Repository logo
 

Adaptation to ex vivo culture reduces human hematopoietic stem cell activity independently of the cell cycle.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Change log

Authors

Johnson, Carys S 
Williams, Matthew 

Abstract

Loss of long-term hematopoietic stem cell (LT-HSC) function ex vivo hampers the success of clinical protocols that rely on culture. However, the kinetics and mechanisms through which this occurs remain incompletely characterized. In this study, through time-resolved single-cell RNA sequencing, matched in vivo functional analysis, and the use of a reversible in vitro system of early G1 arrest, we defined the sequence of transcriptional and functional events that occur during the first ex vivo division of human LT-HSCs. We demonstrated that the sharpest loss in LT-HSC repopulation capacity happens early on, between 6 and 24 hours of culture, before LT-HSCs commit to cell cycle progression. During this time window, LT-HSCs adapt to the culture environment, limit the global variability in gene expression, and transiently upregulate gene networks involved in signaling and stress responses. From 24 hours, LT-HSC progression past early G1 contributes to the establishment of differentiation programs in culture. However, contrary to the current assumptions, we demonstrated that the loss of HSC function ex vivo is independent of cell cycle progression. Finally, we showed that targeting LT-HSC adaptation to culture by inhibiting the early activation of JAK/STAT signaling improves HSC long-term repopulating function ex vivo. Collectively, our study demonstrated that controlling early LT-HSC adaptation to ex vivo culture, for example, via JAK inhibition, is critically important to improve HSC gene therapy and expansion protocols.

Description

Keywords

Humans, Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Cell Cycle, Cells, Cultured, Signal Transduction, Cell Differentiation, Cell Culture Techniques, Adaptation, Physiological

Journal Title

Blood

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0006-4971
1528-0020

Volume Title

Publisher

American Society of Hematology
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (107630/Z/15/Z)
Wellcome Trust (203151/Z/16/Z)
Wellcome Trust (203151/A/16/Z)
Cancer Research UK (21762)
Medical Research Council (1942750)
Bloodwise (18002)