VEGFR1-positive haematopoietic bone marrow progenitors initiate the pre-metastatic niche

The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which a tumour cell undergoes metastasis to a predetermined location are largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that bone marrow-derived haematopoietic progenitor cells that express vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1; also known as Flt1) home to tumour-specific pre-metastatic sites and form cellular clusters before the arrival of tumour cells. Preventing VEGFR1 function using antibodies or by the removal of VEGFR1(+) cells from the bone marrow of wild-type mice abrogates the formation of these pre-metastatic clusters and prevents tumour metastasis, whereas reconstitution with selected Id3 (inhibitor of differentiation 3)-competent VEGFR1+ cells establishes cluster formation and tumour metastasis in Id3 knockout mice. We also show that VEGFR1+ cells express VLA-4 (also known as integrin alpha4beta1), and that tumour-specific growth factors upregulate fibronectin--a VLA-4 ligand--in resident fibroblasts, providing a permissive niche for incoming tumour cells. Conditioned media obtained from distinct tumour types with unique patterns of metastatic spread redirected fibronectin expression and cluster formation, thereby transforming the metastatic profile. These findings demonstrate a requirement for VEGFR1+ haematopoietic progenitors in the regulation of metastasis, and suggest that expression patterns of fibronectin and VEGFR1+VLA-4+ clusters dictate organ-specific tumour spread.     

Formation of haematopoietic microenvironment and haematopoietic stem cells from single human bone marrow stem cells.

Haematopoietic stem cells are a population of cells capable both of self renewal and of differentiation into a variety of haematopoietic lineages. Enrichment techniques of human haematopoietic stem cells have used the expression of CD34, present on bone marrow progenitor cells. But most CD34+ bone marrow cells are committed to their lineage, and more recent efforts have focused on the precise characterization of the pluripotent subset of CD34+ cells. Here we report the characterization of two distinct subsets of pluripotent stem cells from human fetal bone marrow, a CD34+, HLA-DR+, CD38- subset that can differentiate into all haematopoietic lineages, and a distinct more primitive subset, that is CD34+, HLA-DR-, CD38-, that can differentiate into haematopoietic precursors and stromal cells capable of supporting the differentiation of these precursors. These data represent, to our knowledge, the first identification of a single cell capable of reconstituting the haematopoietic cells and their associated bone marrow microenvironment.     

Identification and characterization of an inhibitor of haemopoietic stem cell proliferation

The haemopoietic system has three main compartments: multi-potential stem cells, intermediate stage progenitor cells and mature cells. The availability of simple reproducible culture systems has made possible the characterization and purification of regulators of the progenitor cells, including colony-stimulating factors and interleukins. In contrast, our knowledge of the regulators involved in the control of stem cell proliferation is limited. The steady-state quiescent status of the haemopoietic stem cell compartment is thought to be controlled by locally acting regulatory elements present in the stromal microenvironment, but their purification has been hampered by the lack of suitable culture systems. We have recently developed a novel in vitro colony assay that detects a primitive cell (CFU-A) which has similar proliferative characteristics, in normal and regenerating bone marrow, to the CFU-S (haemopoietic stem cells, as defined by the spleen colony assay) and which responds to CFU-S-specific proliferation regulators. We have now used this assay to purify to homogeneity a macrophage-derived reversible inhibitor of haemopoietic stem cell proliferation (stem cell inhibitor, SCI). Antibody inhibition and sequence data indicate that SCI is identical to a previously described cytokine, macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha), and that SCI/MIP-1 alpha is functionally and antigenically identical to the CFU-S inhibitory activity obtained from primary cultures of normal bone marrow cells. The biological activities of SCI/MIP-1 alpha suggest that it is a primary negative regulator of stem cell proliferation and that it has important therapeutic applications in protecting haemopoietic stem cells from damage during cytotoxic therapies for cancer.     

Stem cell engraftment at the endosteal niche is specified by the calcium-sensing receptor

During mammalian ontogeny, haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) translocate from the fetal liver to the bone marrow, where haematopoiesis occurs throughout adulthood. Unique features of bone that contribute to a microenvironmental niche for stem cells might include the known high concentration of calcium ions at the HSC-enriched endosteal surface. Cells respond to extracellular ionic calcium concentrations through the seven-transmembrane-spanning calcium-sensing receptor (CaR), which we identified as being expressed on HSCs. Here we show that, through the CaR, the simple ionic mineral content of the niche may dictate the preferential localization of adult mammalian haematopoiesis in bone. Antenatal mice deficient in CaR had primitive haematopoietic cells in the circulation and spleen, whereas few were found in bone marrow. CaR-/- HSCs from fetal liver were normal in number, in proliferative and differentiative function, and in migration and homing to the bone marrow. Yet they were highly defective in localizing anatomically to the endosteal niche, behaviour that correlated with defective adhesion to the extracellular matrix protein, collagen I. CaR has a function in retaining HSCs in close physical proximity to the endosteal surface and the regulatory niche components associated with it.     

In vitro osteoclast generation from different bone marrow fractions, including a highly enriched haematopoietic stem cell population

It is well established that the osteoclast is formed by fusion of post-mitotic, mononuclear precursors derived from circulating progenitor cells. However, the precise haematopoietic origin of the osteoclast is unknown. We have investigated this here by fractionating mouse bone marrow and isolating haematopoietic stem cells using a three-step method combining equilibrium density centrifugation and two fluorescence-activated cell sortings (FACS), and have tested the ability of each bone marrow fraction, including highly purified haematopoietic stem cells, to generate osteoclasts during co-culture with preosteoclast-free embryonic long bones. The osteoclast-forming capacity was found to increase with increasing stem cell purity. On the other hand, the culture time needed for osteoclast formation also increased with purification, suggesting the presence of progressively more immature progenitor cells. The pluripotent haematopoietic stem cell fractions with the highest purity needed preincubation with a stem cell-activating factor (interleukin-3) to activate the predominantly quiescent stem cells in vitro.     

Differentiation of bone mar-row derived Thy-1~+β_2M~- cells into hepatocytes induced by coculture with transgenic CFSCs

Studies of transplantation in vivo indicted thatbone marrow derived stem cells had a potential to differenti-ate into mature hepatocytes. However, there are lots ofdoubts and uncertainties in the influencing factors and con-trol agents of effectively inducing stem cell differentiation invitro, the efficiency of stem cells‘ differentiation into hepato-cytes and differentiated cells‘ life-span and functional state,etc. In this study, rat bone marrow derived Thy-l^ β2M^- cells(BDTCs) were induced to differentiate into hepatocytes byco-culturing with CFSC/HGF feeder layers which expressedhHGF efficiently and stably. RT-PCR and immunofluores-cent texts proved induced BDTCs expressed infant and adulthepatocyte specific genes. Further more, these cells displayedfunctions of indocyanine green (ICG) uptake, ammoniummetabolism and albumin production. It was shown thatgrowth factors together with hepatic nonparenchyma cellsprovided a feasible microenvironment for differentiation ofbone marrow stem cells into hepatocytes. The studies notonly provided a significant biological model for going deepinto the mechanism of stem cell plasticity, but also offered atheoretical and technical foundation of gene and stem cellengineering-based regenerative medicine for end-stage liverdiseases.     

Haematopoietic stem cells adopt mature haematopoietic fates in ischaemic myocardium

Under conditions of tissue injury, myocardial replication and regeneration have been reported. A growing number of investigators have implicated adult bone marrow (BM) in this process, suggesting that marrow serves as a reservoir for cardiac precursor cells. It remains unclear which BM cell(s) can contribute to myocardium, and whether they do so by transdifferentiation or cell fusion. Here, we studied the ability of c-kit-enriched BM cells, Lin- c-kit+ BM cells and c-kit+ Thy1.1(lo) Lin- Sca-1+ long-term reconstituting haematopoietic stem cells to regenerate myocardium in an infarct model. Cells were isolated from transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) and injected directly into ischaemic myocardium of wild-type mice. Abundant GFP+ cells were detected in the myocardium after 10 days, but by 30 days, few cells were detectable. These GFP+ cells did not express cardiac tissue-specific markers, but rather, most of them expressed the haematopoietic marker CD45 and myeloid marker Gr-1. We also studied the role of circulating cells in the repair of ischaemic myocardium using GFP+-GFP- parabiotic mice. Again, we found no evidence of myocardial regeneration from blood-borne partner-derived cells. Our data suggest that even in the microenvironment of the injured heart, c-kit-enriched BM cells, Lin- c-kit+ BM cells and c-kit+ Thy1.1(lo) Lin- Sca-1+ long-term reconstituting haematopoietic stem cells adopt only traditional haematopoietic fates.     

Involvement of chemokine receptors in breast cancer metastasis

Breast cancer is characterized by a distinct metastatic pattern involving the regional lymph nodes, bone marrow, lung and liver. Tumour cell migration and metastasis share many similarities with leukocyte trafficking, which is critically regulated by chemokines and their receptors. Here we report that the chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR7 are highly expressed in human breast cancer cells, malignant breast tumours and metastases. Their respective ligands CXCL12/SDF-1alpha and CCL21/6Ckine exhibit peak levels of expression in organs representing the first destinations of breast cancer metastasis. In breast cancer cells, signalling through CXCR4 or CCR7 mediates actin polymerization and pseudopodia formation, and subsequently induces chemotactic and invasive responses. In vivo, neutralizing the interactions of CXCL12/CXCR4 significantly impairs metastasis of breast cancer cells to regional lymph nodes and lung. Malignant melanoma, which has a similar metastatic pattern as breast cancer but also a high incidence of skin metastases, shows high expression levels of CCR10 in addition to CXCR4 and CCR7. Our findings indicate that chemokines and their receptors have a critical role in determining the metastatic destination of tumour cells.     

P-选择素/P-选择素糖蛋白配体-1与骨髓祖细胞胸腺归巢

骨髓衍生的祖细胞归巢入胸腺是T细胞发育必需的过程,因为胸腺不包含具有自我更新能力的造血干细胞,它需要从血液中添补祖细胞,此过程依赖多级细胞粘附分子和趋化因子的衔接.细胞粘附分子选择素和它的配体PSGL-1在淋巴样祖细胞归巢入胸腺的过程中发挥重要作用.综述了选择素/配体PSGL-1的生物学特征及其相互作用对骨髓祖细胞胸腺归巢及胸腺-骨髓反馈环的影响和作用机制.     

Fibronectin and VLA-4 in haematopoietic stem cell-microenvironment interactions

The self-renewal and differentiation of haematopoietic stem cells occurs in vivo and in vitro in direct contact with cells making up the haematopoietic microenvironment. In this study we used adhesive ligands and blocking antibodies to identify stromal cell-derived extracellular matrix proteins involved in promoting attachment of murine haematopoietic stem cells. Here we report that day-12 colony-forming-unit spleen (CFU-S12)5 cells and reconstituting haematopoietic stem cells attach to the C-terminal, heparin-binding fragment of fibronectin by recognizing the CS-1 peptide of the alternatively spliced non-type III connecting segment (IIICS) of human plasma fibronectin. Furthermore, CFU-S12 stem cells express the alpha 4 subunit of the VLA-4 integrin receptor, which is known to be a receptor for the CS-1 sequence, and monoclonal antibodies against the integrin alpha 4 subunit of VLA-4 block adhesion of CFU-S12 stem cells to plates coated with the C-terminal fibronectin fragment. Finally, polyclonal antibodies against the integrin beta 1 subunit of VLA-4 inhibit the formation of CFU-S12-derived spleen colonies and medullary haematopoiesis in vivo following intravenous infusion of antibody-treated bone marrow cells.     

