title: Tunneling nanotubes mediate the transfer of stem cell marker CD133 between hematopoietic progenitor cells.
abstract: Deciphering all mechanisms of intercellular communication used by hematopoietic progenitors is important, not only for basic stem cell research, but also in view of their therapeutic relevance. Here, we investigated whether these cells can produce the thin F-actin-based plasma membrane protrusions referred to as tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), which are known to bridge cells over long distances without contact with the substratum and transfer cargo molecules along them in various biological processes. We found that human primary CD34+hematopoietic progenitors and leukemic KG1a cells develop such structures upon culture on primary mesenchymal stromal cells or specific extracellular-matrix-based substrata. Time-lapse video microscopy revealed that cell dislodgement is the primary mechanism responsible for TNT biogenesis. Surprisingly, we found that, among various cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, only the stem cell antigen CD133 is transferred between cells. It is selectively and directionally transported along the surface of TNTs in small clusters, such as cytoplasmic phospho-myosin light chain 2, suggesting that the latter actin motor protein might be implicated in this process. Our data provide new insights into the biology of hematopoietic progenitors that can contribute to our understanding of all facets of intercellular communication in the bone marrow microenvironment under healthy or cancerous conditions.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Laboratories, Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Doreen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Laboratories, Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scheinpflug
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Laboratories, Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karbanová
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Laboratories, Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Freund
authors.affiliation: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Research Center and Cluster of Excellence for Regenerative Therapies, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Medical Clinic and Polyclinic I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bornhäuser
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Laboratories, Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Research Center and Cluster of Excellence for Regenerative Therapies, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. Electronic address: denis.corbeil@biotec.tu-dresden.de.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corbeil
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002465:Cell Movement; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D021381:Protein Transport
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015415:Biomarkers; D002784:Cholesterol