Development of a novel mouse model of severe glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficiency for in vitro and in vivo assessment of hemolytic toxicity to red blood cells.

Studies of hemolytic agents on G6PD-deficient subjects have been extensively performed on red blood cells obtained from donors, only using in vitro methods. However, there has been no adequate G6PD-deficient animal model for in vivo assessment of potentially hemolytic agents. The objective of this study is to establish a novel mouse model of severe G6PD-deficiency, with high susceptibility to hemolytic damage upon oxidative agents.

BRE over-expression promotes growth of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BRE, also known as TNFRSF1A modulator and BRCC45, is an evolutionarily highly conserved protein. It is a death receptor-associated protein in cytoplasm and a component of BRCA1/2-containing DNA repair complex in nucleus. BRE was found to have anti-apoptotic activity.

Promoting effects of serotonin on hematopoiesis: ex vivo expansion of cord blood CD34+ stem/progenitor cells, proliferation of bone marrow stromal cells, and antiapoptosis.

Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter that has multiple extraneuronal functions. We previously reported that serotonin exerted mitogenic stimulation on megakaryocytopoiesis mediated by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)2 receptors. In this study, we investigated effects of serotonin on ex vivo expansion of human cord blood CD34+ cells, bone marrow (BM) stromal cell colony-forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) formation, and antiapoptosis of megakaryoblastic M-07e cells.

The role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in gamete interaction and fertilization: a comparative study on knockout mice of three NOS isoforms.

Nitric oxide (NO), which is produced from l-arginine by three isoforms of NO synthase (NOS), has been implicated in reproductive functions. However, the specific role of NOS isoforms in gamete function and fertilization is not clear. Three types of NOS knockout mice were super ovulated and fertilized in vitro and in vivo.

Platelet-derived growth factor enhances expansion of umbilical cord blood CD34+ cells in contact with hematopoietic stroma.

Stem cell expansion remains an elusive but highly desirable goal. Here we show that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), along with cultured endothelial or stromal cells, significantly enhances expansion of human CD34+ cells in vitro. In media supplemented with thrombopoietin, stem cell factor, flt-3 ligand, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, CD34+ cells, as well as CFU-GM, BFU-CFU-E, CFU-GEMM, and CFU-MK, increased by 34.

Preclinical ex vivo expansion of G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells: effects of serum-free media, cytokine combinations and chemotherapy.

Objectives: Ex vivo expansion of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) is a promising approach for overcoming the developmental delay of bone marrow (BM) reconstitution after transplantation. This project investigated the effects of culture duration, serum-free media, cytokine combinations, and chemotherapy on the outcomes of expansion.

Methods: Enriched CD34+ cells were cultured for 8 or 10 d in serum-free media (QBSF-60 or X-Vivo 10) and four combinations of cytokines consisting of recombinant human pegylated-megakaryocyte growth and development factor, stem cell factor, flt-3 ligand, G-CSF, interleukin (IL)-6, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and IL-1beta.

Platelet-derived growth factor promotes ex vivo expansion of CD34+ cells from human cord blood and enhances long-term culture-initiating cells, non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient repopulating cells and formation of adherent cells.

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a major mitogen for connective tissue cells. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanism of PDGF on the ex vivo expansion of cord blood CD34+ cells. Our data demonstrated that among various cytokine combinations of thrombopoietin (TPO), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta), IL-3, IL-6 and Flt-3 ligand (Flt-3L), TPO + IL-6 + Flt-3L was most efficient in promoting the expansion of CD34+ cells, CD34+CD38- cells, mixed-lineage colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM) and long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC) by 21.