Human haemato-endothelial precursors: cord blood CD34+ cells produce haemogenic endothelium.

Elvira Pelosi (1) , Germana Castelli (1) , Ines Martin-Padura (2) , Veronica Bordoni (3) , Simona Santoro (1) , Alice Conigliaro (4) , Anna Maria Cerio (1) , Marco de Santis Puzzonia (4) , Paola Marighetti (2) , Mauro Biffoni (1) , Tonino Alonzi (3) , Laura Amicone (4) , Myriam Alcalay (5, 6) , Francesco Bertolini (2) , Ugo Testa (1) , Marco Tripodi (3, 4)

1 Department of Haematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine
2 Laboratory of Haematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine
3 L. Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases
4 Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Haematology
5 Department of Experimental Oncology
6 Dipartimento di Medicina Chrirurgia e Odontoiatria

Embryologic and genetic evidence suggest a common origin of haematopoietic and endothelial lineages. In the murine embryo, recent studies indicate the presence of haemogenic endothelium and of a common haemato-endothelial precursor, the haemangioblast. Conversely, so far, little evidence supports the presence of haemogenic endothelium and haemangioblasts in later stages of development. Our studies indicate that human cord blood haematopoietic progenitors (CD34+45+144-), triggered by murine hepatocyte conditioned medium, differentiate into adherent proliferating endothelial precursors (CD144+CD105+CD146+CD31+CD45-) capable of functioning as haemogenic endothelium. These cells, proven to give rise to functional vasculature in vivo, if further instructed by haematopoietic growth factors, first switch to transitional CD144+45+ cells and then to haematopoietic cells. These results highlight the plasticity of haemato-endhothelial precursors in human post-natal life. Furthermore, these studies may provide highly enriched populations of human post-fetal haemogenic endothelium, paving the way for innovative projects at a basic and possibly clinical level.

Domaines: Biologie cellulaire

Elvira Pelosi, Germana Castelli, Ines Martin-Padura, Veronica Bordoni, Simona Santoro, et al.. Human haemato-endothelial precursors: cord blood CD34+ cells produce haemogenic endothelium.. PLoS ONE, 2012, 7 (12), pp.e51109. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0051109⟩. ⟨pasteur-00957490⟩