Caspase-3在脐血CD34+造血干/祖细胞中的表达及其意义

目的 为了探讨脐血CD34~+干/祖细胞在不同细胞因子支持下体外扩增过程中Caspase-3表达及意义,我们采用了RT-PCR、Western blot和流式细胞仪技术测定了脐血CD34~+细胞在体外扩增过程中的生物学特性及Caspase-3的表达。检测结果显示,Caspase-3mRNA在新鲜分离的脐血CD34~+细胞中低水平表达,在细胞因子支持下体外培养3天,扩增的CD34~+细胞中Caspase-3mRNA和蛋白质水平表达上调,但在这两种细胞中仅能检测到分子量为32KDa的非活性酶原形式的Caspase-3;随着体外培养时间的延长,在IL-3,IL-6和GM-CSF组合条件下,Caspase-3被激活,可检测到分子量力20KDa的裂解片段。本研究表明,虽然造血干细胞的凋亡是个复杂的过程,但在脐血CD34~+干/祖细胞体外扩增过程中,Caspase-3参与了凋亡事件并发挥着重要的作用。

Expression of Caspase-3 in Cord Blood CD34+ Cells during Culture in vitro

Objective: To investigate the expression and significance of caspase-3 protein in CD34~+ cells from cord blood (CB) during culture in vitro with different growth factors. Methods: RT-PCR, Western blot and flow cytometry techniques were used to detect the expression of caspase-3 in CD34~+ CB cells during culture in vitro. Results: Caspase-3 mRNA was constitutively expressed at a low level in freshly isolated CD34~+ cells. The expression of caspase-3 mRNA and protein was upregulated when these cells were first expanded in suspension culture with growth factors for 3 days. However, only the 32 kDa inactive caspase-3 proenzyme was detected in the freshly isolated CD34+ cells as well as during the first 3 days expansion with cytokines. With longer culture time in vitro, especially in the presence of the combination of IL-3, IL-6 and GM-CSF, caspase-3 was activated and a cleavage product of 20 kDa became detectable. Conclusion: Caspase-3 is involved in apoptosis of primitive CB CD34~+ cells during expansion in vitro.