Human stem-progenitor cells from neonatal cord blood have greater hematopoietic expansion capacity than those from mobilized adult blood

• Published in: Experimental hematology Vol. 30; no. 7; pp. 816 - 823
• Main Authors: Tanavde, Vivek M, Malehorn, Matthew T, Lumkul, Rachata, Gao, Zhigang, Wingard, John, Garrett, Elizabeth S, Civin, Curt I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.07.2002
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Antigens, CD34 - analysis; Biomarkers; Blood Cells - cytology; Blood Cells - drug effects; Cell Division - drug effects; Cell Lineage; Cell Separation; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured - cytology; Cells, Cultured - drug effects; Colony-Forming Units Assay; Culture Media, Serum-Free - pharmacology; Fetal Blood - cytology; Flow Cytometry; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Hematopoietic Stem Cells - cytology; Hematopoietic Stem Cells - drug effects; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Membrane Proteins - pharmacology; Mice; Mice, Inbred NOD; Mice, SCID; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Stem Cell Factor - pharmacology; Thrombopoietin - pharmacology; Transplantation, Heterologous
• ISSN: 0301-472X; 1873-2399
• DOI: 10.1016/S0301-472X(02)00818-4

In this study we compared the hematopoietic capacity of CD34 + cell preparations from neonatal cord blood (CB) vs adult mobilized peripheral blood (PBSC) before and after ex vivo culture. CD34 + cell preparations purified from CB or PBSC were cultured in serum-free medium containing FKT: FLT-3 ligand (FL), KIT ligand (KL), and thrombopoietin (TPO). After 1–4 weeks ex vivo culture, CB CD34 + cell preparations had greatly increased numbers of total cells, CD34 + cells, and colony-forming cells (CFC). In contrast, ex vivo–cultured PBSC CD34 + cell preparations generated far less in vitro assessed hematopoietic capacity. Nonobese diabetic severe combined immunodeficient mouse (NOD/SCID) engrafting potential (SEP) was maintained in ex vivo–cultured CB CD34 + cell preparations, whereas ex vivo–cultured PBSC lost SEP. CB CD34 + cells continued to proliferate throughout 3 weeks ex vivo, whereas after 1 week, no additional cell divisions were detected in PBSC CD34 + cells. After 3 weeks in culture, the average CB CD34 + cell had divided more than 5 times, as compared to only 2 times for the average PBSC CD34 + cell. CB CD34 + cell preparations generated massively increased in vitro assessed hematopoietic capacity and maintained SEP during 1- to 4-week ex vivo cultures. In contrast, ex vivo–cultured PBSC CD34 + cell preparations generated far less in vitro assessed hematopoietic capacity and decreased SEP. The differences in the in vitro proliferative indices of membrane dye-labeled CD34 + cells from CB vs PBSC correlated with these functional differences.