Recombinant gibbon interleukin-3 acts synergistically with recombinant human G-CSF and GM-CSF in vitro

Recombinant gibbon interleukin-3 (IL-3) is a multilineage hematopoietic colony-stimulating factor (CSF) that recently was cloned and found to be highly homologous with human IL-3. Gibbon IL-3, as well as human granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF) and human granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF), stimulated normal human bone marrow cells to form myeloid colonies in soft agar in a sigmoidal dose-response manner. When IL-3 was added to increasing concentrations of G-CSF or GM-CSF, synergistic colony formation occurred as compared with the effects of each CSF alone. Synergism was also noted when G-CSF was added with GM-CSF and when all the CSFs were added simultaneously. The combination of IL-3 and GM-CSF was less stimulatory than all the other CSF combinations. At day 11 of culture, IL-3 induced granulocyte-macrophage (38%), eosinophil (30%), granulocyte (18%), and macrophage (14%) colony formation. In summary, gibbon IL-3 is a growth factor that can synergize with other CSFs to enhance proliferation of myeloid-committed progenitors, suggesting that combinations of CSFs may have clinical utility in patients with neutropenia of various etiologies.     

Differential effects of IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF in an adult with congenital neutropenia.

Using a methylcellulose culture system, we studied the effects of recombinant human interleukin-3 (IL-3), recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the growth of myeloid progenitor cells (CFU-C) from an adult patient with congenital neutropenia. The moderate clinical course and the maturation arrest at blast-promyelocyte stage in the marrow differentiated this patient from those described as having Kostmann-type congenital neutropenia. CFU-C growth in bone marrow cells from the patient responded to IL-3 normally in a dose-dependent manner. GM-CSF stimulated only macrophage colony formation in a dose-dependent manner comparable to that in normal subjects. Neither GM-CSF nor G-CSF stimulated any significant granulocyte colony formation. This evidence suggests that the hematopoietic progenitor cells in this patient had the potential for developing CFU-C with IL-3, and that the neutropenia in this patient could be a result of an intrinsic defect in myelopoiesis along a granulocytic pathway responsive to GM-CSF or G-CSF.     

Recombinant human stem cell factor enhances the formation of colonies by CD34+ and CD34+lin- cells, and the generation of colony-forming cell progeny from CD34+lin- cells cultured with interleukin-3, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.

We tested the ability of recombinant human stem cell factor (SCF) to stimulate isolated marrow precursor cells to form colonies in semisolid media and to generate colony-forming cells (CFC) in liquid culture. SCF, in combination with interleukin-3 (IL-3), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) caused CD34+ cells to form increased numbers of granulocyte-macrophage colonies (CFU-GM), and to form macroscopic erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) in the presence of IL-3, erythropoietin (Epo), and SCF. We tested isolated CD34+lin- cells, a minor subset of CD34+ cells that did not display antigens associated with lymphoid or myeloid lineages, and CD34+lin+ cells, which contain the vast majority of CFC, and found that the enhanced colony growth was most dramatic within the CD34+lin- population. CD34+lin- cells cultured in liquid medium containing SCF combined with IL-3, GM-CSF, or G-CSF gave rise to increased numbers of CFC. Maximal numbers of CFU-GM were generated from CD34+lin- cells after 7 to 21 days of culture, and required the presence of SCF from the initiation of liquid culture. The addition of SCF to IL-3 and/or G-CSF in cultures of single CD34+lin- cells resulted in increased numbers of CFC due to the proliferation of otherwise quiescent precursors and an increase in the numbers of CFC generated from individual precursors. These studies demonstrate the potent synergistic interaction between SCF and other hematopoietic growth factors on a highly immature population of CD34+lin- precursor cells.     

In vitro differentiation of human granulocyte/macrophage and erythroid progenitors: comparative analysis of the influence of recombinant human erythropoietin, G-CSF, GM-CSF, and IL-3 in serum-supplemented and serum- deprived cultures

The effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (Ep), granulocyte/macrophage (GM) and granulocyte (G) colony-stimulating factors (CSF), and interleukin-3 (IL-3) on erythroid burst and GM colony growth have been studied in fetal bovine serum (FBS)- supplemented and FBS-deprived culture. Sources of progenitor cells were nonadherent or nonadherent T-lymphocyte-depleted marrow or peripheral blood cells from normal humans. G-CSF, in concentrations up to 2.3 X 10(-10) mol/L, induced only the formation of neutrophil colonies. In contrast, GM-CSF and IL-3 both induced GM colonies and sustained the formation of erythroid bursts in the presence of Ep. However, the activities of these growth factors were affected by the culture conditions. IL-3 induction of GM colonies depended on the presence of FBS, whereas the degree of GM-CSF induction of GM colonies in FBS- deprived cultures depended on the method by which adherent cells were removed. GM-CSF increased colony numbers in a concentration-dependent manner only if the cells had been prepared by overnight adherence. Both GM-CSF and IL-3 exhibited erythroid burst-promoting activity in FBS- deprived cultures. However, some lineage restriction was evident because GM-CSF was two- to threefold more active than IL-3 in inducing GM colonies but IL-3 was two- to threefold more active in promoting erythroid burst growth. Furthermore, in FBS-deprived cultures, the number of both erythroid bursts and GM colonies reached the maximum only when Ep, GM-CSF, and IL-3 or GM-CSF, IL-3, and G-CSF, respectively, were added together. These results suggest that the colonies induced by IL-3, GM-CSF, and G-CSF are derived from different progenitors.     

Mechanism of synergy between granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in colony formation from human marrow cells in vitro

The synergy of human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in the colony formation derived from human marrow cells was studied. The colony formation stimulated by GM-CSF plus G-CSF was dependent on the dose of each CSF, with the plateau for the number of GM colonies being higher than the sum of the individual plateaus by GM-CSF or G-CSF. Analysis of the colonies formed by GM-CSF plus G-CSF revealed efficient formation of neutrophil and monocyte colonies. To study the effect of GM-CSF and G-CSF on the maintenance of the progenitors that respond to the synergy of the CSFs, addition of each CSF to the medium of clonal cell culture was delayed. The progenitors that formed colonies on day 7 due to synergy of the CSFs were perfectly maintained by GM-CSF for at least 72 h and the progenitors that formed colonies on day 14 due to synergy of the CSFs were partly maintained by G-CSF or GM-CSF. The DNA synthetic rate of the progenitor cells that respond to GM-CSF plus G-CSF was significantly lower than those that respond to GM-CSF or G-CSF. According to light scatter analysis of phagocyte-depleted marrow mononuclear cells (PD-MMCs) using a flow cytometer, the peak population of progenitors that respond to GM-CSF plus G-CSF was in the smaller part of the PD-MMCs than those to GM-CSF or G-CSF. These results indicated that the progenitors to the synergy of GM-CSF and G-CSF are in a different proliferative state than those to each CSF. The synergy of GM-CSF and G-CSF depends on each CSF maintaining the viability of a different population of GM progenitors that can form GM colonies by both CSFs together.     

Interleukin-3 is significantly more effective than other colony- stimulating factors in long-term maintenance of human bone marrow- derived colony-forming cells in vitro

Human bone marrow cells cultured for 21 days in the presence of recombinant human interleukin-3 (IL-3) produced up to 28 times more colony-forming cells (CFC) than could be obtained from cultures stimulated with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) or granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF). IL-3-cultured cells retained a multipotent response to IL-3 in colony assays but were restricted to formation of granulocyte colonies in G-CSF and granulocyte or macrophage colonies in GM-CSF. Culture of bone marrow cells in IL-3 also led to accumulation of large numbers of eosinophils and basophils. These data contrast with the effects of G-CSF, GM-CSF, and IL-3 in seven-day cultures. Here both GM-CSF and IL-3 amplified total CFC that had similar multipotential colony-forming capability in either factor. G-CSF, on the other hand, depleted IL-3-responsive colony-forming cells dramatically, apparently by causing these cells to mature into granulocytes. The data suggest that a large proportion of IL-3- responsive cells in human bone marrow express receptors for G-CSF and can respond to this factor, the majority becoming neutrophils. Furthermore, the CFC maintained for 21 days in IL-3 may be a functionally distinct population from that produced after seven days culture of bone marrow cells in either IL-3 or GM-CSF.     

Regulation of differentiation of murine progenitor cells derived from blast cell colonies under serum-deprived conditions

We have examined the effect of interleukin 3 (IL-3), granulocyte-macrophage (GM)-, granulocyte (G)-, and macrophage (M)-colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) on the induction of GM colonies from highly enriched murine hematopoietic progenitor cells under serum-deprived conditions. Each growth factor was tested alone or in combination with suboptimal concentrations of the others. The effect of each CSF on GM colony growth in fetal bovine serum (FBS)-supplemented cultures of unfractionated marrow cells is reported for comparison. GM-CSF induced GM colony growth in serum-deprived cultures of purified progenitor cells to the same extent as in FBS-supplemented cultures of unfractionated marrow cells. In contrast, IL-3 was only one-tenth as active in promoting the growth of enriched progenitor cells under serum-deprived conditions when compared with its effect on colony growth from unfractionated marrow. M-CSF and G-CSF were almost completely ineffective in both cases. G-CSF induction of GM colony growth from purified progenitor cells was restored by addition of suboptimal concentrations of IL-3 or GM-CSF, suggesting that either IL-3 or GM-CSF is required to observe the effect of G-CSF. Addition of G-CSF to GM-CSF-stimulated cultures did not increase the maximal number of colonies detected, indicating that these two growth factors may act on the same subset of progenitor cells. Addition of GM-CSF or IL-3 to IL-3- or GM-CSF-stimulated cultures, respectively, increased by 40% the maximal number of colonies detected, suggesting that these two factors act on at least partially separate subsets of GM progenitors. These data parallel the recent observations on the control of human GM colony formation under FBS-deprived conditions and support a model for the control of myeloid differentiation that requires the interplay of different growth factors.     

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulates immature marrow precursors but no CFU-GM, CFU-G, or CFU-M

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been described as a multilineage growth factor that induces in vitro colony formation from erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E), eosinophil colony-forming units (CFU-Eo), and multipotential CFU (CFU-GEMM) as well as from granulocyte-macrophage CFU (CFU-GM), granulocyte CFU (CFU-G), and macrophage CFU (CFU-M). In this paper we provide evidence indicating that GM-CSF, when tested for its stimulating capacities expressed upon highly enriched hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34+/monocyte-depleted), is unable to induce colonies from CFU-GM, CFU-G, or CFU-M. Only BFU-E, CFU-Eo, and CFU-GEMM were stimulated, and thus GM-CSF induces a similarly restricted spectrum of progenitor cells as does recombinant human interleukin 3 (IL-3). We then compared the relative stimulating potencies of GM-CSF and IL-3 by measuring colony numbers of CFU-GEMM, BFU-E, and CFU-Eo generated from CD34+ progenitor cells. IL-3 and GM-CSF as single factors were equally active in stimulating CFU-GEMM, but the combination of both factors produced additive stimulative effects upon CFU-GEMM. IL-3 was a more potent stimulus of BFU-E, and GM-CSF was the more active stimulating factor for CFU-Eo. We conclude that GM-CSF and IL-3, although stimulating the outgrowth of identical types of progenitor cells, particularly differ as regards their comparative quantitative efficiency of stimulation.     

Recombinant rat stem cell factor stimulates the amplification and differentiation of fractionated mouse stem cell populations.

The role of recombinant rat stem cell factor (rrSCF) was studied on defined primitive bone marrow cell populations. In agar culture of 500 lineage-negative/Sca-1-positive (Lin-/Sca-1+) cells, rrSCF alone stimulates small colonies of predominantly granulocytic cells. The combinations of rrSCF plus interleukin-3 (IL-3), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), or macrophage CSF (CSF-1) stimulated primitive progenitor cells defined as high proliferative potential colony-forming cells (HPP-CFC). Synergistic increases in total colony numbers were obtained with rrSCF plus GM-CSF, granulocyte CSF (G-CSF), CSF-1, or IL-6, but not IL-1 or IL-3. Lin-/Sca-1+ cells were incubated in liquid culture at 3,000 cells/mL for 6 days in the presence of rrSCF alone or in combination with other growth factors. The total number of cells was increased twofold in the presence of rrSCF, with the progeny primarily myeloid in nature. The greatest increase in cell number was obtained with rrSCF plus IL-3, where the cell number increased 40-fold. These factors also stimulated an increase in HPP-CFC (10-fold) and GM-CFC (500-fold). To determine if these interactions were direct, single Lin-/Sca-1+ cells were sorted into microtiter wells and the cell proliferation scored 6 days later. RrSCF synergized with IL-3, IL-6, and G-CSF to stimulate the proliferation of single cells. The cells in positive wells were subcultured into colony-forming assays and up to 400 CFC per well were obtained after 14 days incubation of the secondary cultures. These data demonstrate that rrSCF acts in combination with various growth factors to directly stimulate the amplification potential of hematopoietic primitive precursors, resulting in differentiation of these precursors.     

Multifactor stimulation of megakaryocytopoiesis: effects of interleukin 6.

We have previously demonstrated that interleukin 3 (IL-3), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) stimulate various aspects of megakaryocytopoiesis. We have investigated the capacity of interleukin 6 (IL-6) to stimulate megakaryocyte colony formation from both normal Balb/C marrow and light-density marrow extensively depleted of adherent, pre-B, B and T cells. Human recombinant IL-6 (167 ng/ml) stimulated megakaryocyte colony formation from normal marrow (8.6 +/- 1 megakaryocyte colony-forming units [CFU-meg]/10(5) cells) as compared to control (1.5 +/- 4 CFU-meg/10(5) cells) in 16 determinations (p less than 0.01). IL-6 (167 ng/ml) also stimulated CFU-meg formation from depleted marrow (control, 10.8 +/- 4 CFU-meg/10(5) cells versus IL-6, 68 +/- 19 CFU-meg/10(5) cells in 12 determinations, p less than 0.01). IL-6 synergistically augmented IL-3-induced colony formation (139% IL-3 control, 120% calculated IL-3 plus IL-6 control, n = 11, p less than 0.01) in normal marrow and showed an additive effect in depleted marrow (133% IL-3 control, p less than 0.01, 114% of IL-3 plus IL-6, value not significant [NS] at 0.05 level). Studies with recombinant murine IL-6 gave similar results. There was an increasing level of megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity from G-CSF (16,667 U/ml, 2.47 +/- 0.6 CFU-meg/10(5) cells, n = 17), to IL-6 (167 ng/ml, 8.47 +/- 0.96 CFU-meg/10(5) cells, n = 19), to GM-CSF (52 U/ml, 23 +/- 4 CFU-meg/10(5) cells, n = 14), to IL-3 (167 U/ml, 48 +/- 5 CFU-meg/10(5) cells, n = 20) as compared to media-stimulated marrow (range 1.29-1.86 CFU-meg/10(5) cells). A similar hierarchy was seen with depleted marrow. Combinations of factors (including IL-3, GM-CSF, G-CSF, and IL-6) tested against normal unseparated murine marrow did not further augment CFU-meg numbers over IL-3 plus IL-6 but did increase colony size. These data suggest that IL-6 is an important megakaryocyte regulator, that at least four growth factors interact synergistically or additively to regulate megakaryocytopoiesis, and that combinations of growth factors, possibly in physical association, might be critical in stimulating megakaryocyte stem cells.     

Recombinant human stem cell factor synergises with GM-CSF, G-CSF, IL-3 and epo to stimulate human progenitor cells of the myeloid and erythroid lineages.

The cDNA for human stem cell factor (hSCF) has been cloned and expressed in mammalian and bacterial hosts and recombinant protein purified. We have examined the stimulatory effect of recombinant human SCF (rhSCF) on human bone marrow cells alone and in combination with recombinant human colony stimulating factors (CSFs) and erythropoietin (rhEpo). RhSCF alone resulted in no significant colony formation, however, in the presence of rhGM-CSF, rhG-CSF or rhIL-3, rhSCF stimulated a synergistic increase in colony numbers. In addition, increased colony size was stimulated by all combinations. The morphology of cells in the colonies obtained with the CSFs plus rhSCF was identical to the morphology obtained with rhGM-CSF, rhG-CSF or rhIL-3 alone. RhEpo also synergised with rhSCF to stimulate the formation of large compact hemoglobinized colonies which stained positive for spectrin and transferrin receptor and had a morphological appearance consistent with normoblasts. RhSCF stimulation of low density non-adherent, antibody depleted, CD34+ cells suggests that rhSCF directly stimulates progenitor cells capable of myeloid and erythroid differentiation.     

Effects of recombinant human G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-1 alpha on the growth of purified human peripheral blood progenitors.

The effects of recombinant products of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF), granulocyte/macrophage CSF (GM-CSF), human interleukin-3 (IL-3), and interleukin-1 (IL-1) were studied using purified target cell populations from patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation after myeloablative therapy. Cells were subjected to combined purification procedures including negative selection with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (CD2, 3, 5, 10, and 20). The purified cells were enriched for HLA-DR+ (51% to 71%) and My-10+ (CD34; 37% to 54%) and had a plating efficiency of up to 20%. In the liquid-suspension limiting dilution clonal assay (LDA), purified progenitors responded directly to IL-3 by proliferation with single-hit kinetics. The ability of GM-CSF to support progenitor growth was inferior to that of IL-3, and the cells were virtually unresponsive when cultured with G-CSF, supporting the notion that these blood-derived progenitors belong to a primitive population of hematopoietic progenitor cells. The results obtained in simultaneous methycellulose cultures (MC) showed the same trend and provided additional information on the ability of GM-CSF and IL-3 to support erythroid progenitor growth. The combination of IL-3 plus G-CSF, but not IL-3 plus GM-CSF, resulted in a synergistic increase in colony number. IL-1 alpha increased both the size and number of colonies when added to IL-3 or G-CSF. Study of this enriched progenitor cell population in MC and LDA represents an excellent model for the investigation of myeloid and erythroid differentiation and for evaluating the influence of various cytokines on human hematopoiesis.     

Effects of 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on the proliferation of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells

It has been suggested that 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) may stimulate the proliferation of granulocyte-macrophage (GM) colony- forming cells (CFC) via the GM colony-stimulating factor (CSF) receptor. GM-CFC in unfractionated mouse bone marrow and light density fetal liver (LDFL) cells were induced by TPA to form colonies in the absence of exogenously added GM-CSF. The colonies induced by TPA (10(- 8)M) were smaller than normally seen with maximal concentrations of GM- CSF, and less than 30% of the GM-CFC formed colonies in the presence of TPA. The number of colonies stimulated by TPA in the absence of GM-CSF was dependent on the number of cells plated. When fewer than 10,000 bone marrow cells or 3000 LDFL cells were plated in the 1-ml semisolid agar cultures, no colonies were stimulated by the TPA. Similarly, GM- CFC purified from the LDFL cells stimulated with TPA did not form colonies. However, when the fetal liver accessory cells (macrophages) were recombined with cell-sorter-purified GM-CFC, colony formation was again observed in the presence of TPA (10(-7)-10(-8) M). The number of colonies formed from the CFC was dependent on the number of accessory cells present, suggesting that the macrophages were induced by TPA to produce CSF. Although the purified GM-CFC required CSF for proliferation, TPA (10(-8) M) increased (5-10-fold) the sensitivity of the GM-CFC to GM-CSF. These observations indicate that TPA does not stimulate GM-CFC proliferation directly, but rather by inducing GM-CSF production by accessory cells and by increasing the responsiveness of GM-CFC to GM-CSF.     

Effect of recombinant and purified human haematopoietic growth factors on in vitro colony formation by enriched populations of human megakaryocyte progenitor cells

Nonadherent low density T-lymphocyte depleted (NALT-) marrow cells from normal donors were sorted on a Coulter Epics 753 Dye Laser System using Texas Red labelled My10 and phycoerythrin conjugated anti HLA-DR monoclonal antibodies in order to obtain enriched populations of colony forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-MK). The CFU-MK cloning efficiency (CE) was 1.1 +/- 0.5% for cells expressing both high densities of My10 and low densities of HLA-DR (My10 DR+). This procedure resulted in an 18-fold increase in CE over NALT- cells. The effect of purified or recombinant human haematopoietic growth factors including erythropoietin (Epo), thrombocytopoiesis stimulating factor (TSF), interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF or CSF-1) and interleukin MK colony formation by My10 DR+ cells was determined utilizing a serum depleted assay system. Neither Epo, TSF, CSF-1, IL-1 alpha nor G-CSF alone augmented MK colony formation above baseline (2.5 +/- 0.8/5 x 10(3) My10 DR+ cells plated). In contrast, the addition of GM-CSF and IL-3 each increased both CFU-MK colony formation and the size of colonies with maximal stimulation occurring following the addition of 200 units/ml of IL-3 and 25 units/ml of GM-CSF. At maximal concentration, IL-3 had a greater ability to promote megakaryocyte colony formation than GM-CSF. The stimulatory effects of GM-CSF and IL-3 were also additive in that the effects of a combination of the two factors approximated the sum of colony formation in the presence of each factor alone. The CFU-MK appears, therefore, to express HPCA-1 and HLA-DR antigens. These studies also indicate that GM-CSF and IL-3 are important in vitro regulators of megakaryocytopoiesis, and that these growth factors are not dependent on the presence of large numbers of macrophages or T cells for their activity since the My10 DR+ cells are largely devoid of these accessory cells.     

A comparison of treatment of canine cyclic hematopoiesis with recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), G-CSF interleukin-3, and canine G-CSF.

Cyclic hematopoiesis in gray collie dogs is a stem cell disease in which abnormal regulation of cell production in the bone marrow causes cyclic fluctuations of blood cell counts. In vitro studies demonstrated that recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) all stimulated increases in colony formation by canine bone marrow progenitor cells. Based on these results, gray collie dogs were then treated with recombinant human (rh) GM-CSF, IL-3, or G-CSF subcutaneously to test the hypothesis that pharmacologic doses of one of these hematopoietic growth factors could alter cyclic production of cells. When recombinant canine G-CSF became available, it was tested over a range of doses. In vivo rhIL-3 had no effect on the recurrent neutropenia but was associated with eosinophilia, rhGM-CSF caused neutrophilia and eosinophilia but cycling of hematopoiesis persisted. However, rhG-CSF caused neutrophilia, prevented the recurrent neutropenia and, in the two animals not developing antibodies to rhG-CSF, obliterated periodic fluctuation of monocyte, eosinophil, reticulocyte, and platelet counts. Recombinant canine G-CSF increased the nadir neutrophil counts and amplitude of fluctuations at low doses (1 micrograms/kg/d) and eliminated all cycling of cell counts at high doses (5 and 10 micrograms/kg/d). These data suggest significant differences in the actions of these growth factors and imply a critical role for G-CSF in the homeostatic regulation of hematopoiesis.     

Recombinant GM-CSF/IL-3 fusion protein: its effect on in vitro human megakaryocytopoiesis.

An evaluation of the effectiveness of a genetically engineered recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)/interleukin 3 (IL-3) fusion protein (FP) as a means of delivering cytokine combinations to megakaryocyte (MK) progenitor cells was performed, utilizing a serum-depleted clonal assay system and a long-term bone marrow culture system. The effects of the FP, alone and in combination with a variety of other cytokines, on the primitive MK progenitor cell, the megakaryocyte burst-forming unit (BFU-MK), and the more differentiated megakaryocyte colony-forming unit (CFU-MK) were assessed. Subpopulations of bone marrow cells (CD34+ DR- for BFU-MK and CD34+ DR+ for CFU-MK) served as sources of these two classes of MK progenitor cells. The FP was equivalent to a combination of optimal concentrations of GM-CSF and IL-3 in promoting both the number and size of BFU-MK-derived colonies. The GM-CSF/IL-3 combination, however, promoted the formation of far greater CFU-MK-derived colonies than did the FP alone. The size of MK colonies formed in the presence of the FP or GM-CSF/IL-3 was similar. The ability of the FP to stimulate BFU-MK- but not CFU-MK-derived colony formation was also further augmented by the addition of interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha). The addition of c-kit ligand (KL) increased both FP-stimulated CFU-MK- and BFU-MK-derived colony numbers but only BFU-MK-derived colony size. In addition, the FP alone sustained long-term megakaryocytopoiesis in vitro to a level equivalent to that of the GM-CSF/IL-3 combination and was superior in this regard to either GM-CSF or IL-3 alone. These data indicate that FP is capable of supporting various stages of human megakaryocytopoiesis. We conclude that such genetically engineered molecules as the FP may prove to be effective means of pharmacologically delivering the biological effects of specific cytokine combinations.     

Protein kinase C activators can interact synergistically with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or interleukin-6 to stimulate colony formation from enriched granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells

The effects of direct activators of protein kinase C (PKC) (the phorbol ester tetradecanoyl phorbol myristic acid [TPA] or bryostatin) on the ability of a highly enriched population of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells (GM-CFC) to proliferate and develop in soft agar was assessed. In the absence of colony stimulating factors, the PKC activators did not stimulate colony formation. However, in the presence of optimal concentrations of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G- CSF) or interleukin-6 (IL-6), TPA or bryostatin markedly elevated the number of colonies formed from the GM-CFC. In the absence of TPA, IL-6, and G-CSF, respectively, both stimulated the formation of about 3% of the colonies observed when IL-3 was present. When TPA plus G-CSF or IL- 6 were added together, this figure increased to 48% and 54%, respectively. In both instances, the types of mature cells formed was altered from colonies of mature neutrophilic cells to a mixture consisting predominantly of macrophages with some neutrophils. Similar results were observed when bryostatin replaced TPA in these assays. When single cell colony-forming assays were performed, the same results were obtained. The presence of G-CSF, or IL-6, and the activator of PKC used (TPA or bryostatin) was required throughout the colony-forming assay for an optimal synergistic effect to be observed. These data indicate that agents that activate PKC can promote the proliferation and development of GM-CFC via a synergistic interaction with G-CSF or IL-6. Furthermore, there is an apparent role for PKC in development and possibly lineage commitment of GM-CFC.     

Interactions between recombinant human erythropoietin and serum factor(s) on murine megakaryocyte colony formation.

We investigated the interactions between human erythropoietin (hEpo) and serum factor(s) on murine megakaryocyte (MK) colony formation. Serum-free cultures supported the growth of a large number of murine MK colonies in the presence of murine interleukin-3 (mIL-3). The addition of fetal calf serum (FCS) to mIL-3-containing cultures resulted in only a minimal increase in the number of murine MK colonies. In contrast, hEpo alone had no murine MK colony-stimulating activities in serum-free cultures. hEpo required the presence of FCS, murine serum, or human serum in cultures to promote murine MK colony growth and synergized with these sera to stimulate murine MK colony formation. Furthermore, sera from patients with aplastic anemia showed higher synergistic activities with hEpo than sera from hematologically normal persons (normal human serum). When normal human serum was fractionated by gel-filtration chromatography, two peaks with the synergistic activity were observed in the eluent. However, serum did not show any synergistic effects with hEpo on the growth of murine GM colonies or murine colony-forming unit-erythroid-derived colonies. Although human serum synergized with hEpo to stimulate murine MK colony formation, human cytokines such as IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF) failed to induce murine MK colony formation in Epo-containing cultures. In cultures containing human IL-1 alpha + human IL-6 + hEpo as well as in cultures containing hEpo, human IL-3 and human GM-CSF failed to show stimulatory effects on murine MK colony formation. Moreover, the synergistic activity of human serum with hEpo could not be neutralized by antibodies such as antihuman IL-1 alpha, antihuman IL-3, antihuman IL-4, antihuman IL-6, antihuman G-CSF, and antihuman GM-CSF. Our data show that serum contains a growth factor(s) that synergizes with Epo to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of MK precursors, and strongly suggest that this factor(s) is an unique growth factor(s) that is distinct from IL-1 alpha, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, G-CSF, and GM-CSF.     

Direct synergistic effects of interleukin-7 on in vitro myelopoiesis of human CD34+ bone marrow progenitors

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is an important growth factor in B and T lymphopoiesis in mouse and human, whereas IL-7 has been regarded to lack proliferative effects on cells within the myeloid lineage. However, we have recently reported that IL-7 potently can enhance colony stimulating factor (CSF)-induced myelopoiesis from primitive murine hematopoietic progenitors, showing a novel role of IL-7 in early murine myelopoiesis. Using CD34+ human hematopoietic progenitor cells, we show here a similar role of IL-7 in human myelopoiesis, although interesting differences between the two species were found as well. Although purified recombinant human (rh)IL-7 alone did not induce any proliferation of CD34+ cells, IL-7 in a concentration-dependent manner enhanced the colony formation induced by all four CSFs up to threefold. Furthermore, stem cell factor (SCF)-induced granulocyte-macrophage (GM) colony formation was increased fourfold in the presence of IL-7. Single- cell cloning assays showed that these synergistic effects of IL-7 were directly mediated on the targeted progenitors, and that IL-7 increased the number, as well as the size of the colonies formed. Morphological examination showed that IL-7 affected the progeny developed from CD34+ cells stimulated by G-CSF or IL-3, increasing the number of CFU-M (colony forming unit-macrophage) and CFU-granulocyte-macrophage, whereas the number of CFU-granulocyte were unaltered.