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Celhar T, Li X, Zhao Y, Tay HC, Lee A, Liew HH, Shepherdson EK, Rajarethinam R, Fan Y, Mak A, Chan JKY, Singhal A, Takahashi T. Fetal liver CD34 + contain human immune and endothelial progenitors and mediate solid tumor rejection in NOG mice. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:164. [PMID: 38853275 PMCID: PMC11163708 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03756-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transplantation of CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) into immunodeficient mice is an established method to generate humanized mice harbouring a human immune system. Different sources and methods for CD34+ isolation have been employed by various research groups, resulting in customized models that are difficult to compare. A more detailed characterization of CD34+ isolates is needed for a better understanding of engraftable hematopoietic and potentially non-hematopoietic cells. Here we have performed a direct comparison of CD34+ isolated from cord blood (CB-CD34+) or fetal liver (FL-CD34+ and FL-CD34+CD14-) and their engraftment into immunocompromised NOD/Shi-scid Il2rgnull (NOG) mice. METHODS NOG mice were transplanted with either CB-CD34+, FL-CD34+ or FL-CD34+CD14- to generate CB-NOG, FL-NOG and FL-CD14--NOG, respectively. After 15-20 weeks, the mice were sacrificed and human immune cell reconstitution was assessed in blood and several organs. Liver sections were pathologically assessed upon Haematoxylin and Eosin staining. To assess the capability of allogenic tumor rejection in CB- vs. FL-reconstituted mice, animals were subcutaneously engrafted with an HLA-mismatched melanoma cell line. Tumor growth was assessed by calliper measurements and a Luminex-based assay was used to compare the cytokine/chemokine profiles. RESULTS We show that CB-CD34+ are a uniform population of HSPC that reconstitute NOG mice more rapidly than FL-CD34+ due to faster B cell development. However, upon long-term engraftment, FL-NOG display increased numbers of neutrophils, dendritic cells and macrophages in multiple tissues. In addition to HSPC, FL-CD34+ isolates contain non-hematopoietic CD14+ endothelial cells that enhance the engraftment of the human immune system in FL-NOG mice. We demonstrate that these CD14+CD34+ cells are capable of reconstituting Factor VIII-producing liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) in FL-NOG. However, CD14+CD34+ also contribute to hepatic sinusoidal dilatation and immune cell infiltration, which may culminate in a graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) pathology upon long-term engraftment. Finally, using an HLA-A mismatched CDX melanoma model, we show that FL-NOG, but not CB-NOG, can mount a graft-versus-tumor (GVT) response resulting in tumor rejection. CONCLUSION Our results highlight important phenotypical and functional differences between CB- and FL-NOG and reveal FL-NOG as a potential model to study hepatic sinusoidal dilatation and mechanisms of GVT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teja Celhar
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore.
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA), 3-25-12 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan.
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #05-13, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Xinyi Li
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
- Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Yunqian Zhao
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hui Chien Tay
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
| | - Andrea Lee
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #05-13, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hui Hua Liew
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, 229899, Republic of Singapore
| | - Edwin Kunxiang Shepherdson
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, 229899, Republic of Singapore
| | - Ravisankar Rajarethinam
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yiping Fan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, 229899, Republic of Singapore
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Republic of Singapore
- Experimental Fetal Medicine Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, 117597, Republic of Singapore
| | - Anselm Mak
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Division of Rheumatology, University Medicine Cluster, National University Health System, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jerry Kok Yen Chan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, 229899, Republic of Singapore
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Republic of Singapore
- Experimental Fetal Medicine Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, 117597, Republic of Singapore
| | - Amit Singhal
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #04-06, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos #05-13, Singapore, 138648, Republic of Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 636921, Republic of Singapore
| | - Takeshi Takahashi
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA), 3-25-12 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
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