Regulation of expression of stromal-derived factor-1 receptors: CXCR4 and CXCR7 in human rhabdomyosarcomas.

Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) express CXCR4 and CXCR7 receptors that bind prometastatic alpha-chemokine stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1). In this report, we analyzed the activity of both promoters in a model of less metastatic human embryonal-RMS cell line (RD) and more metastatic alveolar-like RMS (RD cells transduced with paired box gene 3/forkhead homologue; PAX3-FKHR fusion gene). First, CXCR4 is barely detectable in RD and becomes upregulated in RD/PAX3-FKHR cells.

Defective engraftment of C3aR-/- hematopoietic stem progenitor cells shows a novel role of the C3a-C3aR axis in bone marrow homing.

We reported that complement (C) becomes activated and cleaved in bone marrow during preconditioning for hematopoietic transplantation and the third C component (C3) cleavage fragments, C3a and (desArg)C3a, increase responsiveness of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) to stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1). We also showed that this homing-promoting effect is not C3a receptor (C3aR) dependent. Herein, we report our new observation that transplantation of C3aR(-/-) HSPCs into lethally irradiated recipients results in: (1) approximately 5-7 day delay in recovery of platelets and leukocytes; (2) decrease in formation of day 12 colony-forming units-spleen; and (3) decrease in the number of donor-derived CFU-granulocyte-macrophage progenitors detectable in the bone marrow cavities at day 16 after transplantation.

A pivotal role of activation of complement cascade (CC) in mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC).

Complement cascade (CC) and innate immunity emerge as important and underappreciated modulators of trafficking of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC). Accordingly, we reported that (i) C becomes activated in bone marrow (BM) during G-CSF-induced mobilization by the classical immunoglobulin (Ig)-dependent pathway, and that (ii) C3 cleavage fragments increase the responsiveness of HSPC to an stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1) gradient. Furthermore, our recent data in immunodeficient mice support the concept that the CC is a major factor modulating egress of HSPC from bone marrow (BM) into peripheral blood (PB).

Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 expression discriminates hematopoietic stem cells subpopulations with differing engraftment-potential: identifying the most potent combination.

Background: Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3)-ligand (FL) promotes the proliferation, differentiation, development, and mobilization of hematopoietic cells. We previously found that FL-mobilized hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) engraft efficiently, whereas FL-expanded bone marrow HSC do not. The function of FL-mobilized c-Kit(+) Sca-1(+)Lin(-)(KSL) subpopulations has not been systematically evaluated.

CFU-megakaryocytic progenitors expanded ex vivo from cord blood maintain their in vitro homing potential and express matrix metalloproteinases.

Background: In patients transplanted with cord blood (CB), prolonged thrombocytopenia is a major complication. However, this could be alleviated by supplementing the CB graft with ex vivo-expanded megakaryocytic progenitors (CFU-Meg), provided that the homing properties of these cells are not affected negatively by expansion.

Methods And Results: We assessed the in vitro homing potential of CFU-Meg progenitors expanded from CB and showed that the combination of thrombopoietin (TPO) with interleukin-3 (IL-3) used for expansion not only results in optimal proliferation of CFU-Meg but also protects these cells from apoptosis.