Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to W Vainchenker.
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The expression of i-antigen during the in vivo aging of erythrocytes from normal subjects and beta-thalassemic patients was investigated by immunofluorescence labeling and by immunoagglutination. The results showed that the expression of i-antigenic determinants inversely related to the aging of RBCs. This phenomenon could be either the result of a progressive loss of i-antigenic structures or the consequence of i to I transformation occurring during RBCs aging in vivo.
Red blood cells from normal subjects and subjects with heterocellular hereditary persistence of fatal haemoglobin and beta-thalassaemia were fractionated according to density by centrifugation on a discontinuous gradient of Stractan II. F-cells were studied by immunofluorescence and their proportion was evaluated in each separated population. This approach has permitted to show that F-cells were preferentially distributed among high density erythrocytes. This phenomenon reflects a peculiar characteristic of F-cells.
In order to study the cellular regulation of i and I antigen expressions n erythroid cells, burst-forming-unit erythroids were grown in methylcellulose from the blood of normal human adults. Erythroid colonies were harvested on days 9, 11 or 14 of culture. Individual colonies or pooled colonies were subsequently cytocentrifuged and then i or I antigens were studied by immunofluorescence using a monoclonal anti-i or I antibody. Labelled cells were firstly located, their erythroid origin and their stage of maturation were subsequently ascertained after May-Grünwald-Giemsa staining. This approach shows that: (1) a marked heterogeneity occurred from one colony to another, most of the colonies being i-negative while the others contained a mixed population composed by a minority of i-positive erythroid cells; (2) the proportion of both i colonies and i cells decreased with the aging of culture; (3) i antigen was preferentially expressed on immature erythroblasts; however, immaturity per se was not sufficient to determine i expression; (4) I antigen expression was also related to the process of erythroid maturation but in an inverse way; its expression was higher in mature erythroblasts than in immature ones.
K562 cell line was grown in liquid suspension and in plasma clot cultures. Morphological studies revealed the presence of a minority of cells, which were identified as erythroblasts. However, the majority of the cells remained unidentified. Biochemical studies confirmed the synthesis of hemoglobin by K562 cells. The pattern of hemoglobin (Hb) production was of the embryonic type, with the presence of small amount of fetal Hb. The addition of several inducers, like Epo and butyrate, was unable to modify the pattern of Hb production of K562. In contrast, the addition of hemin increased the synthesis of Hb and stimulated the synthesis of fetal Hb and probably adult Hb.
The cellular origin of the K 562 cell line, established from a patient in the blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia has been investigated. In agreement with previous reports, an erythroid differentiation was observed. A minority of immature, but hemoglobinized erythroblasts were identified both by electron microscopy and by immunofluorescence using an antibody to gamma-globin chains. Embryonic and fetal hemoglobin (Hb) were synthesized. Hemin increased the number of erythroblasts as well as the absolute amount of Hb synthesized: the Hb pattern was also significantly modified. By cytochemical ultrastructural detection of peroxidase activity (PA), a weak PA, distinct from granulocytic peroxidases, was found exclusively in the nuclear envelope and rough endoplasmic reticulum in a small number proportion of cells. In its localization this PA resembled that of normal and leukemic promegakaryoblasts. The addition of sodium butyrate or dimethylformamide markedly increased the number of these cells (up to 30%) but did not modify their cytoplasmic maturation. No modification of Hb synthesis was observed. Cloning of the K 562 line revealed a marked heterogeneity from one clone to another in Hb production, in the phenotype of Hb synthesis, and in the inducibility by butyrate or dimethylformamide. An inverse relationship between the number of cells with PA and Hb production was found in the different clones. Recloning some of these primary clones resulted in secondary clones, which displayed properties similar to those from which they had originated. All attempts to obtain granulocytic differentiation by addition of different inducers failed. These results clearly indicate that the K 562 cell line arises from the proliferation of bipotent stem cells, these cells possessing variable capacities of differentiation toward erythroid and presumably megakaryocytic cell lineages.
Hemoglobin synthesis was studied in culture of early erythroid precursors (BFU-E) from the blood of nine patients exhibiting sickle cell anemia and of 14 with various types of beta-thalassemia. The results concerning gamma gene expression and plating efficiency in heterozygotes for sickle cell anemia were similar to those of normal adults (gamma/alpha = 0.05; 65 BFU-E colonies/10(6) plated cells) while, in contrast, homozygotes for sickle cell disease exhibited average values higher than the controls (gamma/alpha = 0.18; 80 BFU-E colonies/10(6) plated cells). However, the results were very heterogeneous from one subject to another. In heterozygotes for beta-thalassemia, gamma gene expression and plating efficiency were both slightly higher than those for normal individuals (gamma/alpha = 0.095; 129 BFU-E colonies/10(6) plated cells). In patients homozygous for beta-thalassemia, a marked increase in plating efficiency and gamma-chain synthesis was constantly observed (gamma/alpha = 0.41; 221 BFU-E colonies/10(6) plated cells). The high proportion of gamma chain synthesis was not related to a positive selection of F cells, since the gamma/alpha ratio remained constant during the in vitro erythroid maturation. Furthermore, a major increase in free alpha chain proteolysis can be ruled out, since the beta/alpha ratio was of the same order of magnitude in culture and in freshly drawn cells. Thus, the increased Hb F synthesis in vitro was the consequence of a true stimulation of gamma gene expression, which permitted partial correction of the globin chain imbalance. Ultrastructural studies in two homozygotes for beta-thalassemia showed a marked decrease in the abnormalities of the erythroblasts derived from erythroid precursors in vitro in comparison to those from fresh bone marrow samples. In particular, Heinz bodies were much less numerous and a high frequency of mature erythroblasts and reticulocytes was observed in culture. These results support the view that, in sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia, a high potential for gamma gene expression exists and can be expressed in culture.
An affinity chromatography system, using haptoglobin bound covalently to Sepharose 4B, has been developed to purify human hemoglobin from soluble non-heme proteins. Agarose-haptoglobin specifically binds hemoglobin. Globin chains were eluted from the agarose-haptoglobin after removal of the heme. This method has allowed accurate measurements of globin chain synthesis in blood and bone marrow samples from adults and in culture of early erythroid precursors present in adult blood or bone marrow.
The ultrastructure and cytochemistry of megakaryocytes from two patients with a familial gray platelet syndrome are described. Although the Golgi zones appeared normally developed, the megakaryocytes lacked alpha-granules. Catalase-containing particles were normal in number. In immature megakaryocytes, granules measuring from 0.05-0.1 mu and having an electron-dense core occurred in the Golgi area. These granules, which are considered as the precursors of alpha-granules in normal megakaryocytes, appeared unable to mature, and their number decreased with the megakaryocyte maturation. The presence of dense material in distended demarcation membranes and/or vacuoles suggested that their content was discharged. It is suggested that myelofibrosis present in the bone marrow from these two patients may be related to the possible excretion of a polypeptide growth factor normally contained in the alpha-granules. Megakaryocytes grown by the plasma clot procedure from blood precursors isolated from the two patients also did not exhibit alpha-granules, which were replaced by vacuoles. Our findings suggest that the lack of alpha-granules in gray platelets may be related to a defective megakaryocyte-committed cell, and evidence is presented which suggests that the precursors of alpha-granules are produced but that their contents are then lost.
Burst forming units (BFU-E) from the blood of eight normal adults were grown in methylcellulose culture. Follow up of i and I antigens detected by an indirect immunofluorescence technique from the 9th to the 14th day of culture revealed that i antigen expression diminished while maturation proceeded. On the contrary 1 antigen expression increased meanwhile. Nevertheless, in addition to this maturation process, expression of i antigen must be determined by a regulatory mechanism operating during erythroid stem cell differentiation since a large proportion of immature erythroblasts at the 10th day of culture do not express i antigen.
In order to investigate whether a common control mechanism is involved in the diminution of i antigen expression and that of Hb F content in human erythrocytes during the postnatal period, we compared changes in 72 normal infants aged from 0 to 12 months. The proportion of hemoglobins (Hb F, Hb A, Hb A2) and the quantitation of "i" antigen were determined on the total population of red blood cells. In addition, the percentage of individual cells containing Hb F or "i" antigen or both (F cells, "i" cells, and F + "i" cells) were evaluated by using a rhodamine-conjugated anti-Hb F and a fluorescein conjugated anti-system on the same smear preparation. The results provided by the two most sensitive techniques (F cell counting and "i agglutinability) indicated that the curves of disappearance of Hb F and "i" antigen along the 12 first months after birth were identical. A strong correlation (r = 0.97, P < 0.0001) existed between the percentage of F cells and "i" antigen expression. In addition, the progressive increase in Hb A2 concentration was inversely correlated firstly with the proportion of Hb F and second with the expression of the "i" antigen. These results suggest that the switch from fetal to adult hemoglobin and the transformation of "i" antigen expression occurring during the first year following birth are governed by a common control mechanism.
BFU-E from the blood of 14 normal adults have been grown by the plasma clot technique. The hemoglobins synthesized in burst colonies were purified from other proteins by affinity chromatography on Sepharose-haptoglobin. The radioactivity incorporated in the globin chains was estimated by CM-cellulose chromatography in urea. The number of bursts scored at the 14th day of culture fluctuated between 50-130 (average 86, s: 29) for 10(6) mononuclear plated cells. A constant reactivation of fetal hemoglobin was found (from 1.4% to 11%, mean value 5.8%, s:3.07), but was lower than previously described, mainly because of the highly selective purification of Hb. This reactivation of fetal hemoglobin was not dependent upon the concentration of erythropoietin (from 1 U/ml to 6 U/ml) nor on the purity of the erythropoietin preparations (from 6 U/mg of protein to 70 000U/mg of protein). In addition, the same subject exhibited a constant proportion of Hb F synthesized in culture over a period of time up to 6 months. A positive correlation exists between the proportion of Hb F in culture and that of F cells present in the blood, with the exception of two subjects. Such findings suggest that Hb F in culture is a characteristic of each individual and that this reactivation often represents an amplification of the Hb F synthesis in vivo.
Erythroid colonies derived from the circulating early erythroid precursor (BFU-E) of a patient with congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia type I (CDA I) have been grown in plasma clot and studied by electron microscopy. The number of circulating BFU-E was in the normal range with a roughly normal appearance at the light microscopic level. However, investigation of individual colonies by electron microscopy has always shown a mixture of normal and abnormal erythroblasts exhibiting the typical nuclear aberrations found in vivo. The proportion of normal erythroblasts varied from one colony to another. After the release of the cells from the clot in order to permit new cellular interactions, macrophages were observed to phagocytose abnormal erythroblasts but also a few erythroblasts with normal nuclei. These findings demonstrate that CDA I is a disorder which results from a defective erythroid stem cell but that the progeny of each BFU-E may vary considerably in the extent to which they express the morphological defects. Based on studies of cultures of BFU-E, similar conclusions were previously made for CDA II.
In the present work we have developed an affinity chromatography system, using haptoglobin bound covalently to Sepharose 4B, to purify hemoglobin from soluble non-heme proteins. Sepharose-haptoglobin specifically binds hemoglobin. It exhibits the same characteristics in its interactions with hemoglobin and alpha or beta hemoglobin chains as does haptoglobin in solution. Globin chains can be eluted from the Sepharose-haptoglobin after removal of the heme. This method has allowed accurate measurements of globin-chain synthesis in blood and bone marrow samples and in culture of early erythroid precursors.
The red cells of a patient heterozygous for beta-thalassaemia contained 19% fetal Hb. Study of his family suggested that the proband had inherited the Swiss type of hereditary persistence of fetal Hb (HPFH) from his mother who is not thalassaemic and possessed 1.37% of Hb and 11% F-cells. Studies of globin synthesis showed a similar imbalance in the heterocellular HPFH-beta-thalassaemia compound heterozygotes and in the heterozygous beta-thalassaemic members of the family. Age stratification of the red cells showed a slight enrichment in Hb F and a decreased Hb A2 level in the older cell populations. Hb F production in the BFU-E colonies of the proband was higher than that found in vivo and in other beta-thalassaemic heterozygotes in culture. Study of single erythroid burst colonies showed a marked heterogeneity in Hb F synthesis from one colony to another, while the pool of free alpha-chains remained of similar magnitude. It is suggested that in the proband, the HPFH gene, which is in trans with respect to the beta-thal-gene, increases the size of the F-cell population and its activity is carried on at the expense of the normal beta A gene.