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.     

白细胞介素6/可溶性白细胞介素6受体对人脐血单个核细胞扩增及归巢能力的影响

目的:体外扩增脐血造血细胞的目的是促进脐血造血细胞的植入能力,并重建受体的造血功能,而这和脐血造血干/祖细胞的细胞数和体外扩增后细胞的归巢能力密切相关.实验拟观察白细胞介素6/可溶性白细胞介素6受体对人脐血单个核细胞体外扩增及扩增后对归巢有关的CD49d和CXCR4表达的影响.方法:实验于2005-06/2006-03在广州医学院附属广州市第一人民医院血液实验室完成.①实验材料:10份足月顺产健康新生儿脐血标本由广州市第一人民医院妇产科提供,产妇对实验知情同意,实验经医院伦理委员会批准.②实验方法:将由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实验分组为:对照组、干细胞因子 FLT3配基 促聚核细胞生成因子组(简称SFT组)、干细胞因子 FLT3配基 促聚核细胞生成因子 白细胞介素6组(简称SFT6组)、干细胞因子 FLT3配基 促聚核细胞生成因子 白细胞介素6/可溶性白细胞介素6受体组(简称SFT6s组).SFT6s组根据可溶性白细胞介素6受体浓度又分为50,100, 500, 1 000 μg/L组.③实验评估:在0,7 d检测有核细胞数, CD34 细胞数及CD34 CXCR4 ,CD34 CD49d 的细胞数.结果:①培养7 d后,SFT、SFT6、SFT6s组有核细胞数及CD34 细胞数扩增效果优于对照组(P < 0.05), SFT、SFT6、 SFT6s3组间差异不显著(P > 0.05).②与对照组比较,SFT、SFT6、SFT6s组细胞因子组合均可提高脐血CD34 细胞上CD49d, CXCR4表达,3组间差异不显著(P > 0.05).③500,1 000 μg/L SFT6s组脐血单个核细胞扩增效果和CD49d和CXCR4表达均优于SFT, SFT6s组和100 μg/L SFT6s组(P < 0.05), 500,1 000 μg/L SFT6s组比较差异不显著(P > 0.05) .结论:在干细胞因子 FLT3配基 促聚核细胞生成因子组合的基础上,加入白细胞介素6/可溶性白细胞介素6受体后可有效地扩增脐血细胞,并促进CD49d和CXCR4表达,对可溶性白细胞介素6受体浓度有一定的依赖性.     

骨髓基质细胞对多细胞因子介导人脐血单个核细胞体外扩增的影响

背景:体外扩增脐血造血细胞的目的是促进脐血造血细胞的植入能力,细胞因子介导的脐血造血细胞能使细胞数有效扩增,但同时也耗竭了具有分化潜能的造血干细胞.目的:观察骨髓基质细胞对多细胞因子组合介导人脐血单个核细胞体外扩增及扩增后黏附分子和CXCR4表达的影响.方法:将分离的人脐血单个核细胞接种在预先建立的人骨髓基质细胞层上,分组培养:对照组仅含有脐血单个核细胞;多种细胞因子+脐血单个核细胞组;骨髓基质细胞+脐血单个核细胞组;骨髓基质细胞+多种细胞因子+脐血单个核细胞组.培养0,7 d检测有核细胞数, CD34+细胞数及CD34+CXCR4+,CD34+CD62L+,CD34+CD49d+的细胞数.结果与结论:单纯骨髓基质细胞和单用细胞因子组均可有效地扩增脐血造血细胞,并提高造血细胞上CD49d,CD62L及 CXCR4表达.而单用细胞因子组促进脐血造血细胞扩增能力较单纯骨髓基质细胞强,提高造血细胞CD49d,CD62L及 CXCR4表达能力较单纯骨髓基质细胞差.提示骨髓基质细胞虽可支持脐血造血细胞扩增,但难以实现造血细胞的大量扩增,但在骨髓基质细胞层的支持下,多细胞因子可有效地促进脐血造血细胞的扩增,并优于单用细胞因子及骨髓基质细胞,证实骨髓基质细胞可协同多细胞因子有效地促进脐血单个核细胞的扩增,促进造血干细胞的黏附和趋化能力.     

骨髓基质细胞联合细胞因子对脐血单个核细胞表面抗原表达的影响

背景：课题组已建立胎儿骨髓基质细胞联合细胞因子的造血细胞体外培养体系,该培养体系能否有效扩增各个发育阶段的造血细胞有待验证。目的：观察骨髓基质细胞联合细胞因子培养体系对脐血单个核细胞表面抗原CD133、CD34表达的影响。方法：将从脐血标本中分离出来的单个核细胞接种于无血清培养体系,实验分为3组：①F组：干细胞因子＋Flt3配体＋促血小板生成素＋单个核细胞。②S组：基质细胞＋单个核细胞。③SF组：基质细胞＋干细胞因子＋Flt3配体＋促血小板生成素＋单个核细胞。在第0,6,10,14天检测有核细胞总数、CD133^＋、CD34^＋、CD133^＋CD34^＋细胞数以及集落形成单位数。结果与结论：SF组有核细胞总数在各个检测时间点均比其他两组高;除了第14天外,第6、10天两个时间点SF组中CD133^＋、CD34^＋、CD133^＋CD34^＋细胞及集落形成单位数均高于其他组;含骨髓基质细胞的S组和SF组中CD133＋细胞/有核细胞、CD34＋细胞/有核细胞、CD133＋CD34＋细胞/有核细胞的比例保持在较高的水平。结果说明骨髓基质细胞联合细胞因子能有效的扩增脐血单个核细胞及其中的CD133^＋、CD34^＋、CD133^＋CD34^＋细胞,基质细胞对维持造血干细胞的原始性具有重要的作用。     

人骨髓基质细胞支持脐血造血细胞扩增后脐血归巢相关特性变化的研究

目的探讨人骨髓基质细胞（HBMSC）联合细胞因子对脐血（CB）单个核细胞（MNC）体外培养后造血细胞归巢相关特性的变化以评价HBMSC及细胞因子支持的体外扩增对脐血归巢相关功能的影响。方法将从新鲜CB标本中分离出的MNC分别接种于已建立的无血清培养体系：A组：对照组；B组：单用HBMSC支持；C组：单用细胞因子支持；D组：细胞因子和HBMSC联合支持。分别在0d（d0）、10d（d10）及14d（d14）用流式细胞仪检测CD34^＋CXCR4细胞、CD34^＋VLA-4^＋细胞的变化情况。结果①在体外培养过程中，各时间点D组CD34^＋CXCR4^＋细胞扩增倍数均高于A、B、C组（P〈0.05）；②B、C和D组与A组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论HBMSC联合外源性细胞因子对脐血MNC进行体外培养，能有效扩增具归巢能力的造血干祖细胞数目。     

间充质干细胞对脐血CD34^＋细胞扩增及其细胞特性变化的影响

本研究探讨脐带间充质干细胞（MSC）对CD34^＋细胞（HSPC）体外扩增的支持作用及对CD34^＋细胞表面标志、归巢黏附分子、集落形成能力等干细胞特征变化的影响。用免疫磁珠法从新鲜分离的脐血单个核细胞分离CD34^＋造血干祖细胞（HSPC）；用MSC饲养层（feeder）制备经^137Cs照射的间充质干细胞饲养细胞（MSC feeder cells）。将CD34^＋细胞接种在不同的培养体系中，实验分为3组：HSPC＋CK组为培养液中加入细胞因子组合（SCF、FL和TPO），HSPC＋MSC组为CD34^＋细胞接种在MSC feeder上，HSPC＋MSC＋CK组同时加入细胞因子组合及MSC饲养细胞。培养后4、7、10、14天计数有核细胞总数（MNC），计算细胞扩增情况；用流式细胞术检测不同处理组间CD34^＋细胞及亚群免疫表型、归巢黏附分子和集落形成能力。结果表明：在2周的培养时间里，3组MNC和CD34^＋细胞均明显增加，MNC扩增数依次HSPC＋MSC＋CK组〉HSPC＋CK组〉HSPC＋MSC组。体外扩增10天内HSPC＋MSC＋CK组MNC得到大量的扩增，同时CD34^＋细胞的扩增亦较高。培养4天3组细胞CD34^＋比例较0天有明显下降（P〈0．01）；扩增后CD34^＋细胞比例：HSPC＋MSC组〉HSPC＋MSC＋CK组〉HSPC＋CK组（P〈0．01）；各组CD34^＋细胞亚型细胞比例有所不同，HSPC＋CK组4天时CD34^＋CD38^-细胞有一过性升高（62．71％），之后迅速降低，7天时为0．05％；HSPC＋MSC组7天时CD34^＋CD38^-细胞比例为18．92％，与HSPC＋CK组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。从集落形成分析结果看出：MSC、细胞因子混合组扩增后细胞集落形成能力在不同时间点均维持在较高水平。结论：脐血CD34^＋细胞在体外短期培养（〈7天）下，MSC和细胞因子联合应用能同时使CD34^＋细胞得到明显的扩增并维持造血干祖细胞的生物学特征。     

基质细胞衍生因子-1和血小板第4因子对体外扩增后脐血CD34+细胞黏附特性和趋化功能的影响

为了研究基质细胞衍生因子-1（SDF—1）和血小板第4因子（PF4）对扩增后脐血CD34^＋细胞归巢相关功能的影响，将纯化的脐血CD34^＋细胞接种入无血清培养液中，加入不同组合的细胞因子FST（FL＋SCF＋TPO）、FST＋SDF—1、FST＋PF4或FST＋SDF—1＋PF4，分别于培养第7、10、14天检测CD34^＋细胞扩增倍数、集落形成能力、细胞的黏附分子表达、总黏附性、趋化功能。结果表明：①加入SDF—1的实验组CD34^＋细胞及造血祖细胞集落扩增倍数高于对照组；②加入SDF—1明显上调扩增的CD34^＋细胞CD49e的表达，加入PF4明显上调扩增的CD34^＋细胞CD49e、CD54的表达，在扩增体系中加入SDF—1或PF4均能够明显提高扩增的CD34^＋细胞的总黏附性；③在扩增体系中加入SDF—1能够明显提高扩增的CD34^＋细胞的自发迁移率，但导致CXCR-4的表达和SDF—1诱导迁移率降低；而PF4能够明显提高扩增的CD34^＋细胞的CXCR-4的表达和SDF—1诱导迁移率；在扩增体系中同时加入SDF—1和PF4能够明显提高扩增的CD34^＋细胞自发迁移率和SDF—1诱导迁移率。结论：体外扩增体系中加入SDF—1和PF4能够上调部分归巢相关黏附分子的表达，保持扩增的CD34^＋细胞的黏附和迁移能力，有利于降低体外扩增对造血干／祖细胞（HSPC）归巢相关功能的不利影响，维持扩增的HSPC的归巢潜能。     

人骨髓间充质干细胞与脐血CD34+细胞体外扩增

为了研究骨髓间充质干细胞(MSC)及细胞因子对脐血CD34 造血祖细胞体外扩增的作用,及其扩增作用 对细胞黏附分子的影响,用免疫磁珠富集脐血CD34 细胞,然后接种到含有或不含有MSC和细胞因子的24孔培 养板,体外培养1周,观察不同指标并进行组间比较。结果表明:①SDF-1α SCF TPO FL因子组合与SCF TPO FL因子组合对脐血CD34 细胞的扩增作用无显著性差异(无论有无MSC细胞层存在)(P>0.05);②MSC 与上述细胞因子共存的培养体系优于相应的单纯细胞因子培养体系(P<0.05);③扩增前与扩增后脐血造血祖 细胞黏附分子CD44的表达没有明显变化。结论:趋化因子SDF-1α对SCF TPO FL因子组合的扩增作用无显 著影响;MSC增加细胞因子的脐血细胞体外扩增的作用;体外扩增不影响跻血细胞黏附分子CD44的表达。     

脐血CD34+细胞及红系祖细胞扩增的实验研究

脐血是造血祖细胞的丰富来源之一,选择合适的培养条件,体外诱导其定向扩增为红系祖细胞,输入体内产生成熟红细胞。本实验旨在探讨脐血单个核细胞(MNC)体外红系定向扩增的理想因子组合(Flt3配基FL联合TPO、SCF、EPO及FL、SCF、TPO)对CD34 细胞扩增的影响。将单个核细胞接种至stemspan无血清培养液中,共分3组:A组为对照组,B组为TPO SCF FL EPO IGF1组,C组为TPO SCF FL组,C组在第6天及以后换液加入EPO和IGF1。于培养0、6、10、14天进行细胞计数,细胞集落测定,流式细胞术测定细胞的CD34、CD34CD71、CD71GPA细胞的比例。结果表明:经10天培养后,B组总细胞数扩增6.89倍,而C组3.06倍;B组CD34 细胞增加4.83,而C组2.47倍;B组集落形成细胞数增加4.3倍,而C组增加2.5倍;B组红系祖细胞BFUE和CFUE数增加5.4倍,而C组3.1倍;B组CD34 CD71 细胞数增加8.72倍,而C组3.37倍;B组CD71 GPA 细胞数增加53.4倍,而C组30.29倍。结论:脐血MNC在无血清培养液中加入FL SCF TPO实现了CD34 细胞及集落形成细胞的扩增。脐血MNC在无血清培养液中加入FL SCF TPO EPO IGF1短期液体培养获得红系祖细胞的扩增,在第0天比6天加入EPO获得更多红祖细胞(P<0.05)。由于TPO SCF FL EPO IGF1组的集落形成细胞数、CFUE和BFUE数于第10天最多,故培养后收获时     

无血清脐血巨核系祖细胞体外扩增的研究

脐血造血干细胞移植后血小板恢复延迟是一大难题,目前认为这主要与脐血中巨核系祖细胞数量不足及脐血巨核细胞分化成熟延迟有关,而将部分脐血进行巨核系祖细胞体外扩增后输注受者体内是有望解决这一难题的重要途径。但适用于临床应用的扩增条件至今仍未确立。本课题采用人脐血单个核细胞(MNC)在无血清培养体系中使用TPO,IL-3,SCF,IL-6等细胞因子进行不同的组合,在培养的0,6,10,14天进行MNC、CD41^ 细胞及CFU-MK数的检测。以寻找最佳的细胞因子组合及最佳的收获时机。结果表明：无血清条件下TPO与IL-3,SCF,IL-6等细胞因子联用可实现脐血巨核系祖细胞有效的体外扩增,各因子组中以TPO IL-3 SCF IL-6组扩增效果为最佳。其CFU-MK数于第10天最多,扩增达6．8倍,CD41^ 细胞扩增达8．8倍。结论：在人脐血MNC无血清培养条件下。TPO IL-3 SCF IL-6组为巨核系祖细胞体外扩增较佳的因子组合。由于TPO IL-3 SCF IL-6组的CFU-MK数于第10天最多,CD41^ 细胞数亦为同期最高,故培养后收获时间宜控制在其体外培养的第10天。     

Negative influence of IL3 on the expansion of human cord blood in vivo long-term repopulating stem cells

Identification of culture conditions that support expansion or even long-term maintenance of in vivo repopulating human hematopoietic stem cells is still a major challenge. Using a combination of FLT3 ligand (FL), Stem Cell Factor (SCF), Thrombopoietin (TPO) and Interleukin 6 (IL6), we cultured cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells for up to 12 weeks and transplanted their progeny into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice. Bone marrow engraftment was considered successful when recipients contained measurable numbers of human CD45+, CD71+ and Glycophorin A+(GpA) cells 8 weeks after transplantation. Twelve-week expanded cells with FL+SCF+TPO+IL6 successfully engrafted all of the recipients and human CD45(+)+CD71(+)+GpA(+) cells represented 4.3 to 22.4% of bone marrow. Substitution of IL6 with IL3 led to an even better expansion of cells and a similar clonogenic progenitor output in the first 8 weeks of culture; however, LTC-IC output increased up to week 6 and then decreased and disappeared. By contrast, with FL+SCF+TPO+IL6, LTC-IC kept increasing up to week 12. Four-week cultured cells with FL+SCF+TPO+IL3 less efficiently engrafted NOD/SCID mice, both as measured by frequency of positive recipients (4 out of 10) and percentage of engrafted human cells (< or =2%). Six-week expanded cells failed to engraft. This study provides evidence that many, but not all, of the so-called "early acting" cytokines, can sustain long-term maintenance and even expansion of human primitive in vivo repopulating stem cells. In particular, in the culture conditions used in this study, the presence of IL3 greatly reduces the repopulating potential of expanded CD34+ CB cells.     

Efficiency of transgenic T cell generation from gene-marked cultured human CD34+ cord blood cells is determined by their maturity and the cytokines present in the culture medium

Success of gene therapy for diseases affecting the T cell lineage depends on the thymic repopulation by genetically engineered hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC). Although it has been shown that retrovirally transduced HPC can repopulate the thymus, little information is available on the effect of the culture protocol. Moreover, for expansion of the number of HPC, cytokine supplemented culture is needed. Here, we transduced purified human umbilical cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells in cultures supplemented with various combinations of the cytokines thrombopoietin (TPO), stem cell factor (SCF), flt3/flk-2 ligand (FL), interleukin-3 (IL-3) and IL-6, and investigated thymus-repopulating ability of gene-marked HPC in vitro. Irrespective of the cytokine cocktail used, transduced CD34+CD38- CB cells, expressing the marker green fluorescent protein (GFP) encoded by the MFG-GFP retrovirus, have both superior proliferative and thymus-repopulating potential compared with transduced CD34+CD38+ CB cells. Effectively transduced GFP+CD34+CD38- HPC, cultured for 3 or 17 days, more readily generated T cells than GFP- HPC from the same culture. The reverse was true in the case of CD34+CD38+ HPC cultures. Finally, our results indicate that the number of GFP+ T cell progenitors actually increased during culture of CD34+CD38- HPC, in a magnitude that is determined by the cytokine cocktail used during culture.     

动员人外周血巨核祖细胞体外扩增的研究

本研究探讨多种细胞因子(TPO、SCF、FL、IL-1、IL-3、IL-6)组合的几种培养体系对人外周血CD34+细胞体外诱导扩增生成巨核细胞的作用,研究人外周血来源的巨核细胞体外扩增的最佳细胞因子组合及培养时间。用Ficoll-Hapaque分离法分离动员的外周血(MPB)单个核细胞,免疫磁珠法分离纯化CD34+细胞,并将其在含胎牛血清的液体培养体系中、各组细胞因子诱导下培养15天。在不同时间点采用血细胞计数板进行细胞计数,采用流式细胞术检测培养体系中CD41+细胞的含量;同时采用甲基纤维素半固体培养法进行巨核细胞集落培养,测定巨核细胞集落形成单位(CFU-MK)的数量。结果表明经过15天的培养,在MPB来源的CD34+细胞体外诱导并扩增巨核祖细胞体系中,以TPO/FL/IL-6/IL-3组合的扩增效果最好,明显高于其它3组,CD41+细胞第5天、10天分别扩增了93.97±17.27倍、131.23±18.26倍。第15天CD41+细胞含量及CD41+细胞数迅速下降。CFU-MK产率(/1×103个细胞)第5天、10天分别为83.33±10.02个、120.67±13.01个,明显高于其余3组。结论以TPO/FL/IL-6/IL-3因子组合为体外诱导扩增巨核祖细胞的最佳组合,动员外周血的巨核祖细胞体外诱导扩增以培养第10天为宜。本实验建立了动员人外周血来源的巨核祖细胞体外扩增体系。     

胎儿骨髓基质细胞与细胞因子支持人脐血单个核细胞体外扩增的研究

为了探讨胎儿骨髓基质细胞(FBMSC)联合细胞因子对脐血单个核细胞(MNC)体外扩增作用的影响及比较扩增前后脐血(CB)CD34 细胞上细胞表面趋化因子受体CXCR4和黏附分子CD49d (VLA4)的表达情况,将从新鲜CB标本中分离出的MNC分别接种于已建立的无血清培养体系,该体系分4组:A组为培养过程中不加细胞因子和基质细胞;B组为单用胚胎骨髓基质细胞支持;C组为单用细胞因子支持;D组为细胞因子和胚胎骨髓基质细胞联合支持。在0、6、10及14天检测细胞总数、CD34 细胞数及集落形成单位(CFU)数,同时检测CD34 细胞上CD49d 及CXCR4的表达数。结果表明:在体外14天培养过程中,各时间点D组CD34 细胞、CFU数及CD34 CXCR4 细胞和CD34 CD49d 细胞扩增数均高于A、B、C组(P<0.05);B、C和D组在各时间点各测量指标与A组比较具显著性差异(P<0.05);6天后,B组各测量指标与C组比较具显著性差异(P<0.05)。结论:胚胎骨髓基质细胞联合外源性细胞因子不仅可以支持脐血MNC的有效扩增,而且扩增后与趋化作用和与粘附作用相关的造血细胞亦较扩增前明显增加。单用细胞因子扩增会造成造血细胞的耗竭,单用基质细胞支持可扩增或维持造血细胞的量,但难以实现造血细胞的大量扩增,FBMSC联合外源性细胞因子可能是扩增造血干祖细胞的较理想方案。     

Ex vivo expansion of CD34+ umbilical cord blood cells in a defined serum-free medium (QBSF-60) with early effect cytokines

To investigate the clinically applicable conditions that support substantial expansion of both primitive and more mature hematopoietic cells of umbilical cord blood (UCB) for transplantation in adults, enriched CD34+ cells from 8 fresh UCB samples and 4 expanded UCB products were cultured in defined serum-free medium (QBSF-60) in the presence of a cytokine combination of SCF, Flt-3-ligand (FL), thrombopoietin (TPO), IL-3 for up to 2 weeks. Fresh medium with cytokines was supplemented or exchanged at day 4, day 7, and day 10. The proliferative response was assessed at day 7, day 10, and day 14 by evaluating the following parameters: nucleated cell (NC), clonogenic progenitors (colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage [CFU-GM], burst-forming unit-erythrocyte [BFU-E], CFU-GEMM, and high-proliferative potential colony-forming cell [HPP-CFC]), immunophenotypes (CD34+ cells and CD34+ subpopulations), and LTCIC. Simultaneously numerical expansion of various stem/progenitor cells, including primitive CD34+CD38-HLA-DR- subpopulation and LTCIC, CD34+ cells, and clonogenic progenitors to mature nucleated cells, were continuously observed during the culture. An average 103.32 +/- 71.37 x 10(6) CD34+ cells (range 10.12 x 10(6)-317.9 x 10(6)) could be obtained from initial 1.72 +/- 1.13 x 10(6) UCB CD34+ cells after 10-14 days cultured under the described conditions. Sufficient CD34+ cells (>50.0 x 10(6)) for transplantation in adults would be available in all but one UCB collections after 10-14 days expansion. The expanded CD34+ cells sustained most of the in vitro characteristics of initial unmanipulated CD34+ cells, including clonogenic efficiency (of both primitive and committed progenitors), the proportion of CD34+CD38-HLA-DR- subpopulation, and the expansion potential. Initial addition of IL-3 to the cocktail of SCF + FL + TPO had positive effects on the expansion of both primitive and, especially, the more mature hematopoietic cells. It accelerated the expansion speed and shortened the optimal culture time from 14 days to 10 days. These results indicated that our proposed short-term culture system, consisting of QBSF-60 serum-free medium with a simple early acting cytokine combination of SCF + FL + TPO, could substantially support simultaneous expansion of various stem/progenitor cell populations involved in the different phases of engraftment. It would be a clinically applicable protocol for ex vivo expansion of CD34+ UCB cells.     

Thrombopoietin is synergistic with other cytokines for expansion of cord blood progenitor cells

We investigated the effects of recombinant human thrombopoietin (TPO) in combination with various cytokines including erythropoietin (EPO), interleukin-3 (IL-3), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and stem cell factor (SCF) on megakaryopoiesis, and the expansion of CD34+CD41a+ cells from human cord blood CD34+ cells with these cytokines under serum-free conditions. Human cord blood CD34+ cells were cultured in Megacult (Stem Cell Technologies Inc. Vancouver, Canada) in the presence of recombinant growth factors. Colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-M) colonies were counted on day 14. CD34+CD41a+ and CD34-CD41a+ cell expansion was analyzed using a serum-free liquid culture system for 7 days with recombinant growth factors. TPO alone had a concentration-dependent effect on megakaryocyte colony growth. At concentrations above 1 ng/ml, TPO supported significant CFU-Meg colony formation in a concentration-dependent manner. The combination of TPO plus other cytokines, including EPO, IL-3, and SCF, resulted in a synergistic enhancement of the number of CFU-Meg colonies, but IL-6 failed to enhance the effect of TPO. The number of CD41a+ cells increased after 7 days in liquid culture of human cord blood CD34+ cells with various cytokines (EPO, IL-3, IL-6, SCF) combined with TPO, but SCF plus TPO only resulted in a significant synergistic increment of CD34+CD41a+ cells compared with TPO alone. The results of the present study indicate that EPO, IL-3, and SCF can be synergistic with TPO to stimulate proliferation of CFU-Meg and suggest that SCF plus TPO can expand CD34+CD41a+ cells to effect the rapid recovery of platelets in patients following stem cell transplantation.