scholarly journals Current Progress in the Rejuvenation of Aging Stem/Progenitor Cells for Improving the Therapeutic Effectiveness of Myocardial Repair

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gurleen Kaur ◽  
Chuanxi Cai
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Cardiac Tissue ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Myocardial Repair ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Cell Niche

Ischemic heart disease affects a majority of people, especially elderly patients. Recent studies have utilized autologous adult stem/progenitor cells as a treatment option to heal cardiac tissue after myocardial infarction. However, donor cells from aging patients are more likely to be in a senescent stage. Rejuvenation is required to reverse the damage levied by aging and promote a youthful phenotype. This review aims to discuss current strategies that are effective in rejuvenating aging cardiac stem cells and represent novel therapeutic methods to treat the aging heart. Recent literature mainly focuses on three approaches that aim to reverse cardiac aging: genetic modification, pharmaceutical administration, and optimization of extracellular factors. In vitro genetic modification can be used to overexpress or knock down certain genes and allow for reversal of the aging phenotype. Pharmaceutical administration is another approach that allows for manipulation of signaling pathways related to cell proliferation and cell senescence. Since the stem cell niche can contribute to the age-related decline in stem cell function, rejuvenation strategies also include optimization of extracellular factors. Overall, improving the intrinsic properties of aging stem cells as well as the surrounding environment allows these cells to adopt a phenotype similar to their younger counterparts.

scholarly journals Intestinal Stem Cell Niche Insights Gathered from Both In Vivo and Novel In Vitro Models

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolce Gjorevski ◽  
Paloma Ordóñez-Morán
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Intestinal Stem Cell ◽  
Intestinal Damage ◽  
Cell Niche

Intestinal stem cells are located at the base of the crypts and are surrounded by a complex structure called niche. This environment is composed mainly of epithelial cells and stroma which provides signals that govern cell maintenance, proliferation, and differentiation. Understanding how the niche regulates stem cell fate by controlling developmental signaling pathways will help us to define how stem cells choose between self-renewal and differentiation and how they maintain their undifferentiated state. Tractable in vitro assay systems, which reflect the complexity of the in vivo situation but provide higher level of control, would likely be crucial in identifying new players and mechanisms controlling stem cell function. Knowledge of the intestinal stem cell niche gathered from both in vivo and novel in vitro models may help us improve therapies for tumorigenesis and intestinal damage and make autologous intestinal transplants a feasible clinical practice.

scholarly journals Antioxidant Effects of Caffeic Acid Lead to Protection of Drosophila Intestinal Stem Cell Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Sheng ◽  
Yuedan Zhu ◽  
Juanyu Zhou ◽  
La Yan ◽  
Gang Du ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Caffeic Acid ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Cell Aging ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Tissue Aging

The dysfunction or exhaustion of adult stem cells during aging is closely linked to tissue aging and age-related diseases. Circumventing this aging-related exhaustion of adult stem cells could significantly alleviate the functional decline of organs. Therefore, identifying small molecular compounds that could prevent the age-related decline of stem cell function is a primary goal in anti-aging research. Caffeic acid (CA), a phenolic compound synthesized in plants, offers substantial health benefits for multiple age-related diseases and aging. However, the effects of CA on adult stem cells remain largely unknown. Using the Drosophila midgut as a model, this study showed that oral administration with CA significantly delayed age-associated Drosophila gut dysplasia caused by the dysregulation of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) upon aging. Moreover, administering CA retarded the decline of intestinal functions in aged Drosophila and prevented hyperproliferation of age-associated ISC by suppressing oxidative stress-associated JNK signaling. On the other hand, CA supplementation significantly ameliorated the gut hyperplasia defect and reduced environmentally induced mortality, revealing the positive effects of CA on tolerance to stress responses. Taken together, our findings report a crucial role of CA in delaying age-related changes in ISCs of Drosophila.

scholarly journals Designing stem cell niches for differentiation and self-renewal

