技术资料

MLL-AF4 fusion is a hallmark genetic abnormality in infant B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) known to arise in utero. The cellular origin of leukemic fusion genes during human development is difficult to ascertain. The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several hematological malignances. BM mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) from 38 children diagnosed with cytogenetically different acute leukemias were screened for leukemic fusion genes. Fusion genes were absent in BM-MSCs of childhood leukemias carrying TEL-AML1,BCR-ABL,AML1-ETO,MLL-AF9,MLL-AF10,MLL-ENL or hyperdiploidy. However,MLL-AF4 was detected and expressed in BM-MSCs from all cases of MLL-AF4(+) B-ALL. Unlike leukemic blasts,MLL-AF4(+) BM-MSCs did not display monoclonal Ig gene rearrangements. Endogenous or ectopic expression of MLL-AF4 exerted no effect on MSC culture homeostasis. These findings suggest that MSCs may be in part tumor-related,highlighting an unrecognized role of the BM milieu on the pathogenesis of MLL-AF4(+) B-ALL. MLL-AF4 itself is not sufficient for MSC transformation and the expression of MLL-AF4 in MSCs is compatible with a mesenchymal phenotype,suggesting a differential impact in the hematopoietic system and mesenchyme. The absence of monoclonal rearrangements in MLL-AF4(+) BM-MSCs precludes the possibility of cellular plasticity or de-differentiation of B-ALL blasts and suggests that MLL-AF4 might arise in a population of prehematopoietic precursors. View Publication

OBJECTIVE: Standard drugs post-myocardial infarction (MI) such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) increase levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC). However,potential underlying mechanisms have not yet been investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied the effects of ACE inhibition or statin treatment on EPC levels and on bone marrow molecular pathways involved in EPC mobilization after MI in rats. Three days post-infarction,acetylated LDL (acLDL)+/Ulex europeus-1 (UEA-1)+/VEGF receptor-2+/eNOS+ EPC levels and formation of endothelial colony forming units (CFU) were reduced to 60+/-12% (p textless 0.05) and 68+/-7% (p textless 0.05). In bone marrow,extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity were repressed. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity was unchanged,whereas reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased two-fold in bone marrow. ACE or HMG-CoA reductase inhibition resulted in significant increases in EPC levels. ACE inhibition increased bone marrow ERK phosphorylation and MMP-9 activity. Statin therapy enhanced bone marrow VEGF protein levels,Akt phosphorylation,eNOS activity and normalized increased ROS levels. Augmented EPC levels in the early post-infarction phase by ACE inhibition or statin treatment were associated with improved cardiac function and increased capillary density in the peri-infarct area 7 days after MI. Moreover,increased EPC levels in response to ACE inhibition or statin treatment were sustained 10 weeks post-infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Increased ROS and impaired MMP-9 activity in bone marrow likely contribute to reduced EPC mobilization in the early post-infarction phase. ACE inhibition or statin treatment increased EPC levels with distinct drug-specific effects on bone marrow molecular alterations. View Publication

In our investigations of the bone marrow (BM) of PECAM-1 null (knockout,KO) mice,we observed that the trabecular bone volume and number of trabeculae were significantly reduced in femoral and tibial long bones. Further studies in vitro revealed increased numbers and size of osteoclasts,enhanced bone resorption on dentin substrates,and hypersensitivity to macrophage CSF and receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand in BM-derived osteoclast precursor cultures from KO mice. Associations among PECAM-1,Syk,and SHP-1 were found in wild-type BM monocyte derived osteoclast-like cells. The absence of PECAM-1 and SHP-1 interactions in the KO cells leads to the dysregulation of Syk kinases and/or phosphatases,possibly SHP-1. Indeed,KO derived osteoclast-like cells exhibited increased Syk tyrosine phosphorylation levels compared with WT cells. Lastly,WT mice engrafted with marrow from KO kindred showed loss of trabecular bone analogous to KO mice,consistent with increased osteoclastogenesis. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Vascular trauma induced by surgical revascularization stimulates mobilization of hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic progenitor cells. However,it is not clear whether mobilized progenitors are functionally active and participate in peripheral homing. We have found no clinical studies available regarding the reaction of bone marrow to surgical revascularization. METHODS: This was an observational prospective study of 76 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Bone marrow aspirates and blood samples were collected at baseline,at the end of surgery,and 24 hours postoperatively (blood samples only). The CD34+,CD34+CD133+,and CD34+CXCR4+ progenitor cell counts,CXCR4+ mononuclear cell counts,and CXCR4 expression on CD34+ cells were measured by flow cytometry. Progenitor cell functions were studied in vitro by clonogenic and migration assays. RESULTS: In response to coronary revascularization there was mobilization of CD34+ progenitors,having increased migratory and clonogenic function. The CD34+CXCR4+ subsets and CXCR4 expression on CD34+ cells in peripheral blood increased significantly 24 hours postoperatively. The CXCR4 expression on mobilized progenitors at the end of surgery was independently related to baseline CXCR4 expression on bone marrow resident CD34+ cells and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass in a multivariate model. At the end of surgery there was a significant fall in the expression of CXCR4 on CD34+ bone marrow cells,suggesting egress into peripheral circulation of the most active CXCR4-expressing progenitors. CONCLUSIONS: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is associated with bone marrow release of functionally active progenitor cells. Further studies are needed to verify whether mobilized progenitors participate in regeneration of injured tissues. View Publication

Hematopoietic progenitor cells arising from bone marrow (BM) are known to contribute to the formation and expansion of tumor vasculature. However,whether different subsets of these cells have different roles in this process is unclear. To investigate the roles of BM-derived progenitor cell subpopulations in the formation of tumor vasculature in a Ewing's sarcoma model,we used a functional assay based on endothelial cell and pericyte differentiation in vivo. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting of human cord blood/BM or mouse BM from green fluorescent protein transgenic mice was used to isolate human CD34+/CD38(-),CD34+/CD45+,and CD34(-)/CD45+ cells and mouse Sca1+/Gr1+,Sca1(-)/Gr1+,VEGFR1+,and VEGFR2+ cells. Each of these progenitor subpopulations was separately injected intravenously into nude mice bearing Ewing's sarcoma tumors. Tumors were resected 1 week later and analyzed using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy for the presence of migrated progenitor cells expressing endothelial,pericyte,or inflammatory cell surface markers. We showed two distinct patterns of stem cell infiltration. Human CD34+/CD45+ and CD34+/CD38(-) and murine VEGFR2+ and Sca1+/Gr1+ cells migrated to Ewing's tumors,colocalized with the tumor vascular network,and differentiated into cells expressing either endothelial markers (mouse CD31 or human vascular endothelial cadherin) or the pericyte markers desmin and alpha-smooth muscle actin. By contrast,human CD34(-)/CD45+ and mouse Sca1(-)/Gr1+ cells migrated predominantly to sites outside of the tumor vasculature and differentiated into monocytes/macrophages expressing F4/80 or CD14. Our data indicate that only specific BM stem/progenitor subpopulations participate in Ewing's sarcoma tumor vasculogenesis. View Publication

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited life-threatening disease accompanied by repeated lung infections and multiorgan inflammation that affects tens of thousands of people worldwide. The causative gene,cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR),is mutated in CF patients. CFTR functions in epithelial cells have traditionally been thought to cause the disease symptoms. Recent work has shown an additional defect: monocytes from CF patients show a deficiency in integrin activation and adhesion. Because monocytes play critical roles in controlling infections,defective monocyte function may contribute to CF progression. In this study,we demonstrate that monocytes from CFTR$\Delta$F508 mice (CF mice) show defective adhesion under flow. Transplanting CF mice with wild-type (WT) bone marrow after sublethal irradiation replaced most (60-80%) CF monocytes with WT monocytes,significantly improved survival,and reduced inflammation. WT/CF mixed bone marrow chimeras directly demonstrated defective CF monocyte recruitment to the bronchoalveolar lavage and the intestinal lamina propria in vivo. WT mice reconstituted with CF bone marrow also show lethality,suggesting that the CF defect in monocytes is not only necessary but also sufficient to cause disease. We also show that monocyte-specific knockout of CFTR retards weight gains and exacerbates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Our findings show that providing WT monocytes by bone marrow transfer rescues mortality in CF mice,suggesting that similar approaches may mitigate disease in CF patients. View Publication

Neonatal hyperoxia impairs vascular and alveolar growth in mice and decreases endothelial progenitor cells. To determine the role of bone marrow-derived cells in restoration of neonatal lung structure after injury,we studied a novel bone marrow myeloid progenitor cell population from Tie2-green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice (bone marrow-derived angiogenic cells; BMDAC). We hypothesized that treatment with BMDAC would restore normal lung structure in infant mice during recovery from neonatal hyperoxia. Neonatal mice (1-day-old) were exposed to 80% oxygen for 10 days. BMDACs (1 x 10(5)),embryonic endothelial progenitor cells,mouse embryonic fibroblasts (control),or saline were then injected into the pulmonary circulation. At 21 days of age,saline-treated mice had enlarged alveoli,reduced septation,and a reduction in vascular density. In contrast,mice treated with BMDAC had complete restoration of lung structure that was indistinguishable from room air controls. BMDAC comprised 12% of distal lung cells localized to pulmonary vessels or alveolar type II (AT2) cells and persist (8.8%) for 8 wk postinjection. Coculture of AT2 cells or lung endothelial cells (luEC) with BMDAC augmented AT2 and luEC cell growth in vitro. We conclude that treatment with BMDAC after neonatal hyperoxia restores lung structure in this model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. View Publication

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular cell therapy represents a promising field,with several approaches currently being tested. The advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) for the ongoing METHOD clinical study (Bone marrow derived cell therapy in the stable phase of chronic ischemic heart disease") consists of fresh mononuclear cells (MNC) isolated from autologous bone marrow (BM) through density gradient centrifugation on standard Ficoll-Paque. Cells are tested for safety (sterility� View Publication

T lymphocytes develop in the thymus from hemopoietic precursors that commit to the T cell lineage under the influence of Notch signals. In this study,we show by single cell analyses that the most immature hemopoietic precursors in the adult mouse thymus are uncommitted and specify to the T cell lineage only after their arrival in the thymus. These precursors express high levels of surface Notch receptors and rapidly lose B cell potential upon the provision of Notch signals. Using a novel culture system with complexed,soluble Notch ligands that allows the titration of T cell lineage commitment,we find that these precursors are highly sensitive to both Delta and Jagged ligands. In contrast,their phenotypical and functional counterparts in the bone marrow are resistant to Notch signals that efficiently induce T cell lineage commitment in thymic precursors. Mechanistically,this is not due to differences in receptor expression,because early T lineage precursors,bone marrow lineage marker-negative,Sca-1-positive,c-Kit-positive and common lymphoid progenitor cells,express comparable amounts of surface Notch receptors. Our data demonstrate that the sensitivity to Notch-mediated T lineage commitment is stage-dependent and argue against the bone marrow as the site of T cell lineage commitment. View Publication

Human bone marrow multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells are progenitor cells that can be expanded in vitro and differentiate into various cells of mesodermal origin. They contribute to the bone marrow reticular niche,where mature B cells and long-lived plasma cells are maintained. Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells were recently shown to modulate T- and B-cell proliferation and differentiation,dendritic cell maturation,and natural killer activity. These immunoregulatory properties encouraged a possible use of these cells to modulate autoimmune responses in humans. We studied the influence of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on highly purified B-cell subsets isolated from healthy donors and total B cells from pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells promoted proliferation and differentiation into immunoglobulin-secreting cells of transitional and naive B cells stimulated with an agonist of Toll-like receptor 9,in the absence of B cell receptor triggering. They strongly enhanced proliferation and differentiation into plasma cells of memory B-cell populations. A similar effect was observed in response to polyclonal stimulation of B cells isolated from pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. This study casts important questions on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells as a therapeutic tool in autoimmune diseases in which B-cell activation is crucially implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. View Publication

Transformed,oncogenic precursors,possessing both defining neural-stem-cell properties and the ability to initiate intracerebral tumours,have been identified in human brain cancers. Here we report that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs),amongst which BMP4 elicits the strongest effect,trigger a significant reduction in the stem-like,tumour-initiating precursors of human glioblastomas (GBMs). Transient in vitro exposure to BMP4 abolishes the capacity of transplanted GBM cells to establish intracerebral GBMs. Most importantly,in vivo delivery of BMP4 effectively blocks the tumour growth and associated mortality that occur in 100% of mice after intracerebral grafting of human GBM cells. We demonstrate that BMPs activate their cognate receptors (BMPRs) and trigger the Smad signalling cascade in cells isolated from human glioblastomas (GBMs). This is followed by a reduction in proliferation,and increased expression of markers of neural differentiation,with no effect on cell viability. The concomitant reduction in clonogenic ability,in the size of the CD133+ population and in the growth kinetics of GBM cells indicates that BMP4 reduces the tumour-initiating cell pool of GBMs. These findings show that the BMP-BMPR signalling system--which controls the activity of normal brain stem cells--may also act as a key inhibitory regulator of tumour-initiating,stem-like cells from GBMs and the results also identify BMP4 as a novel,non-cytotoxic therapeutic effector,which may be used to prevent growth and recurrence of GBMs in humans. View Publication

OBJECTIVES: Hematopoietic stroma promotes resistance to immune control by APO2L/TRAIL in multiple myeloma (MM) cells in part by increasing synthesis of the anti-apoptotic protein c-FLIP. Here,we tested whether bortezomib can reverse the APO2L/TRAIL environmental mediated-immune resistance (EM-IR). MATERIAL AND METHODS: MM cell lines (RPMI 8226 and U266) and CD138+ patient's MM cells were directly adhered to HS5 stroma exposed to HS5 or bone marrow stroma of patients with MM released soluble factors in a transwell system. Cells were treated with either APO2L/TRAIL (10 ng/mL),bortezomib (10 nm) or both. RESULTS: Pretreatment with bortezomib effectively overcomes APO2L/TRAIL apoptosis resistance in myeloma cell lines and in CD138+ cells while directly adhered or in transwell assay. Bortezomib was not cytotoxic to HS5 stroma cells and only altered monocyte chemotactic protein-2-3 and IL-10 levels in the stroma-myeloma milieu. Factors released by HS5 stroma increased expression of c-FLIP,induced STAT-3 and ERK phosphorylation and reduced DR4 receptor expression in MM cells. HS5 stroma-released factor(s) induced NF-kappaB activation after 20 h exposure in association with an enhanced c-FLIP transcription. Bortezomib effectively reduced c-FLIP protein expression without affecting other proteins. Bortezomib also increased DR4 and DR5 expression in the presence of stroma. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide the rationale to combine bortezomib and APO2L/TRAIL to disrupt the influence of the stroma microenvironment on MM cells. View Publication