Umbilical Cord Blood Cells Research Articles

Abstract A017: IGF2BP1 is essential for ETO2/GLIS2 leukemogenesis via stabilization of primitive myeloid transcriptional programs

Abstract Certain subtypes of pediatric leukemia continue to have dismal cure rates despite advances in targeted therapy. One such disease is acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) with a rearrangement of ETO2/GLIS2 (also known as CBFA2T3/GLIS2.) Based on our preliminary data utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 screens in vivo in patient-derived xenografts, we have nominated IGF2BP1 as a potential vulnerability in ETO2/GLIS2-rearranged AMKL. For our discovery phase, we utilized a patient-derived E2G2r AMKL which successfully engrafts in NSGS mice. We created a stable Cas9-expressing subclone using lentiviral transduction followed by FACS enrichment and limiting dilution transplants. We then generated a custom library targeting the top 100 overexpressed genes between E2G2r leukemias versus other leukemia PDXs which we previously characterized, including eight transcription factors with motifs enriched in differentially expressed genes, as well as eight pan-essential positive controls. Mice were sacrificed at humane endpoints, and spleens and bone marrow underwent PCR amplification for gRNA sequences followed by sequencing and analysis with MAGeCK-VISPR (Wei L, et al. Genome Biol 2015). We observed the dropout of 38 genes with a false discovery rate < 0.25, including all positive control gRNAs. Among the most significantly depleted genes was the RNA binding protein IGF2BP1. We subsequently characterized phenotypic changes using shRNAs in the E2G2r cell line M07e and ETO2/GLIS2-transformed CD34+ umbilical cord blood cells. Notably, we observed impaired cell growth with IGF2BP1 knockdown in both cell lines as well as the parent xenograft. We also generated M07e lines expressing a degron (FKBPF36V, aka “dTAG”, Nabet et al. Nat Chem Biol 2018) knocked in at the endogenous IGF2BP1 locus and observed similar phenomena. Through flow cytometry of M07e following IGF2BP1 depletion, we observed changes in the leukemic immunophenotype as well, suggesting perturbation of megakaryocyte differentiation potential. To determine the mechanism underlying our observations, we performed enhanced UV crosslinking with IP and sequencing (Blue SM et al. Nat Protoc 2022) against both IGF2BP1 and m6A residues based on the putative role of IGF2BP1 as an m6A reader. We observed binding of IGF2BP1 predominantly in 3’UTRs, as well as the presence of m6A-modified bases at IGF2BP1 binding sites. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of IGF2BP1-bound transcripts demonstrated enrichment for GO terms pertaining to embryonic hematopoiesis and megakaryocyte maturation/development. We further evaluated global changes in gene expression following IGF2BP1 loss, and performed RNAseq 72 hours following shRNA-mediated knockdown. GO analysis showed that downregulated genes were highly enriched for E2F-mediated transcriptional programs. We hypothesize that IGF2BP1 regulates myeloid developmental transcripts essential for E2G2r leukemogenesis, likely via stabilization in an m6A-dependent fashion, and thus may represent a selective therapeutic target. Work is ongoing to further elucidate this proposed mechanism. Citation Format: Jason Clark, Mark Wunderlich, Jing Chen, Daniel Starczynowski, Lynn Lee. IGF2BP1 is essential for ETO2/GLIS2 leukemogenesis via stabilization of primitive myeloid transcriptional programs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: RNAs as Drivers, Targets, and Therapeutics in Cancer; 2024 Nov 14-17; Bellevue, Washington. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2024;23(11_Suppl):Abstract nr A017.

Generation of Functioning Platelets from Mature Megakaryocytes Derived from CD34+ Umbilical Cord Blood Cells.

Clinically patients with thrombocytopenia are in urgent need of platelet transfusion, thus it is necessary to produce the platelets in large scale in vitro to meet the clinical needs. In this study, we developed efficient protocol to generate functioning platelets by differentiating umbilical cord blood (CB)-derived CD34+ cells into mature megakaryocytes. Under our condition, up to 85% of mature megakaryocytes were generated from CB-derived CD34+ cells, and over 75% CD42b+CD62p+ platelets were produced. The megakaryocytes at day 12 after the differentiation had the similar gene expression pattern to natural mature megakaryocytes, and AMPK and insulin signal pathway were activated to inhibit the apoptosis and benefit platelet release. There were up to 72% of the platelets that could bind with PAC1, which is the highest rate of CB CD34+ cell-derived platelets to play function in vitro to date. The recovery of hemostasis and coagulation was similar in thrombocytopenia mice injected with CB CD34+ cell-derived platelets and with human blood-derived platelets, respectively, and it is the first time to demonstrate that human CB CD34+ cell-derived platelets were functional invivo. Therefore, our findings open a new avenue to provide an in vitro efficient approach to generate functional platelets for clinical applications.