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (145) ◽  
pp. 20180388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Donnelly ◽  
Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez ◽  
Matthew J. Dalby
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Regenerative Medicine ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Regulatory Mechanisms ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Regenerative Capacity ◽  
Cell Niche ◽  
Stem Cell Niches

Mesenchymal stem cells, characterized by their ability to differentiate into skeletal tissues and self-renew, hold great promise for both regenerative medicine and novel therapeutic discovery. However, their regenerative capacity is retained only when in contact with their specialized microenvironment, termed the stem cell niche . Niches provide structural and functional cues that are both biochemical and biophysical, stem cells integrate this complex array of signals with intrinsic regulatory networks to meet physiological demands. Although, some of these regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood or difficult to harness with traditional culture systems. Biomaterial strategies are being developed that aim to recapitulate stem cell niches, by engineering microenvironments with physiological-like niche properties that aim to elucidate stem cell-regulatory mechanisms, and to harness their regenerative capacity in vitro . In the future, engineered niches will prove important tools for both regenerative medicine and therapeutic discoveries.

scholarly journals Genetic Modification of Primate Amniotic Fluid-Derived Stem Cells Produces Pancreatic Progenitor Cells in vitro

2013 ◽  
Vol 197 (4) ◽  
pp. 269-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhou ◽  
David L. Mack ◽  
J. Koudy Williams ◽  
Sayed-Hadi Mirmalek-Sani ◽  
Emily Moorefield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Pancreatic Progenitor ◽  
Pancreatic Progenitor Cells

Donor Origin of Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells in Radiation Chimeras.

Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 1395-1395
Author(s):  
Morayma Reyes ◽  
Jeffrey S. Chamberlain
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Y Chromosome ◽  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells

Abstract Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells (MAPC) are bone marrow derived stem cells that can be extensively expanded in vitro and can differentiate in vivo and in vitro into cells of all three germinal layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm. The origin of MAPC within bone marrow (BM) is unknown. MAPC are believed to be derived from the BM stroma compartment as they are isolated within the adherent cell component. Numerous studies of bone marrow chimeras in human and mouse point to a host origin of bone marrow stromal cells, including mesenchymal stem cells. We report here that following syngeneic bone marrow transplants into lethally irradiated C57Bl/6 mice, MAPC are of donor origin. When MAPC were isolated from BM chimeras (n=12, 4–12 weeks post-syngeneic BM transplant from a transgenic mouse ubiquitously expressing GFP), a mixture of large and small GFP-positive and GFP-negative cells were seen early in culture. While the large cells stained positive for stroma cell markers (smooth muscle actin), mesenchymal stem cell makers (CD73, CD105, CD44) or macrophages (CD45, CD14), the small cells were negative for all these markers and after 30 cell doublings, these cells displayed the classical phenotype of MAPC (CD45−,CD105−, CD44−, CD73−, FLK-1+(vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, VEGFR2), Sca-1+,CD13+). In a second experiment, BM obtained one month post BM transplant (n=3) was harvested and mononuclear cells were sorted as GFP-positive and GFP-negative cells and were cultured in MAPC expansion medium. MAPC grew from the GFP-positive fraction. These GFP positive cells displayed the typical MAPC-like immunophenotypes, displayed a normal diploid karyotype and were expanded for more than 50 cell doublings and differentiated into endothelial cells, hepatocytes and neurons. To rule out the possibility that MAPC are the product of cell fusion between a host and a donor cell either in vivo or in our in vitro culture conditions, we performed sex mismatched transplants of female GFP donor BM cells into a male host. BM from 5 chimeras were harvested 4 weeks after transplant and MAPC cultures were established. MAPC colonies were then sorted as GFP-positive and GFP- negative and analyzed for the presence of Y-chromosome by FISH analysis. As expected all GFP-negative (host cells) contained the Y-chromosome whereas all GFP-positive cells (donor cells) were negative for the Y-chromosome by FISH. This proves that MAPC are not derived from an in vitro or in vivo fusion event. In a third study, BM mononuclear cells from mice that had been previously BM-transplanted with syngeneic GFP-positive donors (n=3) were transplanted into a second set of syngeneic recipients (n=9). Two months after the second transplant, BM was harvested and mononuclear cells were cultured in MAPC medium. The secondary recipients also contained GFP-positive MAPC. This is the first demonstration that BM transplantation leads to the transfer of cells that upon isolation in vitro generate MAPCs and, whatever the identity of this cell may be, is eliminated by irradiation. We believe this is an important observation as MAPC hold great clinical potential for stem cell and/or gene therapy and, thus, BM transplant may serve as a way to deliver and reconstitute the MAPC population. In addition, this study provides insight into the nature of MAPC. The capacity to be transplantable within unfractionated BM transplant renders a functional and physiological distinction between MAPC and BM stromal cells. This study validates the use of unfractionated BM transplants to study the nature and possible in vivo role of MAPC in the BM.

