ALBERT

Description: Bone marrow from animals treated with 5-fluorouracil (5FU) competes equally with normal marrow when assessed in vivo in an irradiated mouse, but shows markedly defective engraftment when transplanted into noncytoablated hosts. Using Southern Blot analysis and a Y-chromosome specific probe, we determined the level of engraftment of male donor cells in the bone marrow, spleen, and thymus of unprepared female hosts. We have confirmed the defective engraftment of marrow harvested 6 days after 5FU (FU-6) and transplanted into unprepared hosts and shown that this defect is transient; by 35 days after 5FU (FU-35), engraftment has returned to levels seen with normal marrow. FU-6 marrow represents an actively cycling population of stem cells, and we hypothesize that the cycle status of the stem cell may relate to its capacity to engraft in the nonirradiated host. Accordingly, we have evaluated the cycle status of engrafting normal and FU-6 marrow into normal hosts using an in vivo hydroxyurea technique. We have shown that those cells engrafting from normal marrow and over 70% of the cells engrafting from FU-6 marrow were quiescent, demonstrating no killing with hydroxyurea. We have also used fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis with a Y-chromosome probe and demonstrated that normal and post-5FU engraftment patterns in peripheral blood were similar to those seen in bone marrow, spleen, and thymus. Altogether these data indicate that cells engrafting in normal, unprepared hosts are dormant, and the defect that occurs after 5FU is concomitant with the induction of these cells to transit the cell cycle.

Description: We report the successful long-term engraftment of normal male donor bone marrow (BM) transfused into noncytoablated female mice, challenging the assumption that “niches” need to be created for marrow to engraft. We have used chromosomal banding and Southern blot analysis to identify transplanted male marrow cells, and shown the long-term stability of the chimeric marrows. Balb/C, BDF1, or CBA-J female hosts (no irradiation) received for 5 consecutive days 40 x 10(6) male cells (per day) of the same strain, and repopulation patterns were observed. Parallel studies were performed using tibia/femur equivalents of normal marrow or marrow from Balb/C mice pretreated 6 days previously with 150 mg/kg 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Chromosome banding techniques showed that 5% to 46% of marrow cells were male 3 to 9 months posttransplant with normal donor marrow. Southern blot analysis, using the pY2 probe, showed continued engraftment at 21 to 25 months posttransplant, ranging from 15% to 42% male engrafted cells in marrow. Normal donor male marrow engrafted significantly better than 5-FU-pretreated male marrow as shown 1 to 12 months posttransplant in non-cytoablated female recipients. Percentages of male engrafted cells in BM ranged from 23% to 78% for recipients of normal donor marrow and from 0.1% to 39% for recipients of 5-FU marrow. Mean engraftment for 6 mice receiving normal marrow was 38%, whereas that for 6 mice receiving post-5-FU marrow was 8%, as assayed 1 to 3 months posttransplant. At 10 to 12 months, mean engraftment for the normal donor group was 46%, compared with 16% for the 5-FU group. The patterns of engraftment with normal and 5-FU marrow were similar for spleen and thymus. These results show that long-term chimerism can be established after transplantation of normal donor marrow to normal nonirradiated host mice and indicate that marrow spaces do not have to be created for successful engraftment. They suggest that transplanted marrow competes equally with host marrow for marrow space. Finally, these data show that post-5-FU Balb/C male marrow is markedly inferior in the repopulation of Balb/C female host marrow, spleen, and thymus, and suggest that this population of cells may not be the ideal population for gene transfer studies.

Description: Bone marrow from animals treated with 5-fluorouracil (5FU) competes equally with normal marrow when assessed in vivo in an irradiated mouse, but shows markedly defective engraftment when transplanted into noncytoablated hosts. Using Southern Blot analysis and a Y-chromosome specific probe, we determined the level of engraftment of male donor cells in the bone marrow, spleen, and thymus of unprepared female hosts. We have confirmed the defective engraftment of marrow harvested 6 days after 5FU (FU-6) and transplanted into unprepared hosts and shown that this defect is transient; by 35 days after 5FU (FU-35), engraftment has returned to levels seen with normal marrow. FU-6 marrow represents an actively cycling population of stem cells, and we hypothesize that the cycle status of the stem cell may relate to its capacity to engraft in the nonirradiated host. Accordingly, we have evaluated the cycle status of engrafting normal and FU-6 marrow into normal hosts using an in vivo hydroxyurea technique. We have shown that those cells engrafting from normal marrow and over 70% of the cells engrafting from FU-6 marrow were quiescent, demonstrating no killing with hydroxyurea. We have also used fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis with a Y-chromosome probe and demonstrated that normal and post-5FU engraftment patterns in peripheral blood were similar to those seen in bone marrow, spleen, and thymus. Altogether these data indicate that cells engrafting in normal, unprepared hosts are dormant, and the defect that occurs after 5FU is concomitant with the induction of these cells to transit the cell cycle.

Description: The “stromal” or adherent cells of long-term murine Dexter explant bone marrow cultures provide the best in vitro model of the bone marrow microenvironment. Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) is produced constitutively by these cells and is easily detected, but most investigators have not found constitutive production of the other hemolymphopoietic cytokines. We have previously reported the detection of granulocyte-macrophage-CSF (GM-CSF) in murine stromal cultures and its induction by the lectin Pokeweed mitogen. The present studies analyzing stromal cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) production by standard Northern blot analysis show constitutive production of mRNAs for CSF-1, GM-CSF, granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF), c-kit ligand (KL), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), but not IL-3, IL-4, or IL-5 by 3-week irradiated or nonirradiated murine Dexter stromal cells. Exposure of stromal cells to Pokeweed mitogen or IL-1 16 hours before RNA harvest induces the messages for GM-CSF, G-CSF, KL, and IL-6, but not IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, or CSF-1. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of cDNA made with reverse transcriptase from stromal RNA using two separate sets of IL-3- specific primers shows the presence of IL-3 message in irradiated stromal cells, which is only detectable with this more sensitive technique. The factor-dependent cell lines FDC-P1 and 32D are supported by the stromal cells without the addition of exogenous growth factors, demonstrating a cytokine activity in these cultures that is inhibited by the addition of anti-IL-3 or anti-GM-CSF antibodies. These data indicate that murine Dexter stromal cells constitutively produce CSF-1, GM-CSF, G-CSF, IL-6, KL, and IL-3. This growth factor production could explain the support of granulocyte, macrophage, and megakaryocyte production and stem cell maintenance in Dexter-type long-term murine bone marrow cultures.

Description: The “stromal” or adherent cells of long-term murine Dexter explant bone marrow cultures provide the best in vitro model of the bone marrow microenvironment. Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) is produced constitutively by these cells and is easily detected, but most investigators have not found constitutive production of the other hemolymphopoietic cytokines. We have previously reported the detection of granulocyte-macrophage-CSF (GM-CSF) in murine stromal cultures and its induction by the lectin Pokeweed mitogen. The present studies analyzing stromal cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) production by standard Northern blot analysis show constitutive production of mRNAs for CSF-1, GM-CSF, granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF), c-kit ligand (KL), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), but not IL-3, IL-4, or IL-5 by 3-week irradiated or nonirradiated murine Dexter stromal cells. Exposure of stromal cells to Pokeweed mitogen or IL-1 16 hours before RNA harvest induces the messages for GM-CSF, G-CSF, KL, and IL-6, but not IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, or CSF-1. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of cDNA made with reverse transcriptase from stromal RNA using two separate sets of IL-3- specific primers shows the presence of IL-3 message in irradiated stromal cells, which is only detectable with this more sensitive technique. The factor-dependent cell lines FDC-P1 and 32D are supported by the stromal cells without the addition of exogenous growth factors, demonstrating a cytokine activity in these cultures that is inhibited by the addition of anti-IL-3 or anti-GM-CSF antibodies. These data indicate that murine Dexter stromal cells constitutively produce CSF-1, GM-CSF, G-CSF, IL-6, KL, and IL-3. This growth factor production could explain the support of granulocyte, macrophage, and megakaryocyte production and stem cell maintenance in Dexter-type long-term murine bone marrow cultures.

Description: We report the successful long-term engraftment of normal male donor bone marrow (BM) transfused into noncytoablated female mice, challenging the assumption that “niches” need to be created for marrow to engraft. We have used chromosomal banding and Southern blot analysis to identify transplanted male marrow cells, and shown the long-term stability of the chimeric marrows. Balb/C, BDF1, or CBA-J female hosts (no irradiation) received for 5 consecutive days 40 x 10(6) male cells (per day) of the same strain, and repopulation patterns were observed. Parallel studies were performed using tibia/femur equivalents of normal marrow or marrow from Balb/C mice pretreated 6 days previously with 150 mg/kg 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Chromosome banding techniques showed that 5% to 46% of marrow cells were male 3 to 9 months posttransplant with normal donor marrow. Southern blot analysis, using the pY2 probe, showed continued engraftment at 21 to 25 months posttransplant, ranging from 15% to 42% male engrafted cells in marrow. Normal donor male marrow engrafted significantly better than 5-FU-pretreated male marrow as shown 1 to 12 months posttransplant in non-cytoablated female recipients. Percentages of male engrafted cells in BM ranged from 23% to 78% for recipients of normal donor marrow and from 0.1% to 39% for recipients of 5-FU marrow. Mean engraftment for 6 mice receiving normal marrow was 38%, whereas that for 6 mice receiving post-5-FU marrow was 8%, as assayed 1 to 3 months posttransplant. At 10 to 12 months, mean engraftment for the normal donor group was 46%, compared with 16% for the 5-FU group. The patterns of engraftment with normal and 5-FU marrow were similar for spleen and thymus. These results show that long-term chimerism can be established after transplantation of normal donor marrow to normal nonirradiated host mice and indicate that marrow spaces do not have to be created for successful engraftment. They suggest that transplanted marrow competes equally with host marrow for marrow space. Finally, these data show that post-5-FU Balb/C male marrow is markedly inferior in the repopulation of Balb/C female host marrow, spleen, and thymus, and suggest that this population of cells may not be the ideal population for gene transfer studies.