The first hematopoietic transplant in which umbilical cord blood (UCB) was used as the source of hematopoietic cells was performed in October 1988. Since then, significant achievements have been ...reported in terms of our understanding of the biology of UCB-derived hematopoietic stem (HSCs) and progenitor (HPCs) cells. Over 40,000 UCB transplants (UCBTs) have been performed, in both children and adults, for the treatment of many different diseases, including hematologic, metabolic, immunologic, neoplastic, and neurologic disorders. In addition, cord blood banking has been developed to the point that around 800,000 units are being stored in public banks and more than 4 million units in private banks worldwide. During these 30 years, research in the UCB field has transformed the hematopoietic transplantation arena. Today, scientific and clinical teams are still working on different ways to improve and expand the use of UCB cells. A major effort has been focused on enhancing engraftment to potentially reduce risk of infection and cost. To that end, we have to understand in detail the molecular mechanisms controlling stem cell self-renewal that may lead to the development of ex vivo systems for HSCs expansion, characterize the mechanisms regulating the homing of HSCs and HPCs, and determine the relative place of UCBTs, as compared to other sources. These challenges will be met by encouraging innovative research on the basic biology of HSCs and HPCs, developing novel clinical trials, and improving UCB banking both in the public and private arenas.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Erythropoietin (EPO), a humoral regulator of erythropoiesis and replacement therapy for selected red blood cell disorders in EPO-deficient patients, has been implicated in a wide range of activities ...on diverse cell, tissue, and organ types. EPO signals via two receptors, one comprising EPO receptor (EPOR) homodimers and the other a heterodimer of EPOR and CD131-the common β chain component of the GM-CSF, interleukin (IL)-3, and IL-5 receptors. Ligation of EPORs triggers various signaling pathways, including the JAK2-STAT5 and MAPK-NF-κB pathways, depending both on the receptor and the target cell type. A new study in this issue reveals a novel EPO-triggered pathway involving a Spi2A serpin-lysosome-cathepsin cascade that is initiated through the homodimeric EPOR complex and is required for the survival of erythroid progenitors. A full understanding of EPO's effects on various cell types and their potential clinical relevance requires more work on the signaling events initiated through both EPORs, the effects of other cytokines and growth factors that modulate EPO's actions, and a comparison of the effects of full-length versus truncated forms of EPO.
Umbilical cord blood is an alternative hematopoietic stem cell source for patients with hematologic diseases who can be cured by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Initially, umbilical ...cord blood transplantation was limited to children, given the low cell dose infused. Both related and unrelated cord blood transplants have been performed with high rates of success for a variety of hematologic disorders and metabolic storage diseases in the pediatric setting. The results for adult umbilical cord blood transplantation have improved, with greater emphasis on cord blood units of sufficient cell dose and human leukocyte antigen match and with the use of double umbilical cord blood units and improved supportive care techniques. Cord blood expansion trials have recently shown improvement in time to engraftment. Umbilical cord blood is being compared with other graft sources in both retrospective and prospective trials. The growth of the field over the last 25 years and the plans for future exploration are discussed.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The regulation and coordination of mitochondrial metabolism with hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal and differentiation is not fully understood. Here we report that depletion of PTPMT1, a ...PTEN-like mitochondrial phosphatase, in inducible or hematopoietic-cell-specific knockout mice resulted in hematopoietic failure due to changes in the cell cycle and a block in the differentiation of HSCs. Surprisingly, the HSC pool was increased by ∼40-fold in PTPMT1 knockout mice. Reintroduction of wild-type PTPMT1, but not catalytically deficient PTPMT1 or truncated PTPMT1 lacking mitochondrial localization, restored differentiation capabilities of PTPMT1 knockout HSCs. Further analyses demonstrated that PTPMT1 deficiency altered mitochondrial metabolism and that phosphatidylinositol phosphate substrates of PTPMT1 directly enhanced fatty-acid-induced activation of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2. Intriguingly, depletion of PTPMT1 from myeloid, T lymphoid, or B lymphoid progenitors did not cause any defects in lineage-specific knockout mice. This study establishes a crucial role of PTPMT1 in the metabolic regulation of HSC function.
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► PTPMT1 depletion causes cell cycle delay and differentiation block in HSCs ► The HSC pool in PTPMT1 knockout mice is drastically (∼40-fold) expanded ► Mitochondrial metabolism is altered and AMPK is highly activated in knockout HSCs ► PTPMT1 PIP substrates directly enhance fatty-acid-induced activation of UCP2
Knockout of the mitochondrial PTEN-like phosphatase PTPM1 reveals a role for mitochondrial metabolism in regulating HSC differentiation.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK1) is expressed in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), where its upregulation is linked with cancer progression. While PFK1 functions in the glycolysis pathway ...within the cytoplasm, it is also present in the nucleus where it regulates gene transcription. In this issue of the JCI, Xueliang Gao, Shenghui Qin, et al. focus their mechanism-based investigation on the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling aspect of the PFK1 platelet isoform, PFKP. Functional nuclear export and localization sequences stimulated CXC chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) expression to promote T-ALL invasion that involved cyclin D3/CDK6, c-Myc, and importin-9. Since the presence of nuclear PFKP is associated with poor survival in T-ALL, nuclear PFKP-induced CXCR4 expression might serve as a prognostic marker for T-ALL. More promising, though, are the mechanistic insights suggesting that approaches to dampening metastatic migration may have application to benefit patients with T-ALL.
Enhancing the efficiency of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homing and engraftment is critical for cord blood (CB) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Recent studies indicate that N
...-methyladenosine (m
A) modulates the expression of mRNAs that are critical for stem cell function by influencing their stability. Here, we demonstrate that inhibition of RNA decay by regulation of RNA methylation, enhances the expression of the homing receptor chemokine C-X-C receptor-4 (CXCR4) in HSCs. We show that YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 2 (YTHDF2), a m
A reader and FTO α-ketoglutarate dependent dioxygenase (FTO), a m
A eraser play an opposite role in this process. Through screening, we identified several FDA-approved compounds that regulate the expression of YTHDF2 and FTO in CB CD34
cells. We show that transient downregulation of YTHDF2 or activation of FTO by using these compounds inhibits CXCR4 decay in CB HSCs and promotes their homing and engraftment. Our results demonstrate a novel regulation strategy to enhance the function of CB HSCs and provide a translational approach to enhance the clinical efficacy of HCT.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Radiation-induced bystander effects (RIBEs) is a neglected, but crucial, area of radiation response. In this issued of
Blood
,
Hu et al
1
have provided important new information and mechanistic ...insights into RIBE-impairment of hematopoietic stem (HSC) and progenitor (HPC) cells in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), with implications for the mitigation of RIBEs.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in hypoxic niches within bone marrow and cord blood. Yet, essentially all HSC studies have been performed with cells isolated and processed in non-physiologic ...ambient air. By collecting and manipulating bone marrow and cord blood in native conditions of hypoxia, we demonstrate that brief exposure to ambient oxygen decreases recovery of long-term repopulating HSCs and increases progenitor cells, a phenomenon we term extraphysiologic oxygen shock/stress (EPHOSS). Thus, true numbers of HSCs in the bone marrow and cord blood are routinely underestimated. We linked ROS production and induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) via cyclophilin D and p53 as mechanisms of EPHOSS. The MPTP inhibitor cyclosporin A protects mouse bone marrow and human cord blood HSCs from EPHOSS during collection in air, resulting in increased recovery of transplantable HSCs. Mitigating EPHOSS during cell collection and processing by pharmacological means may be clinically advantageous for transplantation.
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•Exposure to ambient air compromises HSC recovery from bone marrow and cord blood•HSC numbers are grossly underestimated because of collection in air•The decrease is mediated by ROS linked to the CypD-p53-MPTP axis, miR210, and hif-1α•HSC transplantation efficiency is enhanced with cells collected in cyclosporin A
Ambient air compromises the survival of bone marrow and cord blood hematopoietic stem cells through the activation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Inhibition of this process with cyclosporin A protects the cells, promoting transplantation efficacy.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
SIRT1, an NAD‐dependent deacetylase, plays a role in regulation of autophagy. SIRT1 increases mitochondrial function and reduces oxidative stress, and has been linked to age‐related reactive oxygen ...species (ROS) generation, which is highly dependent on mitochondrial metabolism. H2O2 induces oxidative stress and autophagic cell death through interference with Beclin 1 and the mTOR signaling pathways. We evaluated connections between SIRT1 activity and induction of autophagy in murine (m) and human (h) embryonic stem cells (ESCs) upon ROS challenge. Exogenous H2O2 (1 mM) induced apoptosis and autophagy in wild‐type (WT) and Sirt1−/− mESCs. High concentrations of H2O2 (1 mM) induced more apoptosis in Sirt1−/−, than in WT mESCs. However, addition of 3‐methyladenine, a widely used autophagy inhibitor, in combination with H2O2 induced more cell death in WT than in Sirt1−/− mESCs. Decreased induction of autophagy in Sirt1−/− mESCs was demonstrated by decreased conversion of LC3‐I to LC3‐II, lowered expression of Beclin‐1, and decreased LC3 punctae and LysoTracker staining. H2O2 induced autophagy with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and disruption of mitochondrial dynamics in Sirt1−/− mESCs. Increased phosphorylation of P70/85‐S6 kinase and ribosomal S6 was noted in Sirt1−/− mESCs, suggesting that SIRT1 regulates the mTOR pathway. Consistent with effects in mESCs, inhibition of SIRT1 using Lentivirus‐mediated SIRT1 shRNA in hESCs demonstrated that knockdown of SIRT1 decreased H2O2‐induced autophagy. This suggests a role for SIRT1 in regulating autophagy and mitochondria function in ESCs upon oxidative stress, effects mediated at least in part by the class III PI3K/Beclin 1 and mTOR pathways. Stem Cells 2014;32:1183–1194
Efficient hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homing is important for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), especially when HSC numbers are limited, as in the use of cord blood (CB). In a screen of ...small-molecule compounds, we identified glucocorticoid (GC) hormone signaling as an activator of CXCR4 expression in human CB HSCs and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). Short-term GC pretreatment of human CB HSCs and HPCs promoted SDF-1-CXCR4-axis-mediated chemotaxis, homing, and long-term engraftment when these cells were transplanted into primary- and secondary-recipient NSG mice. Mechanistically, activated glucocorticoid receptor binds directly to a glucocorticoid response element in the CXCR4 promoter and recruits the SRC-1-p300 complex to promote H4K5 and H4K16 histone acetylation, facilitating transcription of CXCR4. These results suggest a new and readily available means to enhance the clinical efficacy of CB HCT.
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IJS, NUK, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK