No abstract

Relatively little is known about the relationship of lymphoid-associated gene expression to the proliferation and differentiation potential of early human bone marrow lymphoid progenitors. Surface expression of interleukin-7 (IL-7) receptor-α (IL-7Rα), a component of the high-affinity receptor for the lymphoid precursor growth factor IL-7, defined a CD34+ progenitor subset lacking the CD19+ pro-B phenotype but demonstrating markedly enhanced lymphoid clonogenic capacity and the ability to differentiate into pro-B cells in short-term culture. These progenitors expressed mRNA for the lymphoid-associated genes Igβ, RAG-1, and PAX-5, and were uniformly TdT-positive (TdT+). In contrast, IL-7Rα−/CD19−/CD34+ progenitors had a 50-fold reduced lymphoid clonogenic capacity and did not differentiate into pro-B cells in short-term culture. Expression of TdT and the lymphoid-associated genes Igβ and RAG-1, but not PAX-5, was detected in this fraction, although at lower levels than in the IL-7Rα+ progenitors. In contrast to IL-7Rα, loss of the stem cell factor receptor c-kit was associated with enhanced lymphoid clonogenic potential and increased B-lineage differentiation potential. These results indicate that IL-7Rα expression defines entry into a developmental stage characterized by upregulation of multiple lymphoid-associated genes and enhanced fitness for B-lymphoid differentiation. The onset of IL-7Rα and PAX-5 expression immediately before acquisition of CD19 is consistent with evidence suggesting upregulation of CD19 through pathways involving PAX-5 and IL-7.

Development of lymphoid progenitors in vivo requires interaction with a bone marrow stromal microenvironment containing multiple cytokines involved in the development of nonlymphoid hemopoietic lineages. We tested the effect of one such cytokine, TGF-beta, on the proliferation of early human clonogenic lymphoid progenitors using a stroma-dependent in vitro culture system. TGF-beta caused a dose-dependent inhibition of lymphoid progenitor colonies that was reversible at low TGF-beta doses by addition of exogenous IL-7 to the cultures. IL-7 was unable to reverse the inhibitory effect of higher TGF-beta concentrations or inhibition caused by IL-1alpha, IL-4, or TNF-alpha. Stromal IL-7 mRNA expression and protein secretion were markedly down-regulated by TGF-beta, suggesting that inhibition of stromal IL-7 secretion partially accounts for the inhibitory effect of TGF-beta on lymphopoiesis in this culture system. It is likely that higher TGF-beta concentrations do not inhibit lymphopoiesis by down-regulating IL-7 receptor expression, since this cytokine did not reduce IL-7R alpha or gamma c mRNA levels in normal B cell precursors. Since direct stromal contact is required for in vitro lymphopoiesis, the potential regulation of the IL-7 pathway by cell adhesion was examined. Adhesion of human B cell precursors to stroma did not alter stromal IL-7 expression or expression of IL-7R alpha or gamma c-chains by B cell precursors. These results indicate that TGF-beta is a significant negative regulator of stroma-dependent proliferation of early human lymphoid progenitors and acts in part by down-regulating stromal IL-7 secretion.

An in vitro culture system in which bone marrow-derived fibroblast-like cells support the growth of TdT+ colonies derived from CD34+/CD10- human bone marrow progenitor cells has recently been described. The regulatory role of cytokines during early B lineage commitment was investigated using this culture system. Expression of IL-7, a cytokine that induces proliferation of B cell precursors, was detectable in the adherent layer by PCR and bioassay. Lymphoid progenitor colonies were inhibited by neutralizing anti-IL-7 Ab, suggesting that IL-7 produced by the adherent layer was required even in the earliest recognizable stages of human B cell lymphopoiesis. IL-1 alpha, IL-4, and TNF-alpha inhibited lymphoid progenitor colonies in a dose-dependent fashion. Neutralizing Ab to IL-1 alpha, IL-4, or TNF-alpha did not increase lymphoid progenitor colonies, suggesting that inhibitory concentrations of these cytokines are not constitutively elaborated in the adherent layer. Recombinant Steel factor and IL-6 as well as neutralizing Abs to these cytokines did not significantly affect lymphoid progenitor colonies, arguing against an important role for these cytokines in early human B lymphopoiesis. These results indicate that IL-7 provided by the bone marrow microenvironment is a critical growth factor at the earliest recognizable stages of human lymphopoiesis. IL-1 alpha, IL-4, and TNF-alpha have been shown to indirectly stimulate release of myeloid growth factors. The inhibition of lymphopoiesis by these cytokines suggests a possible mechanism for the observed reciprocal relationship between lymphoid and myeloid supportive bone marrow microenvironments.