title: Murine and human IL-7 activate STAT5 and induce proliferation of normal human pro-B cells.
abstract: The role of IL-7 in lymphoid development and T cell homeostasis has been extensively documented. However, the role of IL-7 in human B cell development remains unclear. We used a xenogeneic human cord blood stem cell/murine stromal cell culture to study the development of CD19+ B-lineage cells expressing the IL-7R. CD34+ cord blood stem cells were cultured on the MS-5 murine stromal cell line supplemented with human G-CSF and stem cell factor. Following an initial expansion of myeloid/monocytoid cells within the initial 2 wk, CD19+/pre-BCR- pro-B cells emerged, of which 25-50% expressed the IL-7R. FACS-purified CD19+/IL-7R+ cells were larger and, when replated on MS-5, underwent a dose-dependent proliferative response to exogenous human IL-7 (0.01-10.0 ng/ml). Furthermore, STAT5 phosphorylation was induced by the same concentrations of human IL-7. CD19+/IL-7R- cells were smaller and did not proliferate on MS-5 after stimulation with IL-7. In a search for cytokines that promote human B cell development in the cord blood stem cell/MS-5 culture, we made the unexpected finding that murine IL-7 plays a role. Murine IL-7 was detected in MS-5 supernatants by ELISA, recombinant murine IL-7 induced STAT5 phosphorylation in CD19+/IL-7R+ pro-B cells and human B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemias, and neutralizing anti-murine IL-7 inhibited development of CD19+ cells in the cord blood stem cell/MS-5 culture. Our results support a model wherein IL-7 transduces a replicative signal to normal human B-lineage cells that is complemented by additional stromal cell-derived signals essential for normal human B cell development.
authors.affiliation: The Cancer Center, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Sonja E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Nisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panoskaltsis-Mortari
authors.forename: Tucker W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: LeBien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018448:Models, Immunological; D010766:Phosphorylation; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015851:Interleukin-7; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor