Binding Of Stem Cell Factor Research Articles

Soluble c-kit proteins and antireceptor monoclonal antibodies confine the binding site of the stem cell factor.

The binding of the stem cell factor (SCF) to the c-kit-encoded receptor tyrosine kinase stimulates a variety of biochemical responses that culminate in cellular proliferation, migration, or survival. The extracellular domain of p145kit consists of five immunoglobulin-like domains. To confine the ligand binding site to this portion of the receptor we generated a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the Kit protein and identified two mAbs that efficiently displaced receptor-bound SCF and also inhibited proliferation of SCF-dependent human megakaryocytes. To map the epitopes of these mAbs we constructed and expressed soluble portions of the extracellular domain of Kit, which included either the two amino-terminal Ig-like domains (denoted Kit 1-2), three Ig-like domains (Kit 1-2-3), or the entire extracellular portion (Kit-X). All three recombinant proteins were recognized by the ligand inhibitory mAbs, suggesting that the SCF binding site resides in the amino-terminal half of the ecto-domain. Consistent with this conclusion, all of the soluble proteins inhibited SCF binding to Kit-expressing cells, and they also underwent specific covalent cross-linking to the radiolabeled ligand. However, whereas Kit 1-2-3 and Kit-X displayed comparable ligand affinities, deletion of the third Ig-like domain, in Kit 1-2, involved significant reduction in SCF binding. Hence, the binding site of SCF probably includes Ig-like domains 1 and 2, but structural determinants distal to this portion may also participate in ligand recognition.

Effects of Human Stem Cell Factor ( c-kit ligand ) on Proliferation of Myeloid Leukemia Cells: Heterogeneity in Response and Synergy With Other Hematopoietic Growth Factors

A novel hematopoietic growth factor, the stem cell factor (SCF), for primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells has recently been purified and its gene has been cloned. In this study we tested the mitogenic activity of recombinant human SCF on myeloid leukemia cells as well as the expression of its receptor. We have investigated the proliferation of 31 myeloid leukemia cell lines as well as fresh myeloid leukemic blasts from 17 patients in a 72-hour 3H-thymidine uptake assay in the presence of various concentrations of recombinant human (rh) SCF alone or in combination with saturating concentrations of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), G-CSF, M-CSF, interleukin-3 (IL-3), or erythropoietin (EPO). Only five of 31 lines, but fresh leukemic blasts from 12 of 17 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), significantly responded to SCF. The responding cell lines were of the acute promyelocytic, chronic myeloid, megakaryoblastic, and erythroleukemia origin, the responding blast preparations of all French-American-British subtypes. Synergistic activities of SCF were found with G-CSF, GM-CSF, EPO, and IL-3. To determine the SCF binding sites on leukemic cells, we used 125I-radiolabeled SCF in Scatchard analysis and cross-linking studies. The leukemic cell lines responding to SCF expressed from 2,300 up to 29,000 binding sites per cell. The SCF receptor expression was downregulated in vitro by the presence of its ligand. Cross-linking studies demonstrated a 150-Kd SCF receptor on the surface of all responding myeloid leukemias. This study suggests that SCF may be an important factor for the growth of myeloid leukemia cells, either as a direct stimulus or as a synergistic factor for other cytokines. Furthermore, using polymerase chain reaction analysis of total RNA from the myeloid leukemia lines, we found expression of SCF-mRNA in 17 of 30 lines, suggesting autocrine mechanisms in the growth of a subgroup of leukemic cells by coexpression of SCF and its receptor.

Effects of human stem cell factor (c-kit ligand) on proliferation of myeloid leukemia cells: heterogeneity in response and synergy with other hematopoietic growth factors

A novel hematopoietic growth factor, the stem cell factor (SCF), for primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells has recently been purified and its gene has been cloned. In this study we tested the mitogenic activity of recombinant human SCF on myeloid leukemia cells as well as the expression of its receptor. We have investigated the proliferation of 31 myeloid leukemia cell lines as well as fresh myeloid leukemic blasts from 17 patients in a 72-hour 3H-thymidine uptake assay in the presence of various concentrations of recombinant human (rh) SCF alone or in combination with saturating concentrations of granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), G-CSF, M-CSF, interleukin-3 (IL-3), or erythropoietin (EPO). Only five of 31 lines, but fresh leukemic blasts from 12 of 17 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), significantly responded to SCF. The responding cell lines were of the acute promyelocytic, chronic myeloid, megakaryoblastic, and erythroleukemia origin, the responding blast preparations of all French-American-British subtypes. Synergistic activities of SCF were found with G-CSF, GM-CSF, EPO, and IL-3. To determine the SCF binding sites on leukemic cells, we used 125I- radiolabeled SCF in Scatchard analysis and cross-linking studies. The leukemic cell lines responding to SCF expressed from 2,300 up to 29,000 binding sites per cell. The SCF receptor expression was downregulated in vitro by the presence of its ligand. Cross-linking studies demonstrated a 150-Kd SCF receptor on the surface of all responding myeloid leukemias. This study suggests that SCF may be an important factor for the growth of myeloid leukemia cells, either as a direct stimulus or as a synergistic factor for other cytokines. Furthermore, using polymerase chain reaction analysis of total RNA from the myeloid leukemia lines, we found expression of SCF-mRNA in 17 of 30 lines, suggesting autocrine mechanisms in the growth of a subgroup of leukemic cells by coexpression of SCF and its receptor.

Dimerization and activation of the kit receptor by monovalent and bivalent binding of the stem cell factor.

The protooncogene c-kit encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor for the stem cell factor (SCF). Mutants of c-kit were shown to confer a pleiotropic defective phenotype and often display negative dominance in heterozygous mice. To explore the involvement of receptor dimerization in this genetic phenomenon, we employed both a human ligand, which does not recognize the murine receptor, and a rodent SCF, which binds to the human receptor with 100-fold reduced affinity as compared with human SCF. SCF binding to living cells was found to induce rapid and complete receptor dimerization that involved activation of the catalytic tyrosine kinase function. Although receptor dimerization can be attributed to the dimeric nature of the ligand, no dissociation of Kit dimers occurred at high excess of SCF, suggesting that receptor-receptor interactions are also involved in dimer stabilization. This was supported by in vitro formation of heterodimers between the human and murine Kit proteins through monovalent binding of species-specific human SCF. By coexpression of human and mouse Kit in murine fibroblasts, we found that receptor heterodimerization in living cells involved an increase in the affinity of human Kit for rat SCF and also an accelerated rate of receptor down-regulation. When a human Kit mutant lacking the kinase insert domain was coexpressed with the murine wild-type receptor, we observed a significant decrease in both the activation of the intact tyrosine kinase and its coupling to an effector protein, namely phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase. Our results favor a receptor activation model that assumes an initial step of monovalent ligand binding, followed by an intermediate receptor dimer bound by one arm of the ligand molecule. This model predicts the existence of an intrinsic receptor dimerization site and provides a structural basis for genetic dominance of mutant SCF receptors.

Stimulation of mouse connective tissue-type mast cells by hemopoietic stem cell factor, a ligand for the c-kit receptor.

The proliferative capacity of mouse connective tissue-type mast cells (CTMC) was analyzed by using a newly discovered c-kit ligand, termed stem cell factor (SCF). More than 90% of CTMC in the peritoneal cavity responded to recombinant rat SCF (rrSCF) and were able to give rise to pure mast cell colonies in methylcellulose culture. Serial observation (mapping) of growth of individual CTMC in culture containing rrSCF confirmed their striking proliferative ability. No serum but accessory cells (non-CTMC cells) in the peritoneal population were required for the clonal growth of CTMC induced by rrSCF in our methylcellulose culture of whole peritoneal cells. The rrSCF-induced mast cell colony formation from peritoneal CTMC was completely inhibited by the addition of anti-c-kit antibody, which can block the binding of SCF to c-kit, to the culture. When IL-3 was combined with rrSCF, mast cell colonies dramatically increased in size. Mapping studies revealed that the combination of the two factors augmented the proliferative rate of CTMC. Approximately 60% of the constituent cells of the mast cell colonies which were formed from peritoneal CTMC in the culture containing rrSCF alone were stained with berberine sulfate, which is a characteristic of CTMC. However, most mast cells which were induced by rrSCF+IL-3 from peritoneal CTMC contained berberine(-)-safranin(-)-Alcian blue(+) granules. Although IL-4 exhibited little synergism with rrSCF in the induction of CTMC proliferation, the addition of IL-4 to the culture containing rrSCF+IL-3 resulted in an increase in mast cells which retained CTMC characteristics.

A recombinant ectodomain of the receptor for the stem cell factor (SCF) retains ligand-induced receptor dimerization and antagonizes SCF-stimulated cellular responses.

The stem cell factor (SCF) is a polypeptide ligand that is essential for the development of germ cells, hematopoietic progenitor cells, and melanocyte precursors. It binds to a tyrosine kinase membrane receptor that is encoded by the c-kit proto-oncogene. We have constructed an expression vector that directs the synthesis of the entire extracellular ligand-binding domain of the Kit/SCF receptor. When expressed and amplified in Chinese hamster ovary cells, a secreted 90-kDa glycoprotein could be harvested from the growth medium of the cells in a soluble form. This extracellular portion of the Kit/SCF receptor, denoted Kit-X, was recognized by antibodies specific to the SCF receptor; and when injected into animals, it raised antibodies that were reactive with the complete membrane form of the receptor. Direct binding and covalent cross-linking of radiolabeled SCF showed that Kit-X fully retained high affinity ligand binding and also underwent efficient dimerization in the presence of the ligand. The capacity of Kit-X to act as an antagonist of SCF was assayed on cultured cells that overexpress the receptor. Simultaneous addition of SCF and Kit-X to these cells resulted in a stoichiometric inhibition of SCF binding and a consequent decrease in autophosphorylation of the SCF receptor on tyrosine residues. The inhibition extended to later SCF-mediated responses, including the association of the receptor with phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase and coupling to the Raf1 protein kinase. These results indicate that the recombinant ectodomain of the Kit-SCF receptor can be used as a specific antagonist of SCF actions and may enable detailed molecular analysis of ligand-receptor interactions.

Isolation and characterization of a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the human c-kit receptor

Stem cell factor (SCF) stimulates the growth of burst-forming unit- erythroid (BFU-E) and colony-forming unit granulocyte-macrophage (CFU- GM) by binding to a specific cell surface receptor. The receptor for SCF is encoded by the protooncogene c-kit. After immunizing mice with the human erythroleukemia cell line OCIM1, we obtained a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) that recognizes the human c-kit receptor. This MoAb, designated SR-1, blocks binding of 125I-human SCF to the c-kit receptor, and neutralizes the biologic effects of SCF in hematopoietic colony assays. With few exceptions, c-kit expression was identified on all hematopoietic and lymphoid cell lines tested by indirect immunofluorescent analysis using SR-1 and by binding studies with 125I- SCF. SR-1 recognizes a small fraction of normal bone marrow mononuclear cells, and these cells have the morphologic appearance of blasts. Colony assays show that BFU-E and CFU-GM display the c-kit receptor. SR- 1 does not cross-react with murine c-kit protein, indicating that the binding epitopes of the human and murine c-kit receptors are antigenically distinct. This MoAb may be useful to characterize the spectrum of cells that display the c-kit receptor and to further define the role of SCF in hematopoiesis.

Isolation and Characterization of a Monoclonal Antibody That Recognizes the Human c-kitReceptor

Stem cell factor (SCF) stimulates the growth of burst-forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) and colony-forming unit granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) by binding to a specific cell surface receptor. The receptor for SCF is encoded by the protooncogene c-kit. After immunizing mice with the human erythroleukemia cell line OCIM1, we obtained a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) that recognizes the human c-kit receptor. This MoAb, designated SR-1, blocks binding of 125I-human SCF to the c-kit receptor, and neutralizes the biologic effects of SCF in hematopoietic colony assays. With few exceptions, c-kit expression was identified on all hematopoietic and lymphoid cell lines tested by indirect immunofluorescent analysis using SR-1 and by binding studies with 125I-SCF. SR-1 recognizes a small fraction of normal bone marrow mononuclear cells, and these cells have the morphologic appearance of blasts. Colony assays show that BFU-E and CFU-GM display the c-kit receptor. SR-1 does not cross-react with murine c-kit protein, indicating that the binding epitopes of the human and murine c-kit receptors are antigenically distinct. This MoAb may be useful to characterize the spectrum of cells that display the c-kit receptor and to further define the role of SCF in hematopoiesis.