Phylogenetic and Ontogenetic View of Erythroblastic Islands

Mechanisms of Formation of Antibodies against Blood Group Antigens That Do Not Exist in the Body

The system of the four different human blood groups is based on the oligosaccharide antigens A or B, which are located on the surface of blood cells and other cells including endothelial cells, attached to the membrane proteins or lipids. After transfusion, the presence of these antigens on the apical surface of endothelial cells could induce an immunological reaction against the host. The final oligosaccharide sequence of AgA consists of Gal-GlcNAc-Gal (GalNAc)-Fuc. AgB contains Gal-GlcNAc-Gal (Gal)-Fuc. These antigens are synthesised in the Golgi complex (GC) using unique Golgi glycosylation enzymes (GGEs). People with AgA also synthesise antibodies against AgB (group A [II]). People with AgB synthesise antibodies against AgA (group B [III]). People expressing AgA together with AgB (group AB [IV]) do not have these antibodies, while people who do not express these antigens (group O [0; I]) synthesise antibodies against both antigens. Consequently, the antibodies are synthesised against antigens that apparently do not exist in the body. Here, we compared the prediction power of the main hypotheses explaining the formation of these antibodies, namely, the concept of natural antibodies, the gut bacteria-derived antibody hypothesis, and the antibodies formed as a result of glycosylation mistakes or de-sialylation of polysaccharide chains. We assume that when the GC is overloaded with lipids, other less specialised GGEs could make mistakes and synthesise the antigens of these blood groups. Alternatively, under these conditions, the chylomicrons formed in the enterocytes may, under this overload, linger in the post-Golgi compartment, which is temporarily connected to the endosomes. These compartments contain neuraminidases that can cleave off sialic acid, unmasking these blood antigens located below the acid and inducing the production of antibodies.

Crosstalk between terminal erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis within their common niche: the erythromyeloblastic island

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The identity of the erythroblastic island (EBI) macrophage (Mϕ) has been under investigation for decades since it was recognized as the first hematopoietic niche 'nursing' terminal erythropoiesis. This review will focus on the current insights to the characteristics and the role of the EBI Mϕ balancing terminal erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis.

RECENT FINDINGS

While the EBI has long been known as the niche for erythroid precursors, significant advancements in biology research technologies, including optimization of EBI enrichment protocols, single-cell ribonucleic acid sequencing, and imaging flow cytometry, have recently revealed that granulocytic precursors co-exist in this niche, termed erythromyeloblastic island (EMBI). More importantly, the balance noted at baseline between terminal granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis within EBIs/EMBIs is altered with diseases affecting hematopoiesis, such as stress erythropoiesis and inflammatory conditions causing anemia of inflammation. The role of the EMBI niche has yet to be fully investigated mechanistically, however, a notable degree of transcriptional and cell surface marker heterogeneity has been identified for the EMBI Mϕ, implicating its plasticity and diverse function.

SUMMARY

Terminal erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis are regulated within the EMBI. Investigations of their balance within this niche in health and disease may reveal new targets for treatment of diseases of terminal hematopoiesis.

Navigating the marrow sea towards erythromyeloblastic islands under normal and inflammatory conditions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Terminal erythroid differentiation occurs in specialized niches called erythroblastic islands. Since their discovery in 1958, these niches have been described as a central macrophage surrounded by differentiating erythroblasts. Here, we review the recent advances made in the characterization of these islands and the role they could play in anaemia of inflammation.

RECENT FINDINGS

The utilization of multispectral imaging flow cytometry (flow cytometry with microscopy) has enabled for a more precise characterization of the niche that revealed the presence of maturing granulocytes in close contact with the central macrophage. These erythromyeloblastic islands (EMBIs) can adapt depending on the peripheral needs. Indeed, during inflammation wherein inflammatory cytokines limit erythropoiesis and promote granulopoiesis, EMBIs present altered structures with increased maturing granulocytes and decreased erythroid precursors.

SUMMARY

Regulation of the structure and function of the EMBI in the bone marrow emerges as a potential player in the pathophysiology of acute and chronic inflammation and its associated anaemia.

Normal Iron Homeostasis Requires the Transporter SLC48A1 for Efficient Heme-Iron Recycling in Mammals

In mammals over 65% of the total body iron is located within erythrocytes in the heme moieties of hemoglobin. Iron homeostasis requires iron absorbed from the diet by the gut as well as recycling of iron after the destruction of senescent erythrocytes. Senescent erythrocytes are engulfed by reticuloendothelial system macrophages where hemoglobin is broken down in the lysosomes, releasing heme for iron recovery in the cytoplasm. We recently showed that the SLC48A1 protein is responsible for transporting heme from the lysosome to the cytoplasm. CRISPR generated SLC48A1-deficient mice accumulate heme in their reticuloendothelial system macrophages as hemozoin crystals. Here we describe additional features of SLC48A1-deficient mice. We show that visible hemozoin first appears in the reticuloendothelial system macrophages of SLC48A1-deficient mice at 8 days of age, indicating the onset of erythrocyte recycling. Evaluation of normal and SLC48A1-deficient mice on iron-controlled diets show that SLC48A1-mediated iron recycling is equivalent to at least 10 parts per million of dietary iron. We propose that mutations in human SLC48A1 could contribute to idiopathic iron disorders.

A Review of the Action of Magnesium on Several Processes Involved in the Modulation of Hematopoiesis

Magnesium (Mg²⁺) is an essential mineral for the functioning and maintenance of the body. Disturbances in Mg²⁺ intracellular homeostasis result in cell-membrane modification, an increase in oxidative stress, alteration in the proliferation mechanism, differentiation, and apoptosis. Mg²⁺ deficiency often results in inflammation, with activation of inflammatory pathways and increased production of proinflammatory cytokines by immune cells. Immune cells and others that make up the blood system are from hematopoietic tissue in the bone marrow. The hematopoietic tissue is a tissue with high indices of renovation, and Mg²⁺ has a pivotal role in the cell replication process, as well as DNA and RNA synthesis. However, the impact of the intra- and extracellular disturbance of Mg²⁺ homeostasis on the hematopoietic tissue is little explored. This review deals specifically with the physiological requirements of Mg²⁺ on hematopoiesis, showing various studies related to the physiological requirements and the effects of deficiency or excess of this mineral on the hematopoiesis regulation, as well as on the specific process of erythropoiesis, granulopoiesis, lymphopoiesis, and thrombopoiesis. The literature selected includes studies in vitro, in animal models, and in humans, giving details about the impact that alterations of Mg²⁺ homeostasis can have on hematopoietic cells and hematopoietic tissue.

Macrophages Orchestrate Hematopoietic Programs and Regulate HSC Function During Inflammatory Stress

The bone marrow contains distinct cell types that work in coordination to generate blood and immune cells, and it is the primary residence of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and more committed multipotent progenitors (MPPs). Even at homeostasis the bone marrow is a dynamic environment where billions of cells are generated daily to replenish short-lived immune cells and produce the blood factors and cells essential for hemostasis and oxygenation. In response to injury or infection, the marrow rapidly adapts to produce specific cell types that are in high demand revealing key insight to the inflammatory nature of "demand-adapted" hematopoiesis. Here we focus on the role that resident and monocyte-derived macrophages play in driving these hematopoietic programs and how macrophages impact HSCs and downstream MPPs. Macrophages are exquisite sensors of inflammation and possess the capacity to adapt to the environment, both promoting and restraining inflammation. Thus, macrophages hold great potential for manipulating hematopoietic output and as potential therapeutic targets in a variety of disease states where macrophage dysfunction contributes to or is necessary for disease. We highlight essential features of bone marrow macrophages and discuss open questions regarding macrophage function, their role in orchestrating demand-adapted hematopoiesis, and mechanisms whereby they regulate HSC function.

Human erythrocytes: cytoskeleton and its origin

In the last few years, erythrocytes have emerged as the main determinant of blood rheology. In mammals, these cells are devoid of nuclei and are, therefore, unable to divide. Consequently, all circulating erythrocytes come from erythropoiesis, a process in the bone marrow in which several modifications are induced in the expression of membrane and cytoskeletal proteins, and different vertical and horizontal interactions are established between them. Cytoskeleton components play an important role in this process, which explains why they and the interaction between them have been the focus of much recent research. Moreover, in mature erythrocytes, the cytoskeleton integrity is also essential, because the cytoskeleton confers remarkable deformability and stability on the erythrocytes, thus enabling them to undergo deformation in microcirculation. Defects in the cytoskeleton produce changes in erythrocyte deformability and stability, affecting cell viability and rheological properties. Such abnormalities are seen in different pathologies of special interest, such as different types of anemia, hypertension, and diabetes, among others. This review highlights the main findings in mammalian erythrocytes and their progenitors regarding the presence, conformation and function of the three main components of the cytoskeleton: actin, intermediate filaments, and tubulin.

Novel erythrocyte clumps revealed by an orphan gene Newtic1 in circulating blood and regenerating limbs of the adult newt

The newt, a group of urodele amphibians, has outstanding ability to repeatedly regenerate various body parts, even in the terrestrial life-stage. In this animal, when the limb is amputated, a cell mass named the blastema appears on the stump and eventually gives rise to a new functional limb. Erythrocytes (red blood cells) in most non-mammalian vertebrates, including the newt, preserve their nucleus throughout their life-span, although physiological roles of such nucleated erythrocytes, other than oxygen delivery, are not known. Here we report novel behavior of erythrocytes in the newt. We identified an orphan gene Newtic1, whose transcripts significantly increased in the blastema. Newtic1 was expressed in a subset of erythrocytes that formed a novel clump (EryC). EryC formed a complex with monocytes and was circulating throughout the body. When the limb was amputated, EryCs were newly generated in the stump and accumulated into a distal portion of the growing blastema. Our data suggested that the newt erythrocytes carried multiple secretory molecules including growth factors and matrix metalloproteases, and were capable of delivering these molecules into the blastema as a form of EryCs. This study provides insight into regulations and roles of nucleated erythrocytes, that are independent of oxygen delivery.

Expansion of EPOR-negative macrophages besides erythroblasts by elevated EPOR signaling in erythrocytosis mouse models

Activated erythropoietin (EPO) receptor (EPOR) signaling causes erythrocytosis. The important role of macrophages for the erythroid expansion and differentiation process has been reported, both in baseline and stress erythropoiesis. However, the significance of EPOR signaling for regulation of macrophages contributing to erythropoiesis has not been fully understood. Here we show that EPOR signaling activation quickly expands both erythrocytes and macrophages in vivo in mouse models of primary and secondary erythrocytosis. To mimic the chimeric condition and expansion of the disease clone in the polycythemia vera patients, we combined Cre-inducible Jak2^V617F/+ allele with LysM-Cre allele which expresses in mature myeloid cells and some of the HSC/Ps (LysM-Cre;Jak2^V617F/+ mice). We also generated inducible EPO-mediated secondary erythrocytosis models using Alb-Cre, Rosa26-loxP-stop-loxP-rtTA, and doxycycline inducible EPAS1-double point mutant (DPM) alleles (Alb-Cre;DPM mice). Both models developed a similar degree of erythrocytosis. Macrophages were also increased in both models without increase of major inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. EPO administration also quickly induced these macrophages in wild-type mice before observable erythrocytosis. These findings suggest that EPOR signaling activation could induce not only erythroid cell expansion, but also macrophages. Surprisingly, an in vivo genetic approach indicated that most of those macrophages do not express EPOR, but erythroid cells and macrophages contacted tightly with each other. Given the importance of the central macrophages as a niche for erythropoiesis, further elucidation of the EPOR signaling mediated-regulatory mechanisms underlying macrophage induction might reveal a potential therapeutic target for erythrocytosis.

Unraveling Macrophage Heterogeneity in Erythroblastic Islands

Mammalian erythropoiesis occurs within erythroblastic islands (EBIs), niches where maturing erythroblasts interact closely with a central macrophage. While it is generally accepted that EBI macrophages play an important role in erythropoiesis, thorough investigation of the mechanisms by which they support erythropoiesis is limited largely by inability to identify and isolate the specific macrophage sub-population that constitute the EBI. Early studies utilized immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence to study EBI morphology and structure, while more recent efforts have used flow cytometry for high-throughput quantitative characterization of EBIs and their central macrophages. However, these approaches based on the expectation that EBI macrophages are a homogeneous population (F4/80⁺/CD169⁺/VCAM-1⁺ for example) provide an incomplete picture and potentially overlook critical information about the nature and biology of the islands and their central macrophages. Here, we present a novel method for analysis of EBI macrophages from hematopoietic tissues of mice and rats using multispectral imaging flow cytometry (IFC), which combines the high-throughput advantage of flow cytometry with the morphological and fluorescence features derived from microscopy. This method provides both quantitative analysis of EBIs, as well as structural and morphological details of the central macrophages and associated cells. Importantly, the images, combined with quantitative software features, can be used to evaluate co-expression of phenotypic markers which is crucial since some antigens used to identify macrophages (e.g., F4/80 and CD11b) can be expressed on non-erythroid cells associated with the islands instead of, or in addition to the central macrophage itself. We have used this method to analyze native EBIs from different hematopoietic tissues and evaluated the expression of several markers that have been previously reported to be expressed on EBI macrophages. We found that VCAM-1, F4/80, and CD169 are expressed heterogeneously by the central macrophages within the EBIs, while CD11b, although abundantly expressed by cells within the islands, is not expressed on the EBI macrophages. Moreover, differences in the phenotype of EBIs in rats compared to mice point to potential functional differences between these species. These data demonstrate the usefulness of IFC in analysis and characterization of EBIs and more importantly in exploring the heterogeneity and plasticity of EBI macrophages.

Characterization, regulation, and targeting of erythroid progenitors in normal and disordered human erythropoiesis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The erythroid progenitors burst-forming unit-erythroid and colony-forming unit-erythroid have a critical role in erythropoiesis. These cells represent a heterogeneous and poorly characterized population with modifiable self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation capabilities. This review focuses on the current state of erythroid progenitor biology with regard to immunophenotypic identification and regulatory programs. In addition, we will discuss the therapeutic implications of using these erythroid progenitors as pharmacologic targets.

RECENT FINDINGS

Erythroid progenitors are classically characterized by the appearance of morphologically defined colonies in semisolid cultures. However, these prior systems preclude a more thorough understanding of the composite nature of progenitor populations. Recent studies employing novel flow cytometric and cell-based assays have helped to redefine hematopoiesis, and suggest that erythroid progenitors may arise from different levels of the hematopoietic tree. Moreover, the identification of cell surface marker patterns in human burst-forming unit-erythroid and colony-forming unit-erythroid enhance our ability to perform downstream functional and molecular analyses at the population and single cell level. Advances in these techniques have already revealed novel subpopulations with increased self-renewing capacity, roles for erythroid progenitors in globin gene expression, and insights into pharmacologic mechanisms of glucocorticoids and pomalidomide.

SUMMARY

Immunophenotypic and molecular characterization resolves the diversity of erythroid progenitors, and may ultimately lead to the ability to target these progenitors to ameliorate diseases of dyserythropoiesis.

The macrophage contribution to stress erythropoiesis: when less is enough

Although the importance of native bone marrow and spleen macrophages in enhancing baseline and stress erythropoiesis has been emphasized over several decades, their kinetic and phenotypic changes during a variety of stress responses have been unclear. Furthermore, whether monocyte-derived recruited macrophages can functionally substitute for inadequate or functionally impaired native macrophages has been controversial and seem to be not only tissue- but also stress-type dependent. To provide further insight into these issues, we made detailed observations at baseline and post-erythroid stress (E-stress) in 2 mouse models with genetically depressed macrophage numbers and compared them to their controls. We documented that, irrespective of the stress-induced (hemolytic or post-erythropoietin [Epo]) treatment, only native CD11b(lo) splenic macrophages expand dramatically post-stress in normal mice without significant changes in the monocyte-derived CD11b(hi) subset. The latter remained a minority and did not change post-stress in 2 genetic models lacking either Spi-C or VCAM-1 with impaired native macrophage proliferative expansion. Although CD11b(lo) macrophages in these mice were one-fifth of normal at their peak response, surprisingly, their erythroid response was not compromised and was similar to controls. Thus, despite the prior emphasis on numerical macrophage reliance to provide functional rescue from E-stress, our data highlight the importance of previously described non-macrophage-dependent pathways activated under certain stress conditions to compensate for low macrophage numbers.

Macrophages: Key regulators of steady-state and demand-adapted hematopoiesis

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function is required for balanced blood production throughout life; it is thus essential to understand the mechanisms regulating this highly dynamic process. Bone marrow-resident macrophages (Mϕs) have recently emerged as an important component of the HSC niche, where they contribute to regulating HSC and progenitor cell (HSPC) mobilization and function. Here we review the role of macrophages (Mϕs) on immune cell production, HSPC pool size, and mobilization at steady state and under inflammatory conditions. Inflammation induces marked changes in hematopoiesis to restrict or promote generation of specific cell lineages, and this often has a negative impact on HSC function. Cytokines and growth factors induced during inflammation influence hematopoiesis by acting directly on HSPCs and/or by modulating niche cell function. We focus particular attention on the opposing effects of two key inflammatory proteins, interferon-γ and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, in regulating bone marrow-resident macrophages (Mϕs) and HSPCs. Macrophages (Mϕs) are essential for tissue homeostasis, and here we highlight their emerging role as a central regulator of both steady-state and demand-adapted hematopoiesis.