myogenic potential in vivo upon intramuscular transplantation. Our results suggest that ALDH activity is a novel marker for a population of new human skeletal muscle progenitors presenting a potential for cell biology and cell therapy. View Publication

Individual variation in fetal hemoglobin (HbF,alpha(2)gamma(2)) response underlies the remarkable diversity in phenotypic severity of sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. HbF levels and HbF-associated quantitative traits (e.g.,F cell levels) are highly heritable. We have previously mapped a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) controlling F cell levels in an extended Asian-Indian kindred with beta thalassemia to a 1.5-Mb interval on chromosome 6q23,but the causative gene(s) are not known. The QTL encompasses several genes including HBS1L,a member of the GTP-binding protein family that is expressed in erythroid progenitor cells. In this high-resolution association study,we have identified multiple genetic variants within and 5' to HBS1L at 6q23 that are strongly associated with F cell levels in families of Northern European ancestry (P = 10(-75)). The region accounts for 17.6% of the F cell variance in northern Europeans. Although mRNA levels of HBS1L and MYB in erythroid precursors grown in vitro are positively correlated,only HBS1L expression correlates with high F cell alleles. The results support a key role for the HBS1L-related genetic variants in HbF control and illustrate the biological complexity of the mechanism of 6q QTL as a modifier of fetal hemoglobin levels in the beta hemoglobinopathies. View Publication