Blockade of alpha6-integrin reveals diversity in homing patterns among human, baboon, and murine cells

Stem Cells Dev. 2009 Jul-Aug;18(6):839-44. doi: 10.1089/scd.2008.0269.

Abstract

Our understanding of the mechanisms by which intravenously transplanted hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) home to and engraft the bone marrow (BM) remains incomplete, but participation of adhesion molecules has been documented. We here demonstrate that blockade of the alpha6-integrin enhanced BM homing of human and nonhuman primate BM-derived HSPCs by >60% in the xenogeneic transplant model and led to significantly improved engraftment. The effect was limited to BM-derived HSPCs, as granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor mobilized peripheral blood or cord blood HSPCs express little or no alpha6 integrin. By contrast, despite high alpha6 integrin expression, no effect of alpha6 blockade on murine BM-HSPCs homing/engraftment was observed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD34 / metabolism
  • Cell Movement*
  • Colony-Forming Units Assay
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Integrin alpha6 / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Papio / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, CD34
  • Integrin alpha6