Single cell gene expression profiling in normal HSCs and CML stem cells
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: CML stem cells (CMLSCs) and normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) display the same set of surface markers (CD34+CD38-CD90+CD45RA-), making it infeasible to separate these two populations within the same sample. To overcome this challenge, and to minimize variations in gene expression due to individual variation, here we perform single-cell RNA-seq to compare expression profiles of CMLSCs and HSCs isolated from the same patient. We captured ~600 HSCs (CD34+CD38-CD90+CD45RA-) (~200 from each of three CML patient samples), separated them into CMLSCs (BCR-ABL+) or normal HSCs (BCR-ABL-) based on the presence of the BCR-ABL transcript, and performed paired-end deep sequencing. Typically, we obtained ~2.5 million mapped reads (>70% average mapping efficiency) and detected ~5,000 genes (transcript per million [TPM]>1) per cell. Despite the heterogeneity of the gene expression pattern, we were able to identify genes that were significantly more highly expressed in CMLSCs than in normal HSCs. Notably, among these genes are two cell surface markers, CD33 and CD47, that could potentially be used to distinguish CMLSCs from normal HSCs. We also found genes, such as PIM2, that could be targeted for CML therapy using available small molecule inhibitors.
Project description:Cord blood (CB) samples from normal donors were obtained with informed consent. Fresh CB samples were processed within 18-34h after collection. Mononuclear cells were isolated and CD34+ fraction was separated. CB CD34+ enriched fraction was lineage depleted by staining with purified anti-human CD2, CD3, CD4, CD7, CD8a, CD11b, CD14, CD19, CD20, CD56, CD235a followed by Qdot 605 conjugated goat F(ab')2 anti-mouse IgG (H+L). Cells were also stained with anti-human CD38-FITC, CD45RA-PE or -BV650, CD123-PE Cy7, CD90-biotin, CD34- PerCP and CD10-APC. Finally, cells were incubated with streptavidin-conjugated APC-eF780 and Hoechst 33258 (Invitrogen, final concentration: 1 g/ml). Populations were defined, as follows: HSC - Lin-CD34+CD38-CD90+CD45RA-CD10-, MPP - Lin-CD34+CD38-CD90-CD45RA-CD10-, LMPP - Lin-CD34+CD38-CD90-/loCD45RA+CD10-, MLP - Lin-CD34+CD38-CD90-/loCD45RA+CD10+, GMP - Lin-CD34+CD38+CD123+CD45RA+CD10-, CMP - Lin-CD34+CD38+CD123+CD45RA-CD10-, MEP - Lin-CD34+CD38+CD123-CD45RA-CD10-.
Project description:Single cell transcriptomic profiling (sc RNA-seq) of the two Human Hematopoietic Stem Cell Populations: CD34+CD38-CD45RA-CD90+CD49f+ (hereafter CD90+CD49f+) and CD34+CD38-CD45RA-CD90-CD49f+ (hereafter CD90-CD49f+)
Project description:We show the molecular and functional characterization of a novel population of lineage-negative CD34-negative (Lin- CD34-) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients at diagnosis. Molecular caryotyping and quantitative analysis of BCR/ABL transcript demonstrated that about one third of CD34- was leukemic. CML CD34- cells showed kinetic quiescence and limited clonogenic capacity. However, stroma-dependent cultures and cytokines induced CD34 expression on some HSCs, cell cycling, acquisition of clonogenic activity and increased expression of BCR/ABL transcript. CML CD34- cells showed an engraftment rate in immunodeficient mice similar to that of CD34+ cells. Gene expression profiling revealed the down-regulation of cell cycle arrest genes together with genes involved in antigen presentation and processing, while the expression of angiogenic factors was strongly up-regulated when compared to normal counterparts. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the significant down-regulation of HLA class I and II molecules in CML CD34-cells. Increasing doses of imatinib mesilate (IM) did not affect fusion transcript levels, BCR-ABL kinase activity and the clonogenic efficiency of CML CD34- cells as compared to leukemic CD34+cells. Thus, we identified in CML a novel CD34- leukemic stem cell subset with peculiar molecular and functional characteristics which may be a potential target for CML therapeutics.
Project description:The transcriptome of LT-HSC (CD34+CD38-CD45RA+CD90+CD49f+) and ST-HSC (CD34+CD38-CD45RA+CD90-CD49f-) from healthy adult human Bone Marrow Cells were assessed by RNA-seq.
Project description:MiR-142 is dynamically expressed and plays a regulatory role in hematopoiesis. Based on the simple observation that miR-142 levels are significantly lower in CD34+CD38- cells from blast crisis (BC) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). CML patients compared with chronic phase (CP) CML patients (p=0.002), we hypothesized that miR-142 deficit plays a role in BC transformation. To test this hypothesis, we generated a miR-142 KO BCR-ABL (i.e., miR-142−/−BCR-ABL) mouse by crossing a miR-142−/− mouse with a miR-142+/+BCR-ABL mouse. While the miR-142+/+BCR-ABL mice developed and died of CP CML, the miR-142−/−BCR-ABL mice developed a BC-like phenotype in the absence of any other acquired gene mutations and died significantly sooner than miR-142+/+BCR-ABL CP controls (p=0.001). Leukemic stem cell (LSC)-enriched Lineage-Sca-1+c-Kit+ cells (LSKs) from diseased miR-142−/−BCR-ABL mice transplanted into congenic recipients, recapitulated the BC features thereby suggesting stable transformation of CP-LSCs into BC-LSCs in the miR-142 KO CML mouse. Single cell (sc) RNA-seq profiling showed that miR-142 deficit changed the cellular landscape of the miR-142−/−BCR-ABL LSKs compared with miR-142+/+BCR-ABL LSKs with expansion of myeloid-primed and loss of lymphoid-primed factions. Bulk RNA-seq analyses along with unbiased metabolomic profiling and functional metabolic assays demonstrated enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) and oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) in miR-142−/−BCR-ABL LSKs vs miR-142+/+BCR-ABL LSKs. MiR-142 deficit enhanced FAO in miR-142−/−BCR-ABL LSKs by increasing the expression of CPT1A and CPT1B, that controls the cytosol-to-mitochondrial acyl-carnitine transport, a critical step in FAO. MiR-142 deficit also enhanced OxPhos in miR-142−/−BCR-ABL LSKs by increasing mitochondrial fusion and activity. As the homeostasis and activity of LSCs depend on higher levels of these oxidative metabolism processes, we then postulate that miR-142 deficit is a potentially druggable target for BC-LSCs. To this end, we developed a novel CpG-miR-142 mimic oligonucleotide (ODN; i.e., CpG-M-miR-142) that corrected the miR-142 deficit and alone or in combination with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) significantly reduced LSC burden and prolonged survival of miR-142−/−BCR-ABL mice. The results from murine models were validated in BC CD34+CD38- primary blasts and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). In conclusion, an acquired miR-142 deficit sufficed in transforming CP-LSCs into BC-LSCs, via enhancement of bioenergetic oxidative metabolism in absence of any additional gene mutations, and likely represent a novel therapeutic target in BC CML.
Project description:Analysis of lin-CD34+CD45+ (iCD34+) cell population from two normal bone marrow-derived (BM1K and BM9) iPSCs and two CML (CML15 and CML17) iPSCs . CML iCD34+ cells have characteristics similar to primary CML leukemia stem cell in patients. Results provide insight into molecular profile characterized CML iCD34 and mechanism of its maintenance and drug resistance. iCD34+ cell samples obtained from two control BM1K and BM9 iPSCs (both for the same normal donor) and CML15 and CML17 iPSCs (both from the same patient in chronic phase of CML). Each group was treated with DMSO (control) or 5 μM imatinib. The complete phenotype for iCD34+ cells: lin-CD34+CD45+CD90+CD117+CD45RA-. This population also inclyde Rhodaminelow and ALDKhigh cells.
Project description:Chronic myeloid leukemia is a disease originated at the level of hematopoietic stem cell, characterized by the abnormal overproduction and accumulation, both in blood and bone marrow, of myeloid cells. Treatment options include tyrosine kinase inhibitors that inhibit BCR-ABL activity, however some patients develop resistance to these drugs and has been asociated to the stem cells We have performed a comparative analysis of the global gene expression profiles between CML and normal HSCs. Our goal was to identify key genes and pathways –preferentially, or solely, expressed by LSCs- that could be used as markers for the identification and selection of LSC LSC(CD34+ CD38- lineage-negative cells), and as targets for inhibiting the growth of such cells. We have also analyzed the population of progenitor cells (CD34+ CD38+ Lin- cells) since it has been clearly shown that these cells play an important role in the pathophysiology of CML
Project description:We show the molecular and functional characterization of a novel population of lineage-negative CD34-negative (Lin- CD34-) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients at diagnosis. Molecular caryotyping and quantitative analysis of BCR/ABL transcript demonstrated that about one third of CD34- was leukemic. CML CD34- cells showed kinetic quiescence and limited clonogenic capacity. However, stroma-dependent cultures and cytokines induced CD34 expression on some HSCs, cell cycling, acquisition of clonogenic activity and increased expression of BCR/ABL transcript. CML CD34- cells showed an engraftment rate in immunodeficient mice similar to that of CD34+ cells. Gene expression profiling revealed the down-regulation of cell cycle arrest genes together with genes involved in antigen presentation and processing, while the expression of angiogenic factors was strongly up-regulated when compared to normal counterparts. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the significant down-regulation of HLA class I and II molecules in CML CD34-cells. Increasing doses of imatinib mesilate (IM) did not affect fusion transcript levels, BCR-ABL kinase activity and the clonogenic efficiency of CML CD34- cells as compared to leukemic CD34+cells. Thus, we identified in CML a novel CD34- leukemic stem cell subset with peculiar molecular and functional characteristics which may be a potential target for CML therapeutics. Leukemic cells were obtained from 12 chronic phase Ph+ CML patients at diagnosis and before treatment. Normal samples were leukapheresis products from 12 healthy stem cell donors receiving recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; Lenograstim, Sanofi-Aventis, Milan, Italy). The protocol was approved by the ethical committee of the University Hospital and each patient/donor gave written informed consent. Hemopoietic stem/progenitor cell purification and phenotypic analyses were performed as previously described (Lemoli et al, Br J Haematol, 2003; Lemoli RM et al., Blood, 1997). Aliquots of sorted Lin-CD34-, Lin-CD34+ and Lin+CD34+ were reanalyzed by FacScan (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ) to assess their purities. Total cellular RNA was extracted from 0.5x105 cells of each sample using RNeasy Micro kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) following the protocol supplied by the manufacturer. Disposable RNA chips (Agilent RNA 6000 Nano LabChip kit, Agilent Technologies, Waldbrunn, Germany) were used to determine the concentration and purity/integrity of RNA samples using Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. RNAs originating from 12 normal donors or from 12 CML patients were pooled in order to obtain at least 2 mg per sample. One-cycle target labeling assays, as well as the Affymetrix Human HG-U95Av2 GeneChip arrays hybridization, staining, and scanning, were performed, using Affymetrix standard protocols (Affymetrix, Santa Clara,CA).