Letter abstract
Nature Cell Biology 10, 584 - 592 (2008)
Published online: 20 April 2008 | doi:10.1038/ncb1721
Myeloid and lymphoid contribution to non-haematopoietic lineages through irradiation-induced heterotypic cell fusion
Jens M. Nygren1,2,3, Karina Liuba1,2, Martin Breitbach4, Simon Stott2,5, Lina Thorén1,2, Wilhelm Roell6, Caroline Geisen4, Philipp Sasse4, Deniz Kirik2,5, Anders Björklund2,5, Claus Nerlov2,7, Bernd K. Fleischmann4, Stefan Jovinge1,2,8 & Sten Eirik W. Jacobsen1,2,9
Recent studies have suggested that regeneration of non-haematopoietic cell lineages can occur through heterotypic cell fusion1, 2, 3 with haematopoietic cells of the myeloid lineage2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Here we show that lymphocytes also form heterotypic-fusion hybrids with cardiomyocytes, skeletal muscle, hepatocytes and Purkinje neurons. However, through lineage fate-mapping we demonstrate that such in vivo fusion of lymphoid and myeloid blood cells does not occur to an appreciable extent in steady-state adult tissues or during normal development. Rather, fusion of blood cells with different non-haematopoietic cell types is induced by organ-specific injuries or whole-body irradiation1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, which has been used in previous studies to condition recipients of bone marrow transplants. Our findings demonstrate that blood cells of the lymphoid and myeloid lineages contribute to various non-haematopoietic tissues by forming rare fusion hybrids, but almost exclusively in response to injuries or inflammation.
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, Lund University, BMC B10, Klinikgatan 26, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
- Lund Strategic Research Center for Stem Cell Biology and Cell Therapy, Lund University, BMC B10, Klinikgatan 26, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
- Division of Immunology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, BMC I13, Sölvegatan 19, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
- Institute of Physiology I, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
- Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Division of Neurobiology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 17, 223 62 Lund, Sweden.
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
- EMBL Monterotondo, Mouse Biology Unit, Via Ramarini 32, I-00016 Monterotondo, Italy.
- Department of Cardiology, Coronary Program, Heart- and Lung Division, Lund University Hosp Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, OX3 9DS, UK.
Correspondence to: Sten Eirik W. Jacobsen1,2,9 e-mail: sten.jacobsen@med.lu.se; e-mail: sten.jacobsen@imm.ox.ac.uk
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