人脐血间充质干细胞促进脐血CD34+细胞在NOD/SCID小鼠体内植入的实验研究

目的探讨人脐血间充质干细胞(MSC)联合人脐血CD34+细胞移植,能否促进CD34+细胞在NOD/SCID小鼠体内植入及加速其造血恢复.方法NOD/SCID小鼠于60Co 2.5 Gy照射后24h内由尾静脉输注胎儿脐血CD34+细胞1×105/只(低细胞量移植组)或1×106/只(高细胞量移植组),联合移植组同时输注脐血MSC 1×106/只.动态观察移植后小鼠外周血白细胞、血红蛋白和血小板恢复情况,于移植后第8周用流式细胞术检测存活小鼠骨髓中人CD45+、CD45+CD3+、CD45+CD19+和CD45+CD33+细胞的含量.结果①低细胞量移植时,联合移植组的植入率明显高于单纯移植组,分别为26.02%和16.52%(P＜0.05);高细胞量移植时,联合移植组和单纯移植组的植入率相近,分别为43.71%和39.23%(P＞0.05).②高细胞量联合移植组和单纯移植组的存活率分别为80%和70%;低细胞量联合移植组和单纯移植组的存活率分别为70%和50%.③无论高细胞量还是低细胞量组,联合移植小鼠白细胞、血红蛋白和血小板的恢复明显早于单纯移植组.④移植8周后,小鼠骨髓中人CD45+CD19+、CD45+CD33+细胞含量在低细胞量移植时,联合移植组高于单纯移植组;但在高细胞量移植时,两组之间差异无统计学意义.CD45+CD41a+细胞的含量无论在低细胞量和高细胞量移植时,联合移植组均高于单纯移植组.各组小鼠骨髓中CD45+CD3+细胞的含量均较少,且各组之间差异无统计学意义.结论①低细胞量移植时,人脐血MSC联合移植可提高人脐血CD34+细胞在小鼠体内的植入率.②人脐血MSC与人脐血CD34+细胞联合移植,加速NOD/SCID小鼠各系造血恢复,提高移植小鼠存活率.③MSC联合移植可促进人脐血CD34+细胞在NOD/SCID小鼠体内向粒系、B淋巴系和巨核系定向分化.     

体外扩增的脐血单个核细胞植入NOD/SCID小鼠的研究

为了探讨在无血清、无基质培养条件下SCF、FL和TPO 3种因子组合体外扩增的脐血单个核细胞(MNC)的最佳移植时机及植入潜能,将SCF,FL和TPO 3种因子组合体外扩增的脐血单个核细胞培养14天,在0、7、10和14天检测有核细胞数(TNC),CD34 细胞数,CD34 CXCR4 细胞数,CD34 CD49d 的细胞数及集落形成单位(CFU)数,并将SCF FL TPO 3种因子组合的无血清无基质条件下扩增培养7天前后的脐血单个核细胞移植给经亚致死量照射的NOD/SCID小鼠,6周后用流式细胞术,PCR法检测存活小鼠体内的人源性细胞.结果表明,经过14天的培养,脐血细胞得到了有效的扩增,TNC数,CD34 细胞数,CD34 CD49d 的细胞数于7天达高峰,其后开始下降,而CFU数,CD34 CXCR4 细胞数于第10天达高峰.在移植6周后,扩增脐血移植组的NOD/SCID小鼠的存活率和人源性CD45 细胞的检出率分别为56.25%和(1.39±0.63)%,高于新鲜脐血移植组31.25%和(0.73±0.16)%,亦高于生理盐水移植组(0和0),差异有显著性(p＜0.05),扩增脐血移植组有6只NOD/SCID小鼠骨髓细胞中可检测到人特异ALU序列的表达.结论体外培养7-10天可能是收获细胞的最佳时机;SCF FL TPO 3种因子组合扩增7天的脐血单个核细胞能够植入NOD/SCID小鼠,其植入水平优于未扩增的脐血;上调脐血造血细胞上CXCR4,CD49d的表达可能会增加脐血造血细胞的植入能力.     

