L. Jeanne Pierce

Expression of CD27 on murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are defined by self-renewal and multilineage differentiation potentials. In order to uncover the genetic program of HSC, we utilized high-density arrays to compare gene expression in highly purified mouse HSC and their mature progeny. One molecule specifically expressed in immature cells is CD27, a member of the TNF receptor family previously shown to play roles in lymphoid proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We show here that the CD27 protein is expressed by about 90% of cells in a purified HSC population. Interestingly, the CD27pos cells are enriched for cells with short-term hematopoietic activities (colony forming potential in vivo and in vitro), while the minority CD27neg population is more effective in clonal long-term transplantation.

Characterization of Thymic Progenitors in Adult Mouse Bone Marrow

Thymic cellularity is maintained throughout life by progenitor cells originating in the bone marrow. In this study, we describe adult mouse bone cells that exhibit several features characteristic of prothymocytes. These include 1) rapid thymic engraftment kinetics following i.v. transplantation, 2) dramatic expansion of thymic progeny, and 3) limited production of hemopoietic progeny other than thymocytes. The adult mouse bone marrow population that is depleted of cells expressing any of a panel of lineage-specific Ags, stem cell Ag-1 positive, and not expressing the Thy1.1 Ag (Thy1.1−) (Thy1.1− progenitors) can repopulate the thymus 9 days more rapidly than can hemopoietic stem cells, a rate of thymic repopulation approaching that observed with transplanted thymocytes. Additionally, Thy1.1− progenitors expand prolifically to generate thymocyte progeny comparable in absolute numbers to those observed from parallel hemopoietic stem cell transplants, and provide a source of progenitors that spans multiple waves of thymic seeding. Nevertheless, the Thy1.1− population yields relatively few B cells and rare myeloid progeny posttransplant. These observations describe the phenotype of an adult mouse bone marrow population highly enriched for rapidly engrafting, long-term thymocyte progenitors. Furthermore, they note disparity in B and T cell expansion from this lymphoid progenitor population and suggest that it contains the progenitor primarily responsible for seeding the thymus throughout life.

Effects of caspase inhibitors on hematopoietic engraftment after short-term culture.

The induction of apoptosis during cytokine-induced proliferation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) may result in the loss of hematopoietic function. We tested the ability of several caspase inhibitors to maintain transplantation potential of mouse HSPC during in vitro culture. HSPC were isolated from mouse bone marrow by cell sorting and cultured in the presence of steel factor (STL) with or without various caspase inhibitors. After incubation, cells were harvested and tested for in vitro colony-forming cell (CFC) potential and transplantation activity in both short- and long-term in vivo assays. HSPC required STL to retain CFC activity during a 24-h culture at 37°C, and none of three caspase inhibitors could substitute for STL in this respect. In transplant assays, a twofold higher frequency of animals showed donor-derived blood cells 12 weeks after competitive transplantation of 50 HSPC cultured for 4 h in the presence of STL plus n-acetyl-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-chloromethyl ketone (ac-YVAD) compared with 50 cells cultured in STL alone. To evaluate the effect of ac-YVAD on short-term engraftment, 500 cultured HSPC were transplanted into lethally irradiated mice. Animals transplanted with cells cultured in the presence of ac-YVAD showed a higher survival rate and a faster recovery of platelets and hematocrit compared with animals transplanted with cells cultured in STL alone. We conclude that both the short-term and the long-term engraftment potentials of HSPC cultured in the presence of STL + ac-YVAD were superior to that obtained from cells cultured in STL alone.

Phenotypic Distinction and Functional Characterization of Pro-B Cells in Adult Mouse Bone Marrow

A lymphoid-committed progenitor population was isolated from mouse bone marrow based on the cell surface phenotype Thy-1.1negSca-1posc-KitlowLinneg. These cells were CD43posCD24pos on isolation and proliferated in response to the cytokine combination of steel factor, IL-7, and Flt3 ligand. Lymphoid-committed progenitors could be segregated into more primitive and more differentiated subsets based on expression of AA4.1. The more differentiated subset generated only B lymphoid cells in 92% of total colonies assayed, lacked T lineage potential, and expressed Pax5. These studies have therefore defined and isolated a B lymphoid-committed progenitor population at a developmental stage corresponding to the initial expression of CD45R.

Rapid, B Lymphoid-Restricted Engraftment Mediated by a Primitive Bone Marrow Subpopulation

Utilizing multiparameter flow cytometry, we have defined a subset of bone marrow cells containing lymphoid-restricted differentiation potential after i.v. transplantation. Bone marrow cells characterized by expression of the Sca-1 and c-kit Ags and lacking Ags of differentiating lineages were segregated into subsets based on allele-specific Thy-1.1 Ag expression. Although hematopoietic stem cells were recovered in the Thy-1.1low subset as previously described, the Thy-1.1neg subset consisted of progenitor cells that preferentially reconstituted the B lymphocyte lineage after i.v. transplantation. Recipients of Thy-1.1neg cells did not survive beyond 30 days, presumably due to the failure of erythroid and platelet lineages to recover after transplants. Thy-1.1neg cells predominantly reconstituted the bone marrow and peripheral blood of lethally irradiated recipients with B lineage cells within 2 weeks, although a low frequency of myeloid lineage cells was also detected. In contrast, myeloid progenitors outnumbered lymphoid progenitors when the Thy-1.1neg population was assayed in culture. When Thy-1.1low stem cells were rigorously excluded from the Thy-1.1neg subset, reconstitution of T lymphocytes was rarely observed in peripheral blood after i.v. transplantation. Competitive repopulation studies showed that the B lymphoid reconstitution derived from Thy-1.1neg cells was not sustained over a 20-wk period. Therefore, the Thy-1.1neg population defined in these studies includes transplantable, non-self-renewing B lymphocyte progenitor cells.

Copper Modulates the Differentiation of Mouse Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells in Culture

Copper chelation has been shown to favor the expansion of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in vitro. To further understand the effects of copper modulation on defined subsets of stem cells versus progenitor cells, we extended the studies in a mouse system. We isolated mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) and cultured them with or without the copper chelator tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) or CuCl2. Cytokine-stimulated HPC cultures treated with TEPA for 7 days generated about two to three times more total and erythroid colony-forming cells (CFCs) compared to control cultures. In contrast, CuCl2 treatment decreased the CFC numbers. Similar results were seen with HSC after 14, but not 7, days of culture. Transplant studies showed that HPCs cultured for 7 days in TEPA had about twofold higher short-term erythroid repopulation potential compared to control cultures, while CuCl2 decreased the erythroid potential of cultured HPCs compared to control cultures. HSCs cultured with TEPA for 7 days did not exhibit significantly higher repopulation potential in either leukocyte or erythrocyte lineages compared to control cultures in short-term or long-term assays. Based on JC-1 staining, the mitochondrial membrane potential of HPCs cultured with TEPA was lower relative to control cultures. Our data suggest that decreasing the cellular copper content with TEPA results in preferential expansion or maintenance of HPC that are biased for erythroid differentiation in vivo, but does not enhance the maintenance of HSC activity in culture.

Erythropoietin receptor signaling regulates both erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis in vivo

Transgenic expression of a gain-of-function truncated mouse erythropoietin receptor gene (EpoR) leads to expansion of the HSC pool in response to human erythropoietin (Epo). We have re-examined this observation using a knock-in mouse model, wherein the mouse EpoR gene was replaced in its proper genetic locus by a single copy of either a wild-type human or a polycythemia-inducing truncated human EPOR gene. Bone marrow cells obtained from knock-in mice were transplanted together with competitor bone marrow cells in a model that allows tracking of erythroid, platelet, and leukocyte contributions by each genotype. Secondary transplants were also performed. Stem/progenitor cells were identified phenotypically and isolated for colony-forming assays to evaluate cytokine responsiveness by cells with the wild-type human or truncated human EPOR gene. Augmented Epo signaling increased erythroid repopulation post-transplant as expected, but had no effect on short-term or long-term leukocyte repopulation. However, the wild-type human EPOR knock-in mouse showed decreases in both erythroid and platelet repopulation compared to marrow cells from the mutant human EPOR knock-in mouse or normal B6 animals. These results provide evidence supporting a role for Epo signaling in megakaryopoiesis in vivo and suggest a role for Epo signaling early in hematopoietic development.

Lymphoid Potential of Primitive Bone Marrow Progenitors Evaluated In Vitro

Abstract: Bone marrow contains a heterogeneous mixture of mature and maturing precursors of blood cells, progenitor cells for myeloid and lymphoid lineages, and hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells. The differentiation potential of these different stem, progenitor, and precursor populations can be evaluated by using transplantation and cell culture assays. In this study, we used a stromal cell co‐culture system to evaluate the B and T lineage potential of different subsets of mouse bone marrow. We enriched hematopoietic stem (Lin−Sca‐1+c‐kit+Thy1.1low [Thy1.1low]) cells and lymphoid progenitor (Lin−Sca‐1+c‐kit+Thy1.1− [Thy1.1−]) cells from mouse bone marrow and co‐cultured these populations with OP9 or OP9‐DL1 stromal cell lines. Development of the B and T lineages was evaluated over time. Both populations gave rise to B and T cells but with different kinetics. Thy1.1− lymphoid progenitors gave rise to B and T lineage cells earlier than did Thy1.1low stem cells; and at any given time, percentages of differentiating B and T cells were higher in Thy1.1− cultures than in Thy1.1low cultures. We also compared the lineage potential of Thy‐1.1− lymphoid progenitors with that of the recently described common lymphoid progenitor 2 (isolated as Lin−Sca‐1+c‐kit−Thy1.1−B220+ cells [B220+]). B220+ cells produced B lineage progeny in OP9 cultures more rapidly than did Thy1.1− cells and produced higher percentages of differentiating T cells in OP9‐DL1 cultures. These studies demonstrate the utility of the OP9 and OP9‐DL1 co‐culture systems for evaluation of lymphoid lineage potential and for determining the relative position of specific bone marrow populations within the hematopoietic hierarchy.

Observations of Residual Differentiation Potential during Lineage Commitment

Abstract: We have recently described a subset of the multipotent progenitor pool that contains a common lymphoid progenitor. This subset of cells is lineage negative and expresses c‐kit and Sca‐1, but lacks expression of Thy 1.1 (Thyneg). Based on the observation that lethally irradiated mice transplanted with these cells die from anemia unless supported with competitor marrow, we hypothesized that these progenitors lacked erythroid potential. We analyzed the erythroid potential of these cells by transplanting them into mice allelic at the hemoglobin locus and compared their erythroid potential with the Thy‐1.1low (Thylow) subset that contains hematopoietic stem cells. We also performed CFU‐C assays in methylcellulose containing recombinant cytokines and determined erythroid contribution to colonies using in situ benzidine staining. Donor‐derived hemoglobin was observed following transplant of Thyneg cells, even though 19 of 20 of these animals died from anemia. In contrast, recipients of Thylow cells showed complete donor‐derived engraftment 30 days following transplant. While approximately 60% of day 4 colonies derived from Thyneg cells expressed hemoglobin, by day 11 less than 5% were hemoglobinized. In contrast, greater than 70% of the Thylow subset contained hemoglobinized cells at the end of the observation period. A similar transient appearance of myeloid progeny was also observed in colonies derived from c‐kitlow Thyneg lymphoid progenitor cells. We conclude that these studies demonstrate commitment to the lymphoid lineage at the Thylow ‐to‐Thyneg interface, and that the loss of erythroid and myeloid potential is gradual rather than abrupt. Hemoglobinized colonies may be undergoing apoptosis because of down‐regulation of GATA‐1 or because of a death signal from surrounding nonerythrocytic cells.

Lymphoid progenitors exhibit accelerated thymimic and marrow engraftment relative to stem cells

Abstract We have recently described a mouse bone marrow population defined by the phenotype Thy1.1 Neg , Sca1 Pos , Lin Neg (Thy Neg ) which contains lymphoid progenitor cells. To evaluate the engraftment kinetics of these progenitors in comparison to Thy1.1 Low , Sca1 Pos , Lin Neg hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC), each population was transplanted intravenously into sublethally irradiated (6.5 Gy) Ly5 congenic mice at 10 3 cells per mouse. Over a course of 14 to 28 days post-transplant, both thymic lobes and one femur from each mouse were collected and assayed for the presence of donor cells by immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometry. Engraftment of CD19 Pos B cells was observed in bone marrow of Thy Neg recipients by day 14, three days earlier than recipients of HSPC. Myeloid engraftment (Gr-1 Pos ) was also observed in HSPC transplant recipients by day 17, but was not observed in Thy Neg recipients. Thymic reconstitution was observed at significant levels (>10 6 cells per lobe) in 25% of Thy Neg recipients by day 14. In contrast, donor-derived thymocytes were not observed in recipients of HSPC until day 21, when 1 of 20 thymic lobes was positive for significant engraftment compared to 9 of 24 lobes assayed from Thy Neg recipients. HSPC engraftment proceeded rapidly after day 21, and by day 28 all of the lobes assayed were positive for >10 6 donor-derived thymocytes. Thy Neg recipients achieved this degree of engraftment in only 33% of lobes assayed. We conclude from these observations that the Thy Neg population contains lymphoid progenitors capable of more rapid thymic engraftment relative to HSPCs. This suggests that specific commitment steps have predisposed these cells to thymic homing and engraftment. The difference in engraftment kinetics will allow us to distinguish the activity of lymphoid progenitors from HSPCs. This assay will facilitate enrichment and characterization of bone marrow-derived T cell progenitors.