Higher toll-like receptor 3 expression in umbilical cord blood B cells than in adult blood B cells

Background Umbilical cord blood (UCB), which is considered a rich source of stem cells, has been used for applications in different clinical settings. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the toll-like receptor (TLR) expression levels in UCB B cells as compared to adult blood cells. Aim To determine the phenotypes of B cells in UCB and to investigate their expression of TLR3 as compared to adult blood. Patients and methods Samples of UCB were collected (n=20) after delivery, and peripheral blood samples were collected from female healthy volunteers (n=10) in K2EDTA tubes. Cells were washed twice, then stained using anti-CD19 and anti-TLR3. The samples were acquired by flow cytometry to assess the phenotype of B cells and their expression of TLR3. Besides, the liver and kidney functions were assessed. Results The relative number of CD19+ cells showed lower numbers (5.35%) in UCB than adult blood (15.64%). Additionally, the absolute number of CD19+ cells showed lower numbers by two-fold in cord blood than in adult blood. The relative expression of TLR3 on CD19+ cells showed lower expression in UCB as compared to adult blood by 5.8-fold. However, the absolute number of TLR3+CD19+ was higher in UCB than in adult blood by two-fold. The liver and kidney function showed normal values as investigated the enzyme activity of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, and creatinine in both cord and adult. Conclusion B cells express lower TLR3 in cord blood than in adult blood. The data from this study open new avenues for the manipulation of cord blood by TLR agonists for clinical application.

Using autologous umbilical cord blood and placental cells for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: an exploratory safety and feasibility study.

Introduction. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) caused by lack of oxygen and perfusion to the brain can lead to acute neurological damage in newborns. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the most effective and safest treatment. However, mortality remains high with numerous long-term sequelae. Cellular therapies, particularly umbilical cord blood (UCB), are being studied as alternative therapies. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and safety of combining autologous cord blood cell infusion with moderate hypothermia. Population and methods. Twelve infants of 36 weeks gestational age or older, diagnosed with moderate or severe HIE and with umbilical cord blood (UCB) collected were included. UCB was volume-reduced, and up to four doses were obtained. These doses were infused within the first 72 postnatal hours. Time to the first infusion and possible adverse reactions to the infusion were evaluated. Results. Between 2014 and 2019, 12 infants were included in the protocol (TH + UCB), 9 with a diagnosis of moderate HIE and 3 with severe HIE. In all cases, at least one dose of UCB was obtained for infusion. In all cases, the first dose was infused within 24 hours in every case, and no adverse reactions attributable to the infusion were observed. Conclusions. The collection, processing, and infusion of fresh autologous umbilical cord blood for use in newborns with HIE are feasible and safe under our conditions.

Changes in Relative Counts of Different Leukocyte Subpopulations in Peripheral and Umbilical Cord Blood of Women With Preterm Prelabor Rupture of Membranes With Respect to Intraamniotic Inflammation and Fetal Inflammatory Response Syndrome

ABSTRACTObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the relative counts of different leukocyte subsets in peripheral and umbilical cord blood in pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) with respect to the presence of intraamniotic inflammation (IAI) and fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS).MethodsFifty‐two women with singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM were included in this study. From samples of peripheral and umbilical cord blood, relative counts of these leukocyte subpopulations were determined using multicolor flow cytometry: granulocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes, T cells and their subpopulations, B cells and their subpopulations, and NK cells and their subpopulations. IAI was defined as increased concentrations of interleukin 6 in the amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid samples were obtained by transabdominal amniocentesis.ResultsWomen with IAI had higher relative counts of monocytes (p = 0.04) in peripheral blood. There was an increased relative number of granulocytes (p = 0.003) and a decreased number of lymphocytes (p = 0.0048), helper CD4+ T cells (p = 0.019), NK cells (p = 0.0001) within leukocytes, NK cells within lymphocytes (p = 0.003) and CD16+ NK cells within NK cells (p = 0.005) in umbilical cord blood samples of women with FIRS. However, after adjusting the results for gestational age at sampling, all differences disappeared.ConclusionsThe presence of IAI or FIRS is not accompanied by significant changes in the relative counts of immune cells in peripheral blood or umbilical cord blood in pregnancies complicated by PPROM.

Feasibility of co-transplantation of umbilical cord blood and third-party mesenchymal stromal cells after (non)myeloablative conditioning in patients with hematological malignancies

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an alternative source of stem cells for patients lacking a 9/10 or 10/10 HLA identical donor. However, after UCB transplantation, time to engraftment and immune recovery are prolonged, increasing the risk of fatal complications. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) can support hematopoietic engraftment and have immunosuppressive effects.The primary objective of this phase I/II multicenter study was to determine the feasibility and safety of UCB transplantation with co-infusion of third party MSC, as assessed by treatment related mortality (TRM) at day 100. Secondary objectives were engraftment, immune recovery, occurrence of graft versus host disease (GVHD), infections, disease free survival, relapse incidence and overall survival.Eleven patients were grafted according to this protocol. Allogeneic transplantation after co-infusion appears feasible with 18 % TRM at day 100. Engraftment data show a median time of 16 days to neutrophil and 27 days to platelet recovery, which is shorter than what is usually reported after UCB transplantation. Only 1 episode of acute GVHD was reported.In conclusion, MSC and UCB co-transplantation is feasible and might help overcome some of the drawbacks of UCB transplantation.

Plonmarlimab, a novel anti-GM-CSF blocking antibody, ameliorates disease progression in the pre-clinical model of macrophage activation syndrome.

We aimed to characterize and investigate the safety and efficacy of Plonmarlimab, a novel anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (anti-GM-CSF) neutralizing antibody, on the treatment of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), a life-threatening systemic inflammatory disease, in pre-clinical models. The binding affinity was evaluated using Biacore. The neutralizing activity was measured through the blockade of ligand-receptor interaction, inhibition of STAT5 phosphorylation and suppression of TF-1 cell proliferation. The efficacy of Plonmarlimab was evaluated in a humanized MAS model, which was established by engrafting human umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells into NOG-EXL mice. Additionally, the safety profile of Plonmarlimab was investigated in cynomolgus monkeys. At the molecular level, Plonmarlimab showed sub-nanomolar binding affinity with human GM-CSF and effectively blocked the binding of GM-CSF to its receptor. At the cellular level, Plonmarlimab dose-dependently inhibited intracellular STAT5 phosphorylation and suppressed GM-CSF-induced TF-1 proliferation. In the UCB-engrafted NOG-EXL MAS mouse model, Plonmarlimab treatment significantly ameliorated disease progression, demonstrated by the improvements in body weight loss, anaemia and some histopathological features. Furthermore, Plonmarlimab was well tolerated up to 150 mg/kg weekly in monkeys with no reported adverse effects. Plonmarlimab is a highly potent GM-CSF blocking antibody and has demonstrated promising efficacy in a pre-clinical MAS model with a favourable safety profile, supporting its clinical development.

Gestational diabetes mellitus affects the differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells in neonatal umbilical cord blood.

There are abundant hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in cord blood. It is known that HSCs continue to differentiate to CLP, CMP and erythroid progenitor cells (EPC), EPC ultimately differentiated to platelets and erythrocytes. It has been reported that the proportion of HSCs in cord blood was higher than that in healthy pregnant women, so as the incidence of neonatal polycythemia in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) patients. We aimed to investigate whether the hyperglycemic and/or hyperinsulin environment in GDM patients has effects on the differentiation of HSCs into erythrocytes in offspring cord blood. In this study, we collected cord blood from 23 GDM patients and 52 healthy pregnant women at delivery. HSCs, CLP, CMP and EPCs in cord blood of the two groups were identified and quantified by flow cytometry. HSCs were sorted out and treated with glucose and insulin, respectively, and then, the changes of HSCs proliferation and differentiation were detected. Compared to healthy controls, HSCs, CMP and EPC numbers in cord blood from GDM group were significantly increased, while CLP cell number was decreased. The differentiation of HSCs into EPC was promoted after treatment with glucose or insulin. There were more HSCs in the cord blood of GDM group, and the differentiation of HSCs to EPCs was increased. These findings were probably caused by the high-glucose microenvironment and insulin medication in GDM patients, and the HSCs differentiation changes might be influencing factors of the high incidence of neonatal erythrocytosis in GDM patients.