间充质干细胞与人脐血CD34+细胞共移植对NOD/SCID小鼠造血重建的影响

目的 观察间充质干细胞(MSC)与不同比例脐血CD34+细胞共移植对NOD/SCID小鼠造血重建的影响,明确MSC与脐血CD34+细胞共移植的最适数量.方法 给60Coγ射线照射的雌性NOD/SCID小鼠共移植人MSC和不同比例的脐血CD34+细胞,观察共移植后42 d内小鼠外周血白细胞和血小板变化,并于移植后42 d处死小鼠,用流式细胞术检测外周血、骨髓和脾脏人源细胞含量.结果 与单纯脐血CD34+细胞移植相比较:①脐血CD34+细胞与1、5和10倍数量的MSC共移植时,可明显减轻外周血白细胞和皿小板的下降幅度(P<0.01),提前1周使白细胞和血小板恢复至正常水平(P<0.05),三组间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);②MSC与不同比例的脐血CD34+细胞共移植均可明显提高外周血、骨髓和脾脏造血细胞植入率.比例为10:1时,外周血、骨髓和脾脏中的人源细胞(huCD45+细胞)含量分别增加了(2.8±0.6)倍、(3.5±0.9)倍和(5.2±0.6)倍,增加倍数差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01),达到了最佳的植入效果.结论 脐血CD34+细胞与10倍数量的MSC共移植可达到最佳的促进造血重建作用.     

脐带间充质干细胞对CD34+细胞在小鼠体内归巢的影响及其机制研究

目的 探讨脐带来源间充质干细胞(MSC)对脐血来源CD34+细胞在NOD/SCID小鼠体内归巢的影响及其可能的机制.方法 将CD34+细胞与MSC细胞共移植入经放射线照射后的NOD/SCID小鼠,采用流式细胞术和RT-PCR检测移植后20 h NOD/SCID小鼠骨髓及脾脏中人CD34+细胞,计算其相应的骨髓和脾脏的归巢效率.将脐血CD34+细胞与脐带MSC体外共培养,检测MSC细胞对CD34+细胞趋化功能的影响;并于培养4、7 d检测培养后CD34+细胞表面CD49e、CD31、CD62L、CD11a等归巢相关黏附分子表达情况.结果 ①移植后20 h采用流式细胞术成功在小鼠骨髓和脾脏中检测到人CD45+细胞.共移植组CD34+细胞骨髓归巢率[(7.2±1.1)%]高于单移植组[(5.4±0.9)%](P<0.05).②RT-PCR结果 显示共移植组小鼠骨髓细胞和脾脏细胞,单移植组小鼠脾脏细胞扩增得到人GAPDH基因片段,而单移植组小鼠骨髓细胞未见明显扩增条带.③MSC存在时,CD34+细胞的体外迁移能力为(35.7±5.8)%,显著高于CD34+细胞自发迁移率[(3.5±0.6)%,P<0.05].④CD34+细胞与MSC体外共培养后细胞表面CD49e、CD31和CD62L黏附分子的表达水平高于CD34+细胞单独培养组.结论 MSC细胞与CD34+细胞共移植有利于CD34+细胞向骨髓、脾脏等造血器官归巢,这可能与MSC促进CD34+细胞迁移以及维持CD34+细胞表面归巢相关黏附分子的表达相关.     

细胞因子介导的人脐血单个核细胞体外扩增并重建NOD/SCID小鼠造血及免疫功能

背景:细胞因子介导的脐血造血细胞体外扩增有望能解决脐血移植数量不足的问题.目的:实验拟确立在无基质培养条件下体外扩增脐血单个核细胞最合适的细胞因子组合及干细胞因子、FLT3配基协同促聚核细胞生成因子对造血及免疫重建功能的影响.方法:将新鲜脐血标本分离的单个核细胞接种于含有不同细胞因子组合的无血清无基质培养体系中培养7 d,根据不同细胞因子组合分组,将3因子干细胞因子+FLT3配基+促聚核细胞生成因子组合在无血清无基质条件下扩增培养7 d前后的脐血单个核细胞移植给经亚致死量照射的NOD/SCID小鼠.在扩增培养0,7 d检测脐血CD34+细胞数及CD34+CXCR4+,CD34+CD62L+,CD34+CD49d+的细胞数.脐血移植6周后通过流式细胞仪,PCR法检测存活小鼠体内的人源性细胞.结果与结论:移植6周后,存活小鼠体内均可检测到人源性CD45+细胞,扩增脐血移植组的NOD/SCID小鼠存活率和人特异性基因捡出率均高于新鲜脐血移植组和高于生理盐水移植组(P<0.05).扩增脐血组存活NOD/SCID小鼠骨髓中可检测到人髓系细胞(CD33+),T淋巴细胞(CD4+),B淋巴细胞(CD19+)和人造血干细胞成分(CD34+)细胞的表达.结果提示干细胞因子+FLT3配基+促聚核细胞生成因子3因子组合脐血造血细胞体外扩增是最合适的细胞因子组合,其扩增的脐血单个核细胞能够植入并重建NOD/SCID小鼠的造血及免疫功能.     

抗小鼠CD122抗体促进脐血CD34^＋细胞在NOD/SCID小鼠体内的重建

本研究旨在探讨抗小鼠CD122抗体促进人脐血CD34^＋造血干细胞在非肥胖糖尿病/重症联合免疫缺陷（NOD/SCID）小鼠体内的重建能力。对NOD/SCID小鼠进行半致死剂量γ射线照射,照射后腹腔注射200μg同型对照抗体或者抗小鼠CD122抗体,6-8 h后经尾静脉注射人脐血CD34^＋细胞或者注入PBS作为对照。处理后第2、3、4周取仅注射抗小鼠CD122抗体或同型对照抗体的小鼠外周血,动态监测小鼠NK细胞比例变化。在经过脐血CD34^＋细胞移植的小鼠中,利用流式细胞术对移植后小鼠骨髓中人CD45^＋比例以及CD45^＋细胞亚群中人CD34,CD19和CD33比例进行分析,观察抗小鼠CD122抗体对人造血干细胞在小鼠体内重建能力的影响。结果表明,用抗CD122抗体处理后2周和3周时,小鼠外周血中NK细胞比例分别为（4.6±0.6）%和（5.7±1.7）%,与注射同型对照抗体的NOD/SCID小鼠（12.2±1.4）%和（13.3±1.2）%相比下降约60%。在移植了人脐血CD34^＋细胞的小鼠中,同时用CD122抗体处理组在移植后6周和8周时小鼠骨髓中h CD45^＋比例分别为（63.0±12.2）%和（53.2±16.3）%,明显高于同型对照抗体组中h CD45^＋比例（7.7±3.6）%和（6.1±2.4）%。此外,经过抗CD122抗体处理组的小鼠移植8周后骨髓中仍能够明显的检测到人CD34^＋细胞的存在。结论：抗小鼠CD122抗体通过降低NOD/SCID小鼠的NK细胞的比例,大大促进了人脐血CD34^＋造血干细胞在免疫缺陷小鼠体内的重建能力。     

小鼠骨髓腔内输注人脐血造血干/祖细胞植活水平的观察

目的 探讨小鼠骨髓腔内输注能否增强人脐血造血干/祖细胞(HS/PC)异种移植的植活能力.方法 将不同数量(1×103、1×104、0.5×105、1×105、5×105)的人脐血CD34+细胞经尾静脉和骨髓腔途径移植入经亚致死剂量照射的NOD/SCID小鼠.于指定时间点处死小鼠,用PCR法检测人17号染色体α-微卫星特异性片段及用流式细胞术检测人源CD45+细胞,观察脐血CD34+细胞在移植小鼠左、右两侧胫骨和股骨及脾脏等部位的归巢及其长期植活能力.结果 异种移植后24h,经骨髓腔移植5×105 CD34+细胞的小鼠肝、脾、肺组织,外周血,左右两侧胫骨和股骨、骨髓细胞均表达人17号染色体α-卫星特异性片段.不同数量的人脐血CD34+细胞经骨髓腔途径移植入NOD/SCID小鼠后,8周时其植活良好(检测部位包括输注部位右侧胫骨,以及非输注部位右侧股骨、左侧胫骨、左侧股骨、脾脏及外周血).分别经尾静脉和骨髓腔两种途径输注同一来源的人脐血CD34+细胞1.0×105,8周时两组间人造血细胞植活水平分别为(44.063±20.095)%和(45.881±22.316)%,差异无统计学意义(P＜0.05);而将移植CD34+细胞数降至1.0×104时,则经骨髓腔途径输注的人脐血CD34+细胞小鼠植活水平(54.019±31.338)%显著优于尾静脉输注途径[(12.197±10.350)%,P＜0.01)];当CD34+细胞输注量降至1.0×103时,仅有骨髓腔内输注组小鼠能见到人脐血CD34+细胞植活,且植活部位通常为非输注部位骨骼.结论 小鼠骨髓腔内移植能够增强人脐血造血干/祖细胞的植活水平.     

不同时相移植人骨髓间充质干细胞对人脐血CD34^＋细胞植入NOD／SCID小鼠的影响

为了观察不同时相移植人骨髓间充质干细胞（MSC）对脐血（UCB）CD34^＋细胞移植的NOD／SCID小鼠造血重建的影响，明确最佳的移植时机，将体外培养扩增的人骨髓MSC分别于UCBCD34^＋细胞移植同时、移植前48小时及移植后48小时输入经^60Coγ射线照射的NOD／SCID小鼠，观察共移植后42天内小鼠外周血白细胞和血小板变化，并于移植后42天处死小鼠，用FACS检测外周血、骨髓和脾脏人源细胞含量。结果表明：（1）MSC和UCBCD34^＋细胞同时输注可明显降低外周血白细胞和血小板下降幅度，缩短白细胞和血小板恢复时间；二者不同时输注均不降低白细胞和血小板下降幅度，且输注UCBCD34^＋细胞后48小时输注MSC时外周血血小板恢复时间明显晚于同时输注者。（2）与单纯UCBCD34^＋细胞移植相比较，不同时相输注MSC均可促进UCBCD34^＋细胞的植入，三个共输注组间促进骨髓各系造血植入效应无明显差异。结论：人骨髓MSC与UCBCD34^＋细胞共移植时，以同时移植效果最佳，此结果为MSC的临床应用提供了实验依据。     

人骨髓及脐血单个核细胞移植构建人源化非肥胖糖尿病/重症联合免疫缺陷小鼠模型:可以提高其人源化水平吗?

背景:人源化非肥胖精尿病,重症联合免疫缺陷(nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeftcient,NOD/SCID)小鼠模型在生物及医学科学研究中被广泛应用,而提高人源化NOD/SCID小鼠模型中的人源化水平是研究者的迫切需要.目的:探讨提高人源化NOD/SCID小鼠模型人源化水平的措施.设计、时间及地点:随机对照动物实验,于2008-11/2009-01在广西医科大学实验动物中心及广西医科大学第一附属医院完成.材料:雄性NOD/SCID小鼠14只,体质量(25.0±1.5)g;1例骨髓标本约6 mL(多部位分层次采集)取自健康志愿者;1例足月脐带血标本大约90 mL,取自广西医科大学第一附属医院产科,为健康产妇.方法:无菌抗凝的正常骨髓及足月脐带血样本均在采集后6 h内处理.密度梯度离心法分离单个核细胞.将14只小鼠标号电脑随机分为5组:全身照射,环磷酰胺骨髓移植组(n=3),全身照射,环磷酰胺脐血移植组(n=3),全身照射骨髓移植组(n=3),全身照射脐血移植组(n=3),空白对照组(n=2).将人骨髓或脐血单个核细胞分别移植给经不同方案和剂量预处理的各组小鼠,移植后给小鼠腹腔注射重组人粒-巨噬细胞集落刺激因子及重组人促红细胞生成素.主要观察指标:各组小鼠输注的细胞数,小鼠存活情况并计算死亡率,移植6周后流式细胞仪检测小鼠骨髓及外周血人CD45+细胞比例.结果:全身照射/环磷酰胺骨髓移植组、全身照射骨髓移植组和全身照射,环磷酰胺脐血移植组、全身照射脐血移植组小鼠输注人单个核细胞数分别为(0.656 0±0.008 9)×106和(4.077 5±0.845 0)×106.全身照射,环磷酰胺组死亡率均为100%,全身照射组死亡率均为33.3%.全身照射后再加环磷酰胺,小鼠不能耐受;而全身照射剂量越大,死亡率越高,当达400 cGy时,死亡率100%.存活小鼠移植6周后,流式细胞仪检测小鼠骨髓中人CD45+细胞的比例,全身照射脐血移植组13号和6号小鼠分别为59.61%和21.46%,而全身照射骨髓移植组2号和8号小鼠其比例均为0,空白对照组小鼠比例均为0.而在13号小鼠骨髓细胞中,CD33+细胞比例为13.13%,GlyA+CD45-细胞比例为20.21%.结论:要建寺人源化NODISCID小鼠模型,所输入的造血干细胞数量一定要达到阈剂量,而在可耐受的范围内,尽可能提高预处理的强度,并使用人细胞因子可提高人源化NOD,SCID小鼠模型的人源化比例.     

人-NOD/SCID小鼠异种急性移植物抗宿主病模型的建立

目的 建立一种人-NOD/SCID小鼠嵌合的异种急性移植物抗宿主病(aGVHD)模型.方法 NOD/SCID小鼠给予亚致死剂量的60Coγ射线全身照射后经尾静脉输注动员后人外周血单个核细胞(PBMNC),移植后每周检测血常规,采用流式细胞术检测人CD45+细胞的比例,分析人淋巴细胞亚群,取各脏器组织检测人、鼠保守基因序列片段,并进行免疫病理分析.结果 移植后1周起NOD/SCID小鼠的血细胞中有明确的人CD45抗原表达,随人CD45+细胞比例增高逐渐出现以体重减轻和血细胞减少为主要表现的异种急性移植物抗宿主病(X-GVHD),人-NOD/SCID嵌合体的基因组DNA中可扩增出入β-globin及小鼠保守基因HYPSIN序列片段,移植后6周生存率约为14%;人-NOD/SCID嵌合体中以人T淋巴细胞的植人为主,CD4+/CD8+细胞比例倒置;X-GVHD以人的淋巴细胞浸润为主,肝脏与肺脏是主要靶器官.结论 NOD/SCID小鼠预先给予亚致死剂量照射,再经尾静脉输注入PBMNC,能够建立X-GVHD模型.临床表现主要为植入率相关的体重减轻和血细胞减少,病理表现靶器官主要为肝脏和肺脏.该模型建立方法简便,X-GVHD发生时间(2～3周)较早,发生率(94%)高,便于在此基础上进行aGVHD防治的动物实验研究.     

Umbilical cord blood progeny cells that retain a CD34+ phenotype after ex vivo expansion have less engraftment potential than unexpanded CD34+ cells

BACKGROUND: Because of the limitation of cell numbers associated with cord blood harvests, there is a need to determine the efficacy of using ex vivo-expanded cord blood cells in a transplantation setting. In this study, limiting-dilution analysis was used in nonobese diabetic mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) to compare the engraftment potential of progeny cells expressing the CD34+ phenotype after expansion with that of uncultured CD34+ cells. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Cord blood CD34+ cells were cultured in Iscove's modified Dulbecco medium supplemented with 10-percent fetal calf serum (FCS) and IL-6, SCF, megakaryocyte growth and development factor, and Flt3 ligand. The resulting ex vivo-expanded products were assessed for total numbers of nucleated cells, CD34+ cells, and CFUs and long-term culture-initiating cell activity. The engraftment potentials of cultured progeny CD34+ cells and uncultured CD34+ cells were determined by using NOD/SCID mice. RESULTS: After 14 days of culture, total nucleated cell counts increased over input values by 180 +/- 59-fold, CD34+ cell numbers by 44 +/- 13-fold, CFU activity by 23 +/- 5-fold, and long-term culture-initiating cell activity by 20 +/- 6-fold (mean +/- SD; n = 6). The frequency of SCID-repopulating cells (SRC) in mice transplanted with uncultured products was 1 per 20,000 CD34+ cells (95% CI, 1:10,000-1:38,000) and that in mice receiving ex vivo-expanded products was 1 per 418,000 progeny CD34+ cells (95% CI, 1:158,000-1:1,100,000). Taken together, these data indicated that, after 2 weeks of culture, there was a modest twofold increase in the total number of SRCs. However, the levels of human CD45 cell engraftment in NOD/SCID recipients of progeny CD34+ cells were significantly lower than those in mice receiving equivalent numbers of uncultured CD34+ cells (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Umbilical cord blood progeny cells retaining a CD34+ phenotype after ex vivo expansion have less engraftment potential than do unexpanded CD34+ cells.     

人胎儿血造血干/祖细胞的生物学特性及其移植实验

背景:造血干细胞来源目前包括骨髓干细胞、外周血干细胞和脐带血干细胞,寻找新的干细胞来源以满足临床移植需要一直是人们的希望。从妊娠第5周起,肝脏中发育成完善的血窦系统,此后造血干细胞就可以随血液流动迁移。目的:观察人胎儿血造血干/祖细胞的生物学特性并对其进行非肥胖糖尿病/重症联合免疫缺陷小鼠移植。设计:对照实验。单位:广西医科大学第一附属医院血液科。对象:①细胞来源:21例胎儿血标本取自胎龄为18～29周[(24.2±3.2)周]死亡胎儿及21例足月脐带血标本取自广西医科大学第一附属医院产科2002-10/2003-02。所取的血标本均取得其家属的知情同意。②实验动物:非肥胖糖尿病/重症联合免疫缺陷小鼠12只,6～7周龄,雌性,无菌饲养于超净工作台中。方法:采用流式细胞术,检测胎儿血的造血干/祖细胞表面标志,包括CD34,CD38,HLA-DR及CD90,同时与21例足月儿脐血作比较。并将人胎血单个核细胞移植给6只经亚致死量照射的非肥胖糖尿病/重症联合免疫缺陷小鼠,5周后观察其植入情况,采用流式细胞术检测小鼠骨髓中人白细胞的含量,以及采用聚合酶链反应检测小鼠骨髓中的人Cart-1基因。主要观察指标:①胎血和脐血造血干/祖细胞表面标志的表达情况。②将胎血细胞移植给非肥胖糖尿病/重症联合免疫缺陷小鼠的植入情况。结果:①人胎血中CD34 细胞的百分率显著高于足月脐血[(2.2588±0.7209)%,(1.5729±0.4783)%,P=0.0004],CD34 CD38-细胞和CD34 CD90 细胞的百分率也均显著高于足月脐血[(1.2986±0.4706)%,(0.8710±0.4095)%,P=0.0016;(0.9300±0.4692)%,(0.5600±0.3658)%,P=0.0324]。②6例胎血中的4例可顺利重建经亚致死量照射的非肥胖糖尿病/重症联合免疫缺陷小鼠的造血,移植后5周在小鼠骨髓中仍可检测到人的白细胞和人Cart-1基因。结论:人胎儿血中有比足月脐血更高含量的造血干/祖细胞,其单个核细胞能植入非肥胖糖尿病/重症联合免疫缺陷小鼠骨髓,并重建髓、淋巴系全面造血。胎儿血有望成为多能造血干细胞来源。     

Preclinical ex vivo expansion of cord blood hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells: duration of culture; the media, serum supplements, and growth factors used; and engraftment in NOD/SCID mice

BACKGROUND: Ex vivo expansion of cord blood (CB) hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells increases cell dose and may reduce the severity and duration of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia after transplantation. This study's purpose was to establish a clinically applicable culture system by investigating the use of cytokines, serum-free media, and autologous plasma for the expansion of CB cells and the engraftment of expanded product in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Enriched CB CD34+ cells were cultured in four media (Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium with FCS, Gibco; X-Vivo-10, BioWhittaker; QBSF-60, Quality Biological; and StemSpan SFEM, Stem Cell Technologies) with four cytokine combinations (thrombopoietin [TPO], SCF, Flt-3 ligand [FL] with and without G-CSF, and/or IL-6). The effect of autologous CB plasma was also investigated. The read-out measures were evaluated on Days 8 and 12. After expansion at the optimized condition, cultured cells were transplanted into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice. The engraftment of human CD45+ cells and subsets in the bone marrow, spleen, and peripheral blood was determined. RESULTS: QBSF-60 or StemSpan SFEM supported high yields of early progenitors (CD34+ cells, 相似文献   

Prior cryopreservation of ex vivo-expanded cord blood cells is not detrimental to engraftment as measured in the NOD-SCID mouse model

Cytokine-mediated expansion has been proposed and successfully used to facilitate engraftment post transplantation. This study examined whether cryopreservation following expansion has a detrimental effect on the ability of cells to engraft, using the NOD-SCID mouse model. Cord blood (CB) CD34(+) cells were incubated for 7 days with stem cell factor (SCF), flt-3 ligand (FL), and megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF). Expanded CD34(+) cells were transplanted into NOD-SCID mice either fresh or following cryopreservation and thawing. After thawing, recovery of nucleated cells was 94%, of CD34 cells was 63%, and of day-14 progenitors was 17%. The loss of day-14 progenitor cells among the thawed expanded cells did not influence the kinetics of human engraftment in the mouse. Bone marrow (BM) of mice transplanted with thawed expanded CD34(+) cells (14 +/- 3.9%) showed significantly higher levels of human engraftment than mice transplanted with fresh expanded CD34(+) cells (1.5 +/- 0.5%, p = 0.0064). Thawed expanded CD34(+) cells had significantly higher SCID Engrafting Potential (SEP) than freshly expanded CD34(+) cells (p < 0.001). Results suggest that prior cryopreservation does not prevent expanded cells engrafting in NOD-SCID mice.     

Expansion of human NOD/SCID-repopulating cells by stem cell factor, Flk2/Flt3 ligand, thrombopoietin, IL-6, and soluble IL-6 receptor

Here, we demonstrate a significant ex vivo expansion of human hematopoietic stem cells capable of repopulating in NOD/SCID mice. Using a combination of stem cell factor (SCF), Flk2/Flt3 ligand (FL), thrombopoietin (TPO), and a complex of IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor (IL-6/sIL-6R), we cultured cord blood CD34(+) cells for 7 days and transplanted these cells into NOD/SCID mice. Bone marrow engraftment was judged successful when recipient animals contained measurable numbers of human CD45(+) cells 10-12 weeks after transplantation. When cells were cultured with SCF+FL+TPO+IL-6/sIL-6R, 13 of 16 recipients were successfully engrafted, and CD45(+) cells represented 11.5% of bone marrow cells in engrafted recipients. Cells cultured with a subset of these factors were less efficiently engrafted, both as measured by frequency of successful transplantations and prevalence of CD45(+) cells. In animals receiving cells cultured with all 4 factors, human CD45(+) cells represented various lineages, including a large number of CD34(+) cells. The proportion of CD45(+) cells in recipient marrow was 10 times higher in animals receiving these cultured cells than in those receiving comparable numbers of fresh CD34(+) cells, and the expansion rate was estimated at 4.2-fold by a limiting dilution method. Addition of IL-3 to the cytokine combination abrogated the repopulating ability of the expanded cells. The present study may provide a novel culture method for the expansion of human transplantable hematopoietic stem cells suitable for clinical applications.