Biological characterization of hematopoietic stem cells and leukemic cells by monitoring ESAM expression

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591423
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Hematology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: YOKOTA Takafumi 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (60403200)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ORITANI Kenji 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授 (70324762) ; KANAKURA Yuzuru 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (20177489)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 造血幹細胞 / 白血病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have potencies for differentiation and self-renewal to supply blood cells throughout life. In homeostasis, most HSCs exist in a quiescent state. However, they immediately proliferate in response to myelosuppression. In this study, we have shown that monitoring of endothelial cell-selective adhesion molecule (ESAM) level is useful to indicate HSC activation in mice. ESAM levels clearly mirrored the shift of HSCs between quiescence and activation, and it was prominent in comparison to other HSC markers.
Although human HSCs are of great value in treatment for hematopoietic diseases and in regenerative medicine, studies for their nature are hampered by a paucity of information about their precise immunophenotype. This is in stark contrast to the mouse, which is much more characterized in this regard. In this study we report that ESAM is a robust marker of human HSCs, and is also found specifically on an aggressive subset of leukaemia cell lines.

Free Research Field

血液内科学