技术资料

The effect of sustained exposure to nicotine,a major constituent of cigarette smoke,on hematopoiesis in the bone marrow (BM) and spleen was evaluated in a murine model. BALB/c mice were exposed to nicotine subcutaneously using 21-day slow-release pellets. Exposure to nicotine had no effect on the proliferation of long-term BM cultures or on their ability to form colonies. However,there was a significant decrease in the generation of lineage-specific progenitor cells,specifically eosinophil (colony-forming unit [CFU]-Eos) progenitors,in the BM of nicotine-exposed mice compared with control mice. Surprisingly,sustained exposure of mice to nicotine was found to induce significant hematopoiesis in the spleen. There was a significant increase in total colony formation as well as eosinophil-,granulocyte-macrophage-,and B-lymphocyte-specific progenitors (CFU-Eos,CFU-GM,and CFU-B,respectively) in nicotine-exposed mice but not in control mice. Sustained exposure to nicotine was associated with significant inhibition of rolling and migration of enriched hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) across BM endothelial cells (BMECs) in vitro as well as decreased expression of beta2 integrin on the surface of these cells. Although sustained exposure to nicotine has only a modest effect on BM hematopoiesis,our studies indicate that it significantly induces extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen. Decreased interaction of nicotine-exposed HSPCs with BMECs (i.e.,rolling and migration) may result in altered BM homing of these cells,leading to their seeding and proliferation at extramedullary sites such as the spleen. View Publication

MafB is a member of the large Maf family of transcription factors that share similar basic region/leucine zipper DNA binding motifs and N-terminal activation domains. Although it is well known that MafB is specifically expressed in glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes) and macrophages,characterization of the null mutant phenotype in these tissues has not been previously reported. To investigate suspected MafB functions in the kidney and in macrophages,we generated mafB/green fluorescent protein (GFP) knock-in null mutant mice. MafB homozygous mutants displayed renal dysgenesis with abnormal podocyte differentiation as well as tubular apoptosis. Interestingly,these kidney phenotypes were associated with diminished expression of several kidney disease-related genes. In hematopoietic cells,GFP fluorescence was observed in both Mac-1- and F4/80-expressing macrophages in the fetal liver. Interestingly,F4/80 expression in macrophages was suppressed in the homozygous mutant,although development of the Mac-1-positive macrophage population was unaffected. In primary cultures of fetal liver hematopoietic cells,MafB deficiency was found to dramatically suppress F4/80 expression in nonadherent macrophages,whereas the Mac-1-positive macrophage population developed normally. These results demonstrate that MafB is essential for podocyte differentiation,renal tubule survival,and F4/80 maturation in a distinct subpopulation of nonadherent mature macrophages. View Publication

Genes that are strongly repressed after B-cell activation are candidates for being inactivated,mutated,or repressed in B-cell malignancies. Krüppel-like factor 4 (Klf4),a gene down-regulated in activated murine B cells,is expressed at low levels in several types of human B-cell lineage lymphomas and leukemias. The human KLF4 gene has been identified as a tumor suppressor gene in colon and gastric cancer; in concordance with this,overexpression of KLF4 can suppress proliferation in several epithelial cell types. Here we investigate the effects of KLF4 on pro/pre-B-cell transformation by v-Abl and BCR-ABL,oncogenes that cause leukemia in mice and humans. We show that overexpression of KLF4 induces arrest and apoptosis in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. KLF4-mediated death,but not cell-cycle arrest,can be rescued by Bcl-XL overexpression. Transformed pro/pre-B cells expressing KLF4 display increased expression of p21CIP and decreased expression of c-Myc and cyclin D2. Tetracycline-inducible expression of KLF4 in B-cell progenitors of transgenic mice blocks transformation by BCR-ABL and depletes leukemic pre-B cells in vivo. Collectively,our work identifies KLF4 as a putative tumor suppressor in B-cell malignancies. View Publication

Mesenchymal stem cells have been implicated as playing an important role in stem cell engraftment. Recently,a new pluripotent population of umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells,unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs),with intrinsic and directable potential to develop into mesodermal,endodermal,and ectodermal fates,has been identified. In this study,we evaluated the capacity of ex vivo expanded USSCs to influence the homing of UCB-derived CD34(+) cells into the marrow and spleen of nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice. USSCs induced a significant enhancement of CD34(+) cell homing to both bone marrow and spleen (2.2 +/- 0.3- and 2.4 +/- 0.6-fold,respectively; p textless .05),with a magnitude similar to that induced by USSCs that had been thawed prior to transplantation. The effect of USSCs was dose-dependent and detectable at USSC:CD34(+) ratios of 1:1 and above. Enhanced marrow homing by USSCs was unaltered by extensive culture passaging of the cells,as similar enhancement was observed for both early-passage (passage 5 [p5]) and late-passage (p10) USSCs. The homing effect of USSCs was also reflected in an increased proportion of NOD/SCID mice exhibiting significant human cell engraftment 6 weeks after transplantation,with a similar distribution of myeloid and lymphoid components. USSCs enhanced the homing of cellular products of ex vivo expanded UCB lineage-negative (lin(-)) cells,generated in 14-day cultures by Selective Amplification. The relative proportion of homing CD34(+) cells within the culture-expanded cell population was unaltered by USSC cotransplantation. Production of stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) by USSCs was detected by both gene expression and protein released into culture media of these cells. Knockdown of SDF-1 production by USSCs using lentiviral-SiRNA led to a significant (p textless .05) reduction in USSC-mediated enhancement of CD34(+) homing. Our findings thus suggest a clinical potential for using USSCs in facilitating homing and engraftment for cord blood transplant recipients. View Publication

In vivo endothelial commitment of adipose stem cells (ASCs) has scarcely been reported,and controversy remains on the contribution of ASCs to vascularization. We address the epigenetic commitment of ASCs to the endothelial lineage. We report a bisulfite sequencing analysis of CpG methylation in the promoters of two endothelial-cell-specific genes,CD31 and CD144,in freshly isolated and in cultures of ASCs before and after induction of endothelial differentiation. In contrast to adipose tissue-derived endothelial (CD31(+)) cells,freshly isolated ASCs display a heavily methylated CD31 promoter and a mosaically methylated CD144 promoter despite basal transcription of both genes. Methylation state of both promoters remains globally stable upon culture. Endothelial stimulation of ASCs in methylcellulose elicits phenotypic changes,marginal upregulation of CD31,and CD144 expression and restrictive induction of a CD31(+)CD144(+) immunophenotype. These events are accompanied by discrete changes in CpG methylation in CD31 and CD144 promoters; however,no global demethylation that marks CD31(+) cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells occurs. Immunoselection of CD31(+) cells after endothelial stimulation reveals consistent demethylation of one CpG immediately 3' of the transcription start site of the CD31 promoter. Adipogenic or osteogenic differentiation maintains CD31 and CD144 methylation patterns of undifferentiated cells. Methylation profiles of CD31 and CD144 promoters suggest a limited commitment of ASCs to the endothelial lineage. This contrasts with the reported hypomethylation of adipogenic promoters,which reflects a propensity of ASCs toward adipogenic differentiation. Analysis of CpG methylation at lineage-specific promoters provides a robust assessment of epigenetic commitment of stem cells to a specific lineage. View Publication

OBJECTIVE: In vitro models of hematopoiesis used in investigative hematopathology and in safety studies on candidate drugs,involve clonogenic assays on colony-forming unit granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM). These assays require live and unstained colonies to be counted. Most laboratories still rely on visual scoring,which is time-consuming and error-prone. As a consequence,automated scoring is highly desired. An algorithm that recognizes and scores CFU-GM colonies by data fusion has been developed. Some preliminary results are presented in this article. METHODS: CFU-GM assays were carried out on hematopoietic progenitors (human umbilical cord blood cells) grown in methylcellulose. Colony images were acquired by a digital camera and stored. RESULTS: The classifier was designed to process images of layers sampled from a three-dimensional (3D) domain and forming a stack. Structure and texture information was extracted from each image. Classifier training was based on a 3D colony model applied to the image stack. The number of scored colonies (assigned class) was required to match the count supplied by the human expert (class of belonging). The trained classifier was validated on one more stack and then applied to a stack with overlapping colonies. Scoring in distortion- and caustic-affected border areas was also successfully demonstrated. Because of hardware limitations,compact colonies in some cases were missed. CONCLUSIONS: The industry's scoring methods all rely on structure alone and process 2D data. Instead,the classifier here fuses data from a whole stack and is capable,in principle,of high-throughput screening. View Publication

The T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TC-PTP) is a negative regulator of the Jak/Stat cytokine signaling pathway. Our study shows that the absence of TC-PTP leads to an early bone marrow B-cell deficiency characterized by hindered transition from the pre-B cell to immature B-cell stage. This phenotype is intrinsic to the B cells but most importantly due to bone marrow stroma abnormalities. We found that bone marrow stromal cells from TC-PTP(-/-) mice have the unique property of secreting 232-890 pg/mL IFN-gamma. These high levels of IFN-gamma result in 2-fold reduction in mitotic index on IL-7 stimulation of TC-PTP(-/-) pre-B cells and lower responsiveness of IL-7 receptor downstream Jak/Stat signaling molecules. Moreover,we noted constitutive phosphorylation of Stat1 in those pre-B cells and demonstrated that this was due to soluble IFN-gamma secreted by TC-PTP(-/-) bone marrow stromal cells. Interestingly,culturing murine early pre-B leukemic cells within a TC-PTP-deficient bone marrow stroma environment leads to a 40% increase in apoptosis in these malignant cells. Our results unraveled a new role for TC-PTP in normal B lymphopoiesis and suggest that modulation of bone marrow microenvironment is a potential therapeutic approach for selected B-cell leukemia. View Publication

Mutations in the RUNX1 gene are found at high frequencies in minimally differentiated acute myelogenous leukemia. In addition to null mutations,many of the mutations generate Runx1 DNA-binding (RDB) mutants. To determine if these mutants antagonize wild-type protein activity,cDNAs were transduced into murine bone marrow or human cord blood cells using retroviral vectors. Significantly,the RDB mutants did not act in a transdominant fashion in vivo to disrupt Runx1 activity in either T-cell or platelet development,which are highly sensitive to Runx1 dosage. However,RDB mutant expression impaired expansion and differentiation of the erythroid compartment in which Runx1 expression is normally down-regulated,showing that a RDB-independent function is incompatible with erythroid differentiation. Significantly,both bone marrow progenitors expressing RDB mutants or deficient for Runx1 showed increased replating efficiencies in vitro,accompanied by the accumulation of myeloblasts and dysplastic progenitors,but the effect was more pronounced in RDB cultures. Disruption of the interface that binds CBFbeta,an important cofactor of Runx1,did not impair RDB mutant replating activity,arguing against inactivation of Runx1 function by CBFbeta sequestration. We propose that RDB mutants antagonize Runx1 function in early progenitors by disrupting a critical balance between DNA-binding-independent and DNA-binding-dependent signaling. View Publication

The erythroid response to acute anemia relies on the rapid expansion in the spleen of a specialized population of erythroid progenitors termed stress BFU-E. This expansion requires BMP4/Madh5-dependent signaling in vivo; however,in vitro,BMP4 alone cannot recapitulate the expansion of stress BFU-E observed in vivo,which suggests that other signals are required. In this report we show that mutation of the Kit receptor results in a severe defect in the expansion of stress BFU-E,indicating a role for the Kit/SCF signaling pathway in stress erythropoiesis. In vitro analysis showed that BMP4 and SCF are necessary for the expansion of stress BFU-E,but only when spleen cells were cultured in BMP4 + SCF at low-oxygen concentrations did we recapitulate the expansion of stress BFU-E observed in vivo. Culturing spleen cells in BMP4,SCF under hypoxic conditions resulted in the preferential expansion of erythroid progenitors characterized by the expression of Kit,CD71,and TER119. This expression pattern is also seen in stress erythroid progenitors isolated from patients with sickle cell anemia and patients with beta-thalassemia. Taken together these data demonstrate that SCF and hypoxia synergize with BMP4 to promote the expansion and differentiation of stress BFU-E during the recovery from acute anemia. View Publication

The HOXA9 homeoprotein exerts dramatic effects in hematopoiesis. Enforced expression of HOXA9 enhances proliferation of primitive blood cells,expands hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs),and leads to myeloid leukemia. Conversely,loss of HOXA9 inhibits proliferation and impairs HSC function. The pathways by which HOXA9 acts are largely unknown,and although HOXA9 is a transcription factor,few direct target genes have been identified. Our previous study suggested that HOXA9 positively regulates Pim1,an oncogenic kinase. The hematologic phenotypes of Hoxa9- and Pim1-deficient animals are strikingly similar. Here we show that HOXA9 protein binds to the Pim1 promoter and induces Pim1 mRNA and protein in hematopoietic cells. Pim1 protein is diminished in Hoxa9(-/-) cells,and Hoxa9 and Pim1 mRNA levels track together in early hematopoietic compartments. Induction of Pim1 protein by HOXA9 increases the phosphorylation and inactivation of the proapoptotic BAD protein,a target of Pim1. Hoxa9(-/-) cells show increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation,defects that are ameliorated by reintroduction of Pim1. Thus Pim1 appears to be a direct transcriptional target of HOXA9 and a mediator of its antiapoptotic and proproliferative effects in early cells. Since HOXA9 is frequently up-regulated in acute myeloid leukemia,Pim1 may be a therapeutic target in human disease. View Publication

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