EARLY CD34(HIGH) CELLS CAN BE SEPARATED INTO KITHIGH CELLS IN WHICH TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA (TGF-BETA) DOWN-MODULATES C-KIT AND KITLOW CELLS IN WHICH ANTI-TGF-BETA UPMODULATES C-KIT
P. Sansilvestri et al., EARLY CD34(HIGH) CELLS CAN BE SEPARATED INTO KITHIGH CELLS IN WHICH TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA (TGF-BETA) DOWN-MODULATES C-KIT AND KITLOW CELLS IN WHICH ANTI-TGF-BETA UPMODULATES C-KIT, Blood, 86(5), 1995, pp. 1729-1735
We have previously shown that early human CD34(high) hematopoietic pro
genitors are maintained quiescent in part through autocrine transformi
ng growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1). We also demonstrated that, in th
e presence of interleukin-3, interleukin-6, granulocyte colony-stimula
ting factor, and erythropoietin. TGF-beta 1 antisense oligonucleotides
or anti-TGF-beta serum have an additive effect with KIT ligand (Steel
factor [SF]), which suggests that they control different pathways of
regulation in these conditions. This finding also suggests that autocr
ine TGF-beta 1 might suppress c-kit expression in primitive human hema
topoietic progenitors. We have now distinguished two subpopulations of
CD34(high) cells. One subpopulation expresses a c-kit mRNA that can b
e downmodulated by exogenous TGF-beta 1 within 6 hours. Another subpop
ulation of early CD34(high) cells expresses a low or undetectable leve
l of c-kit mRNA, but its expression can beupmodulated within 6 hours b
y anti-TGF-beta. These effects disappear 48 hours after induction and
cannot be maintained longer than 72 hours, even if TGF-beta 1 or anti-
TGF-beta serum are added every day. Similar kinetics, although delayed
, are observed with KIT protein expression. On the contrary, no specif
ic effect of TGF-beta 1 was observed on c-fms, GAPDH, and transferrin
receptor gene expression in these early progenitors. These results cla
rify the complex interaction between TGF-beta 1 and SF in normal early
hematopoietic progenitors. SF does not switch off the TGF-beta 1 inhi
bitory pathway. Autocrine TGF-beta 1 appears to maintain these cells i
n a quiescent state, suppressing cell division by downmodulating the r
eceptor of SF, a key cytokine costimulator of early progenitors. (C) 1
995 by The American Society of Hematology.