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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Ultrastructural and cytobiological studies on possible interactions between PTHrP-secreting tumor cells, stromal cells, and bone cells.

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) induces pathological bone resorption in an endocrine manner, resulting in hypercalcemia of malignancy. However, the histopathological aspect of the action of PTHrP secreted by tumor cells on bone resorption has not well been documented. Therefore, we studied cell-cell interactions between bone cells, stromal cells, and PTHrP-secreting tumor cells (EC-GI-10) morphologically. Tumor cells injected subcutaneously into the parietal region formed a tumor mass, invading the bone marrow. The tumor mass was surrounded by a membrane structure consisting of stromal cells. These stromal cells were positive for alkaline phosphatase (ALPase). Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAPase)-positive osteoclasts were localized close to the ALPase-positive cells, and numerous osteoclasts were observed on the neighboring bone surfaces. PTHrP, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were detected in the tumor cells. Using RT-PCR, expression of interleukin (IL)-1Alpha, IL-1Beta, and PTHrP, which are strong bone resorption factors, was detected in the tumor cells. Some ALPase-positive cells localizing on the neighboring bone surfaces and endothelial cells revealed PTH/PTHrP receptor immunoreactivity. Ultrastructurally, numerous blood vessels were observed between the tumor nests and the stromal cells. The nests were surrounded by a basement membrane, but it was discontinuous, therefore permitting direct contact between the tumor cells and the stromal cells. These results indicate that PTHrP secreted by tumor cells appears to stimulate osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption in a paracrine manner through PTH/PTHrP receptor-immunopositive cells. IL-1Alpha, IL-1Beta, VEGF, and MMP-9 may also be involved in facilitating osteoclast formation and the subsequent bone resorption.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Host microenvironment in breast cancer development: epithelial-cell-stromal-cell interactions and steroid hormone action in normal and cancerous mammary gland.

Mammary epithelial cells comprise the functional component of the normal gland and are the major target for carcinogenesis in mammary cancer. However, the stromal compartment of the normal gland and of tumors plays an important role in directing proliferative and functional changes in the epithelium. In vivo and in vitro studies of the murine mammary gland have provided insights into novel stroma-dependent mechanisms by which estrogen and progesterone action in the epithelium can be modulated by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the extracellular matrix proteins, collagen type I, fibronectin and laminin. In vitro and in vivo studies of estrogen receptor positive, estrogen-responsive human breast cancer cells have also demonstrated that estrogen responsiveness of tumor cells can also be modulated by extracellular matrix proteins, collagen type I and laminin.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

[Effect of hydroxyurea on the number of hematopoietic stem cells, stromal cell precursors and cell precursors of thymus lymphoid tissue in the bone marrow of mice during aging].

The concentration of hemopoietic stem cells (colony-forming cells in the spleen - CFC-S) decreases in the bone marrow of CBA mice during ageing, whereas the concentration of precursors for stromal fibroblasts (colony-forming cells for fibroblasts-CFC-F) increases. The total numbers of nucleated cells, CFC-S and CFC-F in the bone marrow of old mice essentially increase. Hydroxyurea, administered in vivo, does not effect the concentration of CFC-S, but it increases CFC-F concentration in the bone marrow of mice. Hydroxyurea produces just the same suppressive effect on the numbers of nucleated cells, CFC-S and CFC-F in the mice of different ages, and stimulates the capacity of bone marrow donors to repopulate the thymus of the irradiated young recipients.

Aging↗
PubMed2005

Mutual paracrine effects of colorectal tumour cells and stromal cells: modulation of tumour and stromal cell differentiation and extracellular matrix component production in culture.

Interactions of tumour and stromal cells influence tumour cell proliferation and differentiation, stromal cell phenotypic transdifferentiation and secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. In this study, we established a monolayer and a three-dimensional cell-to-cell interaction model between canine mammary stromal cells and human colonic carcinoma cell lines (Caco-2 and HT-29) to investigate mutual paracrine effects of tumour cells and stromal cells on (i) tumour cell differentiation, (ii) production of ECM components and (iii) phenotypic transdifferentiation of stromal cells. We showed that when Caco-2 or HT-29 cells are cultured in collagen gels, they form a few small solid cell clusters with no lumina, but when cocultured with stromal cells, the tumour cells formed glandular structures with central lumina. This fibroblast-induced organization and differentiation of Caco-2 cells (not HT-29 cells) appeared to be mediated by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). Culturing of stromal cells, Caco-2 cells or HT-29 cells alone in both monolayers and gels resulted in weak tenascin-C expression in stromal cells and HT-29 cells and no expression in the Caco-2 cells. Coculturing of stromal cells with tumour cells resulted in increased tenascin-C expression in the stromal cells and HT-29 cells and induced expression of tenascin-C in the Caco-2 cells. This induction and increased expression of tenascin-C appeared to be mediated by TGF-beta. Culturing of stromal cells, Caco-2 cells or HT-29 cells alone on monolayers and in gels resulted in a weak expression of chondroitin sulfate (CS), chondroitin-6-sulfate (C-6-S) and versican in stromal cells and no expression in Caco-2 and HT-29 cells. Coculturing of stromal cells with tumour cells on monolayers and in gels resulted in increased CS, C-6-S and versican expression in stromal cells. This tumour cell-induced expression of CS, C-6-S and versican appeared to be mediated by TGF-beta and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Coculturing of Caco-2 and HT-29 and stromal cells promoted the transdifferentiation of stromal cells into myofibroblasts, and this appeared to be mediated by TGF-beta. These results suggest that TGF-beta and PDGF are part of a paracrine system involved in stromal-epithelial cell interaction important in stromal cell differentiation and ECM component production.

Actins↗
PubMed1998

Modulated expression of the epidermal growth factor-like homeotic protein dlk influences stromal-cell-pre-B-cell interactions, stromal cell adipogenesis, and pre-B-cell interleukin-7 requirements.

A close relationship exists between adipocyte differentiation of stromal cells and their capacity to support hematopoiesis. The molecular basis for this is unknown. We have studied whether dlk, an epidermal growth factor-like molecule that intervenes in adipogenesis and fetal liver hematopoiesis, affects both stromal cell adipogenesis and B-cell lymphopoiesis in an established pre-B-cell culture system. Pre-B-cell cultures require both soluble interleukin-7 (IL-7) and interactions with stromal cells to promote cell growth and prevent B-cell maturation or apoptosis. We found that BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts express dlk and function as stromal cells. Transfection of these cells with antisense dlk decreased dlk expression and increased insulin-induced adipocytic differentiation. When antisense transfectants were used as stroma, IL-7 was no longer required to support the growth of pre-B cells and prevent maturation or apoptosis. Antisense dlk transfectants of S10 stromal cells also promoted pre-B-cell growth in the absence of IL-7. These results show that modulation of dlk on stromal cells can influence their adipogenesis and the IL-7 requirements of the pre-B cells growing in contact with them. These results indicate that dlk influences differentiation signals directed both to the stromal cells and to the lymphocyte precursors, suggesting that dlk may play an important role in the bone marrow hematopoietic environment.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1988

B lymphopoiesis on stromal cell clone: stromal cell clones acting on different stages of B cell differentiation.

B lymphopoiesis supporting activities of two stromal cell clones, MC3T3-G2/PA6 (PA6) and ST2, were compared. When normal bone marrow cells were cultured in these clones under Whitlock-Witte-type condition, mature B cells were generated only in the culture with the ST2 layer. The cells maintained on the PA6 layer, however, contained the precursor cells giving rise to mature B cells when transferred to the ST2 layer. Thus, PA6 is a stromal cell clone capable of supporting the early B progenitors but cannot support a further maturation step into pre-B cells. The immunoglobulin heavy chain gene configuration of B progenitors maintained on the PA6 layer diversified after their transfer onto ST2 layer. This suggests that they are actually the earliest progenitors. This marked difference in the stromal cell activities between PA6 and ST2 could also be distinguished by stromal cell-dependent pre-B cell lines. Among four ST2-dependent pre-B cell lines tested, two grew only on the ST2 layer, which is capable of supporting B lymphopoiesis, while the others grew both on the ST2 and PA6 layers. These results strongly suggest that the process of intra-marrow B cell development is controlled by more than one signal acting on different stages of B cell differentiation.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Stromal-epithelial interactions in the progression of ovarian cancer: influence and source of tumor stromal cells.

Stromal cells are essential for the progression of many cancers including ovarian tumors. Stromal cell-epithelial cell interactions are important for tumor development, growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. In the current study, the effects of normal ovarian bovine stromal cells on ovarian tumor progression was investigated. The hypothesis tested is that ovarian stromal cells will alter the onset and progression of ovarian tumors. Conditioned medium from normal bovine ovarian surface stromal cells was found to stimulate the growth of normal ovarian surface epithelium and had no effect on the growth of human tumor cell lines SKOV3 and OCC1. Human ovarian cancer cell lines, SKOV3 and OCC1, were injected subcutaneously into nude mice to examine tumor progression. Tumor growth in the nude mice was dramatically reduced when normal ovarian surface stromal cells were co-injected with SKOV3 or OCC1 cells. Similar results were obtained with normal bovine or human ovarian stromal cells. In contrast, irrelevant testicular stromal cells and epithelial cells had no effect on tumor growth in the nude mouse. Histological examination of these tumors revealed a characteristic stromal cell component adjacent to epithelial cell colonies. Sections of these tumors were hybridized with species specific genomic probes using fluorescence in situ hybridization to identify cell populations. Epithelial cells were shown to be of human origin (i.e. SKOV3 or OCC1), but stromal cells were found to be primarily murine in origin (i.e. host tissue). No detectable bovine cells were observed in the tumors after one week post-injection. Results suggest that stromal cells are an essential component of ovarian tumors. Interestingly, normal ovarian stromal cells had the ability to inhibit tumor growth, but were not able to survive long-term incubation at the tumor site. The developing tumor appears to recruit host (i.e. murine) stromal cells to invade the tumor and support its growth. In summary, normal ovarian stromal cells can inhibit ovarian tumor progression and the developing tumors recruit adjacent host stroma to become "tumor stroma". The tumor stroma likely develop an altered phenotype that cooperates with the tumorigenic epithelial cells to help promote the progression of ovarian cancer.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

In vitro decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells.

Stromal cells isolated from proliferative human endometrium undergo morphologic and biochemical changes when exposed to a mixture of ovarian hormones, acquiring characteristics of decidual cells. In addition to the previously reported progestin-induced secretion of prolactin (PRL) by explants of human proliferative endometrium, and of PRL and laminin by stromal cells in culture, "in vitro" induction of several other decidual cell products was demonstrated in the present study, using cultures of stromal cells isolated from proliferative endometrium. Incubation of stromal cells with a mixture of estradiol, medroxyprogesterone acetate and relaxin, at a concentration reported to yield maximal stimulation of PRL production, resulted in changes from elongated to rounder cells, approx. 90% of which showed immunostaining for PRL under these conditions. Immunocytochemical procedures were carried out on cytospins of decidual cells isolated from decidual tissue adherent to fetal membranes collected at delivery (positive controls), and on stromal cells cultured in Lab-Tek chamber-slides, in the absence (negative controls) or in the presence of added hormones. Antibodies to 24K (a heat-shock protein also named HRP27), desmin (present in intermediate filaments), p29 (a protein associated with the estrogen receptor), and PP12 (an insulin growth factor-1 binding protein), did not react with stromal cells isolated from proliferative endometrium but showed immunostaining of the rounder cells obtained after hormonal treatment when tested with the peroxidase-labeled second antibody complex. In another series of similar experiments, in which the same decidualization end-points were employed, changes in 24K, desmin and PP12 expression were obtained by adding to the insulin-containing medium PRL instead of the hormonal mixture, a finding suggesting sequential steps during the decidualization process.

Culture Techniques↗
PubMed1993

Studies with 1,2-dithiole-3-thione as a chemoprotector of hydroquinone-induced toxicity to DBA/2-derived bone marrow stromal cells.

Stromal cells from DBA/2 mouse bone marrow have been shown to be susceptible to cytotoxicity induced by several redox-active metabolites of benzene, including hydroquinone (HQ). Treatment with HQ also alters the composition of stromal cell populations by preferentially killing stromal macrophages compared to stromal fibroblasts. This cytotoxicity can be prevented by 1,2-dithiole-3-thione (DTT) as a result of the induction of quinone reductase (QR), a quinone-processing enzyme, and glutathione. The inductive activities of DTT protected stromal cells against HQ-induced cytotoxicity and against HQ-induced impairment of stromal cell ability to support myelopoiesis. In vivo feeding of DTT to DBA/2 mice increased QR activity within the bone marrow compartment and protected bone marrow stromal cells isolated from the DTT-fed animals from ex vivo HQ challenge. Thus, the inducibility of cellular defense mechanisms and xenobiotic-processing enzymes by chemoprotective agents such as DTT may be a useful strategy for protecting against chemically induced bone marrow toxicities.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

The insulin-like growth factor type I receptor stimulates growth and suppresses apoptosis in prostatic stromal cells.

Stromal cells derived from benign prostatic hyperplasia synthesize and secrete measurable levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF). Seventy-two-hour conditioned medium obtained from these cells contains IGF-II at levels ranging from 125-177 ng/mL.10(6) cells. IGF-I is almost undetectable. RT-PCR analysis has demonstrated that the genes for both the type I IGF receptor (IGF-IR) and the type II IGF receptor (IGF-IIR) are expressed by benign stromal cells in vitro. Competition binding analysis for IGF-I and IGF-II confirmed the existence of binding sites for both ligands with respective Kd and binding capacities of 4.9 x 10(-9) mol/L and 6.6 x 10(5) sites/cell and 4.7 x 10(-9) mol/L and 3.8 x 10(6) sites/cell. Under serum-free conditions, IGF-I and IGF-II at 500 ng/mL induce 80% and 113% increases in stromal cell density, respectively, over a 96-h period. Incubation with the IGF-IR-neutralizing antibody alpha IR3 (50 micrograms/mL) reduces the rate of stromal cell proliferation by approximately 60-80% even in the presence of stimulatory concentrations of IGFs. Camptothecin-induced apoptosis is inhibited by the addition of IGF-I and -II (500 ng/mL). alpha IR3 suppresses these survival signals and itself induces cell death in the prostatic stroma. The data suggest that IGF-IR is a pivotal molecule in prostatic stromal cell maintenance, and that specific antagonism may offer a novel means of controlling the fibromuscular expansion characteristic of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Apoptosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antigen presenting cells and stromal cells trigger human natural killer lymphocytes to autoreactivity: evidence for the involvement of natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCR) and NKG2D.

Human natural killer (NK) lymphocytes should not damage autologous cells due to the engagement of inhibitory receptor superfamily (IRS) members by HLA-I. Nevertheless, NK cells kill self cells expressing low levels or lacking HLA-I, as it may occur during viral infections (missing-self hypothesis). Herein, we show that human NK cells can be activated upon binding with self antigen presenting cells or stromal cells despite the expression of HLA-I. Indeed, NK cells can kill and produce pro-inflammatory and regulating cytokines as IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL10 during interaction with autologous dendritic cells or bone marrow stromal cells or skin fibroblasts. The killing of antigen presenting and stromal cells is dependent on LFA1/ICAM1 interaction. Further, the natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCR) NKp30 and NKp46 are responsible for the delivery of lethal hit to DC, whereas NKG2D activating receptor, the ligand of the MHC-related molecule MIC-A and the UL16 binding protein, is involved in stromal cell killing. These findings indicate that different activating receptors are involved in cell to self cell interaction. Finally, NK cells can revert the veto effect of stromal cells on mixed lymphocyte reaction further supporting the idea that NK cells may alter the interaction between T lymphocytes and microenvironment leading to autoreactivity.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗
PubMed1999

Expression of GADD153 in tumor cells and stromal cells from xenografted tumors in nude mice treated with cisplatin: correlations with cisplatin-DNA adducts.

PURPOSE: Cisplatin is a commonly used antineoplastic agent that acts by forming adducts with DNA, and causing a response to the cellular injury. One of the components of this cellular injury response is the activation of the "growth arrest and DNA damage gene" GADD153. The level of GADD153 induction in tumor cells has been associated with the degree of cytotoxicity. The pupose of this study was to determine whether cisplatin activates GADD153 also in nontumor cells and how GADD153 protein levels correlate with cisplatin-DNA adducts in different cell types. METHODS: Nude mice with xenografted squamous cell carcinoma were treated with cisplatin 10 mg/kg. Tumors were removed at 0 h (untreated controls), 24 h, and 48 h and immunohistochemically stained for GADD153 protein and cisplatin-DNA adducts. The staining reaction was quantitated in tumor cells and nonmalignant stromal cells separately, using computerized image analysis. RESULTS: The GADD153 level was 4.5 times higher in tumor cells than in stromal cells in untreated mice. At 24 h after cisplatin treatment the GADD153 level had increased by 50% and 72% in tumor cells and stromal cells, respectively. Analysis of the cisplatin-DNA adducts showed a reversed pattern, with six-fold higher levels in stromal cells than in tumor cells at 24 h after treatment. By combining these data, we estimated that approximately 25-fold more GADD153 per cisplatin-DNA adduct was induced in tumor cells than in stromal cells. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that different cell types may respond differently to DNA damage caused by cisplatin.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Reversible switching of expression of c-kit and Pax-5 in immature hematopoietic progenitor cells by stromal cells.

OBJECTIVE: Bone marrow stromal cells provide the microenvironment for self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells through complex cell-cell interaction. To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of hematopoiesis by stromal cells, we established a novel stroma-dependent hematopoietic cell line and explored the phenotypic changes regulated by the two stromal cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DFC-28 cells clonally established from long-term bone marrow culture of C57BL/6 mice were sustained by coculture on MSS62 cells (mouse spleen stromal cell line). When DFC-28 cells were transferred to TBR31-1 cells (mouse bone marrow stromal cell line), their phenotypic changes were analyzed by flow cytometry and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: DFC-28 cells on MSS62 cells exhibited surface phenotypes of the immature hematopoietic progenitor cells (Lin(-)AA4.1(+)c-kit(+)Sca-1(-)). By stroma-replacement from MSS62 cells to TBR31-1 cells, DFC-28 cells were differentiated into very early B-lymphoid stage characterized by c-kit down-regulation and induction of BP-1 and B-lymphoid-associated genes (Pax-5, CD19, TdT, Rag-1, and Rag-2). In addition, the differentiation phenotypes reverted to the immature state characterized by c-kit induction and down-regulation of BP-1 and B-lymphoid-associated genes by replacing stroma back to MSS62 from TBR31-1. Interleukin-7 stimulation and conditioned medium of TBR31-1 cells were ineffective in converting the differentiation phenotypes of DFC-28 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that the differentiation phenotypes and growth potential of stroma-dependent hematopoietic progenitor cells we established could be reversibly controlled via direct contact with stromal cells in the microenvironment.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

The geldanamycin derivative 17-AAG decreases VEGF secretion and leukemia growth support by trisomy 8 myelodysplastic syndrome bone marrow stromal cells.

Stromal cells from a child with constitutional trisomy 8 who developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) were found to produce abnormal levels of various cytokines, including VEGF, and supported the growth of leukemic cells in co-culture assays. This study shows that the geldanamycin derivative 17-AAG effectively reduces the VEGF expression by MDS stromal cells. In co-culture experiments this agent also blocks the ability of the MDS stromal cells to stimulate the growth of leukemic cells. These data provide important initial evidence for the effect of 17-AAG on the marrow microenvironment and its potential use in the treatment of MDS and leukemia.

Benzoquinones↗
PubMed1996

Identification of a novel variant hepatocyte growth factor secreted by spleen-derived stromal cells.

Stromal cells can interact with parenchymal cells by secreting various cytokines to affect the growth, differentiation or movement of the latter. Here we report the identification and characterization of a novel variant hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) from the conditioned medium of stromal cells derived from mouse spleen. Compared to human HGF, it has much lower heparin-binding activity and lacks the beta-chain. Its molecular weight, 70 kDa, is very close to that of the alpha-chain of HGF. Human HGF homologue was not found in the conditioned medium. The conditioned medium of stromal cells, like recombinant HGF, could inhibit the growth of rat hepatoma cells. The inhibitory activity was presumably attributed to this novel HGF because the inhibitory activity, as the existence of this novel HGF, was confined to the identical fractions after heparin-column chromatography. Furthermore, this activity could be specifically abrogated by neutralizing anti-HGF antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

JC virus binds to primary human glial cells, tonsillar stromal cells, and B-lymphocytes, but not to T lymphocytes.

The human polyomavirus, JCV, is the etiological agent of the fatal central nervous system demyelinating disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). In PML patients, JC Virus (JCV) can be detected in glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS); in B-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, spleen, and tonsil; and in tonsillar stromal cells. In vitro, JCV infects glial cells, tonsillar stromal cells, and to a limited extent B-lymphocytes. The presence or absence of as yet unidentified cell type specific transcription factors contributes to the restricted tropism of JCV for these cell types. However, several studies indicate that cell surface receptors may also contribute to the limited host range of JCV. To examine this latter possibility we measured the binding of purified JCV virions to primary cultures of glial cells, tonsillar stromal cells, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and to several established cell lines. Our results demonstrate that JCV binds to primary glial cells, stromal cells, and B cells, but does not bind to primary T cells. In contrast, JCV bound to all cell lines tested, including the Namalwa B cell line and the Jurkat T cell line. These data are novel and demonstrate that JCV selectively interacts with cells in vivo that are known to be susceptible to infection. This selectivity appears to be lost when one examines virus binding to a variety of human, monkey, or mouse tumor cell lines. We next examined the susceptibility of primary peripheral blood lymphocytes and the Namalwa B cell line to infection with JCV. Our results demonstrate that the majority of infectious JCV virions remain cell surface associated and do not efficiently establish infection of B cells. This may explain the in vivo observation that JCV DNA is frequently detected in association with lymphocytes by PCR but that JCV mRNA is rarely detected in association with lymphocytes by reverse transcriptase PCR. These results also confirm previous data regarding the association of JCV with human B cells in vivo and support the hypothesis that B cells may be involved in trafficking of JCV to the CNS.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1993

Restorative effect of IL-3 on adherence of cloned hemopoietic progenitor cell to stromal cell.

Mammalian hemopoiesis results from a complex interaction between hemopoietic progenitor cells, stromal cells and extracellular matrix components, orchestrated by specific glycoprotein growth factors. Recently, these growth factors have been shown to possess an important function, apart from stimulation of proliferation, and that is suppression of an active cellular process of programmed cell death, or apoptosis. Highly specific biochemical and morphologic changes have been shown to occur during apoptosis, but their reflections on cellular functions are poorly understood. Interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent FDCP-1 (factor-dependent cell lines cloned in Paterson Laboratories) cells were studied for their ability to adhere to hemopoietic stroma in a temporal fashion under conditions of apoptosis and following rescue from apoptosis with growth factor. It was found that cloned FDCP-1 cells always maintained, in the presence of a source of IL-3 (either WEHI conditioned medium or rm-IL-3), bound cloned hemopoietic stromal cell GB1/6 in a constant fashion for 20 hours, while cells starved of IL-3 experienced a 50% time-dependent decrement in binding. If IL-3 were added back to FDCP-1 that had been starved of growth factor for 8 hours, but not 12 hours, adherence to stroma was restored to that of control cells always in the presence of IL-3. Granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) did not restore cytoadherence. By transmission electron microscopy, nucleus and cytoplasm of IL-3-replenished cells resembled that of control cells. These data indicate that at least some events related to apoptosis were reversible for a period up to 8 hours, but not 12 hours, in cells that had been rescued by readdition of IL-3. These findings offer important insight into a way in which bone marrow progenitor cells may be maintained in a condition that optimizes their ability to engraft stroma during transplantation.

Animals↗