title: Generation of T cells from adult human hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors in a fetal thymic organ culture system: stimulation by tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
abstract: To investigate the T-lymphopoietic capacity of human adult bone marrow (ABM) hematopoietic progenitor cells, CD34+Lin-, CD34+CD38+, and CD34++CD38- cells were cultured in a severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mouse fetal thymic organ culture (FTOC). Direct seeding of these progenitors resulted in a moderate to severe cell loss, particularly for the CD34++CD38- cell fraction, and T cells could only be generated from the CD34+Lin- fraction. Preincubation for 36 hours with interleukin-3 (IL-3) and stem cell factor (SCF) led to an improved cell survival and proliferation, although T-cell development was seen only in the CD34+Lin- fraction. Addition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha to IL-3 + SCF-supplemented preincubation medium resulted in optimal cell survival, cell proliferation. and T-cell generation of all 3 cell fractions. The TNF-alpha effect resulted in an up-regulation of CD127 (ie, the IL-7 receptor alpha-chain) in a small subset of the CD34+ cells. No evidence could be generated to support the possibility that TNF-alpha inhibits a cell population that suppresses T-cell differentiation. A quantitatively different T-cell generation potency was still seen between the 3 subpopulations: CD34+Lin- (100% success rate) > CD34+CD38+ (66%) > CD34++CD38- (25%). These data contrast with our previous findings using fetal liver and cord blood progenitors, which readily differentiate into T-lymphocytes in FTOC, even without prestimulation with cytokines. Our results demonstrate that adult CD34++CD38- cells, known to contain hematopoietic stem cells, can differentiate into T-lymphocytes and that a significant difference exists in T-lymphopoietic activity of stem cells derived from ontogenetically different sources. (Blood. 2000;95:2806-2812)
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Hematology and the Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Antwerp, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Weekx
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Snoeck
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Offner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Smedt
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Van Bockstaele
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nijs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lenjou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moulijn
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodrigus
authors.forename: Z N
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Berneman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005333:Fetus; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000032:analysis; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D007377:Interleukin-3; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha