The precise mechanism whereby granulocytes proliferate when haematopoietic colony stimulating factors (CSFs) are used in neutropenic cancer patients is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether these cytokines bring about leucocyte proliferation by increasing the levels of multiple forms of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Blood samples were collected from 36 cancer patients (25 males and 11 females) with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. One sample of blood from each patient was obtained before therapy either with CSF, such as granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or with placebo, and another one at the time of resolution of neutropenia. Peripheral blood leucocytes in these blood samples were counted, separated and lysed. From lysates, cytoplasmic samples were prepared and analyzed for active DHFR by a methotrexate-binding assay and for total immunoreactive DHFR by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The increase in total leucocyte count (TLC) was most prominent (P < 0.005) in the CSF group and less so (P < 0.05) in the placebo group. The mean +/- SD concentration values of active DHFR before and after stimulation with GM-CSF found were to be 0.34 +/- 0.4 ng/mg protein and 0.99 +/- 0.82 ng/mg protein, respectively, and in the group treated with G-CSF, 0.24 +/- 0.32 ng/mg protein and 1.18 +/- 2.4 ng/mg protein, respectively. This increase in active DHFR after stimulation with CSF was statistically significant (P <0.05). Similarly, concentration values of immunoreactive but nonfunctional form of DHFR (IRE) were 110 +/- 97 ng/mg protein and 605 +/- 475 ng/mg protein before and after stimulation with GM-CSF, and 115 +/- 165 ng/mg protein and 1,054 +/- 1,095 ng/ mg protein before and after stimulation with G-CSF. This increase in concentration of IRE after stimulation with GM-CSF or G-CSF was statistically significant (P < 0.005). In the control group, there was an increase in the concentration of both active DHFR and IRE after treatment with placebo. However, this was not statistically significant. Resolution of neutropenia was quicker in the groups treated with CSF compared to the control group. Results of this study indicate that colony stimulating factors (G-CSF and GM-CSF) induce white cell proliferation by increasing the levels of multiple forms of DHFR.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Cell Division/drug effects ; Child ; Female ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/therapeutic use ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/pharmacology* ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/adverse effects ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/therapeutic use ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/pharmacology* ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/adverse effects ; Human ; Isoenzymes/metabolism ; Isoenzymes/biosynthesis ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes/pathology ; Leukocytes/enzymology ; Leukocytes/drug effects ; Male ; Middle Age ; Neoplasms/enzymology ; Neoplasms/drug therapy ; Neoplasms/blood* ; Neutropenia/metabolism* ; Neutropenia/chemically induce ; Neutropenia/blood ; Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase/metabolism* ; Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase/biosynthesis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of hematopoietic stimulating factors on the expansion of mature megakaryocytes. METHODS: (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) x 10(5)/mL bone marrow single nucleus cells (BMNC) were added in the culture system of colony forming unit-megkaryocyte (CFU-Meg) to find out the relationship of the cultured BMNC with the output of CFU-Meg. rmSCF + rmTPO + rmIL-3 (3HSFs) and rmSCF + rmTPO + rmIL-3 + rmIL-6 (4HSFs) or F-CM were added in the liquid culture system of megkaryocytes respectively. The number of mature megakaryocytes were counted every other day. RESULTS: The number of CFU-Meg increased with the increase of the cultured BMNC. The CFU-Meg productivity of 1 x 10(6) BMNC/mL culture system was more than that of 2 x 10(5) BMNC/mL culture system. 3HSFs and 4HSFs or F-CM significantly promoted the expansion of mature megakaryocytes in the liquid culture system, but the effect was different. The peak time of the number of mature megakaryocytes in 3HSFs and 4HSFs or F-CM were 7 d, 7 d and 5 d respectively. CONCLUSION 3HSFs and 4 HSFs or F-CM had positive effect on the expansion of mature megakaryocytes. 4HSFs was better than 3HSFs and F-CM. 3HSFs was better than F-CM. The peak time of the number of mature megakaryocytes in different culture systems was different.
Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Colony-Forming Units Assay ; Female ; Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-3 ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-6 ; pharmacology ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Male ; Megakaryocytes ; cytology ; Mice

OBJECTIVETo compare several schemes of inducing and expanding the antibody-mediated high efficiency CIK (AMHE-CIK) in vitro, so as to find out a method that can acquire a large number of cells capable to kill the tumor cells in a short time.

METHODSPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) from healthy volunteers was isolated and activated with CD3 antibody, then were cultured with the addition of different cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, TNF-α) for 14 days in vitro. The morphological changes of cells were observed by light microscopy. Based on the immunophenotypes of cells in each groups analyzed by flow cytometry, the cytokines capable to induce the dendritic cells and killer cells were screened out, respectively. According to different combination of cytokines, the cells were divided 4 groups: control, IL-2, group 1 (componant A included IL-2, IL-4, and GM-CSF. Componant B included IL-2, G-CSF, IFN-γ, and TNF-α), and group 2 (componant A included IL-2, IL-4, and GM-CSF. Componant B included IL-2, IL-4, G-CSF, IFN-γ, and TNF-α). The proliferation and differentiation of CD3(+) CD8(+) and CD3(+) CD56(+) cells were measured by flow cytometry after culture in vitro for 7 days.

RESULTSAfter inducing and expanding in vitro for 7 days, the cell proliferation rate of control group, IL-2 group, group 1 and group 2 were 1.57 ± 0.01, 4.17 ± 0.16, 5 ± 0.47, 7.17 ± 0.24-folds, respectively. The differences between IL-2 group, group 1, group 2 and control group were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The immunophenotype analysis showed that the proportion of CD3(+) CD8(+) induced by each protocol was 13.96 ± 0.23%, 26.33 ± 0.55%, 36.83 ± 0.34% and 35.88 ± 0.16%, respectively. The proportion of CD3(+) CD8(+) in group 1 and 2 was higher than that in IL-2 group (P < 0.05), but the difference between them was not significant (P < 0.05). The proportions of CD3(+) CD56(+) induced by each protocol were 11.03 ± 0.28%, 29.31 ± 0.60%, 39.96 ± 0.38% and 29.33 ± 0.54%, respectively, the proportion of group 1 was higher than that of IL-2 group and group 2 (P < 0.05), but the difference between IL-2 group and group 2 was not significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe group 1 protocol obtained from this study can promote the proliferation of DC-CIK and also increase the proportion of the tumor killing cells (CD3(+) CD8(+) and CD3(+) CD56(+)).

Cell Culture Techniques ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells ; cytology ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Interferon-gamma ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-2 ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-4 ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study localization and expression of CSF-1 receptor protein, in order to discover the CSF-1 and IL-1alpha effects on CSF-1 receptor mRNA levels and to determine if the autocrine effect is inhibited through the CSF-1 receptor.

METHODSImmunolocalization of CSF-1 receptor in the cultured dental follicle cells and in mandibles of the post-natal rats from day 1 to 11 were performed. The effects of different concentrations of CSF-1, IL-1alpha on CSF-1 receptor gene expression were detected by means of RT-PCR.

RESULTSCultured dental follicle cells were immunostained for the CSF-1 receptor. In vivo, immunostaining showed that the CSF-1 receptor was present in the dental follicle of the first mandibular molar at early post-natally and was either absent or greatly reduced by day 11 post-natally. High concentrations of cvCSF-1 reduced the gene expression of the CSF-1 receptor. IL-1alpha had no effects on CSF-1 receptor mRNA levels.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of CSF-1 receptor reaches a peak early post-natally in the dental follicle of the first mandibular molar of the rat and then subsequently declines. High concentrations of CSF-1 inhibits the expression of CSF-1 receptor, IL-1alpha has no effect on the expression of CSF-1 receptor mRNA.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Dental Sac ; chemistry ; cytology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interleukin-1 ; pharmacology ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; analysis ; genetics

BACKGROUNDHematopoietic growth factor (HGF) is indispensable to hematopoiesis in the body. The proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells must rely on the existence and stimulation of HGF. This study investigated the effect of catechin, an active component extracted from Spatholobus suberectus Dunn (SSD), on bioactivity of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating activity (GM-CSA), burst-promoting activity (BPA) and megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity (MK-CSA) in spleen condition medium (SPCM) of mice to clarify the hematopoietic mechanism of catechin and SSD.

METHODSSpleen cells of mice were separated and spleen condition medium (SPCM) was prepared from spleen cell culture. Bone marrow cells of mice were separated and cultured in a culture system including 10% (v/v) SPCM (induced by catechin in vivo or ex vivo) for 6 days. Granulocyte-macrophage colony forming units (CFU-GM), erythrocyte burst-colony-forming units (BFU-E) and megakaryocyte colony-forming units (CFU-Meg) formation were employed to assay the effects of different treatment on the bioactivity of GM-CSA, BPA and MK-CSA in SPCM.

RESULTSSPCM induced by 100 mg/L catechin ex vivo could promote the growth of CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-Meg, which indicated that catechin could stimulate the production of GM-CSA, BPA and MK-CSA in SPCM. SPCM prepared at the fourth day of spleen cell culture showed the best stimulating activity. The bioactivity of GM-CSA, BPA and MK-CSA in the SPCM prepared after intraperitoneally injecting catechin into mice was also increased. The number of CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-Meg gradually increased as the dose of catechin increased and the time of administration prolonged. CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-Meg of the high-dose catechin group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.01) and reached the maximum at the seventh day after administration.

CONCLUSIONSThis study suggests that catechin extracted from the active acetic ether part of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn can regulate hematopoiesis by inducing bioactivity of GM-CSA, BPA and MK-CSA in SPCM of mice. This may be one of the mechanisms for the hematopoietic-supportive effect of catechin and Spatholobus suberectus Dunn.

Animals ; Catechin ; pharmacology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; physiology ; Hematopoiesis ; drug effects ; Interleukin-3 ; physiology ; Mice ; Thrombopoietin ; physiology

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biological mechanism for modulating granulocytopoiesis by Panax ginseng. The techniques of culture of hematopoietic progenitor cells and hematopoietic stromal cells in vitro, biological assay of hematopoietic growth factor (HGF), immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization of nucleic acid, immunoprecipitation and Western blot were used to explore the effect of total saponins of Panax ginseng (TSPG) on the expression of human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor alpha (GM-CSFRalpha). The results indicated that (1) bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC), thymocyte (TC), splenocyte (SC), endothelial cells (EC), and monocyte (MO) conditioned media prepared with TSPG (50 microg/ml) could significantly enhance the proliferation of CFU-GM; (2) the expressions of GM-CSF in protein and mRNA level in BMSC, TC, SC, EC and MO induced by TSPG (50 microg/ml) were much higher than that of the control; (3) the expression of GM-CSFRalpha protein in hematopoietic cells induced by TSPG (50 microg/ml) was stronger than that of the control; (4) TSPG (50 microg/ml) could stimulate the transient tyrosine phosphorylation of GM-CSFR and Shc protein. We speculate that TSPG may directly and/or indirectly promote the stromal cells and lymphocytes to produce GM-CSF and other cytokine and induce bone marrow hematopoietic cells to express GM-CSF receptors (GM-CSFRalpha), leading to the regulation of the GM-CSFR-mediated signals transduction pathway and the proliferation of human CFU-GM.
Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; metabolism ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Panax ; chemistry ; Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; metabolism ; Saponins ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction ; Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism

The ability to generate dendritic cells (DCs) in sizeable numbers has enormous implications for the development of clinically-effective antigen presentation procedures for cancer immunotherapy. We evaluated the generation of immunostimulatory DCs from peripheral blood CD34+ cells collected from healthy donors. CD34+ cells purified from leukapheresis product were seeded at 1 x 10(4) cells/mL in complete medium supplemented with GM-CSF, TNF alpha, IL-4, c-kit ligand, and flt3 ligand (FL). By day 14 of culture in the presence of GM-CSF + TNF alpha, the total cell number increased by 23.4 +/- 5.4-fold compared to the starting number of CD34+ cells. When the c-kit and FL were added to GM-CSF and TNF alpha, the cell number increased by 109.8 +/- 11.2-fold without affecting the immunophenotype of recovered cells. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that cells with the markers of mature dendritic cells, i.e., CD1a +CD14 -HLA-DR+, and CD80+CD86+HLA-DR+, constituted 49.0% +/- 7.5%, and 38.9% +/- 6.5%, respectively. This pattern of expression of surface antigen was unchanged whether the c-kit ligand and/or FL was added. The irradiated CD1a+HLA-DR+ cells recovered from in vitro cultures elicit a vigorous proliferation of allogeneic peripheral blood T-cells, irrespective of cytokine combinations. These findings provide advantageous tools for the large-scale generation of DCs that are potentially usable for clinical protocols of immunotherapy or vaccination in patients undergoing cancer treatment.
Antigens, CD34/analysis* ; Dendritic Cells/physiology* ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/pharmacology ; HLA-DR Antigens/analysis ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/physiology* ; Human ; Interleukin-4/pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor/pharmacology

In order to investigate the influence of angiotensin II on hematopoietic system, CD34+ cells in cord blood were purified, and the effects of angiotensin II in combination with various cytokines on their growth and differentiation were studied by cell culture in vitro. It was found that angiotensin II in suspending medium could stimulate both BFU-E and CFU-GM expansion. The number of BFU-E and CFU-GM was increased with the increases of angiotensin II concentrations during a certain range. In addition, the expansion fold of CFU-GM was increased from 2.3 +/- 0.8 times to 7.8 +/- 2.3 times when angiotensin II was added in the presence of SCF+G-CSF+GM-CSF+IL3 cytokines mixture. Similarly, the expansion fold of BFU-E was increased from 3.1 +/- 1.8 times to 9. 2 +/- 2.3 times with angiotensin II in the presence of SCF+EPO+TPO+IL-3. In the semi-solid medium, angiotensin II could stimulate CFU-GM expansion but had no effect on the growth of BFU-E. In conclusion, angiotensin II had some stimulating effects on cord blood hematopoietic progenitors expansion in vitro in the presence of other cytokines.
Angiotensin II/*pharmacology ; Antigens, CD34/*metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Colony-Forming Units Assay ; Fetal Blood/*cytology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/*cytology

Objective: To investigate the effects of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitor pexidartinib (PLX3397) on the senescence of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: BMDM were isolated and cultured from femurs and tibiae of 10 male C57BL/6 mice aged 6-8 weeks (obtained from Laboratory Animal Center of Guizhou Medical University). They were divided into blank control group, LPS group (treated with 1 μg/ml LPS for 24 h) as well as low, medium and high concentration PLX3397 pretreatment groups (treated with 100, 500 and 1 000 nmol/L PLX3397 for 4 h respectively followed by 1 μg/ml LPS for 24 h). The corresponding markers of macrophages were detected by flow cytometry. Cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8 and cellular senescence was detected by senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. Meanwhile, protein expressions of cycle-dependent kinase inhibitor p16, p21 and CSF-1R were detected by Western blotting, and the expressions of p16 and p21 were detected by intracellular immunofluorescence. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to investigate the mRNA levels of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) genes including interleukin (IL), IL-1β, chemokine-1/10 (CXCL-1/10), matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Results: The rate of SA-β-gal positive staining in medium and high concentration PLX3397 pretreatment groups [(39.33±4.93)% and (36.33±3.06)% respectively] were significantly downregulated compared with LPS group [(52.00±3.00)%] (P=0.020, P=0.005). The expression of CSF-1R protein in low, medium and high concentration PLX3397 pretreatment groups were (0.74±0.18, 0.61±0.07, 0.54±0.06), all of which were significantly lower than that in LPS group (1.16±0.08) (P=0.013, P=0.002, P<0.001). The expression levels of CSF-1R mRNA in low, medium and high concentration PLX3397 pretreatment groups (1.04±0.06, 0.90±0.05, 1.18±0.08) showed similar trend (2.90±0.25) (P<0.001). The average fluorescence intensity of p16 in all PLX3397 pretreatment groups were 49.76±3.65, 48.21±1.72, 47.99±1.26 respectively, which were significantly lower than that in LPS group (66.88±5.85) (P=0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001). The average fluorescence intensity of p21 in medium and high concentration PLX3397 pretreatment groups were (34.43±3.62, 30.13±0.86), significantly lower than that in LPS group (46.82±5.33) (P=0.043, P=0.007). The expression of p16 protein in low, medium and high concentration PLX3397 pretreatment groups (0.56±0.04, 0.55±0.04, 0.35±0.19) were significantly lower than that in LPS group (0.98±0.10) (P=0.003, P=0.002, P<0.001), as well the expression of p21 protein (0.69±0.20, 0.42±0.08, 0.26±0.14) (P=0.032, P=0.002, P<0.001). According to the results of RT-qPCR, the expressions of IL-6, IL-1β, CXCL-1, CXCL-10 and MMP-8 in PLX3397 pretreatment groups were significantly lower than those in LPS group (P<0.001), while the expression of TGF-β increased (P<0.001). Conclusions: LPS could induce the cell senescence, increase the secretion of SASP and aggravate local inflammation by activating the CSF-1R on the cell surface of bone marrow-derived macrophages. CSF-1R inhibitor PLX3397 might attenuate CSF-1R activation associated with LPS and inhibit the senescence of bone marrow-derived macrophages induced by LPS.
Mice ; Animals ; Male ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/metabolism* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 8/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Macrophages ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism*

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of IL-1β on hematopoietic support of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSC). 2×10(6) hUC-MSC were seeded in 75 cm(2) flasks, after adherence to wall for 2 h, 10 ng/ml IL-1β was added in hUC-MSC supernatant and cultured for 36 h, then the culture supernatants and cells were harvested. The effect of conditioned medium with/without IL-1β on CD34(+) cell hematopoietic support was observed, mRNA expression changes of hUC-MSC cultured in medium with/without IL-1β were monitored by real time PCR, the differences in hematopoiesis-related factors were detected by ELISA. The results showed that the conditioned culture medium of hUC-MSC with IL-1β enhanced the ability to form colony of CD34(+) cells, especially CFU-G and CFU-GM in vitro; IL-1β promoted the mRNA expression of GM-CSF, G-CSF, IL-6 on MSC; IL-1β also promoted the secretion of GM-CSF, G-CSF, and IL-6 protein from hUC-MSC. It is concluded that IL-1β enhances hematopoietic support capacity especially, capability of MSC to myeloid differentiation.
Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; secretion ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; secretion ; Hematopoietic System ; drug effects ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-6 ; secretion ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; secretion ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology