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

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Bonig, Halvard; Priestley, Gregory V; Wohlfahrt, Martin; Kiem, Hans-Peter; Papayannopoulou, Thalia

Source:

Stem cells and development, Volume 18, Issue 6, p.839-44 (2009)

Keywords:

2009, Animals, Antigens, CD34, Cell Movement, Clinical Research Division, Colony-Forming Units Assay, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Humans, Integrin alpha6, MICE, Papio

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.