Bv8 regulates myeloid-cell-dependent tumour angiogenesis

Bone-marrow-derived cells facilitate tumour angiogenesis, but the molecular mechanisms of this facilitation are incompletely understood. We have previously shown that the related EG-VEGF and Bv8 proteins, also known as prokineticin 1 (Prok1) and prokineticin 2 (Prok2), promote both tissue-specific angiogenesis and haematopoietic cell mobilization. Unlike EG-VEGF, Bv8 is expressed in the bone marrow. Here we show that implantation of tumour cells in mice resulted in upregulation of Bv8 in CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid cells. We identified granulocyte colony-stimulating factor as a major positive regulator of Bv8 expression. Anti-Bv8 antibodies reduced CD11b+Gr1+ cell mobilization elicited by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Adenoviral delivery of Bv8 into tumours was shown to promote angiogenesis. Anti-Bv8 antibodies inhibited growth of several tumours in mice and suppressed angiogenesis. Anti-Bv8 treatment also reduced CD11b+Gr1+ cells, both in peripheral blood and in tumours. The effects of anti-Bv8 antibodies were additive to those of anti-Vegf antibodies or cytotoxic chemotherapy. Thus, Bv8 modulates mobilization of CD11b+Gr1+ cells from the bone marrow during tumour development and also promotes angiogenesis locally.     

Haemonectin, a bone marrow adhesion protein specific for cells of granulocyte lineage

There is substantial evidence that the haematopoietic microenvironment is crucial to the growth and differentiation of haematopoietic cells. This microenvironment is composed of stromal cells, soluble factors and extracellular matrix (ECM). We have shown that a complex extract of bone marrow ECM can stimulate the growth and differentiation of haematopoietic cells in vitro. Furthermore, the use of inhibitors or stimulators of ECM synthesis in long-term marrow culture affects cell proliferation. On a molecular level, however, the interactions between ECM and haematopoietic cells are not well understood. We have investigated the adhesion between specific bone marrow ECM components and haematopoietic cells, and found a protein, 'haemonectin', of relative molecular mass 60,000 in bone marrow ECM which is a lineage- and organ-specific attachment molecule for cells of granulocyte lineage. This specificity distinguishes haemonectin from previously described adhesion proteins which have a wider tissue distribution and cell type specificity.     

生物力学作用对骨髓间充质干细胞增殖和成骨分化影响研究进展

骨髓间充质干细胞在体内所处的力学环境比较复杂,为了探索生物力学与骨髓间充质干细胞增殖分化之间的关系,对近年来生物力学微环境对骨髓间充质干细胞增殖分化影响的研究现状和最新进展进行了综述。认为牵张力与流体剪切力对骨髓间充质干细胞产生的刺激大部分会使其向成骨方向分化,而较大的压缩力和静水压力对骨髓间充质干细胞产生的刺激大部分会使其偏向软骨方向分化,小部分向成骨方向分化,每种分化方向都有其最适的分化条件。通过综述生物力学对骨髓间充质干细胞增殖及成骨分化的影响,为骨髓间充质干细胞的骨组织工程与再生医学研究及更好地应用于临床治疗提供思路和参考依据。     

RhoGTPases in stem cells

RhoGTPases are small molecules that control a wide variety of signal transduction pathways. Their profound function in regulating the actin cytoskeleton is well recognized. Stem cells are unique in their ability to self-renew and produce progenitor cells that can differentiate into specialized cells. RhoGTPases influence stem cell morphology and cell migration as well as stem cell self-renewal, proliferation, transplantation, homing and differentiation. In this review, the multiple roles of the RhoGTPases in stem cells are discussed.     

Stem-cell ageing modified by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16INK4a

Stem-cell ageing is thought to contribute to altered tissue maintenance and repair. Older humans experience increased bone marrow failure and poorer haematologic tolerance of cytotoxic injury. Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in older mice have decreased per-cell repopulating activity, self-renewal and homing abilities, myeloid skewing of differentiation, and increased apoptosis with stress. Here we report that the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16INK4a, the level of which was previously noted to increase in other cell types with age, accumulates and modulates specific age-associated HSC functions. Notably, in the absence of p16INK4a, HSC repopulating defects and apoptosis were mitigated, improving the stress tolerance of cells and the survival of animals in successive transplants, a stem-cell-autonomous tissue regeneration model. Inhibition of p16INK4a may ameliorate the physiological impact of ageing on stem cells and thereby improve injury repair in aged tissue.     

Osteoblastic cells regulate the haematopoietic stem cell niche

Stem cell fate is influenced by specialized microenvironments that remain poorly defined in mammals. To explore the possibility that haematopoietic stem cells derive regulatory information from bone, accounting for the localization of haematopoiesis in bone marrow, we assessed mice that were genetically altered to produce osteoblast-specific, activated PTH/PTHrP receptors (PPRs). Here we show that PPR-stimulated osteoblastic cells that are increased in number produce high levels of the Notch ligand jagged 1 and support an increase in the number of haematopoietic stem cells with evidence of Notch1 activation in vivo. Furthermore, ligand-dependent activation of PPR with parathyroid hormone (PTH) increased the number of osteoblasts in stromal cultures, and augmented ex vivo primitive haematopoietic cell growth that was abrogated by gamma-secretase inhibition of Notch activation. An increase in the number of stem cells was observed in wild-type animals after PTH injection, and survival after bone marrow transplantation was markedly improved. Therefore, osteoblastic cells are a regulatory component of the haematopoietic stem cell niche in vivo that influences stem cell function through Notch activation. Niche constituent cells or signalling pathways provide pharmacological targets with therapeutic potential for stem-cell-based therapies.     

Host origin of marrow stromal cells following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Although it is generally agreed that stromal cells are important in the regulation of haematopoietic cell development, the origin of these phenotypically diverse cells has been a subject for debate for more than 50 years. Data which support the concept of a separate origin for the haematopoietic stem cell and the marrow stroma are derived from cytogenetic or enzyme marker studies of explanted and expanded stromal cells grown under conditions that do not allow haematopoiesis in vitro. Recent evidence in man and in mouse suggesting that the stromal cells capable of transferring the haematopoietic microenvironment in vitro are transplantable seemingly questions this dichotomy, one interpretation being the existence of a common haematopoietic/stromal 'stem cell'. We used in situ hybridization to discriminate donor cells from host in blood and bone marrow samples obtained from patients with functioning sex-mismatched but HLA-identical allografts. Without exception, marrow-derived stromal cells that proliferate in long-term cultures were found to be of host genotype, whereas the macrophage component of the adherent layer in these cultures originated from the donor.     

人胎儿骨髓间充质干细胞的分离及生物学鉴定

通过原代细胞培养,从引产胎儿骨髓组织中分离干细胞,然后进行生物学鉴定,旨在体外建立培养胎儿骨髓干细胞的有效方法,为进一步研究干细胞奠定基础．本研究对四个月的引产胎儿骨髓组织进行原代细胞培养,采用贴壁筛选法,在含有15％胎牛血清的L-DMEM／IMDM(1:1)混和培养液中培养,7 d后细胞可长满瓶底．显微镜下观察,细胞形态均一,呈长梭形．传代后,在8代以内的细胞贴壁能力较强,生长速度较快．将其命名为BMMS-03．在第3代时,对培养的细胞进行了于细胞标志物的生物学鉴定,采用流式细胞仪对经免疫荧光染色的细胞进行检测．结果显示:97．2％的细胞呈CD105阳性反应,66．0％的细胞呈CD106阳性反应, 9．2％的细胞呈CD34阳性反应．阴性对照组阳性反应为0．5％．生物学鉴定的初步结果提示,从胎儿骨髓组织中分离培养成功的细胞为骨髓间充质干细胞,其细胞形态学特征、CD105 、CD106 和CD34-的检测结果均符合间充质干细胞的特征．本研究成功地建立了体外培养胎儿骨髓间充质干细胞的有效方法,所获得的间充质干细胞纯度较高,增殖较快,适用于干细胞生物学和组织工程学的研究．     

骨髓间充质干细胞向肝样细胞分化的研究进展

摘要: 由各种因素导致的重症肝病的终末治疗的最好手段一直是原位肝移植,但长期以来肝供体的缺乏和免疫排斥引起的一系列问题极大地限制了该手术的运用,同时,在肝脏相关药物的筛选中,原代肝细胞难于培养且易在培养过程中变异,而随着骨髓间充质干细胞研究的深入,越来越多的证据表明骨髓间充质干细胞具有向肝细胞分化的潜能。因此,骨髓间充质干细胞诱导分化而成的肝样细胞在再生医疗和药物筛选领域具有较好的运用前景,本文就间充质干细胞的分离培养及其生物学特性,肝样细胞的诱导培养条件,生物学特性及其运用前景加以综述。