Generation of natural killer cells from serum-free, expanded human umbilical cord blood CD34+ cells

Natural killer (NK) cells are important effectors of the innate immune system, which exhibits cytolytic activity against infectious agents and tumor cells. NK cells are derived from CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Human umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been recognized as a rich source of HSCs. Previously, we have reported an optimized serum-free medium for ex vivo expansion of CD34(+) cells from UCB. In this study, the serum-free, expanded CD34(+) cells were tested to differentiate into NK cells and their induction kinetics. After 5 weeks of induction, the induced NK cells were characterized by analysis of surface antigens, IFN-gamma secretion, and cytotoxicity against K562 cells. The results indicated that NK cells derived from the serum-free, expanded CD34(+) cells exhibited both characteristics and functions of NK cells. Furthermore, the serum-free, expanded CD34(+) cells showed a significantly higher NK cell differentiation potential than freshly isolated CD34(+) cells. NK cells induced from serum-free, expanded CD34(+) cells showed a higher concentration of IFN-gamma secretion and ability of cytotoxicity than those from freshly isolated CD34(+) cells. Therefore, ex vivo-expanded CD34(+) cells in optimized serum-free medium could differentiate into NK cells and provided a promising cell source for immunotherapeutic approaches.     

人脐血单个核细胞向神经细胞分化

目的：观察培养前后人脐血单个核细胞(MNCs)的形态学及免疫反应性变化,探讨其能否向神经细胞的分化及机制。方法：密度梯度离心脐血中单个核细胞,接种并用。EGF和bFGF刺激细胞生长,倒置显微镜下观察培养前后细胞形态变化,并行免疫细胞化学鉴定。结果：培养前脐血MNCs胞体小呈圆形,nestin阳性细胞、AP2阳性细胞散在分布(阳性率为1．5％和3．4％)无GFAP阳性细胞着色。培养14d后,细胞群中相邻细胞突起连成网状;AP2、GFAP染色阳性细胞成片状分布(阳性率33．5％和24．6％),未见nestin阳性细胞。结论：脐血细胞中可能有多能干细胞,经体外培养后能分化为具有一定形态的神经细胞。     

Transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promotes functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury in Wistar rats

Cell transplantation is a promising experimental treatment for spinal cord injury. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood in promoting functional recovery when transplanted after a contusion spinal cord injury. Female Wistar rats (12 weeks old) were submitted to spinal injury with a MASCIS impactor and divided into 4 groups: control, surgical control, spinal cord injury, and one cell-treated lesion group. Mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood of human male neonates were transplanted in two experiments: a) 1 h after surgery, into the injury site at a concentration of 5 x 10⁶ cells diluted in 10 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 8-10 per group); b) into the cisterna magna, 9 days after lesion at a concentration of 5 x 10⁶ cells diluted in 150 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 12-14 per group). The transplanted animals were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin-A (10 mg/kg per day). The BBB scale was used to evaluate motor behavior and the injury site was analyzed with immunofluorescent markers to label human transplanted cells, oligodendrocytes, neurons, and astrocytes. Spinal cord injury rats had 25% loss of cord tissue and cell treatment did not affect lesion extension. Transplanted cells survived in the injured area for 6 weeks after the procedure and both transplanted groups showed better motor recovery than the untreated ones (P < 0.05). The transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promoted functional recovery with no evidence of cell differentiation.     

Morphological and functional characteristics of lymphokine-activated killer cells generated from the mononuclear cells of human peripheral blood

The aim of this research was to study the morphological, functional and immunophenotypical characteristics of lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAKC) generated from the mononuclear cells (MNC) of healthy donors' peripheral blood at different time intervals after the cultivation with interleukin-2 (IL-2). LAKC had the appearance of large lymphoid cells of prolymphocyte and immunoblast type with highly pyroninophilic cytoplasm and electrone-microscopic features indicative of synthetic activity. LAKC were shown to intensely express activation antigens and adhesion molecules on their surface and to posess high cytotoxic potential in respect to tumor cells. Time-course of LAKC surface antigen expression corresponded to the changes of a proportion of activated cellular forms, generated from MNC of healthy donors' peripheral blood by incubation with IL-2. On the basis of these experimental findings, the usage of 3-5-day culture of LAKC could be recommended for the immunotherapy of malignant tumors.     

脐血单个核细胞和脐带间充质干细胞治疗儿童孤独症的安全性与有效性

背景：目前国内外尚没有治疗儿童孤独症的金标准,康复治疗效果不佳。 目的：评价脐血单个核细胞和脐带间充质干细胞治疗儿童孤独症的临床安全性和有效性。 方法：37例儿童孤独症患者非随机分为脐血组、混合组和对照组。脐血组应用脐血单个核细胞加康复训练治疗;混合组联合应用脐血单个核细胞和脐带间充质干细胞加康复训练治疗;对照组单纯行康复训练治疗。脐血组和混合组患者在干细胞治疗前和首次治疗后1,2,6个月分别行相关指标实验室检查,并观察有无不良反应发生。3组患者在治疗前和首次治疗后1,2,6个月分别行儿童孤独症评定量表(CARS)和异常行为量表(ABC)评估。 结果与结论：脐血组和混合组患者在干细胞治疗前和首次治疗后1,2,6个月相关指标实验室检查未发现有意义异常变化,干细胞治疗后无严重不良反应发生;根据CARS和ABC评分,3组治疗均有效,其疗效比较：混合组优于脐血组,脐血组优于对照组。     

Phenotypic and functional properties of dendritic cells isolated from human peripheral blood in comparison with mononuclear cells and T cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are pivotal for antigen presentation, T-cell priming and B-cell functions. Few studies have been carried out on DCs in human diseases, partly because the current procedures used for DC preparation include elaborate negative selection with monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) and prolonged culture in cytokine-enriched milieu, which may influence DC functions. Using physical density and their adherent properties, DCs were prepared from the blood of healthy subjects. Approximately 2% of human blood mononuclear cells (MNC) were shown to consist of DCs, yielding DCs of 80-90% purity. They expressed markers related to DCs (CD1a, CD11c, CD32 and CD83), costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD80, CD86), human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II molecules and inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS2), and lacked lymphocyte and monocyte markers (CD3, CD19, CD20, CD56 and CD14). Compared with blood MNC and T cells, DCs showed a high level of spontaneous proliferation and nitric oxide production, as well as strong proliferative responses in mixed leucocyte reactions. Enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays revealed higher levels of interleukin (IL)-4-, IL-10- and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-secreting cells among DCs than among MNC or T cells obtained from the same blood specimens, while levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)- and IL-6-secreting cells did not differ. The results demonstrate that the method used is fast, effective and competitively priced, and should be useful for studies of DCs in disease states.     

Functional heterogeneity among cytotoxic clones derived from natural killer cells

Clones were obtained from highly purified populations of human peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells propagated in the presence of interleukin-2 and phytohaemagglutinin. Almost all clones were cytotoxic against standard NK targets and many were also able to kill the B lymphoblastoid cell line BSM. This latter property was not necessarily a result of the incorporation of this cell line into the feeder mixture used to derive the clones. In most cloning experiments there was a high degree of concordance between the killing of the NK targets K562 and Molt 4 by panels of clones. In some cases this extended to the killing of BSM targets but in other instances there was no relationship or even an inverse correlation between killing of BSM and other targets. In a single cloning experiment there was no relationship between killing of BSM and Raji targets. In some cases a panel of clones could be divided into two or more distinct groups based on their differential activity towards BSM and K562. Such differences were not solely due to inter-donor variation. These findings were extended by cold target inhibition experiments in which at least three types of clone were identified. In one group of clones, which was nonreactive towards BSM, cold BSM significantly enhanced the killing of K562 in a dose-dependent fashion. These experiments provide evidence for a limited degree of functional heterogeneity among clones derived from human peripheral blood NK cells.     

人脐血多种细胞因子的含量检测及植物血凝素和脂多糖的影响

目的:通过检测人脐血血清多种细胞因子含量,观察植物血凝素(PHA)和脂多糖(LPS)的诱生影响,探讨这些细胞因子的免疫功能及移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)的发病机制。方法:采用双抗体夹心酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA),测定26份正常足月新生儿脐血及16例正常儿童外周血血清中白细胞介素4(IL-4)、IL-10、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)、γ干扰素(IFN-γ)、IL-12、IL-15、IL-18水平,以及PHA和LPS刺激后单个核细胞分泌上述细胞因子的诱生水平。结果:人脐血血清中IL-4的水平与正常外周血血清水平无显著差异(P＞0.05),脐血血清中IL-12的水平显著高于外周血血清(P＜0.05),其余5种细胞因子脐血血清水平均明显低于正常外周血血清水平(P＜0.05);PHA和LPS刺激后脐血单个核细胞分泌IL-4、IL-10、TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-12、IL-15和IL-18的水平明显低于正常外周血(P＜0.05),尤以IL-4、TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-15和IL-18非常明显。结论:脐血血清中上述细胞因子水平普遍低于正常外周血,以及脐血单个核细胞刺激后产生IL-4、IL-10、TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-12、IL-15和IL-18等细胞因子水平的不足,表明脐血细胞免疫功能不成熟,是脐血移植后GVHD发生率低及程度轻的主要原因之一。     

人脐血干细胞体外诱导为肥大细胞的研究进展

Mast cells (MCs) play a key role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Tissue MCs are originated from hematopoiefic stem cells in bone marrow. In recent years, it was reported that human mast cells could be differentiated from stem cells of umbilical cord blood. In this review, we summarize the development in this novel area.     

Phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of human memory B cells

Memory B cells are more heterogeneous than previously thought. Given that B cells play powerful antibody-independent effector functions, it seems reasonable to assume division of labor between distinct memory B cells subpopulations in both protective and pathogenic immune responses. Here we review the information emerging regarding the heterogeneity of human memory B cells. A better understanding of this topic should greatly improve our ability to target specific B cell subsets either in vaccine responses or in autoimmune diseases and organ rejection among other pathological conditions where B cells play central pathogenic roles.     

Alloreactivity of umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells: specific hyporesponse to noninherited maternal antigens

Earlier studies noted that patients who underwent cord blood (CB) transplantation had a lower incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) than those who underwent bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The premise that the immune reactivity of CB mononuclear cells (CB-MNC) to HLA mismatched combinations and to noninherited maternal antigens (NIMA) may be one of the factors involved in this phenomenon is still debatable. In this study we have attempted to evaluate the alloresponse and alloreactivity induced by CB-MNC by means of the standard mixed lymphocyte reaction test (SMLR) and the more sensitive, modified mixed lymphocyte reaction test (MMLR). Both techniques were used to test CB-MNC (n = 28) against HLA class II mismatched MNC from mothers (n = 26), fathers (n = 12), and unrelated individuals (n = 60) who served as controls. Alloresponse capabilities and stimulation capacities of CB-MNC in the SMLR were similar to those of control MNC: relative response (RR) = 73 vs. 65 and 58 vs. 65, respectively. Similar results were obtained in the MMLR. CB-MNC responded weakly to the maternal MNC in comparison with control MNC (RR = 47 vs. 73 [p = 0.0099]), while a stronger response was noted to the paternal than the maternal MNC (RR = 72 vs. 47 [p = 0.045]). Our results demonstrate that CB-MNC both respond to and induce alloresponse in HLA mismatched combinations. Moreover, the hyporesponse of CB-MNC to maternal cells that we observed suggests a form of tolerance to NIMA, which is probably due to the fetus's exposure to these antigens in its intrauterine life.     

辐照后的AlloMNCs诱导NK细胞体外扩增

目的探讨照射后的同种异体外周血单个核细胞(allogeneic PB-MNCs,AlloMNCs)对人自然杀伤细胞(NK)体外扩增的影响,为NK细胞的过继免疫治疗奠定基础。方法 Ficoll密度梯度离心法分离健康成人外周血单个核细胞(PBMCs),30、50和70 Gyγ射线照射后的AlloMNCs作为饲养细胞,分别加入上述PBMCs,在添加细胞因子的X-VIVO15TM无血清培养基中进行培养扩增,同时选择未添加饲养细胞的作为对照组;台盼蓝拒染法进行活细胞计数;流式细胞术检测CD56+CD3-NK细胞纯度;MTT法检测细胞杀伤活性。结果加入饲养细胞的PBMCs在添加了细胞因子的X-VIVO15TM无血清培养基中可培养21 d,30 Gy照射后的AlloMNCs作为饲养细胞时细胞扩增最明显,在第21天时扩增了270.3±10.4倍,CD56+CD3-NK细胞纯度由培养前的(9.7±2.4)%提高到扩增后的(56.5±7.8)%,与无饲养细胞的对照组相比较,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。细胞杀伤实验表明,当效靶比为10∶1时,添加30Gy照射后的AlloMNCs刺激扩增的NK细胞对K562和HO8910的杀伤率平均达到59.7%、63.2%,分别与对照组的28.3%、32.2%相比较,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 30 Gy照射后的AlloMNCs可作为饲养细胞在体外促进NK细胞的增殖,为NK细胞的肿瘤过继免疫治疗提供了一种简单有效的扩增NK细胞的方法。     

CM-Dil及DAPI联合标记示踪人脐血单核细胞细胞膜及细胞核的可行性

背景：氯甲基- 1,1 十八烷基-3,3,3’,3’-四甲基-吲哚-羧花青-高氯酸盐(chlormethylbenzamido-1, 1-dioctadecyl-3,3,3’,3’-tetramethylin-docarbocyamine,CM-DiI)和4’,6-联脒-2-苯基吲哚二盐酸盐 (4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole,DAPI)是常用的活细胞示踪剂,分别用来标记细胞膜和细胞核。 目的：观察应用细胞膜及细胞核标记物CM-DiI及DAPI联合示踪人脐血单核细胞的可行性及双标后人脐血单核细胞体外培养过程中细胞形态及活性的变化。 方法：将新鲜分离的人脐血单核细胞用示踪剂CM-DiI及DAPI进行双标记,体外培养双标后的人脐血单核细胞,倒置相差显微镜下观察细胞形态变化,锥虫蓝染色检测不同时间细胞活性,同时倒置荧光显微镜观察不同时间经CM-DiI和DAPI双标的人脐血单核细胞荧光染色阳性数。 结果与结论：人脐血单核细胞在CM-DiI和DAPI联合标记15 min后,荧光显微镜下可见标记细胞的细胞膜、细胞核分别在不同波长下分别呈现红色和蓝色的荧光。CM-DiI/DAPI双标后的人脐血单核细胞体外培养1,3,7,14,21 d,CM-DiI和DAPI双染的阳性细胞数各时间点比较差异无显著性意义。锥虫蓝染色观察人脐血单核细胞存活率为95.6%-98.8%。双标后的人脐血单核细胞体外培养过程中细胞形态变化与未经示踪标记的脐血单核细胞相比差异不明显,仍保持了良好的生长状态、贴壁能力和细胞增殖能力。由此证实,CM-DiI和DAPI可有效标记人脐血单核细胞,两种示踪剂对活细胞无毒不良反应,荧光衰减较慢,适用于干细胞标记及示踪。     

人胎盘血间质干细胞分离培养

目的：分离培养人胎盘血间质干细胞（hMSC），为hMSC探寻新来源。方法：采用羟乙基淀粉（HES）方法分离、富集胎盘血有核细胞；DMEM培养液体外培养、纯化、扩增hMSC；流式细胞仪检测细胞表面标记；地塞米松、IBMX、胰岛素和吲哚美辛定向诱导hMSC样细胞向脂肪细胞分化。结果：胎盘血来源有核细胞,在DMEM体外培养条件下，生长出具有塑料粘附特性的梭形细胞，阳性获得率29.17%（7/24），该细胞传代培养达6个月以上；流式细胞仪检测结果显示CD29、CD44、CD59、CD90、CD105、CD166表达阳性，CD14、CD34、CD45、CD80、CD86表达阴性；加入脂肪细胞诱导剂，细胞在形态上向脂肪细胞转化，胞内出现脂滴、脂泡，油红O阳性。结论：人胎盘血可以分离培养出hMSC，是hMSC的重要来源。     

Cartilage engineering from ovine umbilical cord blood mesenchymal progenitor cells

We aimed to determine whether three-dimensional (3D) cartilage could be engineered from umbilical cord blood (CB) cells and compare it with both engineered fetal cartilage and native tissue. Ovine mesenchymal progenitor cells were isolated from CB samples (n=4) harvested at 80-120 days of gestation by low-density fractionation, expanded, and seeded onto polyglycolic acid scaffolds. Constructs (n=28) were maintained in a rotating bioreactor with serum-free medium supplemented with transforming growth factor-beta1 for 4-12 weeks. Similar constructs seeded with fetal chondrocytes (n=13) were cultured in parallel for 8 weeks. All specimens were analyzed and compared with native fetal cartilage samples (n=10). Statistical analysis was by analysis of variance and Student's t-test (p<.01). At 12 weeks, CB constructs exhibited chondrogenic differentiation by both standard and matrix-specific staining. In the CB constructs, there was a significant time-dependent increase in extracellular matrix levels of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and type-II collagen (C-II) but not of elastin (EL). Fetal chondrocyte and CB constructs had similar GAG and C-II contents, but CB constructs had less EL. Compared with both hyaline and elastic native fetal cartilage, C-II and EL levels were, respectively, similar and lower in the CB constructs, which had correspondingly lower and similar GAG levels than native hyaline and elastic fetal cartilage. We conclude that CB mesenchymal progenitor cells can be successfully used for the engineering of 3D cartilaginous tissue in vitro, displaying select histological and functional properties of both native and engineered fetal cartilage. Cartilage engineered from CB may prove useful for the treatment of select congenital anomalies.     

Hemogenic endothelial progenitor cells isolated from human umbilical cord blood

Hemogenic endothelium has been identified in embryonic dorsal aorta and in tissues generated from mouse embryonic stem cells, but to date there is no evidence for such bipotential cells in postnatal tissues or blood. Here we identify a cell population from human umbilical cord blood that gives rise to both endothelial cells and hematopoietic progenitors in vitro. Cord blood CD34+/CD133+ cells plated at high density in an endothelial basal medium formed an endothelial monolayer and a nonadherent cell population after 14-21 days. AML-1, a factor required for definitive hematopoiesis, was detected at low levels in adherent cells and at high levels in nonadherent cells. Nonadherent cells coexpressed the endothelial marker vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin and the hematopoietic marker CD45, whereas adherent cells were composed primarily of VE-cadherin+/CD45- cells and a smaller fraction of VE-cadherin+/CD45+ cells. Both nonadherent and adherent cells produced hematopoietic colonies in methylcellulose, with the adherent cells yielding more colony-forming units (CFU)-GEMM compared with the nonadherent cells. To determine whether the adherent endothelial cells were producing hematopoietic progenitors, single cells from the adherent population were expanded in 96-well dishes for 14 days. The clonal populations expressed VE-cadherin, and a subset expressed AML-1, epsilon-globin, and gamma-globin. Three of 17 clonal cell populations gave rise to early CFU-GEMM hematopoietic progenitors and burst-forming unit-erythroid progenitors. These results provide evidence for hemogenic endothelial cells in human umbilical cord blood.     

脐血和外周血单个核细胞培养上清影响HIV-1感染的体外实验研究

目的：体外研究脐血和外周血单个核细胞（CBMC和PBMC）培养上清对HIV-1感染的影响，为发现抗HIV-1的可溶性因子奠定基础。 方法： PHA刺激CBMC和PBMC后5 h和12 h收集上清，加入荧光标记的HIV-1ⅢB/H9和MT-2细胞培养体系中，2 h后在倒置荧光显微镜下观察其对细胞融合的影响；用Luminex 100TM分析仪检测收集上清中细胞因子含量。 结果： PHA刺激CBMC和PBMC后5 h和12 h的上清均可抑制HIV-1ⅢB/H9和MT-2细胞融合，同一时间收集的PBMC和CBMC上清对HIV-1ⅢB/H9和MT-2细胞融合的抑制作用无差异，但5 h上清的抑制作用强于12 h的上清；CBMC 5 h上清中促炎症细胞因子比PBMC 5 h上清为低，而CCR5配体MIP-1α和RANTES则比PBMC 5 h上清高，差异显著（P＜0.05）。 结论： 通过脐血和外周血单个核细胞可以制备有效抗HIV感染的可溶性因子，可能为艾滋病治疗药物提供新的来源。     

Separation methods of T cells, natural killer, and dendritic cells from peripheral blood of cancer patients using interleukin-2 and functional analysis of natural killer cells after separation

We aimed to induce three different immune cell subsets from a single blood sample from cancer patients to target different biological characters of cancer cells. In the presence of 6000 IU/ml IL-2, natural killer (NK) cells adhere to plastic. By using this ability, we could separate dendritic cells, T cells, and NK cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The cultured NK cells demonstrated higher nonspecific cytotoxicity against tumor cell lines than did the T cells. Furthermore, adherent NK cells demonstrated higher cytotoxicity than nonadherent NK cells, although there was no difference between adherent and nonadherent NK cells in natural cytotoxicity receptors (NKp30, NKp44, NKp46) and NKG2D expression. With these results, we confirmed that we could induce dendritic cell, T cell, and higher cytotoxic NK cells from a single blood draw, and this methodology facilitates to the use of these cells for clinical grade conditions.