Differential Role for VLA-5 in Mobilization of Heamotopoieic Stem Cells Toward Peripheral Blood and Homing to Bone Marrow and Spleen.

Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 2190-2190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter K. Wierenga ◽  
Ellen Weersing ◽  
Bert Dontje ◽  
Gerald de Haan ◽  
Ronald P. van Os
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Late Antigen ◽  
Cell Mobilization

Abstract Adhesion molecules have been implicated in the interactions of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells with the bone marrow extracellular matrix and stromal cells. In this study we examined the role of very late antigen-5 (VLA-5) in the process of stem cell mobilization and homing after stem cell transplantation. In normal bone marrow (BM) from CBA/H mice 79±3 % of the cells in the lineage negative fraction express VLA-5. After mobilization with cyclophosphamide/G-CSF, the number of VLA-5 expressing cells in mobilized peripheral blood cells (MPB) decreases to 36±4%. The lineage negative fraction of MPB cells migrating in vitro towards SDF-1α (M-MPB) demonstrated a further decrease to 3±1% of VLA-5 expressing cells. These data are suggestive for a downregulation of VLA-5 on hematopoietic cells during mobilization. Next, MPB cells were labelled with PKH67-GL and transplanted in lethally irradiated recipients. Three hours after transplantation an increase in VLA-5 expressing cells was observed which remained stable until 24 hours post-transplant. When MPB cells were used the percentage PKH-67GL+ Lin− VLA-5+ cells increased from 36% to 88±4%. In the case of M-MPB cells the number increased from 3% to 33±5%. Although the increase might implicate an upregulation of VLA-5, we could not exclude selective homing of VLA-5+ cells as a possible explanation. Moreover, we determined the percentage of VLA-5 expressing cells immediately after transplantation in the peripheral blood of the recipients and were not able to observe any increase in VLA-5+ cells in the first three hours post-tranpslant. Finally, we separated the MPB cells in VLA-5+ and VLA-5− cells and plated these cells out in clonogenic assays for progenitor (CFU-GM) and stem cells (CAFC-day35). It could be demonstared that 98.8±0.5% of the progenitor cells and 99.4±0.7% of the stem cells were present in the VLA-5+ fraction. Hence, VLA-5 is not downregulated during the process of mobilization and the observed increase in VLA-5 expressing cells after transplantation is indeed caused by selective homing of VLA-5+ cells. To shed more light on the role of VLA-5 in the process of homing, BM and MPB cells were treated with an antibody to VLA-5. After VLA-5 blocking of MPB cells an inhibition of 59±7% in the homing of progenitor cells in bone marrow could be found, whereas homing of these subsets in the spleen of the recipients was only inhibited by 11±4%. For BM cells an inhibition of 60±12% in the bone marrow was observed. Homing of BM cells in the spleen was not affected at all after VLA-5 blocking. Based on these data we conclude that mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells does not coincide with a downregulation of VLA-5. The observed increase in VLA-5 expressing cells after transplantation is caused by preferential homing of VLA-5+ cells. Homing of progenitor/stem cells to the bone marrow after transplantation apparantly requires adhesion interactions that can be inhibited by blocking VLA-5 expression. Homing to the spleen seems to be independent of VLA-5 expression. These data are indicative for different adhesive pathways in the process of homing to bone marrow or spleen.

Persisting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Stem and Progenitor Cells From Patients in Major Molecular Remission Under Imatinib Are Characterized by Low BCR/ABL Expression.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 2207-2207
Author(s):  
Ashu Kumari ◽  
Cornelia Brendel ◽  
Thorsten Volkmann ◽  
Sonja Tajstra ◽  
Andreas Neubauer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Soft Agar ◽  
Molecular Remission ◽  
Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽  
First Diagnosis

Abstract Abstract 2207 Poster Board II-184 Introduction: Treatment with the Abl-kinase specific inhibitor imatinib (IM) is very effective in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, IM presumably fails to eradicate CML stem cells (HSC) leading to disease persistence and relapse after IM-discontinuation. Although causes of CML persistence under imatinib remain ill defined, quiescence and BCR/ABL-overexpression of CML stem and progenitor cells have been suggested as underlying mechanisms. We here set out to identify means to directly study persistence mechanisms in residual BCR/ABL-positive progenitor and stem cell clones from chronic phase CML patients in major molecular remission (mmR) under imatinib. Methods: Bone marrow specimens of twenty-one CML patients in at least major molecular remission (mmR) according to the international scale, first diagnosis (FD) patients (n=5) and healthy donors (n=4) were sorted into HSC, common myeloid progenitors (CMP), granulocyte/macrophage progenitors (GMP) and megakaryocate-erythrocyte progenitors (MEP) and BCR-ABL mRNA expression was directly assessed by quantitative real time (qPCR) and/or nested PCR (mRNA of 4.000 sorted cells). Alternatively, HSC, CMP, GMP and MEP were seeded into soft agar and mRNA was extracted from individual colony forming units (CFU) to assess BCR/ABL-mRNA expression by qPCR. Moreover, CFU of sub-fractions of first diagnosis CML patients were treated in vitro with IM at 3mM and BCR/ABL-expression of surviving CFU was compared with the BCR/ABL expression levels of mock-treated CML-CFU. In total, 595 soft agar colonies were analyzed. Results: By nested PCR, BCR/ABL-mRNA was readily detectable in the HSC compartments of 7 of 10 (7/10) CML patients in mmR. BCR/ABL was also detected in the CMP-, GMP-, and MEP-compartments in 6, 10 and 8 of the 10 patients, respectively. Real time qRT-PCR suggested only a trend toward stronger BCR/ABL positivity of the HSC compartment when compared to the other progenitor compartments (table 1). A detailed analysis of the BCR/ABL-expression of individual CFU from HSC-, CMP-, GMP-, and MEP-compartments of mmR patients revealed that persisting CML-CFU expressed significantly less BCR/ABL than first diagnosis CML-CFU obtained before imatinib therapy (table 1). This finding could be recapitulated in vitro: primary CML-CD34+ cells of first diagnosis CML patients (n=4) were seeded into soft agar in the presence or absence of 3 uM imatinib. After 14 days BCR/ABL expression only of BCR/ABL-positive CFU was compared. BCR/ABL-positive CML-CFU (n=30) that had survived imatinib exposure expressed significantly less BCR/ABL than mock-treated CML-CFU (n=175) (p<0.001). Work is in progress providing in vitro evidence that selection/induction of low BCR/ABL expression in immature progenitor and stem cells is a new mechanism of imatinib persistence in mmR patients via reducing oncogenic addiction from BCR/ABL. Conclusions: We showed that BCR/ABL-persistence is not confined to the quiescent CML-stem cell compartment, but seems to affect also the highly proliferative progenitor compartments. More intriguingly, persisting CML-HSC and -precursor cells express remarkably low levels of BCR/ABL when compared to first diagnosis HSC and progenitors, implying that low BCR/ABL expression reduces imatinib sensitivity in vivo. The simple model of selection / induction of low BCR/ABL expression as mechanism of imatinib persistence in CML would explain the low propensity of disease progression after achieving mmR, and the low genetic instability of CML clones from mmR patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Long-Term Reconstitution of Transduced Rhesus CD34+ Cells Mobilized by G-CSF and Plerixafor.

