The mechanisms governing hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization are not fully understood. We report higher membrane type 1–MMP (MT1-MMP) and lower expression of the MT1-MMP inhibitor, reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK), on isolated circulating human CD34+ progenitor cells compared with immature BM cells. The expression of MT1-MMP correlated with clinical mobilization of CD34+ cells in healthy donors and patients with lymphoid malignancies. Treatment with G-CSF further increased MT1-MMP and decreased RECK expression in human and murine hematopoietic cells in a PI3K/Akt-dependent manner, resulting in elevated MT1-MMP activity. Blocking MT1-MMP function by Abs or siRNAs impaired chemotaxis and homing of G-CSF–mobilized human CD34+ progenitors. The mobilization of immature and maturing human progenitors in chimeric NOD/SCID mice by G-CSF was inhibited by anti–MT1-MMP treatment, while RECK neutralization promoted motility and egress of BM CD34+ cells. BM c-kit+ cells from MT1-MMP–deficient mice also exhibited inferior chemotaxis, reduced homing and engraftment capacities, and impaired G-CSF–induced mobilization in murine chimeras. Membranal CD44 cleavage by MT1-MMP was enhanced following G-CSF treatment, reducing CD34+ cell adhesion. Accordingly, CD44-deficient mice had a higher frequency of circulating progenitors. Our results reveal that the motility, adhesion, homing, and mobilization of human hematopoietic progenitor cells are regulated in a cell-autonomous manner by dynamic and opposite changes in MT1-MMP and RECK expression.
Yaron Vagima, Abraham Avigdor, Polina Goichberg, Shoham Shivtiel, Melania Tesio, Alexander Kalinkovich, Karin Golan, Ayelet Dar, Orit Kollet, Isabelle Petit, Orly Perl, Ester Rosenthal, Igor Resnick, Izhar Hardan, Yechiel N. Gellman, David Naor, Arnon Nagler, Tsvee Lapidot
Platelets are central players in atherothrombosis development in coronary artery disease. The PKC family provides important intracellular mechanisms for regulating platelet activity, and platelets express several members of this family, including the classical isoforms PKCα and PKCβ and novel isoforms PKCδ and PKCθ. Here, we used a genetic approach to definitively demonstrate the role played by PKCα in regulating thrombus formation and platelet function. Thrombus formation in vivo was attenuated in Prkca–/– mice, and PKCα was required for thrombus formation in vitro, although this PKC isoform did not regulate platelet adhesion to collagen. The ablation of in vitro thrombus formation in Prkca–/– platelets was rescued by the addition of ADP, consistent with the key mechanistic finding that dense-granule biogenesis and secretion depend upon PKCα expression. Furthermore, defective platelet aggregation in response to either collagen-related peptide or thrombin could be overcome by an increase in agonist concentration. Evidence of overt bleeding, including gastrointestinal and tail bleeding, was not seen in Prkca–/– mice. In summary, the effects of PKCα ablation on thrombus formation and granule secretion may implicate PKCα as a drug target for antithrombotic therapy.
Olga Konopatskaya, Karen Gilio, Matthew T. Harper, Yan Zhao, Judith M.E.M. Cosemans, Zubair A. Karim, Sidney W. Whiteheart, Jeffery D. Molkentin, Paul Verkade, Steve P. Watson, Johan W.M. Heemskerk, Alastair W. Poole
Mutations in the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene leading to PTEN protein deletion and subsequent activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway are common in cancer. Here we show that PTEN inactivation in human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells is not always synonymous with PTEN gene lesions and diminished protein expression. Samples taken from patients with T-ALL at the time of diagnosis very frequently showed constitutive hyperactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. In contrast to immortalized cell lines, most primary T-ALL cells did not harbor PTEN gene alterations, displayed normal PTEN mRNA levels, and expressed higher PTEN protein levels than normal T cell precursors. However, PTEN overexpression was associated with decreased PTEN lipid phosphatase activity, resulting from casein kinase 2 (CK2) overexpression and hyperactivation. In addition, T-ALL cells had constitutively high levels of ROS, which can also downmodulate PTEN activity. Accordingly, both CK2 inhibitors and ROS scavengers restored PTEN activity and impaired PI3K/Akt signaling in T-ALL cells. Strikingly, inhibition of PI3K and/or CK2 promoted T-ALL cell death without affecting normal T cell precursors. Overall, our data indicate that T-ALL cells inactivate PTEN mostly in a nondeletional, posttranslational manner. Pharmacological manipulation of these mechanisms may open new avenues for T-ALL treatment.
Ana Silva, J. Andrés Yunes, Bruno A. Cardoso, Leila R. Martins, Patrícia Y. Jotta, Miguel Abecasis, Alexandre E. Nowill, Nick R. Leslie, Angelo A. Cardoso, Joao T. Barata
Gain-of-function NOTCH1 mutations are found in 50%–70% of human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL) cases. Gain-of-function NOTCH1 alleles that initiate strong downstream signals induce leukemia in mice, but it is unknown whether the gain-of-function NOTCH1 mutations most commonly found in individuals with T-ALL generate downstream signals of sufficient strength to induce leukemia. We addressed this question by expressing human gain-of-function NOTCH1 alleles of varying strength in mouse hematopoietic precursors. Uncommon gain-of-function NOTCH1 alleles that initiated strong downstream signals drove ectopic T cell development and induced leukemia efficiently. In contrast, although gain-of-function alleles that initiated only weak downstream signals also induced ectopic T cell development, these more common alleles failed to efficiently initiate leukemia development. However, weak gain-of-function NOTCH1 alleles accelerated the onset of leukemia initiated by constitutively active K-ras and gave rise to tumors that were sensitive to Notch signaling pathway inhibition. These data show that induction of leukemia requires doses of Notch1 greater than those needed for T cell development and that most NOTCH1 mutations found in T-ALL cells do not generate signals of sufficient strength to initiate leukemia development. Furthermore, low, nonleukemogenic levels of Notch1 can complement other leukemogenic events, such as activation of K-ras. Even when Notch1 participates secondarily, the resulting tumors show “addiction” to Notch, providing a further rationale for evaluating Notch signaling pathway inhibitors in leukemia.
Mark Y. Chiang, Lanwei Xu, Olga Shestova, Gavin Histen, Sarah L’Heureux, Candice Romany, M. Eden Childs, Phyllis A. Gimotty, Jon C. Aster, Warren S. Pear
Sex differences in thrombosis are well described, but their underlying mechanism(s) are not completely understood. Coagulation proteins are synthesized in the liver, and liver gene expression is sex specific and depends on sex differences in growth hormone (GH) secretion — males secrete GH in a pulsatile fashion, while females secrete GH continuously. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that sex-specific GH secretion patterns cause sex differences in thrombosis. Male mice were more susceptible to thrombosis than females in the thromboplastin-induced pulmonary embolism model and showed shorter clotting times ex vivo. GH-deficient little (lit) mice were protected from thrombosis, and pulsatile GH given to lit mice restored the male clotting phenotype. Moreover, pulsatile GH administration resulted in a male clotting phenotype in control female mice, while continuous GH caused a female clotting phenotype in control male mice. Expression of the coagulation inhibitors Proc, Serpinc1, Serpind1, and Serpina5 were strongly modulated by sex-specific GH patterns, and GH modulated resistance to activated protein C. These results reveal what we believe to be a novel mechanism whereby sex-specific GH patterns mediate sex differences in thrombosis through coordinated changes in the expression of coagulation inhibitor genes in the liver.
Joshua H. Wong, Jonathan Dukes, Robert E. Levy, Brandon Sos, Sara E. Mason, Tina S. Fong, Ethan J. Weiss
In addition to its role in megakaryocyte production, signaling initiated by thrombopoietin (TPO) activation of its receptor, myeloproliferative leukemia virus protooncogene (c-Mpl, or Mpl), controls HSC homeostasis and self-renewal. Under steady-state conditions, mice lacking the inhibitory adaptor protein Lnk harbor an expanded HSC pool with enhanced self-renewal. We found that HSCs from Lnk–/– mice have an increased quiescent fraction, decelerated cell cycle kinetics, and enhanced resistance to repeat treatments with cytoablative 5-fluorouracil in vivo compared with WT HSCs. We further provide genetic evidence demonstrating that Lnk controls HSC quiescence and self-renewal, predominantly through Mpl. Consistent with this observation, Lnk–/– HSCs displayed potentiated activation of JAK2 specifically in response to TPO. Biochemical experiments revealed that Lnk directly binds to phosphorylated tyrosine residues in JAK2 following TPO stimulation. Of note, the JAK2 V617F mutant, found at high frequencies in myeloproliferative diseases, retains the ability to bind Lnk. Therefore, we identified Lnk as a physiological negative regulator of JAK2 in stem cells and TPO/Mpl/JAK2/Lnk as a major regulatory pathway in controlling stem cell self-renewal and quiescence.
Alexey Bersenev, Chao Wu, Joanna Balcerek, Wei Tong
Cancer is associated with immune deficiency, but the biologic basis of this is poorly defined. Here we demonstrate that impaired actin polymerization results in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) exhibiting defective immunological synapse formation with APCs. Although this synapse dysfunction was in part a result of the CLL cells having poor APC function, defective actin polymerization was also identified in T cells from patients with CLL. We further demonstrate that, following contact with CLL cells, defects in immune synapse formation were induced in healthy allogeneic T cells. This required direct contact and was inhibited by blocking adhesion molecules on CLL B cells. In T cells from patients with CLL and in T cells from healthy individuals that had been in contact with CLL cells, recruitment of key regulatory proteins to the immune synapse was inhibited. Treatment of autologous T cells and CLL cells with the immunomodulating drug lenalidomide resulted in improved synapse formation. These results define what we believe to be a novel immune dysfunction in T cells from patients with CLL that has implications for both autologous and allogeneic immunotherapy approaches and identifies repair of immune synapse defects as an essential step in improving cancer immunotherapy approaches.
Alan G. Ramsay, Amy J. Johnson, Abigail M. Lee, Güllü Gorgün, Rifca Le Dieu, William Blum, John C. Byrd, John G. Gribben
CD36 is a scavenger receptor that binds multiple ligands, including phosphatidyl serine (PS). Although CD36– mice do not have a bleeding diathesis, we show here that they do have significantly prolonged thrombotic occlusion times in response to FeCl3-induced vascular injury. Because cell-derived microparticles (MPs) are generated in response to vascular injury and circulate in patients with prothrombotic diseases, we hypothesized that PS exposed on their surfaces could be an endogenous CD36 ligand that transmits an activating signal to platelets. We found that MPs prepared from human ECs, monocytes, or platelets or isolated from blood of normal subjects bound to platelets. Binding was not observed with platelets from CD36– donors and was inhibited by an anti-CD36 antibody or by blockade of exposed PS by annexin V or anti-PS IgM. Preincubation of platelets with MPs led to CD36-dependent augmentation of platelet activation in response to low doses of ADP, as assessed by measuring α2bβ3 activation, P-selectin expression, and aggregation. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy of murine carotid thrombi from CD36– mice showed a significant decrement in endothelial antigen accumulation, which suggests that CD36 plays a role in MP recruitment into thrombi. These results provide what we believe to be a novel role for CD36 in thrombosis.
Arunima Ghosh, Wei Li, Maria Febbraio, Ricardo G. Espinola, Keith R. McCrae, Erin Cockrell, Roy L. Silverstein
Intravenous infusion of recombinant human activated Factor VII (FVIIa) has been used for over a decade in the successful management of bleeding episodes in patients with inhibitory antibodies to Factor VIII or Factor IX. Previously, we showed that expression of murine FVIIa (mFVIIa) from an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector corrected abnormal hemostatic parameters in hemophilia B mice. To pursue this as a therapeutic approach, we sought to define safe and effective levels of FVIIa for continuous expression. In mice transgenic for mFVIIa or injected with AAV-mFVIIa, we analyzed survival, expression levels, in vitro and in vivo coagulation tests, and histopathology for up to 16 months after birth/mFVIIa expression. We found that continuous expression of mFVIIa at levels at or below 1.5 μg/ml was safe, effective, and compatible with a normal lifespan. However, expression levels of 2 μg/ml or higher were associated with thrombosis and early mortality, with pathologic findings in the heart and lungs that were rescued in a low–factor X (low-FX) mouse background, suggesting a FX-mediated effect. The findings from these mouse models of continuous FVIIa expression have implications for the development of a safe gene transfer approach for hemophilia and are consistent with the possibility of thromboembolic risk of continuously elevated FVIIa levels.
Majed N. Aljamali, Paris Margaritis, Alexander Schlachterman, Shing Jen Tai, Elise Roy, Ralph Bunte, Rodney M. Camire, Katherine A. High
Platelet adhesion to vascular subendothelium, mediated in part by interactions between collagen and glycoprotein VI (GPVI) complexed with Fc receptor γ-chain, is crucial for thrombus formation. Antiplatelet therapy benefits patients with various thrombotic and ischemic diseases, but the safety and efficacy of existing treatments are limited. Recent data suggest GPVI as a promising target for a novel antiplatelet therapy, for example, GPVI-specific Abs that deplete GPVI from the surface of platelets. Here, we characterized GPVI-specific auto-Abs (YA-Abs) from the first reported patient with ongoing platelet GPVI deficiency caused by the YA-Abs. To obtain experimentally useful human GPVI–specific mAbs with characteristics similar to YA-Abs, we generated human GPVI–specific mouse mAbs and selected 2 representative mAbs, mF1201 and mF1232, whose binding to GPVI was inhibited by YA-Abs. In vitro, mF1201, but not mF1232, induced human platelet activation and GPVI shedding, and mF1232 inhibited collagen-induced human platelet aggregation. Administration of mF1201 and mF1232 to monkeys caused GPVI immunodepletion with and without both significant thrombocytopenia and GPVI shedding, respectively. When a human/mouse chimeric form of mF1232 (cF1232) was labeled with a fluorescent endocytosis probe and administered to monkeys, fluorescence increased in circulating platelets and surface GPVI was lost. Loss of platelet surface GPVI mediated by cF1232 was successfully reproduced in vitro in the presence of a cAMP-elevating agent. Thus, we have characterized cAMP-dependent endocytosis of GPVI mediated by a human GPVI–specific mAb as what we believe to be a novel antiplatelet therapy.
Hiroshi Takayama, Yoshitaka Hosaka, Kazuyuki Nakayama, Kamon Shirakawa, Katsuki Naitoh, Tomokazu Matsusue, Mikihiko Shinozaki, Motoyasu Honda, Yukiko Yatagai, Tetsushi Kawahara, Jiro Hirose, Tooru Yokoyama, Michiru Kurihara, Shoji Furusako