Hematopoietic stem cells are uniquely selective in their migratory response to chemokines.
Although hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) migration into and out of sites of active hematopoiesis is poorly understood, it is a critical process that underlies modern clinical stem cell transplantation and may be important for normal hematopoietic homeostasis. Given the established roles of chemotactic cytokine (chemokine)-directed migration of other leukocyte subsets, the migration of murine HSC to a large panel of CC and CXC chemokines was investigated. HSC migrated only in response to stromal derived factor-1alpha, the ligand for the CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). CXCR4 expression by HSC was confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. Surprisingly, HSC also expressed mRNA for CCR3 and CCR9, although they failed to migrate to the ligands for these receptors. The sharply restricted chemotactic responsiveness of HSC is unique among leukocytes and may be necessary for the specific homing of circulating HSC to bone marrow, as well as for the maintenance of HSC in hematopoietic microenvironments.
Wright
Douglas E
DE
Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. doug.wright@stanford.edu
Bowman
Edward P
EP
Wagers
Amy J
AJ
Butcher
Eugene C
EC
Weissman
Irving L
IL
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001483:Base Sequence; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018925:Chemokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017931:DNA Primers; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018925:Chemokines; D017931:DNA Primers; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor