title: Molecular and functional characterization of human bone marrow adipocytes.
abstract: Adipocytes are a cell population largely located in the human bone marrow cavity. In this specific microenvironment where adipocytes can interact with a variety of different cells, the role of fat is mainly unknown. To our knowledge, this report is the first to characterize mature adipocytes isolated from human bone marrow (BM-A) molecularly and functionally to better understand their roles into the hematopoietic microenvironment. Healthy BM-A were isolated after collagenase digestion and filtration. We studied the morphology of BM-A, their gene expression and immunophenotypic profile and their functional ability in the hematopoietic microenvironment, comparing them with adipocytes derived from adipose tissue (AT-A). BM-A showed a unilocular lipid morphology similar to AT-A and did not lose their morphology in culture; they showed a comparable pattern of stem cell-surface antigens to AT-A. In line with these observations, molecular data showed that BM-A expressed some embryonic stem cells genes, such as Oct4, KLf4, c-myc, Gata4, Tbx1, and Sox17, whereas they did not express the stem cell markers Sox2 and Nanog. Moreover, BM-A had long telomeres that were similar to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Notably, BM-A supported the survival and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells in long-term cultures. These results showed that BM-A are stromal cells with a gene expression pattern that distinguished them from AT-A. BM-A showed stem cell properties through their hematopoietic supporting function, which was certainly linked to their role in the maintenance of the bone marrow microenvironment. Depending on specific demands, BM-A may acquire different functions based on their local environment.
authors: Clinica di Ematologia, Dipartimento Scienze Cliniche e Molecolari, Università Politecnica delle Marche-Azienda Ospedali Riuniti, Ancona, Italy. a.poloni@univpm.it
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Poloni
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Maurizi
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Serrani
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Mancini
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Zingaretti
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Frontini
authors: Saverio
authors: S
authors: Cinti
authors: Attilio
authors: A
authors: Olivieri
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Leoni
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D048430:Cell Shape; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment / Q000502:physiology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009928:Organ Specificity; D015388:Organelles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000166:cytology; D016615:Telomere / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D016207:Cytokines; C000715467:KLF4 protein, human; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D014157:Transcription Factors