Project description:Robust human-goat chimerism was achieved by transplanting human CD34+Lin- cord blood cells into fetal goats. We observed a broad distribution of GFP-marked human cells in non-hematopoietic organs including kidney, muscle, lung, and heart of transplant goats. Various marker techniques indicated that human genes were expressed in chimeric livers and blood. Keywords: other
Project description:Cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (CB-HSCs) are an outstanding source for transplantation approaches. However, the amount of cells per donor is limited and culture expansion of CB-HSCs is accompanied by a loss of engraftment potential. In order to analyze the molecular mechanisms leading to this impaired potential we profiled global and local epigenotypes during the expansion of human CB hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPSCs). Human CB-derived CD34+ cells were cultured in serum-free medium together with SCF, TPO, FGF, with or without Igfbp2 and Angptl5 (STF/STFIA cocktails). As compared to the STF cocktail, the STFIA cocktail maintains in vivo repopulation capacity of cultured CD34+ cells. Upon expansion, CD34+ cells genome-wide remodel their epigenotype and depending on the cytokine cocktail, cells show different H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 levels. Expanding cells without Igfbp2 and Angptl5 leads to higher global H3K27me3 levels. ChIPseq analyses reveal a cytokine cocktail-dependent redistribution of H3K27me3 profiles. Inhibition of the PRC2 component EZH2 counteracts the culture-associated loss of NOD scid gamma (NSG) engraftment potential. Collectively, our data reveal chromatin dynamics that underlie the culture-associated loss of engraftment potential. We identify PRC2 component EZH2 as being involved in the loss of engraftment potential during the in vitro expansion of HPSCs. 6 samples were hybridized GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST Arrays (Affymetrix)
Project description:Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) rely on a unique regulatory machinery that facilitates life-long blood production and enables reconstitution of the entire hematopoietic system upon transplantation. However, the biological processes governing human HSC self-renewal and engraftment ability are poorly understood and challenging to recapitulate ex vivo to facilitate robust human HSC expansion. We discovered a novel HSC regulatory protein, MYCT1 (MYCT target 1), that is selectively expressed in endothelial cells (EC) and undifferentiated human HSPCs but becomes drastically downregulated during HSC culture. Lentiviral knockdown of MYCT1 in human foetal liver and cord blood HSPCs revealed a critical role for MYCT1 in governing human HSPC expansion and engraftment ability. Single cell RNAseq of human CB HSPCs after MYCT1 knockdown and overexpression revealed that MYCT1 governs HSC functional competence and modulates cellular properties essential for HSC stemness, such as low mitochondrial metabolic activity. Indeed, restoring the compromised MYCT1 expression in cultured human CB HSPCs improved ex vivo expansion of the most undifferentiated human HSPCs and enhanced their engraftment ability. We found that MYCT1 is localized in the endosomal membrane and interacts with vesicle trafficking regulators and signalling machinery essential for HSC and EC function. Loss of MYCT1 led to excessive endocytosis and hyperactive signalling responses to cytokines, whereas restoring MYCT1 expression in cultured CB HSPCs balanced the abnormal endocytosis associated with prolonged culture and fine-tuned signalling responses. Our work identifies MYCT1-moderated endocytosis and environmental sensing as an essential regulatory mechanism required to preserve human HSC stemness, and pinpoints silencing of MYCT1 as a critical contributor to the dysfunction of cultured human HSCs that needs to be addressed to improve human HSC culture strategies.
Project description:Cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (CB-HSCs) are an outstanding source for transplantation approaches. However, the amount of cells per donor is limited and culture expansion of CB-HSCs is accompanied by a loss of engraftment potential. In order to analyze the molecular mechanisms leading to this impaired potential we profiled global and local epigenotypes during the expansion of human CB hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPSCs). Human CB-derived CD34+ cells were cultured in serum-free medium together with SCF, TPO, FGF, with or without Igfbp2 and Angptl5 (STF/STFIA cocktails). As compared to the STF cocktail, the STFIA cocktail maintains in vivo repopulation capacity of cultured CD34+ cells. Upon expansion, CD34+ cells genome-wide remodel their epigenotype and depending on the cytokine cocktail, cells show different H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 levels. Expanding cells without Igfbp2 and Angptl5 leads to higher global H3K27me3 levels. ChIPseq analyses reveal a cytokine cocktail-dependent redistribution of H3K27me3 profiles. Inhibition of the PRC2 component EZH2 counteracts the culture-associated loss of NOD scid gamma (NSG) engraftment potential. Collectively, our data reveal chromatin dynamics that underlie the culture-associated loss of engraftment potential. We identify PRC2 component EZH2 as being involved in the loss of engraftment potential during the in vitro expansion of HPSCs.
Project description:Successful engraftment and early immune reconstitution of donor hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are crucial for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). However, little is known about how to promote implantation and early immune reconstitution of HSCs through regulating its own functions. Here, we identified very-late antigen (VLA-4) as a pivotal target in regulating HSC implantation. Critically, we screened out a VLA-4 agonist, which could promote the implantation and long-term hematopoietic reconstitution of donor HSCs in a mixed donor chimerism (MDC) mouse model and serial xenotransplantation model of human CD34+ cells from umbilical cord blood (UCB). Competitive transplantation mouse model and limited dilution assay for UCB CD34+ cells revealed that VLA-4 agonist could enhance the self-renewal capacity of HSCs and increase the number of severe combined immunodeficient (SCID)-repopulating cells (SRCs) to five-fold in vivo. Furthermore, the VLA-4 agonist could facilitate early post-transplant cell immune reconstitution by enhancing T cell output of HSCs. VLA-4 agonist regulates HSC functions and lymphoid progenitor differentiation through affecting the ERK1/2 phosphorylation pathway, whereas may not increase the risk of leukemia transformation. These findings indicate that the VLA-4 agonist holds a great clinical translational potential in enhancing engraftment of HSCs and early cellular immune reconstitution following allo-HSCT.
Project description:The bone marrow (BM) niche regulates multiple HSC processes. Clinical treatment for hematological malignancies, by HSC transplantation often requires preconditioning total body irradiation, which severely and irreversibly impairs the BM niche and HSC regeneration. Novel strategies to enhance HSC regeneration in irradiated BM are needed. We compared the effects of niche factors EGF, FGF2 and PDGFB on HSC hematopoietic regeneration using human MSCs that were transduced with these factors via lentiviral vectors. Among above niche factors tested, PDGFB-MSCs most significantly improved human hematopoietic cell engraftment in immunodeficient mice. PDGFB-MSC-treated BM more efficiently enhanced transplanted human HSC self-renewal in secondary transplantations from primary recipients. Although PDGFB-MSCs did not directly increase HSC expansion in vitro, GSEA revealed anti-apoptotic signaling being increased in PDGFB-MSCs versus GFP-MSCs. PDGFB-MSCs had enhanced survival and expansion after transplantation, leading to an enlarged humanized niche cell pool. Our study demonstrates the efficacy of MSC-mediated niche factors in clinical HSC transplantation for patients.