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 1449-1449
Author(s):  
Naoya Uchida ◽  
Aylin Bonifacino ◽  
Allen E Krouse ◽  
Sandra D Price ◽  
Ross M Fasano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
Transgene Expression ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Cd34 Cells ◽  
One Year

Abstract Abstract 1449 Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in combination with plerixafor (AMD3100) produces significant mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells in the rhesus macaque model. The CD34+ cell population mobilized possesses a unique gene expression profile, suggesting a different proportion of progenitor/stem cells. To evaluate whether these CD34+ cells can stably reconstitute blood cells, we performed hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized rhesus CD34+ cells that were transduced with chimeric HIV1-based lentiviral vector including the SIV-capsid (χHIV vector). In our experiments, G-CSF and plerixafor mobilization (N=3) yielded a 2-fold higher CD34+ cell number, compared to that observed for G-CSF and stem cell factor (SCF) combination (N=5) (8.6 ± 1.8 × 107 vs. 3.6 ± 0.5 × 107, p<0.01). Transduction rates with χHIV vector, however, were 4-fold lower in G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34+ cells, compared to G-CSF and SCF (13 ± 4% vs. 57 ± 5%, p<0.01). CD123+ (IL3 receptor) rates were higher in CD34+ cells mobilized by G-CSF and plerixafor (16.4%) or plerixafor alone (21.3%), when compared to G-CSF alone (2.6%). To determine their repopulating ability, G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34+ cells were transduced with EGFP-expressing χHIV vector at MOI 50 and transplanted into lethally-irradiated rhesus macaques (N=3). Blood counts and transgene expression levels were followed for more than one year. Animals transplanted with G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized cells showed engraftment of all lineages and earlier recovery of lymphocytes, compared to animals who received G-CSF and SCF-mobilized grafts (1200 ± 300/μl vs. 3300 ± 900/μl on day 30, p<0.05). One month after transplantation, there was a transient development of a skin rash, cold agglutinin reaction, and IgG and IgM type plasma paraproteins in one of the three animals transplanted with G-CSF and plerixafor cells. This animal had the most rapid lymphocyte recovery. These data suggested that G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34+ cells contained an increased amount of early lymphoid progenitor cells, compared to those arising from the G-CSF and SCF mobilization. One year after transplantation, transgene expression levels were 2–5% in the first animal, 2–5% in the second animal, and 5–10% in the third animal in all lineage cells. These data indicated G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34+ cells could stably reconstitute peripheral blood in the rhesus macaque. Next, we evaluated the correlation of transgene expression levels between in vitro bulk CD34+ cells and lymphocytes at one month, three months, and six months post-transplantation. At one and three months after transplantation, data from G-CSF and plerixafor mobilization showed higher ratio of %EGFP in lymphocytes to that of in vitro CD34+ cells when compared to that of G-CSF and SCF mobilization. At six months after transplantation the ratios were similar. These results again suggest that G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34+ cells might include a larger proportion of early lymphoid progenitor cells when compared to G-CSF and SCF mobilization. In summary, G-CSF and plerixafor mobilization increased CD34+ cell numbers. G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34+ cells contained an increased number of lymphoid progenitor cells and a hematopoietic stem cell population that was capable of reconstituting blood cells as demonstrated by earlier lymphoid recovery and stable multilineage transgene expression in vivo, respectively. Our findings should impact the development of new clinical mobilization protocols. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Novel In Vivo Evidence That Not Only Androgens But Also Pituitary Gonadotropins and Prolactin Directly Stimulate Murine Bone Marrow Stem Cells – Implications For Potential Treatment Strategies In Aplastic Anemias

Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 2476-2476
Author(s):  
Kasia Mierzejewska ◽  
Ewa Suszynska ◽  
Sylwia Borkowska ◽  
Malwina Suszynska ◽  
Maja Maj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Clonogenic Potential

Abstract Background Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) are exposed in vivo to several growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and bioactive lipids in bone marrow (BM) in addition to various sex hormones circulating in peripheral blood (PB). It is known that androgen hormones (e.g., danazol) is employed in the clinic to treat aplastic anemia patients. However, the exact mechanism of action of sex hormones secreted by the pituitary gland or gonads is not well understood. Therefore, we performed a complex series of experiments to address the influence of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), androgen (danazol) and prolactin (PRL) on murine hematopoiesis. In particular, from a mechanistic view we were interested in whether this effect depends on stimulation of BM-residing stem cells or is mediated through the BM microenvironment. Materials and Methods To address this issue, normal 2-month-old C57Bl6 mice were exposed or not to daily injections of PMSG (10 IU/mice/10 days), LH (5 IU/mice/10 days), FSH (5 IU/mice/10 days), danazol (4 mg/kg/10 days) and PRL (1 mg/day/5days). Subsequently, we evaluated changes in the BM number of Sca-1+Lin–CD45– that are precursors of long term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) (Leukemia 2011;25:1278–1285) and bone forming mesenchymal stem cells (Stem Cell & Dev. 2013;22:622-30) and Sca-1+Lin–CD45+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) cells by FACS, the number of clonogenic progenitors from all hematopoietic lineages, and changes in peripheral blood (PB) counts. In some of the experiments, mice were exposed to bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to evaluate whether sex hormones affect stem cell cycling. By employing RT-PCR, we also evaluated the expression of cell-surface and intracellular receptors for hormones in purified populations of murine BM stem cells. In parallel, we studied whether stimulation by sex hormones activates major signaling pathways (MAPKp42/44 and AKT) in HSPCs and evaluated the effect of sex hormones on the clonogenic potential of murine CFU-Mix, BFU-E, CFU-GM, and CFU-Meg in vitro. We also sublethally irradiated mice and studied whether administration of sex hormones accelerates recovery of peripheral blood parameters. Finally, we determined the influence of sex hormones on the motility of stem cells in direct chemotaxis assays as well as in direct in vivo stem cell mobilization studies. Results We found that 10-day administration of each of the sex hormones evaluated in this study directly stimulated expansion of HSPCs in BM, as measured by an increase in the number of these cells in BM (∼2–3x), and enhanced BrdU incorporation (the percentage of quiescent BrdU+Sca-1+Lin–CD45– cells increased from ∼2% to ∼15–35% and the percentage of BrdU+Sca-1+Lin–CD45+ cells increased from 24% to 43–58%, Figure 1). These increases paralleled an increase in the number of clonogenic progenitors in BM (∼2–3x). We also observed that murine Sca-1+Lin–CD45– and Sca-1+Lin–CD45+ cells express sex hormone receptors and respond by phosphorylation of MAPKp42/44 and AKT in response to exposure to PSMG, LH, FSH, danazol and PRL. We also observed that administration of sex hormones accelerated the recovery of PB cell counts in sublethally irradiated mice and slightly mobilized HSPCs into PB. Finally, in direct in vitro clonogenic experiments on purified murine SKL cells, we observed a stimulatory effect of sex hormones on clonogenic potential in the order: CFU-Mix > BFU-E > CFU-Meg > CFU-GM. Conclusions Our data indicate for the first time that not only danazol but also several pituitary-secreted sex hormones directly stimulate the expansion of stem cells in BM. This effect seems to be direct, as precursors of LT-HSCs and HSPCs express all the receptors for these hormones and respond to stimulation by phosphorylation of intracellular pathways involved in cell proliferation. These hormones also directly stimulated in vitro proliferation of purified HSPCs. In conclusion, our studies support the possibility that not only danazol but also several other upstream pituitary sex hormones could be employed to treat aplastic disorders and irradiation syndromes. Further dose- and time-optimizing mouse studies and studies with human cells are in progress in our laboratories. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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