Impact of modeled microgravity on migration, differentiation, and cell cycle control of primitive human hematopoietic progenitor cells.
OBJECTIVE
Migration, proliferation, and differentiation of bone marrow (BM) hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are important factors in maintaining hematopoietic homeostasis. Homeostatic control of erythrocytes and lymphocytes is perturbed in humans exposed to microgravity (micro-g), resulting in space flight-induced anemia and immunosuppression. We sought to determine whether any of these anomalies can be explained by micro-g-induced changes in migration, proliferation, and differentiation of human BM CD34+ cells, and whether such changes can begin to explain any of the shifts in hematopoietic homeostasis observed in astronauts.


METHODS
BM CD34+ cells were cultured in modeled micro-g (mmicro-g) using NASA's rotating wall vessels (RWV), or in control cultures at earth gravity for 2 to 18 days. Cells were harvested at different times and CD34+ cells assessed for migration potential, cell-cycle kinetics and regulatory proteins, and maturation status.


RESULTS
Culture of BM CD34+ cells in RWV for 2 to 3 days resulted in a significant reduction of stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1alpha)-directed migration, which correlated with decreased expression of F-actin. Modeled micro-g induced alterations in cell-cycle kinetics that were characterized by prolonged S phase and reduced cyclin A expression. Differentiation of primitive CD34+ cells cultured for 14 to 18 days in RWV favored myeloid cell development at the expense of erythroid development, which was significantly reduced compared to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
These results illustrate that mmicro-g significantly inhibits the migration potential, cell-cycle progression, and differentiation patterns of primitive BM CD34+ cells, which may contribute to some of the hematologic abnormalities observed in humans during space flight.
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202, USA. pplett@iupui.edu
P Artur
PA
Plett
Rafat
R
Abonour
Stacy M
SM
Frankovitz
Christie M
CM
Orschell
D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019925:Cyclin A / Q000032:analysis; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014893:Weightlessness
D018952:Antigens, CD34; D019925:Cyclin A; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate