Molecular mechanisms underlying erythropoiesis: cycling activity of adult BFU-e relates to their requirement for c-myb function and potential for HbF synthesis.
Highly purified erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-e) from human embryonic liver, adult marrow and blood were manipulated in vitro by cytokine addition in order to explore their requirements for c-myb function and potential for fetal hemoglobin (HbF) synthesis, particularly as related to their cycling activity. c-myb is expressed at a minimal level and functionally required to a limited extent in quiescent adult BFU-e. However, c-myb is actively transcribed and stringently required for differentiation of actively cycling progenitors (embryonic BFU-e, embryonic and adult erythroid colony-forming units). The cycling activity of highly purified adult BFU-e, gradually enhanced by interleukin 3 (IL-3) addition, is strictly and directly related to both their functional requirements for c-myb and the level of myb mRNA expression in the progenitor population. It may be concluded that the transcriptional activity and the functional role of c-myb in early erythropoiesis are dependent upon the cycling activity of the erythroid progenitors. The reactivation of HbF synthesis in normal adult bursts, observed in the standard fetal calf serum-rich (FCS+) clonogenic system, is suppressed in cultures with a drastically limited growth of accessory cells (i.e., in FCS- or FCS+ Mo- conditions). In these cultures, addition of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or IL-3 induces a dose-related rise of gamma-chain synthesis, at least in part via a direct action at the BFU-e level. Preliminary studies involving priming of adult BFU-e with IL-3 in liquid phase suggest that the HbF potential is relatively low in quiescent BFU-e, but distinctly higher in actively cycling ones. It is postulated that the in vivo reactivation of HbF synthesis in bone marrow regeneration may be mediated via increased IL-3 and GM-CSF activity, leading to enhanced cycling and differentiation of BFU-e.
Valtieri
M
M
Department of Hematology-Oncology, Istituto Superiore di Santià, Rome, Italy.
Gabbianelli
M
M
Pelosi
E
E
Testa
U
U
Labbaye
C
C
Mattia
G
G
Fossati
C
C
Venturelli
D
D
Gewirtz
A M
AM
Calabretta
B
B
D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015672:Erythroid Precursor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004920:Erythropoiesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020598:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D007377:Interleukin-3; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D020598:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin