Stem Cell-Specific Mechanisms Ensure Genomic Fidelity within HSCs and upon Aging of HSCs

G2 arrest primes hematopoietic stem cells for megakaryopoiesis

In contrast to most hematopoietic lineages, megakaryocytes (MKs) can derive rapidly and directly from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The underlying mechanism is unclear, however. Here, we show that DNA damage induces MK markers in HSCs and that G2 arrest, an integral part of the DNA damage response, suffices for MK priming followed by irreversible MK differentiation in HSCs, but not in progenitors. We also show that replication stress causes DNA damage in HSCs and is at least in part due to uracil misincorporation in vitro and in vivo. Consistent with this notion, thymidine attenuated DNA damage, improved HSC maintenance, and reduced the generation of CD41+ MK-committed HSCs. Replication stress and concomitant MK differentiation is therefore one of the barriers to HSC maintenance. DNA damage-induced MK priming may allow rapid generation of a lineage essential to immediate organismal survival, while also removing damaged cells from the HSC pool.

Aging and Age-Related Epigenetic Drift in the Pathogenesis of Leukemia and Lymphomas: New Therapeutic Targets

One of the traits of cancer cells is abnormal DNA methylation patterns. The idea that age-related epigenetic changes may partially explain the increased risk of cancer in the elderly is based on the observation that aging is also accompanied by comparable changes in epigenetic patterns. Lineage bias and decreased stem cell function are signs of hematopoietic stem cell compartment aging. Additionally, aging in the hematopoietic system and the stem cell niche have a role in hematopoietic stem cell phenotypes linked with age, such as leukemia and lymphoma. Understanding these changes will open up promising pathways for therapies against age-related disorders because epigenetic mechanisms are reversible. Additionally, the development of high-throughput epigenome mapping technologies will make it possible to identify the "epigenomic identity card" of every hematological disease as well as every patient, opening up the possibility of finding novel molecular biomarkers that can be used for diagnosis, prediction, and prognosis.

STAT3 protects HSCs from intrinsic interferon signaling and loss of long-term blood-forming activity

STAT3 function in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) has been difficult to discern as Stat3 deficiency in the hematopoietic system induces systemic inflammation, which can impact HSPC activity. To address this, we established mixed bone marrow (BM) chimeric mice with CreER-mediated Stat3 deletion in 20% of the hematopoietic compartment. Stat3-deficient HSPCs had impaired hematopoietic activity and failed to undergo expansion in BM in contrast to Stat3-sufficient (CreER) controls. Single-cell RNA sequencing of Lin-ckit+Sca1+ BM cells revealed altered transcriptional responses in Stat3-deficient hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and multipotent progenitors, including intrinsic activation of cell cycle, stress response, and interferon signaling pathways. Consistent with their deregulation, Stat3-deficient Lin-ckit+Sca1+ cells accumulated γH2AX over time. Following secondary BM transplantation, Stat3-deficient HSPCs failed to reconstitute peripheral blood effectively, indicating a severe functional defect in the HSC compartment. Our results reveal essential roles for STAT3 in HSCs and suggest the potential for using targeted synthetic lethal approaches with STAT3 inhibition to remove defective or diseased HSPCs.

Cellular enlargement - A new hallmark of aging?

Years of important research has revealed that cells heavily invest in regulating their size. Nevertheless, it has remained unclear why accurate size control is so important. Our recent study using hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in vivo indicates that cellular enlargement is causally associated with aging. Here, we present an overview of these findings and their implications. Furthermore, we performed a broad literature analysis to evaluate the potential of cellular enlargement as a new aging hallmark and to examine its connection to previously described aging hallmarks. Finally, we highlight interesting work presenting a correlation between cell size and age-related diseases. Taken together, we found mounting evidence linking cellular enlargement to aging and age-related diseases. Therefore, we encourage researchers from seemingly unrelated areas to take a fresh look at their data from the perspective of cell size.

Impact of Age, Sex, and Genetic Diversity in Murine Models of the Hematopoietic Acute Radiation Syndrome (H-ARS) and the Delayed Effects of Acute Radiation Exposure (DEARE)

Purpose of review

Malicious or accidental radiation exposure increases risk for the hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) and the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE). Radiation medical countermeasure (MCM) development relies on robust animal models reflective of all age groups and both sexes. This review details critical considerations in murine H-ARS and DEARE model development including divergent radiation responses dependent on age, sex, and genetic diversity.

Recent findings

Radioresistance increases with murine age from pediatrics through geriatrics. Between sexes, radioresistance is higher in male weanlings, pubescent females, and aged males, corresponding with accelerated myelopoiesis. Jackson diversity outbred (JDO) mice resemble non-human primates in radiation response for modeling human diversity. Weanlings and JDO models exhibit less DEARE than other models.

Summary

Highly characterized age-, sex- and diversity-conscious murine models of H-ARS and DEARE provide powerful and essential tools in MCM development for all radiation victims.

Mechanisms involved in hematopoietic stem cell aging

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) undergo progressive functional decline over time due to both internal and external stressors, leading to aging of the hematopoietic system. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying HSC aging will be valuable in developing novel therapies for HSC rejuvenation and to prevent the onset of several age-associated diseases and hematological malignancies. This review considers the general causes of HSC aging that range from cell-intrinsic factors to cell-extrinsic factors. In particular, epigenetics and inflammation have been implicated in the linkage of HSC aging, clonality, and oncogenesis. The challenges in clarifying mechanisms of HSC aging have accelerated the development of therapeutic interventions to rejuvenate HSCs, the major goal of aging research; these details are also discussed in this review.

NF-κB signaling controls H3K9me3 levels at intronic LINE-1 and hematopoietic stem cell genes in cis

Ionizing radiations (IR) alter hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function on the long term, but the mechanisms underlying these effects are still poorly understood. We recently showed that IR induces the derepression of L1Md, the mouse young subfamilies of LINE-1/L1 retroelements. L1 contributes to gene regulatory networks. However, how L1Md are derepressed and impact HSC gene expression are not known. Here, we show that IR triggers genome-wide H3K9me3 decrease that occurs mainly at L1Md. Loss of H3K9me3 at intronic L1Md harboring NF-κB binding sites motifs but not at promoters is associated with the repression of HSC-specific genes. This is correlated with reduced NFKB1 repressor expression. TNF-α treatment rescued all these effects and prevented IR-induced HSC loss of function in vivo. This TNF-α/NF-κB/H3K9me3/L1Md axis might be important to maintain HSCs while allowing expression of immune genes during myeloid regeneration or damage-induced bone marrow ablation.

Cell size is a determinant of stem cell potential during aging

Stem cells are remarkably small. Whether small size is important for stem cell function is unknown. We find that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) enlarge under conditions known to decrease stem cell function. This decreased fitness of large HSCs is due to reduced proliferation and was accompanied by altered metabolism. Preventing HSC enlargement or reducing large HSCs in size averts the loss of stem cell potential under conditions causing stem cell exhaustion. Last, we show that murine and human HSCs enlarge during aging. Preventing this age-dependent enlargement improves HSC function. We conclude that small cell size is important for stem cell function in vivo and propose that stem cell enlargement contributes to their functional decline during aging.

Extracellular vesicles tell all: How vesicle-mediated cellular communication shapes hematopoietic stem cell biology with increasing age

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small lipid bilayer particles containing biologically important cargo and impart regulatory changes in target cells. Despite the importance of EVs in cellular communication, there remains a gap in our understanding of how EVs influence HSC fate and, in turn, how aging and longevity are affected. This review summarizes the current literature dealing with how age-altered intercellular communication mediated by EVs influences HSC biology.

Precision medicine in myeloid malignancies

Myeloid malignancies have always been at the forefront of an improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of cancer. In accordance, over the last years, basic research focusing on the aberrations underlying malignant transformation of myeloid cells has provided the basis for precision medicine approaches and subsequently has led to the development of powerful therapeutic strategies. In this review article, we will recapitulate what has happened since in the 1980s the use of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), as a first targeted cancer therapy, has changed one of the deadliest leukemia subtypes, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), into one that can be cured without classical chemotherapy today. Similarly, imatinib, the first molecularly designed cancer therapy, has revolutionized the management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Thus, targeted treatment approaches have become the paradigm for myeloid malignancy, but many questions still remain unanswered, especially how identical mutations can be associated with different phenotypes. This might be linked to the impact of the cell of origin, gene-gene interactions, or the tumor microenvironment including the immune system. Continuous research in the field of myeloid neoplasia has started to unravel the molecular pathways that are not only crucial for initial treatment response, but also resistance of leukemia cells under therapy. Ongoing studies focusing on leukemia cell vulnerabilities do already point to novel (targetable) "Achilles heels" that can further improve myeloid cancer therapy.

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging in hematopoietic stem cells and their niches

Aging drives the genetic and epigenetic changes that result in a decline in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) functioning. Such changes lead to aging-related hematopoietic/immune impairments and hematopoietic disorders. Understanding how such changes are initiated and how they progress will help in the development of medications that could improve the quality life for the elderly and to treat and possibly prevent aging-related hematopoietic diseases. Here, we review the most recent advances in research into HSC aging and discuss the role of HSC-intrinsic events, as well as those that relate to the aging bone marrow niche microenvironment in the overall processes of HSC aging. In addition, we discuss the potential mechanisms by which HSC aging is regulated.

Hand in hand: intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of aging and clonal hematopoiesis

Over the past 25 years, the importance of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) aging in overall hematopoietic and immune system health span has been appreciated. Much work has been done in model organisms to understand the intrinsic dysregulation that occurs in HSCs during aging, with the goal of identifying modifiable mechanisms that represent the proverbial "fountain of youth." Much more recently, the discovery of somatic mutations that are found to provide a selective advantage to HSCs and accumulate in the hematopoietic system during aging, termed clonal hematopoiesis (CH), inspires revisiting many of these previously defined drivers of HSC aging in the context of these somatic mutations. To truly understand these processes and develop a holistic picture of HSC aging, ongoing and future studies must include investigation of the critical changes that occur in the HSC niche or bone marrow microenvironment with aging, as increasing evidence supports that these HSC-extrinsic alterations provide necessary inflammation, signaling pathway activation or repression, and other selective pressures to favor HSC aging-associated phenotypes and CH. Here, we provide our perspectives based on the past 8 years of our own laboratory's investigations into these mechanisms and chart a path for integrative studies that, in our opinion, will provide an ideal opportunity to discover HSC and hematopoietic health span-extending interventions. This path includes examining when and how aging-associated HSC-intrinsic and HSC-extrinsic changes accumulate over time in different individuals and developing new models to track and test relevant HSC-extrinsic changes, complementary to innovative HSC lineage tracing systems that have recently been developed.

A network pharmacology approach to investigating the mechanism of Tanshinone IIA for the treatment of liver fibrosis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL REVELVANCE

Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) is a major component extracted from the traditional herbal medicine salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), which activates blood circulation and treats chronic hepatitis and liver fibrosis. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of TIIA against hepatic fibrosis is still largely unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study aimed to evaluate the antifibrotic effects of TIIA in liver fibrosis and investigate its underlying mechanism through network pharmacology-based prediction and experimental verification.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, a "TIIA-targets-liver fibrosis" network was constructed by combining the TIIA-specific and hepatic fibrosis-specific targets with protein-protein interactions (PPIS), and network pharmacology was applied to identify the potential targets and mechanisms of TIIA in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis. The antifibrotic effect of TIIA was investigated in CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats in vivo and in the human HSC line LX2 in vitro.

RESULTS

We identified 75 potential targets of TIIA and 1382 targets of liver fibrosis. Subsequently, the 29 target proteins that overlapped between the potential TIIA targets and the liver fibrosis targets indicated that TIIA has potential antifibrotic effects through regulating multiple targets, including c-Jun, c-Myc, CCND1, MMP9 and P65. Pathway and functional enrichment analysis of these putative targets showed that TIIA could regulate the MAPK, PI3K/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways. Consistently, in vivo and in vitro experiments indicated that TIIA attenuated CCl4-induced liver injury and fibrosis and inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSC) proliferation and activation; these findings were concomitant with the decreased expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and human α2 (I) collagen (COL1A2). Moreover, TIIA remarkably downregulated the expression of c-Jun, c-Myc, MMP9, PI3K and P38 proteins, which were upregulated in CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in vivo. TIIA significantly downregulated the expression of c-Jun, p-c-Jun, c-Myc, CCND1, MMP9, P65, P-P65, PI3K and P38 proteins, which were upregulated during HSC activation in vitro.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that TIIA could significantly improve liver function, decrease liver injury, alleviate ECM accumulation, and attenuate HSC proliferation and activation, thus exerting an antifibrotic effect. The possible molecular mechanism involved MAPK, Wnt and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways via inhibiting c-Jun, p-c-Jun, c-Myc, CCND1, MMP9, P65, P-P65, PI3K and P38. Overall, our results suggest that TIIA could alleviate liver fibrosis through multiple targets and multiple signaling pathways and provide deep insight into the pharmacological mechanisms of TIIA in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Aging and Epigenetics

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological disorder mainly affecting people of older age. AML initiation is primarily attributed to mutations in crucial cellular regulators such as epigenetic factors, transcription factors, and signaling genes. AML’s aggressiveness and responsiveness to treatment depends on the specific cell type where leukemia first arose. Aged hematopoietic cells are often genetically and/or epigenetically altered and, therefore, present with a completely different cellular context for AML development compared to young cells. In this review, we summarize key aspects of AML development, and we focus, in particular, on the contribution of cellular aging to leukemogenesis and on current treatment options for elderly AML patients. Hematological disorders and leukemia grow exponentially with age. So far, with conventional induction therapy, many elderly patients experience a very poor overall survival rate requiring substantial social and medical costs during the relatively few remaining months of life. The global population’s age is increasing rapidly without an acceptable equal growth in therapeutic management of AML in the elderly; this is in sharp contrast to the increase in successful therapies for leukemia in younger patients. Therefore, a focus on the understanding of the biology of aging in the hematopoietic system, the development of appropriate research models, and new therapeutic approaches are urged.

Understanding intrinsic hematopoietic stem cell aging

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) sustain blood production over the entire life-span of an organism. It is of extreme importance that these cells maintain self-renewal and differentiation potential over time in order to preserve homeostasis of the hematopoietic system. Many of the intrinsic aspects of HSC are affected by the aging process resulting in a deterioration in their potential, independently of their microenvironment. Here we review recent findings characterizing most of the intrinsic aspects of aged HSC, ranging from phenotypic to molecular alterations. Historically, DNA damage was thought to be the main cause of HSC aging. However, over recent years, many new findings have defined an increasing number of biological processes that intrinsically change with age in HSC. Epigenetics and chromatin architecture, together with autophagy, proteostasis and metabolic changes, and how they are interconnected, are acquiring growing importance for understanding the intrinsic aging of stem cells. Given the increase in populations of older subjects worldwide, and considering that aging is the primary risk factor for most diseases, understanding HSC aging becomes particularly relevant also in the context of hematologic disorders, such as myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia. Research on intrinsic mechanisms responsible for HSC aging is providing, and will continue to provide, new potential molecular targets to possibly ameliorate or delay aging of the hematopoietic system and consequently improve the outcome of hematologic disorders in the elderly. The niche-dependent contributions to hematopoietic aging are discussed in another review in this same issue of the Journal.

HPRT and Purine Salvaging Are Critical for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Function

Adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) maintain tissue homeostasis and regenerative capacity of the hematopoietic system through self-renewal and differentiation. Metabolism is recognized as an important regulatory entity controlling stem cells. As purine nucleotides are essential for metabolic functions, we analyzed the role of hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT)-associated purine salvaging in HSCs. Here, we demonstrate that hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) show a strong dependence on HPRT-associated purine salvaging. HSPCs with lower HPRT activity had a severely reduced competitive repopulation ability upon transplantation. Strikingly, HPRT deficiency resulted in altered cell-cycle progression, proliferation kinetics and mitochondrial membrane potential primarily in the HSC compartment, whereas more committed progenitors were less affected. Our data thus imply a unique and important role of HPRT and the purine salvage pathway for HSC function. Stem Cells 2019;37:1606-1614.

The Phenylethanol Glycoside Liposome Inhibits PDGF-Induced HSC Activation via Regulation of the FAK/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway

Cistanche tubulosa is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that is widely used to regulate immunity, and phenylethanol glycosides (CPhGs) are among the primary components responsible for this activity. However, the application of CPhGs is negatively affected by their poor absorption and low oral utilization. Targeted drug delivery is an important development direction for pharmaceutics. Previous studies have indicated that CPhGs could block the conduction of the signaling pathways in TGF-β1/smad and inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-hepatic fibrosis effect of CPhG liposomes by inhibiting HSC activation, promoting apoptosis, blocking the cell cycle, suppressing the conduction of signaling pathways in focal adhesion kinase(FAK)/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt), and determining their in vitro hepatoprotective activity. In vitro release studies demonstrated that CPhG liposomes have a sustained release effect compared to drug CPhGs. HSC proliferation was inhibited after treatment with the CPhG liposomes (29.45, 14.72, 7.36 µg/mL), with IC₅₀ values of 42.54 µg/mL in the MTT assay. Different concentrations of the CPhG liposomes could inhibit HSC proliferation, promote apoptosis, and block the cell cycle. The MTT method showed an obvious inhibition of HSC proliferation after CPhG liposome and Recombinant Rat Platelet-derived growth factor-BB(rrPDGF-BB) treatment. The levels of collagen-1, metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP-1), α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and phosphorylated PI3K/Akt were downregulated, and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) was upregulated, by pretreatment with different concentrations of CPhG liposomes. Moreover, 29.45 μg/mL of CPhG liposomes could decrease the expression of the FAK protein and the phosphorylated PI3K and Akt protein downstream of FAK by overexpression of the FAK gene. This experiment suggests that CPhG liposomes may inhibit the activation of HSCs by inhibiting FAK and then reducing the expression of phosphorylated Akt/PI3K, thereby providing new insights into the application of CPhGs for liver fibrosis.

DNA damage in aging, the stem cell perspective

DNA damage is one of the most consistent cellular process proposed to contribute to aging. The maintenance of genomic and epigenomic integrity is critical for proper function of cells and tissues throughout life, and this homeostasis is under constant strain from both extrinsic and intrinsic insults. Considering the relationship between lifespan and genotoxic burden, it is plausible that the longest-lived cellular populations would face an accumulation of DNA damage over time. Tissue-specific stem cells are multipotent populations residing in localized niches and are responsible for maintaining all lineages of their resident tissue/system throughout life. However, many of these stem cells are impacted by genotoxic stress. Several factors may dictate the specific stem cell population response to DNA damage, including the niche location, life history, and fate decisions after damage accrual. This leads to differential handling of DNA damage in different stem cell compartments. Given the importance of adult stem cells in preserving normal tissue function during an individual's lifetime, DNA damage sensitivity and accumulation in these compartments could have crucial implications for aging. Despite this, more support for direct functional effects driven by accumulated DNA damage in adult stem cell compartments is needed. This review will present current evidence for the accumulation and potential influence of DNA damage in adult tissue-specific stem cells and propose inquiry directions that could benefit individual healthspan.

Losing Sense of Self and Surroundings: Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging and Leukemic Transformation

Aging leads to functional decline of the hematopoietic system, manifested by an increased incidence of hematological disease in the elderly. Deterioration of hematopoietic integrity with age originates in part from the degraded functionality of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Here, we review recent findings identifying changes in metabolic programs and loss of epigenetic identity as major drivers of old HSC dysfunction and their role in promoting leukemia onset in the context of age-related clonal hematopoiesis (ARCH). We discuss how inflammatory and growth signals from the aged bone marrow (BM) microenvironment contribute to cell-intrinsic HSC aging phenotypes and favor leukemia development. Finally, we address how metabolic, epigenetic, and inflammatory pathways could be targeted to enhance old HSC fitness and prevent leukemic transformation.

Aging Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells Manifest Profound Epigenetic Reprogramming of Enhancers That May Predispose to Leukemia

Aging is associated with functional decline of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) as well as an increased risk of myeloid malignancies. We performed an integrative characterization of epigenomic and transcriptomic changes, including single-cell RNA sequencing, during normal human aging. Lineage^-CD34⁺CD38^- cells [HSC-enriched (HSCe)] undergo age-associated epigenetic reprogramming consisting of redistribution of DNA methylation and reductions in H3K27ac, H3K4me1, and H3K4me3. This reprogramming of aged HSCe globally targets developmental and cancer pathways that are comparably altered in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) of all ages, encompassing loss of 4,646 active enhancers, 3,091 bivalent promoters, and deregulation of several epigenetic modifiers and key hematopoietic transcription factors, such as KLF6, BCL6, and RUNX3. Notably, in vitro downregulation of KLF6 results in impaired differentiation, increased colony-forming potential, and changes in expression that recapitulate aging and leukemia signatures. Thus, age-associated epigenetic reprogramming may form a predisposing condition for the development of age-related AML. SIGNIFICANCE: AML, which is more frequent in the elderly, is characterized by epigenetic deregulation. We demonstrate that epigenetic reprogramming of human HSCs occurs with age, affecting cancer and developmental pathways. Downregulation of genes epigenetically altered with age leads to impairment in differentiation and partially recapitulates aging phenotypes.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 983.

Molecular and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of normal stem cell radiosensitivity

Ionizing radiation (IR) therapy is a major cancer treatment modality and an indispensable auxiliary treatment for primary and metastatic cancers, but invariably results in debilitating organ dysfunctions. IR-induced depletion of neural stem/progenitor cells in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus where neurogenesis occurs is considered largely responsible for deficiencies such as learning, memory, and spatial information processing in patients subjected to cranial irradiation. Similarly, IR therapy-induced intestinal injuries such as diarrhea and malabsorption are common side effects in patients with gastrointestinal tumors and are believed to be caused by intestinal stem cell drop out. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is currently used to reinstate blood production in leukemia patients and pre-clinical treatments show promising results in other organs such as the skin and kidney, but ethical issues and logistic problems make this route difficult to follow. An alternative way to restore the injured tissue is to preserve the stem cell pool located in that specific tissue/organ niche, but stem cell response to ionizing radiation is inadequately understood at the molecular mechanistic level. Although embryonic and fetal hypersensity to IR has been very well known for many decades, research on embryonic stem cell models in culture concerning molecular mechanisms have been largely inconclusive and often in contradiction of the in vivo observations. This review will summarize the latest discoveries on stem cell radiosensitivity, highlighting the possible molecular and epigenetic mechanism(s) involved in DNA damage response and programmed cell death after ionizing radiation therapy specific to normal stem cells. Finally, we will analyze the possible contribution of stem cell-specific chromatin's epigenetic constitution in promoting normal stem cell radiosensitivity.

Updates on Old and Weary Haematopoiesis

Blood formation, or haematopoiesis, originates from haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), whose functions and maintenance are regulated in both cell- and cell non-autonomous ways. The surroundings of HSCs in the bone marrow create a specific niche or microenvironment where HSCs nest that allows them to retain their unique characteristics and respond rapidly to external stimuli. Ageing is accompanied by reduced regenerative capacity of the organism affecting all systems, due to the progressive decline of stem cell functions. This includes blood and HSCs, which contributes to age-related haematological disorders, anaemia, and immunosenescence, among others. Furthermore, chronological ageing is characterised by myeloid and platelet HSC skewing, inflammageing, and expanded clonal haematopoiesis, which may be the result of the accumulation of preleukaemic lesions in HSCs. Intriguingly, haematological malignancies such as acute myeloid leukaemia have a high incidence among elderly patients, yet not all individuals with clonal haematopoiesis develop leukaemias. Here, we discuss recent work on these aspects, their potential underlying molecular mechanisms, and the first cues linking age-related changes in the HSC niche to poor HSC maintenance. Future work is needed for a better understanding of haematopoiesis during ageing. This field may open new avenues for HSC rejuvenation and therapeutic strategies in the elderly.

Elderly human hematopoietic progenitor cells express cellular senescence markers and are more susceptible to pyroptosis

The maintenance of effective immunity over time is dependent on the capacity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to sustain the pool of immunocompetent mature cells. Decline of immune competence with old age may stem from HSC defects, including reduced self-renewal potential and impaired lymphopoiesis, as suggested in murine models. To obtain further insights into aging-related alteration of hematopoiesis, we performed a comprehensive study of blood hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) from older humans. In the elderly, HPCs present active oxidative phosphorylation and are pressed to enter cell cycling. However, p53-p21 and p15 cell senescence pathways, associated with telomerase activity deficiency, strong telomere attrition, and oxidative stress, are engaged, thus limiting cell cycling. Moreover, survival of old HPCs is impacted by pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of programmed cell death. Lastly, telomerase activity deficiency and telomere length attrition of old HPCs may be passed on to progeny cells such as naive T lymphocytes, further highlighting the poor hematopoietic potential of the elderly. This pre-senescent profile is characteristic of the multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting HPCs in elderly individuals and represents a major obstacle in terms of immune reconstitution and efficacy with advanced age.

Preclinical modeling highlights the therapeutic potential of hematopoietic stem cell gene editing for correction of SCID-X1

Targeted genome editing in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is an attractive strategy for treating immunohematological diseases. However, the limited efficiency of homology-directed editing in primitive HSPCs constrains the yield of corrected cells and might affect the feasibility and safety of clinical translation. These concerns need to be addressed in stringent preclinical models and overcome by developing more efficient editing methods. We generated a humanized X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1) mouse model and evaluated the efficacy and safety of hematopoietic reconstitution from limited input of functional HSPCs, establishing thresholds for full correction upon different types of conditioning. Unexpectedly, conditioning before HSPC infusion was required to protect the mice from lymphoma developing when transplanting small numbers of progenitors. We then designed a one-size-fits-all IL2RG (interleukin-2 receptor common γ-chain) gene correction strategy and, using the same reagents suitable for correction of human HSPC, validated the edited human gene in the disease model in vivo, providing evidence of targeted gene editing in mouse HSPCs and demonstrating the functionality of the IL2RG-edited lymphoid progeny. Finally, we optimized editing reagents and protocol for human HSPCs and attained the threshold of IL2RG editing in long-term repopulating cells predicted to safely rescue the disease, using clinically relevant HSPC sources and highly specific zinc finger nucleases or CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9). Overall, our work establishes the rationale and guiding principles for clinical translation of SCID-X1 gene editing and provides a framework for developing gene correction for other diseases.

Adrenergic nerve degeneration in bone marrow drives aging of the hematopoietic stem cell niche

Aging of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is associated with a decline in their regenerative capacity and multi-lineage differentiation potential, contributing to the development of blood disorders. The bone marrow microenvironment has recently been suggested to influence HSC aging, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we show that HSC aging critically depends on bone marrow innervation by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), as loss of SNS nerves or adrenoreceptor β3 (ADRβ3) signaling in the bone marrow microenvironment of young mice led to premature HSC aging, as evidenced by appearance of HSC phenotypes reminiscent of physiological aging. Strikingly, supplementation of a sympathomimetic acting selectively on ADRβ3 to old mice significantly rejuvenated the in vivo function of aged HSCs, suggesting that the preservation or restitution of bone marrow SNS innervation during aging may hold the potential for new HSC rejuvenation strategies.

Signaling Pathways Regulating Hematopoietic Stem Cell and Progenitor Aging

Purpose of Review

Functional decline of hematopoiesis that occurs in the elderly, or in patients who receive therapies that trigger cellular senescence effects, results in a progressive reduction in the immune response and an increased incidence of myeloid malignancy. Intracellular signals in hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors (HSC/P) mediate systemic, microenvironment, and cell-intrinsic effector aging signals that induce their decline. This review intends to summarize and critically review our advances in the understanding of the intracellular signaling pathways responsible for HSC decline during aging and opportunities for intervention.

Recent Findings

For a long time, aging of HSC has been thought to be an irreversible process imprinted in stem cells due to the cell intrinsic nature of aging. However, recent murine models and human correlative studies provide evidence that aging is associated with molecular signaling pathways, including oxidative stress, metabolic dysfunction, loss of polarity and an altered epigenome. These signaling pathways provide potential targets for prevention or reversal of age-related changes.

Summary

Here we review our current understanding of the signalling pathways that are differentially activated or repressed during HSC/P aging, focusing on the oxidative, metabolic, biochemical and structural consequences downstream, and cell-intrinsic, systemic, and environmental influences.

Attenuated DNA damage responses and increased apoptosis characterize human hematopoietic stem cells exposed to irradiation

Failure to precisely repair DNA damage in self-renewing Hematopoietic Stem and early Progenitor Cells (HSPCs) can disrupt normal hematopoiesis and promote leukemogenesis. Although HSPCs are widely considered a target of ionizing radiation (IR)-induced hematopoietic injury, definitive data regarding cell death, DNA repair, and genomic stability in these rare quiescent cells are scarce. We found that irradiated HSPCs, but not lineage-committed progenitors (CPs), undergo rapid ATM-dependent apoptosis, which is suppressed upon interaction with bone-marrow stroma cells. Using DNA repair reporters to quantify mutagenic Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) processes, we found that HSPCs exhibit reduced NHEJ activities in comparison with CPs. HSPC-stroma interactions did not affect the NHEJ capacity of HSPCs, emphasizing its cell autonomous regulation. We noted diminished expression of multiple double strand break (DSB) repair transcripts along with more persistent 53BP1 foci in irradiated HSPCs in comparison with CPs, which can account for low NHEJ activity and its distinct control in HSPCs. Finally, we documented clonal chromosomal aberrations in 10% of IR-surviving HSPCs. Taken together, our results revealed potential mechanisms contributing to the inherent susceptibility of human HSPC to the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of DNA damage.

Replication stress in hematopoietic stem cells in mouse and man

Life-long blood regeneration relies on a rare population of self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). These cells' nearly unlimited self-renewal potential and lifetime persistence in the body signifies the need for tight control of their genome integrity. Their quiescent state, tightly linked with low metabolic activity, is one of the main strategies employed by HSCs to preserve an intact genome. On the other hand, HSCs need to be able to quickly respond to increased blood demands and rapidly increase their cellular output in order to fight infection-associated inflammation or extensive blood loss. This increase in proliferation rate, however, comes at the price of exposing HSCs to DNA damage inevitably associated with the process of DNA replication. Any interference with normal replication fork progression leads to a specialized molecular response termed replication stress (RS). Importantly, increased levels of RS are a hallmark feature of aged HSCs, where an accumulating body of evidence points to causative relationships between RS and the aging-associated impairment of the blood system's functional capacity. In this review, we present an overview of RS in HSCs focusing on its causes and consequences for the blood system of mice and men.

A matter of life and death: stem cell survival in tissue regeneration and tumour formation

In recent years, great strides have been made in our understanding of how stem cells (SCs) govern tissue homeostasis and regeneration. The inherent longevity of SCs raises the possibility that the unique protective mechanisms in these cells might also be involved in tumorigenesis. In this Opinion article, we discuss how SCs are protected throughout their lifespan, focusing on quiescent behaviour, DNA damage response and programmed cell death. We briefly examine the roles of adult SCs and progenitors in tissue repair and tumorigenesis and explore how signals released from dying or dormant cells influence the function of healthy or aberrant SCs. Important insight into the mechanisms that regulate SC death and survival, as well as the 'legacy' imparted by departing cells, may unlock novel avenues for regenerative medicine and cancer therapy.

The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Is Required for Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Engraftment

The spindle assembly checkpoint plays a pivotal role in preventing aneuploidy and transformation. Many studies demonstrate impairment of this checkpoint in cancer cells. While leukemia is frequently driven by transformed hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), the biology of the spindle assembly checkpoint in such primary cells is not very well understood. Here, we reveal that the checkpoint is fully functional in murine progenitor cells and, to a lesser extent, in hematopoietic stem cells. We show that HSPCs arrest at prometaphase and induce p53-dependent apoptosis upon prolonged treatment with anti-mitotic drugs. Moreover, the checkpoint can be chemically and genetically abrogated, leading to premature exit from mitosis, subsequent enforced G1 arrest, and enhanced levels of chromosomal damage. We finally demonstrate that, upon checkpoint abrogation in HSPCs, hematopoiesis is impaired, manifested by loss of differentiation potential and engraftment ability, indicating a critical role of this checkpoint in HSPCs and hematopoiesis.

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HSPCs harbor a spindle checkpoint that is activated upon anti-mitotic stress

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SAC abrogation causes premature mitotic exit, chromosomal aberrations, and G1 arrest

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Checkpoint activity is required for functionality of progenitors but not stem cells

DNA-damage response in hematopoietic stem cells: an evolutionary trade-off between blood regeneration and leukemia suppression

Self-renewing and multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) maintain lifelong hematopoiesis. Their enormous regenerative potential coupled with lifetime persistence in the body, in contrast with the Progenitors, demand tight control of HSCs genome stability. Indeed, failure to accurately repair DNA damage in HSCs is associated with bone marrow failure and accelerated leukemogenesis. Recent observations exposed remarkable differences in several DNA-damage response (DDR) aspects between HSCs and Progenitors, especially in their DNA-repair capacities and susceptibility to apoptosis. Human HSCs in comparison with Progenitors exhibit delayed DNA double-strand break rejoining, persistent DDR signaling activation, higher sensitivity to the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation and attenuated expression of DNA-repair genes. Importantly, the distinct DDR of HSCs was also documented in mouse models. Nevertheless, physiological significance and the molecular basis of the HSCs-specific DDR features are only partially understood. Taking radiation-induced DDR as a paradigm, this review will focus on the current advances in understanding the role of cell-intrinsic DDR regulators and the cellular microenvironment in balancing stemness with genome stability. Pre-leukemia HSCs and clonal hematopoiesis evolvement will be discussed as an evolutionary compromise between the need for lifelong blood regeneration and DDR. Uniquely for this review, we outline the differences in HSCs-related DDR as highlighted by various experimental systems and attempt to provide their critical analysis.

Rejuvenation of aged hematopoietic stem cells

Until recently, there was broad consensus in the stem cell aging field that the phenotype of aged hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is fixed-dominated by cell-intrinsic regulatory mechanisms that cannot be altered by pharmacological or genetic means. The conventional thinking was that HSC aging could not be reverted by therapeutic intervention. This paradigm has started to shift dramatically, primarily because hallmarks of aged HSCs have been successfully reverted by distinct experimental approaches by multiple laboratories. We will discuss in this review these hallmarks of HSCs aging and the novel approaches that successfully ameliorated or even reverted aging-associated hallmarks of aged HSCs.

Accumulation of DNA damage in the aged hematopoietic stem cell compartment

Aging is associated with loss of functional potential of multiple tissue systems, and there has been significant interest in understanding how tissue-specific cells contribute to this decline. DNA damage accumulation has been widely associated with aging in differentiated cell types. However, tissue-specific stem cells were once thought to be a geno-protected population, as damage accrued in a stem cell population has the potential to be inherited by differentiated progeny, as well as propagated within the stem cell compartment through self-renewal divisions. This review will discuss the evidence for DNA damage accumulation in the aged HSC compartment, potential drivers, and finally the consequences of the acquired damage.

The aging hematopoietic stem cell niche: Phenotypic and functional changes and mechanisms that contribute to hematopoietic aging

The hematopoietic system has the remarkable ability to provide a lifelong supply of mature cells that make up the entire blood and immune system. However, similar to other adult stem cell niches, the hematopoietic system is vulnerable to the detrimental effects of aging. This is a substantial health concern as the trend for population aging continues to increase. Identifying mechanisms that underlie hematopoietic aging is vital for understanding hematopoietic-related diseases. In this review, we first discuss the cellular hierarchy of the hematopoietic system and the components that make up the surrounding hematopoietic niche. We then provide an overview of the major phenotypes associated with hematopoietic aging and discuss recent research investigating cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms of hematopoietic stem cell (HSCs) aging. We end by discussing the exciting new concept of possibly reversing the HSC aging process along with outstanding questions that remain to be answered.

Do DNA Double-Strand Breaks Drive Aging?

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are rare, but highly toxic, lesions requiring orchestrated and conserved machinery to prevent adverse consequences, such as cell death and cancer-causing genome structural mutations. DSBs trigger the DNA damage response (DDR) that directs a cell to repair the break, undergo apoptosis, or become senescent. There is increasing evidence that the various endpoints of DSB processing by different cells and tissues are part of the aging phenotype, with each stage of the DDR associated with specific aging pathologies. In this Perspective, we discuss the possibility that DSBs are major drivers of intrinsic aging, highlighting the dynamics of spontaneous DSBs in relation to aging, the distinct age-related pathologies induced by DSBs, and the segmental progeroid phenotypes in humans and mice with genetic defects in DSB repair. A model is presented as to how DSBs could drive some of the basic mechanisms underlying age-related functional decline and death.

Aging of hematopoietic stem cells: DNA damage and mutations?

Aging in the hematopoietic system and the stem cell niche contributes to aging-associated phenotypes of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), including leukemia and aging-associated immune remodeling. Among others, the DNA damage theory of aging of HSCs is well established, based on the detection of a significantly larger amount of γH2AX foci and a higher tail moment in the comet assay, both initially thought to be associated with DNA damage in aged HSCs compared with young cells, and bone marrow failure in animals devoid of DNA repair factors. Novel data on the increase in and nature of DNA mutations in the hematopoietic system with age, the quality of the DNA damage response in aged HSCs, and the nature of γH2AX foci question a direct link between DNA damage and the DNA damage response and aging of HSCs, and rather favor changes in epigenetics, splicing-factors or three-dimensional architecture of the cell as major cell intrinsic factors of HSCs aging. Aging of HSCs is also driven by a strong contribution of aging of the niche. This review discusses the DNA damage theory of HSC aging in the light of these novel mechanisms of aging of HSCs.

Aging, Clonality, and Rejuvenation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Aging is associated with reduced organ function and increased disease incidence. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) aging driven by both cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors is linked to impaired HSC self-renewal and regeneration, aging-associated immune remodeling, and increased leukemia incidence. Compromised DNA damage responses and the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been previously causatively attributed to HSC aging. However, recent paradigm-shifting concepts, such as global epigenetic and cytoskeletal polarity shifts, cellular senescence, as well as the clonal selection of HSCs upon aging, provide new insights into HSC aging mechanisms. Rejuvenating agents that can reprogram the epigenetic status of aged HSCs or senolytic drugs that selectively deplete senescent cells provide promising translational avenues for attenuating hematopoietic aging and, potentially, alleviating aging-associated immune remodeling and myeloid malignancies.