Effect of the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein on normal and leukaemic haemopoietic progenitor cells

Receptor and nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) play a key role in the control of normal and neoplastic cell growth. The availability of PTK inhibitors prompted us to evaluate the effects of genistein, a natural inhibitor of PTKs, on in vitro colony formation by normal multilineage colony-forming units (CFU-Mix), erythroid bursts (BFU-E), granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM), long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC) and acute myelogenous leukaemia colony-forming units (CFU-AML). Continuous exposure of normal marrow and blood mononuclear non-adherent cells, blood CD34⁺CD45RA^? cells, and leukaemic blasts to increasing doses of genistein (1–100 μM ) resulted in a statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) dose-dependent suppression of CFU-Mix, BFU-E, CFU-GM and CFU-AML growth. Regression analysis showed that growth inhibition was linearly related to genistein concentration. Genistein dose causing 50% inhibition (ID₅₀) of CFU-AML was significantly lower compared to CFU-GM ID₅₀ for marrow (19 v 32 μM P ≤0.017), unseparated blood (19 v 44 μM P ≤ 0.028) or CD34⁺CD45RA^? blood (19 v 36, P ≤ 0.04). Preincubation of leukaemic blasts with genistein (200 μM ) for 1–2 h confirmed that CFU-AML were significantly more sensitive than normal marrow and blood CFU-GM to genistein. Preincubation conditions which maximally suppressed leukaemic and normal colony growth spared a substantial percentage of marrow (29 ± 4%) and blood (40 ± 3%) LTC-IC. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that: (a) genistein strongly inhibits the growth of normal and leukaemic haemopoietic progenitors; (b) growth inhibition is dose- and time-dependent; (c) leukaemic progenitors are more sensitive than normal progenitors to genistein-induced growth inhibition; (d) genistein exerts a direct toxic effect on haemopoietic cells while sparing a substantial proportion of LTC-IC. The potent CFU-AML growth inhibition associated with the relative resistance of normal LTC-IC strongly supports the use of genistein for marrow purging.     

Effects of ceftazidime, a betalactam antibiotic, on murine haemopoiesis in vitro

Summary. Agranulocytosis has been reported in 5–15% of patients treated with high-dose betalactam antibiotics (BLA). We investigated the toxic effect of ceftazidime (CEF) as a representative of these antibiotics on colony-forming unit-granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM), on burst-forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) colony growth and on myelopoiesis in murine long-term bone marrow culture (mLTBMC). The CEF concentration resulting in a 50% inhibition of growth was 146 μg/ml (267 μ m ) for CFU-GM, 132 μg/ml (241 μ m ) for BFU-E and 180 μg/ml (329 μ m ) for myeloid cell production in the supernatant of mLTBMC. Following addition of CEF to mLTBMC, CFU-GM remained low for 1 week and total myeloid cell production remained low for 2 weeks after removal of CEF from culture. Thereafter the values returned to control levels. The myeloid differential counts in the supernatant and adherent layers demonstrated a 'maturation arrest', which could be overcome by simultaneously adding all-trans retinoic acid to culture. These results demonstrate that CEF has reversible inhibitory effects on myelopoiesis and highlight the utility of in vitro haemopoietic assays as models to examine drug-induced haemopoietic dyscrasias.     

Microenvironmental toxicity of azidothymidine: partial sparing with hemin

Azidothymidine (AZT) is a useful drug in management of AIDS. Nevertheless, its hematologic toxicity such as anemia and neutropenia present further complications to an already compromised hematopoietic state in patients. We studied the effects of AZT on human and murine bone marrow (BM) colony growth as determined by assays of CFU-E, BFU-E, CFU-GM, and fibroblastoid stromal (CFU-Fb) colonies. Cultures were grown in methylcellulose with growth factors and scored after three- to 14-day incubation. In general, murine marrow cultures were more sensitive to AZT as compared with human marrow. Furthermore, interindividual variation in toxicity to AZT was observed between marrow samples; 1 mumol/L AZT inhibited murine CFU-E, BFU-E, and CFU-GM by 98% to 100%, whereas human marrow was inhibited by 52%, 87%, and 65%, respectively. Lower concentrations of AZT (0.1 mumol/L) inhibited murine erythroid colony growth by 85% to 90%, whereas human growth was inhibited by only 39% to 52%. Myeloid colony inhibition was similar for human and murine systems. CFU-Fb growth was markedly suppressed (75%) by 1 mumol/L AZT. Hemin, at a concentration of 10 mumol/L, overcame some of the inhibitory effects of 1 to 0.1 mumol/L AZT without hindering antiviral activity. Inhibition of human CFU-E growth was completely overcome with hemin, whereas CFU-GM growth was recovered to 66% to 74% of control. A similar but less pronounced effect was observed for BFU-E. Furthermore, hemin does not decrease AZT's effects of HIV antigen content in vitro. We conclude that anemia and neutropenia, occurring as a result of AZT, may not be as pronounced in the presence of hemin. Furthermore, CFU-Fb was significantly reduced in the presence of low concentrations of AZT. This may indicate a major target site for BM toxicity since the stromal microenvironment may be responsible for maintaining short- and long-term hematopoiesis.     

Inhibition of human bone marrow-derived stem cell colony formation (CFU-E, BFU-E, and CFU-GM) following in vitro exposure to organophosphates

Cholinergic toxicity of organophosphate insecticides is regarded as the principal health hazard associated with both human and animal exposures. Recent studies indicate that these pesticides may have important effects on both the immune and hematopoietic systems. In the present study, human bone marrow cells were exposed in vitro to paraoxon and malaoxon (the primary metabolites of parathion and malathion). These compounds produced dose-dependent depression of colony formation by erythrocyte (burst-forming units-erythroid [BFU-E] and colony-forming units-erythroid [CFU-E]) and granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (colony-forming units-granulocyte-macrophage [CFU-GM]). CFU-E colony formation was reduced 15%-57%, by both paraoxon and malaoxon, in the range of 10(-8)-10(-5) M. No effects were seen at 10(-9) and 10(-10) M. Colony formation by BFU-E was reduced 15%-75%, at 10(-9)-10(-5) M organophosphate (OP), then returned to normal at 10(-10) M OP. In comparison to CFU-E, BFU-E appeared to be more sensitive to the suppressive action of OPs. Numbers of CFU-GM colonies were reduced 16%-59% in the range of 10(-9)-10(-5) M OP, then returned to normal at 10(-10) M OP. Choline chloride added to marrow cultures (final concentration, 10 mM) enhanced CFU-GM colony formation at all concentrations of paraoxon and malaoxon. Our results provide a rationale for assessing hematologic parameters in occupationally exposed individuals, and indicate the need to determine both the mechanism and the environmental health consequences of the observed hematopoietic effects.     

Effect of murine mast cell growth factor (c-kit proto-oncogene ligand) on colony formation by human marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Purified natural (n) and recombinant (r) murine (mu) mast cell growth factor (MGF, a c-kit ligand) were evaluated alone and in combination with r human (hu) erythropoietin (Epo), rhu granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhuGM-CSF), rhuG-CSF, and/or rhuM-CSF for effects in vitro on colony formation by multipotential (colony-forming unit-granulocyte, erythroid, monocyte, megakaryocyte [CFU-GEMM]), erythroid (burst-forming unit erythroid [BFU-E]) and granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) progenitor cells from normal human bone marrow. MGF was a potent enhancing cytokine for Epo-dependent CFU-GEMM and BFU-E colony formation, stimulating more colonies and of a larger size than either rhu interleukin-3 (rhuIL-3) or rhuGM-CSF. MGF, especially at lower concentrations, also acted with rhuIL-3 or rhuGM-CSF to enhance Epo-dependent CFU-GEMM and BFU-E colony formation. MGF had little stimulating activity for CFU-GM colonies by itself, but in combination with suboptimal to optimal amounts of rhuGM-CSF enhanced the numbers and the size of CFU-GM colonies in an additive to greater than additive manner. While we did not detect an effect of MGF on CFU-G colony numbers stimulated by maximal concentrations of rhuG-CSF, MGF did enhance the size of CFU-G-derived colonies. MGF did not enhance the activity of rhuM-CSF. In a comparative assay, maximal concentrations of rmu and rhuMGF were equally effective in the enhancement of human bone marrow colony formation, but rhuMGF, in contrast to rmuMGF, did not at the concentrations tested enhance colony formation by mouse bone marrow cells. MGF effects on BFU-E, CFU-GM, and CFU-GEMM may be direct acting ones as MGF-enhanced colony formation by these cells in highly enriched progenitor cell populations of CD34 HLA-DR+ and CD34 HLA-DR+CD33- sorted cells in which greater than or equal to 1 of 2 cells was a BFU-E plus CFU-GM plus CFU-GEMM. MGF appears to be an early acting cytokine that preferentially stimulates the growth of immature hematopoietic progenitor cells.     

Different repopulation kinetics of erythroid (BFU-E), myeloid (CFU-GM) and T lymphocyte (TL-CFU) progenitor cells after autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Marrow recovery of erythroid (BFU-E), myeloid (CFU-GM) and T-lymphocyte (TL-CFU) progenitor cells was studied at various time intervals after autologous bone marrow transplantation in 10 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia in remission. These data were compared with those in 14 recipients of T-cell depleted allogeneic marrow grafts. The results indicate markedly different repopulation kinetics of BFU-E, CFU-GM and TL-CFU after autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Following autografting reduced numbers of BFU-E and CFU-GM were always present at 2 months after transplantation. Between 2-6 and 6-24 months a gradual increase occurred, although reduced BFU-E and CFU-GM values were still noted in 50% of the cases in spite of normal bone marrow cellularity and restoration of peripheral blood counts. In contrast, in the allograft recipients normal BFU-E numbers appeared within 2 months after transplantation. In addition, CFU-GM values had become normal in 35% of the tests performed at 1-2 months and respectively in 66% and 100% at 2-6 and 6-24 months. The recovery pattern of TL-CFU differed from that of the other haemopoietic progenitor cells. TL-CFU showed a fast recovery, i.e. within 1 month after autologous bone marrow transplantation which was much more rapid than that of BFU-E and CFU-GM. After allografting, however, TL-CFU regenerated at a slower rate and reached normal levels between 2 and 6 months after transplantation. We suggest that the delayed restoration of myeloid and erythroid progenitor cells after autologous transplantation is related to a proliferative defect of the graft as a result of the preceding cytotoxic chemotherapy, the underlying malignant disease and/or cryopreservation. The slower recovery of the T lymphocyte precursors after allografting might be due to the immunological interactions between graft and host, the immuno-suppressive therapy and/or the in vitro T cell depletion of the graft.     

In vitro growth of human fetal CD34+ cells in the presence of various combinations of recombinant cytokines under serum-free culture conditions

Summary. CD34⁺ cells were purified from midtrimester human fetal blood and adult bone marrow samples and seeded in serum-free fibrin-clot cultures in order to evaluate the number and the responsiveness to recombinant cytokines of pluripotent (CFU-GEMM), erythroid (BFU-E), megakaryocyte (BFU-meg and CFU-meg) and granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM) haemopoietic progenitor cells.
The number of the different haemopoietic progenitors/1 × 10³ CD34⁺ cells, except CFU-meg, was significantly higher in fetal blood than in adult bone marrow in cultures stimulated by any combination of cytokines including interleukin-3 (IL-3), granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or stem cell factor (SCF) plus erythropoietin (Epo). Nevertheless, whereas adult BFU-E showed a maximal growth in the presence of Epo plus IL-3 or Epo plus SCF, fetal BFU-E showed an optimal growth in the presence of Epo alone, the sensitivity of fetal BFU-E to suboptimal concentrations of Epo being approximately 10–15-fold higher than that of adult BFU-E. Addition of optimal concentrations of IL-3, GM-CSF or SCF, alone or in various combinations, to Epocontaining cultures induced a significant increase in both the number and size of fetal CFU-GEMM, and CFU-GM, and a parallel decrease of fetal BFU-E. Finally, SCF potently syner-gized with IL-3 in increasing the growth of both classes of fetal megakaryocyte progenitors, BFU-meg and CFU-meg.     

Influence of murine mast cell growth factor (c-kit ligand) on colony formation by mouse marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Purified natural and recombinant murine mast cell growth factor (MGF, a c-kit ligand) were evaluated alone and in combination with other cytokines for effects in vitro on colony formation by multipotential (CFU-GEMM), erythroid (BFU-E) and granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) progenitor cells from BDF1 mouse bone marrow. Both preparations stimulated Epo-dependent CFU-GEMM and enhanced Epo-dependent BFU-E colony numbers and size. MGF had some stimulating activity for CFU-GM. When used in combination with plateau concentrations of pokeweed mitogen mouse spleen cell conditioned medium or granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (CSF), MGF enhanced in greater than additive fashion colony formation by CFU-GM. MGF also enhanced the size of colonies formed, an enhancement greatest for colonies containing granulocytes and macrophages. MGF did not enhance Macrophage-CSF stimulated colony numbers or size. MGF seems to be an early acting cytokine with preferential effects on the growth of more immature hematopoietic progenitor cells.     

Isobutyramide, an orally bioavailable butyrate analogue, stimulates fetal globin gene expression in vitro and in vivo

Summary. Clozapine, a novel antipsychotic drug that is particularly effective in treatment-resistant schizophrenia, causes severe agranulocytosis of unknown aetiology in approximately 0·8% of U.S. patients. We evaluated potential toxic mechanisms of drug-induced agranulocytosis. Clozapine, the two major metabolites N-desmethylclozapine and N-oxide clozapine, and five other clozapine derivatives were screened for toxicity to normal haemopoietic precursors. For all compounds except N-des-methylclozapine, toxicity to CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-GEMM occurred at concentrations at least 10 times the normal serum levels reported in unaffected patients. In contrast, the LD₅₀ for N-desmethylclozapine was 2·5 μg/ml for CFU-GM, 3·2 μg/ml for BFU-E, and 2·4 μg/ml for CFU-GEMM, only 3–6 times the normal serum concentration. Bone marrow from patients with acute clozapine-induced agranulocytosis was not more sensitive to clozapine or N-desmethylclozapine than bone marrow from normal donors. These studies suggest that N-desmethylclozapine, the major metabolite of clozapine, is itself toxic or is further metabolized to an unstable compound which is toxic to haemopoietic precursors of both myeloid and erythroid lineages.     

Effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor on the colony growth of human leukemia progenitor cells and normal hematopoietic progenitor cells

The effects of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rH-TNF) on the colony growth of human leukemia progenitor cells (L-CFU), granulocyte- macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM), and erythroid progenitor cells (BFU-E) were studied. L-CFU was assayed with leukemia cells obtained from patients with acute myelogenous leukemia. CFU-GM and BFU-E were assayed with bone marrow cells obtained from hematologically normal donors and patients with acute leukemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in complete remission. A dose-dependent growth inhibition of L-CFU as well as CFU-GM and BFU-E was observed by rH-TNF at concentrations of 1 to 100 U/mL. The inhibitory effect on L-CFU was significantly greater than that on CFU-GM. No correlation was observed between the inhibitory effect on L-CFU and the number of colonies formed in the cultures without rH-TNF. Preincubation of the progenitor cells in culture medium containing 20% fetal calf serum with up to 1,000 U/mL of rH-TNF for 24 hours did not result in the inhibition of colony growth of L-CFU or CFU- GM. The inhibitory effect of rH-TNF was neutralized by an anti-rH-TNF murine monoclonal antibody.     

Detection of HIV in haemopoietic progenitors

Peripheral blood cytopenias present a major problem in the management of patients with HIV infection. Their pathophysiology is likely to be multifactorial, although there is controversy as to whether haemopoietic progenitors are a target for HIV. In order to investigate the haemopoietic defect in HIV infection, we looked at bone marrow culture characteristics of marrow from eight HIV+ patients compared to normal controls. We performed long-term liquid culture (LTC) and colony forming assays for granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) and granulocyte, erythroid, megakaryocyte, macrophage (CFU-GEMM). In LTC we found normal stromal appearance and haemopoietic focus formation. There was no difference in colony assays of CFU-GM and CFU-GEMM between HIV+ and normal controls. Colonies taken from CFU-GM and CFU-GEMM were analysed for HIV DNA sequences, and we were able to detect HIV DNA in colonies from all HIV+ patients. Our results indicate that despite infection of haemopoietic progenitor cells by HIV, bone marrow function is preserved. This suggests that HIV-related cytopenias may be due to alternative mechanisms not present in our in vitro system.     

Erythroid and granulocyte-macrophage colony formation in myelodysplastic syndromes

Colony formation by haematopoietic progenitors from the bone marrow was studied in 44 patients with a myelodysplastic syndrome. Erythroid progenitors BFU-E and CFU-E were cultured in methyl cellulose, and granulocyte-macrophage precursors CFU-GM in agar. 3 of 32 patients showed normal numbers of BFU-E colonies; in all the other cases the number of these colonies was below the normal range. CFU-E colony formation was subnormal in all cases. 23 of 44 patients grew normal numbers of colonies and clusters in CFU-GM cultures. These patients had refractory anaemia with ring sideroblasts (FAB-classification) or 5q-karyotype anomaly in the marrow. Patients lacking both of these findings exhibited reduced colony formation or excessive growth of colonies and/or clusters, with few exceptions. In conclusion, we found that erythroid colony formation was defective in all cases. Normal granulocyte-macrophage colony formation was associated with refractory anaemia with ring sideroblasts or the presence of 5q- karyotype anomaly.     

Inhibitory effect of azidothymidine, 2'-3'-dideoxyadenosine, and 2'-3'-dideoxycytidine on in vitro growth of hematopoietic progenitor cells from normal persons and from patients with AIDS

Therapy of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex (ARC) with azidothymidine (AZT) and 2'-3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC) is complicated by severe anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia, the cause of which is unknown. We therefore tested the effect of AZT, ddC, and an additional 2'-3'-dideoxynucleoside analogue, 2'-3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddA), on the hematopoietic progenitor cells derived from the bone marrow of normal persons and patients with AIDS/ARC. All three substances dose-dependently inhibited the in vitro colony formation of the pluripotent (CFU-GEMM), as well as the erythroid (BFU-E) and granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM). The 50% inhibition of normal progenitors by AZT occurred at 0.13 microM for CFU-GEMM, 0.32 microM for BFU-E, and 1.9 microM for CFU-GM, by ddA at 15 microM for CFU-GEMM, 40 microM for BFU-E, and 140 microM for CFU-GM. ddC was the most toxic agent and already inhibited 71% +/- 16% (mean +/- standard error of the mean [SEM]) of CFU-GEMM and 52% +/- 22% of BFU-E at 0.1 microM, whereas the 50% inhibition of CFU-GM was reached at 0.3 microM. Hematotoxicity occurred at concentrations lower than necessary to inhibit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), except for ddA, which is 100 times less toxic than AZT whereas its antiviral effect is only 10 times less. The inhibition of progenitor cells from AIDS patients by the 2'-3'-dideoxynucleosides was comparable to normal progenitors, except for a higher sensitivity of AIDS-derived CFU-GEMM and BFU-E to AZT.     

Effects of in vitro purging with 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide on the hematopoietic and microenvironmental elements of human bone marrow

We describe the effects of 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC) on the hematopoietic and stromal elements of human bone marrow. Marrow cells were exposed to 4-HC and then assayed for mixed (CFU-Mix), erythroid (BFU-E), granulomonocytic (CFU-GM), and marrow fibroblast (CFU-F) colony-forming cells and studied in the long-term marrow culture (LTMC) system. The inhibition of colony formation by 4-HC was dose and cell- concentration dependent. The cell most sensitive to 4-HC was CFU-Mix (ID50 31 mumol/L) followed by BFU-E (ID50 41 mumol/L), CFU-GM (ID50 89 mumol/L), and CFU-F (ID50 235 mumol/L). In LTMC, a dose-related inhibition of CFU-GM production was noted. Marrows treated with 300 mumol/L 4-HC were completely depleted of CFU-GM but were able to generate these progenitors in LTMC. Marrow stromal progenitors giving rise to stromal layers in LTMC, although less sensitive to 4-HC cytotoxicity, were damaged by 4-HC also in a dose-related manner. Marrows treated with 4-HC up to 300 mumol/L, gave rise to stromal layers composed of fibroblasts, endothelial cells, adipocytes, and macrophages. Cocultivation experiments with freshly isolated autologous hematopoietic cells showed that stromal layers derived from 4-HC- treated marrows were capable of sustaining the long-term production of CFU-GM as well as controls. In conclusion: (1) Hematopoietic progenitors cells, CFU-Mix, BFU-E, and CFU-GM, are highly sensitive to 4-HC, whereas marrow stromal progenitor cells are relatively resistant. (2) Marrows treated with 300 mumol/L 4-HC that are depleted of CFU-Mix, BFU-E, and CFU-GM can generate CFU-GM in LTMC, suggesting that most primitive hematopoietic stem cells (not represented by CFU-Mix) are spared by 4-HC up to this dose. (3) Consequently, the above colony assays are not suitable tools for predicting pluripotent stem cell survival after 4-HC treatment in vitro.     

Enhanced colony formation of human hemopoietic stem cells in reduced oxygen tension

In general, cell cultures, including hemopoietic stem cells, are produced in an atmosphere of various CO2 concentrations in air, although most cells in vivo proliferate and differentiate at lower oxygen tensions. We therefore investigated the effect of reduced oxygen tension on the in vitro colony growth of committed and multipotential hemopoietic progenitor cells from human bone marrow. All hemopoietic progenitor cells (CFU-mix, BFU-E, CFU-E, and CFU-GM) investigated showed enhanced colony growth at lower oxygen tension. CFU-E showed the highest enhancement, followed in order by BFU-E, CFU-mix and CFU-GM. At reduced oxygen tension, the sensitivity of early and late erythroid progenitor cells to erythropoietin was significantly increased, and this can be one of the mechanisms for the enhanced colony growth of erythroid progenitors. In the colony growth of CFU-GM, plating efficiency was also enhanced by the predominant increment of neutrophilic colonies. The lowering of oxygen tension would presumably reduce oxygen toxicity and result in the increased colony growth of human bone marrow stem cells, although the precise mechanisms of oxygen toxicity at the level of hemopoietic stem cells have yet to be elucidated. However, this clonal culture system, using a low oxygen tension, can be a useful means for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms involved in the proliferation and differentiation of hemopoietic progenitor cells in physiological and pathological conditions.     

The generation of human long-term marrow cultures from marrow depleted of Ia (HLA-DR) positive cells

Successful long-term cultures were generated from marrow buffy-coat cells incubated with either of two monoclonal anti-Ia antibodies, 7.2 and HBIOa, and complement. The mean CFU-GM toxicity for 7.2 and HBIOa was 81% and 94%, respectively, of the complement control. Cultures generated from marrows treated with 7.2 and complement produced between 30% and 163% of the CFU-GM (mean, 78.2 +/- 52.4%) and 33% of the BFU-E produced by the complement control cultures. Long-term cultures from marrows treated with the more cytotoxic HBIOa antibody yielded 261% of the CFU-GM present at culture initiation. Our data suggest that the progenitor cells necessary for generation of long-term cultures from human marrow are Ia-negative and may represent less mature stem cells than those measurable by semisolid colony assays. Furthermore, marrow treated with cytotoxic anti-Ia antibodies may be suitable for use in autologous transplantation.     

Megakaryocyte differentiation capacity of human pluripotent bone marrow progenitor cells CFU-GEMM in vitro after cryopreservation*

The effect of cryopreservation on the pluripotent haemopoietic progenitors CFU-GEMM as well as on the megakaryocyte (CFU-Mk), erythroid (BFU-E) and granulocytic-monocytic (CFU-GM) progenitor cells was analyzed. Progenitor cell recovery after freezing, as determined in 5 experiments, averaged 89% for CFU-GEMM (range: 63% - 194%), 85% for CFU-Mk (range: 62% - 96%), 92% for BFU-E (range: 43% - 174%) and 60% for CFU-GM (range: 31% - 93%). Immunological analysis of individual mixed colonies using a double labelling immunoalkaline phosphatase slide technique and monoclonal antibodies against megakaryocytic and granulocytic cells revealed megakaryocyte cells in more than 79% (range: 73% - 94%) and 84% (range: 75% - 87%) of mixed colonies before and after freezing, respectively. Our results indicate that cryopreservation of human bone marrow cells does not alter the megakaryocytic differentiation capacity of the haemopoietic progenitor cells CFU-GEMM and CFU-Mk in vitro.     

Recovery of circulating haemopoietic progenitor cells in the early phase of haemopoietic reconstitution after autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

The recovery of circulating haemopoietic progenitor cells was evaluated serially in seven patients for 3-4 weeks after bone marrow transplantation (two autologous and five allogeneic) as treatment for leukaemia. Eight normal healthy volunteers were used as controls. CFU-G (colony forming unit-granulocyte) was found to be the earliest progenitor cell to recover at a mean interval of 16 +/- 1 (SE) days post-transplantation. A lag of 7 days was found before circulating CFU-GM (colony forming unit-granulocyte, monocyte) reappeared, while BFU-E (burst forming unit-erythroid) were detectable in only two patients in the first 4 weeks. The peak level of circulating progenitors was very low, 28 +/- 8/ml, compared with a mean level of 619 +/- 235/ml in eight normal individuals. This pattern of circulating progenitor cell recovery post-transplantation was consistently seen in all patients. CFU-G reappeared significantly earlier than CFU-GM suggesting that early granulocytic recovery after bone marrow transplantation is mediated by proliferation of mature progenitors committed to the granulocytic lineage, whereas later reconstitution is accompanied by the emergence of CFU-GM.     

Effect of hepatocyte growth factor on early human haemopoietic cell development

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulates cell proliferation, differentiation and migration by binding to its receptor, MET R. Whether the HGF/MET R axis plays an important regulatory role in human haemopoietic cell growth is an unresolved issue. To investigate this situation, we employed several complementary strategies including RT-PCR, FACS analysis, and mRNA perturbation with oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN). We found that very primitive, FACS sorted, CD34⁺ Kit⁺ marrow mononuclear cells (MNC) failed to express RT-PCR detectable MET R mRNA. In contrast, MET R expression was easily detectable by RT-PCR in marrow stroma fibroblasts, in cells isolated from BFU-E and CFU-GM colonies, and in unselected normal MNC. Subsequent FACS analysis revealed that MET R protein was detectable on ∼5% of the latter cells. HGF, at concentrations of 1–50 ng/ml, had no demonstrable effect on survival or cloning efficiency of normal CD34⁺ MNC in serum-free cultures. Antisense ODN mediated perturbation of MET R mRNA expression in normal CD34⁺ MNC, with FACS documented decline in protein expression, had no effect on the ability of these cells to give rise to haemopoietic colonies of any lineage. We also examined the biology of HGF/MET R expression in malignant haemopoietic cells. Using the strategies described above, we found that MET R mRNA was expressed in many human haemopoietic cell lines, and that the protein was expressed at high levels on HTLV transformed T lymphocytes. Wild-type CML and AML blast cells also expressed MET mRNA, and HGF was able to co-stimulate CFU-GM colony formation in ∼20% of cases studied. Therefore, although the HGF/MET R axis appears to be dispensable for normal haemopoietic cell growth, it may play a role in the growth of malignant haemopoietic progenitor cells.     

Recombinant alpha-interferon inhibits colony formation of bone marrow fibroblast progenitor cells (CFU-F).

Alpha-Interferon (IFN-alpha) has been shown to inhibit colony formation of hematopoietic progenitor cells, including colony-forming unit-granulocyte, erythroid, macrophage, megakaryocyte (CFU-GEMM), day 7 colony-forming unit granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM), day 14 CFU-GM, burst-forming unit erythroid (BFU-E), pluripotent stem cells (CFU-S), and colony-forming unit megakaryocyte (CFU-MK). The present study was designed to see whether IFN-alpha also has inhibitory effects on bone marrow fibroblast progenitors (CFU-F). We found that IFN-alpha exerted a significant inhibitory effect on both rabbit and human CFU-F formation. Inhibition of human marrow CFU-F formation by alpha interferon was unaffected by removal of 98% of monocytes/macrophages and T lymphocytes from light density marrow cells. This finding suggests that IFN-alpha probably exerts a direct inhibitory effects.