An Agonist Murine Monoclonal Antibody to the Human c-Mpl Receptor Stimulates Megakaryocytopoiesis

• Published in: Blood Vol. 92; no. 6; pp. 1981 - 1988
• Main Authors: Deng, Bijia, Banu, Naheed, Malloy, Beth, Hass, Philip, Wang, Jian Feng, Cavacini, Lisa, Eaton, Dan, Avraham, Hava
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 15.09.1998
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V92.6.1981.418k15_1981_1988

Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a hematopoietic growth factor that stimulates megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production in vivo and promotes the development of identifiable megakaryocytes in vitro. We have developed a murine monoclonal antibody, BAH-1, raised against human megakaryocytic cells, which specifically recognizes the c-Mpl receptor and shows agonist activity by stimulating megakaryocytopoiesis in vitro. BAH-1 antibody specifically binds to platelets and to recombinant c-Mpl with high affinity. Similar to TPO, BAH-1 alone supported the formation of colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-MK) colonies. The combination of BAH-1 plus interleukin-3 or of BAH-1 plus human TPO significantly increased the number of human CFU-MK colonies. In addition, BAH-1 monoclonal antibody stimulated the proliferation and maturation of primary bone marrow megakaryocytes in a dynamic heterogeneous liquid culture system. Individual large megakaryocytes as well as small megakaryocytic cells were observed in cultures of CD34+ CD41+cells in the presence of BAH-1 antibodies. Similar to TPO, BAH-1 antibody induced a significant response of murine immature megakaryocytes as observed by an increase in the detectable numbers of acetylcholinesterase-positive megakaryocytes. No effects of BAH-1 antibody were observed on colony-forming unit–granulocyte-macrophage, burst-forming unit-erythroid, or colony-forming unit-erythroid colonies. In vivo studies showed that BAH-1, alone or in combination with TPO, expands the numbers of megakaryocytic progenitor cells in myelosuppressed mice. This antibody should prove useful in understanding the structure-function aspects of the c-Mpl receptor as well as in evaluating the effects of the sustained activation of this receptor in preclinical models of severe thrombocytopenia. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.