Comparison of Natural Killer Cells Differentiated from Various Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell therapy has been effective in treating cancer. Many studies have tested NK cell therapy using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). However, the impacts of the origin of PSC-NK cells on competence are unclear. In this study, several types of hPSCs, including human-induced PSCs (hiPSCs) generated from CD34+, CD3-CD56+, and CD56- cells in umbilical cord blood (UCB), three lines of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs, ES-1. ES-2 and ES-3) and MHC I knockout (B2M-KO)-ESCs were used to differentiate into NK cells and their capacities were analyzed. All PSC types could differentiate into NK cells. Among the iPSC-derived NK cells (iPSC-NKs) and ESC-derived NK cells (ES-NKs), 34+ iPSCs and ES-3 had a higher growth rate and cytotoxicity, respectively, ES-3 also showed better efficacy than 34+ iPSCs. B2M-KO was similar to the wild type. These results suggest that the screening for differentiation of PSCs into NK cells prior to selecting the PSC lines for the development of NK cell immunotherapy is an essential process for universal allotransplantation, including the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR).

Generation of non-genetically modified, CAR-like, NK cells

BackgroundNatural killer (NK) cell therapy is considered an attractive and safe strategy for anticancer therapy. Nevertheless, when autologous or allogenic NK cells are used alone, the clinical benefit has been...

Umbilical cord blood stem cells: transplantation prospects in neurological practice

Umbilical cord blood has evolved from being considered a mere cellular/tissue waste product after childbirth to a valuable biological material with a wide regenerative potential. Today, hematopoietic cord blood stem cells are used in the same way as bone marrow and mobilised peripheral blood as part of the standard medical treatment for haemoblastoses and hereditary blood diseases. There is an increasing amount of experimental data showing possibility of umbilical cord blood cell fractions using for treatment of non-hematological diseases and, in particular, diseases of the central nervous system. One of the key challenges in cell therapy for central nervous system diseases is the choice of cellular material for neurotransplantation. This is particularly relevant for ischemic and traumatic injuries, as well as neurodegenerative diseases. Stem or mature somatic cells prepared for neurotransplantation should have predictable and reproducible characteristics thataccording therapeutic purposes, exactly: trophic and/or neuroprotective action to increase neurons viability in damaged area; axon growth stimulation and myelination; cell matrix restoration or predictable differentiation direction to replace amount of lost brain or spinal cord cells. The fact that umbilical cord blood contains not only hematopoietic, but also various non-hematopoietic stem cells with a wide regenerative potential has become the basis for active use of these cells for neurotransplantation. The proposed review provides historical information about umbilical cord blood introduction into practical medicine, its cellular composition and clinical applications of stem cells various types for children central nervous system diseases treatment, such as ischemic encephalopathy, stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral palsy, autism, and in adults — for stroke treatment, spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative diseases.

Conductive extracellular matrix derived/chitosan methacrylate/ graphene oxide-pegylated hybrid hydrogel for cell expansion.

Electrical stimulation has emerged as a cornerstone technique in the rapidly evolving field of biomedical engineering, particularly within the realms of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It facilitates cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation, thereby advancing the development of accurate tissue models and enhancing drug-testing methodologies. Conductive hydrogels, which enable the conduction of microcurrents in 3D in vitro cultures, are central to this advancement. The integration of high-electroconductive nanomaterials, such as graphene oxide (GO), into hydrogels has revolutionized their mechanical and conductivity properties. Here, we introduce a novel electrostimulation assay utilizing a hybrid hydrogel composed of methacryloyl-modified small intestine submucosa (SIS) dECM (SISMA), chitosan methacrylate (ChiMA), and GO-polyethylene glycol (GO-PEG) in a 3D in vitro culture within a hypoxic environment of umbilical cord blood cells (UCBCs). Results not only demonstrate significant cell proliferation within 3D constructs exposed to microcurrents and early growth factors but also highlight the hybrid hydrogel's physiochemical prowess through comprehensive rheological, morphological, and conductivity analyses. Further experiments will focus on identifying the regulatory pathways of cells subjected to electrical stimulation.

Evaluation of factors affecting total nucleated cells in umbilical cord blood collected for the Calabria Cord Blood Bank.

Total nucleated cell (TNC) count is the most important biological feature to consider in assessing the quality of umbilical cord blood (UCB) for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation. Certain obstetric factors have been reported to increase TNC count in UCB units collected for transplantation. The aim of our study was to analyze how various maternal, neonatal and obstetric factors affected TNC count in the UCBs we collected for our cord blood bank in southern Italy. We performed a retrospective analysis of 634 medical records of UCBs collected by Calabria Cord Blood Bank (CCBB), Reggio Calabria, Italy, between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2016. We analyzed various maternal, neonatal and obstetric variables factors and related this factor with the characteristic of TNC. We found that the average number of TNCs was significantly greater in vaginal delivery than in caesarean delivery. We also found that TNCs were higher in the 40th week of pregnancy and when Apgar 1' scores were ≤9. The effect of a newborn's gender was less evident on TNC count. Knowledge of factors predictive of a higher TNC count would help cord blood banks more efficiently identify donors likely to yield high-quality UCBs for transplantation.

Efficacy of Engraftment and Safety of Human Umbilical Di-Chimeric Cell (HUDC) Therapy after Systemic Intraosseous Administration in an Experimental Model.

Cell-based therapies hold promise for novel therapeutic strategies in regenerative medicine. We previously characterized in vitro human umbilical di-chimeric cells (HUDCs) created via the ex vivo fusion of human umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells derived from two unrelated donors. In this in vivo study, we assessed HUDC safety and biodistribution in the NOD SCID mouse model at 90 days following the systemic intraosseous administration of HUDCs. Twelve NOD SCID mice (n = 6/group) received intraosseous injection of donor UCB cells (3.0 × 106) in Group 1, or HUDCs (3.0 × 106) in Group 2, without immunosuppression. Flow cytometry assessed hematopoietic cell surface markers in peripheral blood and the presence of HLA-ABC class I antigens in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs. HUDC safety was assessed by weekly evaluations, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and at autopsy for tumorigenicity. At 90 days after intraosseous cell administration, the comparable expression of HLA-ABC class I antigens in selected organs was found in UCB control and HUDC therapy groups. MRI and autopsy confirmed safety by no signs of tumor growth. This study confirmed HUDC biodistribution to selected lymphoid organs following intraosseous administration, without immunosuppression. These data introduce HUDCs as a novel promising approach for immunomodulation in transplantation.

Early administration of umbilical cord blood cells following brief high tidal volume ventilation in preterm sheep: a cautionary tale

BackgroundUmbilical cord blood (UCB) cells are a promising treatment for preterm brain injury. Access to allogeneic sources of UCB cells offer the potential for early administration to optimise their therapeutic capacities. As preterm infants often require ventilatory support, which can contribute to preterm brain injury, we investigated the efficacy of early UCB cell administration following ventilation to reduce white matter inflammation and injury.MethodsPreterm fetal sheep (0.85 gestation) were randomly allocated to no ventilation (SHAM; n = 5) or 15 min ex utero high tidal volume ventilation. One hour following ventilation, fetuses were randomly allocated to i.v. administration of saline (VENT; n = 7) or allogeneic term-derived UCB cells (24.5 ± 5.0 million cells/kg; VENT + UCB; n = 7). Twenty-four hours after ventilation, lambs were delivered for magnetic resonance imaging and post-mortem brain tissue collected. Arterial plasma was collected throughout the experiment for cytokine analyses. To further investigate the results from the in vivo study, mononuclear cells (MNCs) isolated from human UCB were subjected to in vitro cytokine-spiked culture medium (TNFα and/or IFNγ; 10 ng/mL; n = 3/group) for 16 h then supernatant and cells collected for protein and mRNA assessments respectively.ResultsIn VENT + UCB lambs, systemic IFNγ levels increased and by 24 h, there was white matter neuroglial activation, vascular damage, reduced oligodendrocytes, and increased average, radial and mean diffusivity compared to VENT and SHAM. No evidence of white matter inflammation or injury was present in VENT lambs, except for mRNA downregulation of OCLN and CLDN1 compared to SHAM. In vitro, MNCs subjected to TNFα and/or IFNγ displayed both pro- and anti-inflammatory characteristics indicated by changes in cytokine (IL-18 & IL-10) and growth factor (BDNF & VEGF) gene and protein expression compared to controls.ConclusionsUCB cells administered early after brief high tidal volume ventilation in preterm fetal sheep causes white matter injury, and the mechanisms underlying these changes are likely dysregulated responses of the UCB cells to the degree of injury/inflammation already present. If immunomodulatory therapies such as UCB cells are to become a therapeutic strategy for preterm brain injury, especially after ventilation, our study suggests that the inflammatory state of the preterm infant should be considered when timing UCB cells administration.

The Comparative Effect of Plasma Exosomes of Young and Old People on the Expression of BCL-2 and BAX Genes in Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

Apoptosis may disrupt differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which can affect aging. Thus, the main goal of this study was to compare the effect of plasma exosomes from young and old people on the expression of Bcl-2-associated X (BAX) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) genes in the HSCs. Plasma samples were acquired from four elderly adults and four younger adults, referring to Blood Transfusion Organization of Tehran-Iran during August 2022- September 2022.Then, the exosomes of the samples were extracted and analyzed using DLS, TEM, and CD63 surface marker. HSCs were isolated from umbilical cord blood cells. The MTT test was used to assess the viability of exosomes-treated HSCs at doses of 5 and 10 μg/ml. The expression of BAX and BCL-2 genes in the cells was examined using real-time PCR. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to examine the distinctions among five groups. The viability of HSCs was not affected by the exosomes from young and old people than the control group (P = 0.453). Exosomes from young people (doses 5 and 10 µg/ml) did not have any significant impacts on BAX (P = 0.746, and P = 0.345, respectively) and BCL-2 (P = 0.773, and P = 0.461, respectively) expression in the HSCs compared to the control group. The BAX gene was significantly upregulated and the BCL-2 gene was significantly downregulated after utilizing the exosomes derived from the plasma of elderly individuals (dose 10 µg/ml) compared to the control (P = 0.001, P = 0.002, respectively). The current research shows that aged people's exosomes can increase BAX/ BCL-2 ratio in umbilical cord blood-derived HSCs compared to control and young groups.

Biodistribution and Safety of Human Multi-Chimeric Cells After Systemic Intraosseous and Intravenous Administration in the Experimental Mouse Model.

Cellular therapies provide promising options for inducing tolerance in transplantation of solid organs, bone marrow, and vascularized composite allografts. However, novel tolerance-inducing protocols remain limited, despite extensive research. We previously introduced and characterized a human multi-chimeric cell (HMCC) line, created through ex vivo fusion of human umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells derived from three unrelated donors. In this study, we assessed in vivo biodistribution and safety of HMCCs in the NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ NOD scid gamma (NSG) mouse model. Twenty-four NSG mice were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 6/group) and received intraosseous (IO.) or intravenous (IV.) injections of 0.6 × 106 donor UCB cells or fused HMCC: Group 1-UCB (IO.), Group 2-UCB (IV.), Group 3-HMCC (IO.), and Group 4-HMCC (IV.). Hematopoietic phenotype maintenance and presence of human leukocyte antigens (HLA), class I antigens, in the selected lymphoid and nonlymphoid organs were assessed by flow cytometry. Weekly evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessed HMCC safety. Comparative analysis of delivery routes revealed significant differences in HLA class I percentages for IO.: 1.83% ± 0.79%, versus IV. delivery: 0.04% ± 0.01%, P < 0.01, and hematopoietic stem cell marker percentages of CD3 (IO.: 1.41% ± 0.04%, vs. IV.: 0.07% ± 0.01%, P < 0.05) and CD4 (IO.: 2.74% ± 0.31%, vs. IV.: 0.59% ± 0.11%, P < 0.01). Biodistribution analysis after IO. delivery confirmed HMCC presence in lymphoid organs and negligible presence in nonlymphoid organs, except for lung (IO.: 0.19% ± 0.06%, vs. IV.: 6.33% ± 0.56%, P < 0.0001). No evidence of tumorigenesis was observed by MRI at 90 days following IO. and IV. administration of HMCC. This study confirmed biodistribution and safety of HMCC therapy in the NSG mouse model, both following IO. and IV. administration. However, IO. delivery route confirmed higher efficacy of engraftment and safety profile, introducing HMCCs as a novel cell-based therapeutic approach with promising clinical applications in solid organ, bone marrow, and vascularized composite allotransplantation transplantation.

Umbilical cord blood cell characteristics in very preterm neonates for autologous cell therapy of preterm-associated complications

BackgroundThere are emerging clinical evidence for umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (UCBMNCs) intervention to improve preterm complications. The first critical step in cell therapy is to obtain high-quality cells. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the quantity and quality of UCBMNCs from very preterm infants (VPIs) for the purpose of autologous cell therapy in prevention and treatment of preterm complications.MethodsVery preterm infants (VPIs) born in Guangdong Women and Children Hospital from January 1, 2017, to December 8, 2022, from whom cord blood was successfully collected and separated for public or private banking, were enrolled. The UCBMNCs characters from route cord blood tests performed in cord blood bank, impact of perinatal factors on UCBMNCs, the relationship between UCBMNCs characteristics and preterm outcomes, and the correlation of UCBMNCs characteristics and peripheral blood cells in VPIs were analyzed.ResultsTotally, 89 VPIs underwent UCB collection and processing successfully. The median cell number post processing was 2.6 × 108. To infuse a dose of 5 × 107 cells/kg, only 3.4% of infants required a volume of more than 20 mL/kg, which exceeded the maximum safe volume limit for VPIs. However, when infusing 10 × 107 cells/kg, 25.8% of infants required a volume of more than 20 ml/kg volume. Antenatal glucocorticoids use and preeclampsia was associated with lower original UCBMNCs concentration. Both CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) frequency and colony forming unit - granulocyte and macrophage (CFU-GM) number correlated negatively with gestational age (GA). UCBMNCs characters had no significant effect on preterm outcomes, whereas a significant positive correlation was observed between UCBMNCs concentration and total white blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte and PLT counts in peripheral blood.ConclusionUCBMNCs collected from VPIs was feasible for autologous cell therapy in improving preterm complications. Setting the infusion dose of 5 × 107 cells/kg guaranteed a safe infusion volume in more than 95% of the targeted infants. UCBMNCs characters did not affect preterm complications; however, the effect of UCBMNCs concentration on peripheral blood classification count should be considered when evaluating the immunomodulation of UCBMNCs transfusion.

X-irradiated umbilical cord blood cells retain their regenerative effect in experimental stroke

Although regenerative therapy with stem cells is believed to be affected by their proliferation and differentiation potential, there is insufficient evidence regarding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying this regenerative effect. We recently found that gap junction-mediated cell–cell transfer of small metabolites occurred very rapidly after stem cell treatment in a mouse model of experimental stroke. This study aimed to investigate whether the tissue repair ability of umbilical cord blood cells is affected by X-irradiation at 15 Gy or more, which suppresses their proliferative ability. In this study, X-irradiated mononuclear (XR) cells were prepared from umbilical cord blood. Even though hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell activity was diminished in the XR cells, the regenerative activity was surprisingly conserved and promoted recovery from experimental stroke in mice. Thus, our study provides evidence regarding the possible therapeutic mechanism by which damaged cerebrovascular endothelial cells or perivascular astrocytes may be rescued by low-molecular-weight metabolites supplied by injected XR cells in 10 min as energy sources, resulting in improved blood flow and neurogenesis in the infarction area. Thus, XR cells may exert their tissue repair capabilities by triggering neo-neuro-angiogenesis, rather than via cell-autonomous effects.

Potency of Peripheral Blood- and Umbilical Cord Blood-derived Dendritic Cells and Their Secretomes as Vaccines for Cancer

Dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, as immunotherapy agents, can gather up and transport cancer-related antigens to T lymphocytes, activating anti-tumor effector responses. After being activated by DC, cytotoxic T lymphocyte cells (CTL) will secrete the cytolytic granzyme B that can effectively induce rapid apoptosis of target cells. On the other hand, DC also secrete several cytokines and a large number of exosomes, which together operate as a whole antigen-presenting entity. The efficacy of the vaccine’s treatment may be affected by the sources used for DC vaccines. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) from healthy donors can be employed when autologous cancer patient’s peripheral blood (PB) cannot be used as a source for isolating DC due to genetic abnormalities. Comparing UCB to other sources, there is a painless method of collecting sources as opposed to PB, which necessitates a venipuncture or leukapheresis procedure to isolate the blood. Many studies related to the use of PB-DC have been carried out, but research on potential comparisons between PB-DC and UCB-DC is still very limited. In this review, the potential of PB- and UCB-derived DC and their secretomes for cancer will be discussed.Keywords: dendritic cells, vaccines, umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood