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Cord Blood Stem Cells

Cobblestone area-forming cells, long-term culture-initiating cells and NOD/SCID repopulating cells in human neonatal blood: a comparison with umbilical cord blood

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 30, pages 557–564 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Our prior study demonstrated that neonatal blood (NB) contained hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells that declined rapidly after birth. To validate that NB is a source of functional stem cells, we characterized this population in terms of cobblestone area-forming cells (CAFC), long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC) and NOD/SCID mouse repopulating cells (SRC) in NB and umbilical cord blood (CB). Our data demonstrated that the frequencies of CAFC (30.2 vs 37.1, P = 0.14) and LTC-IC (28.6 vs 31.0, P = 0.49) in 1 × 105 mononuclear cells (MNC) of NB and CB were similar, suggesting that these cells were preserved in the circulation of the neonates shortly after birth. Sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice were transplanted with CD34+ cells enriched from thawed NB and CB. At 6 weeks post transplant, human (hu)CD45+ cells were detected in the bone marrow (BM), spleen and peripheral blood (PB) of the mice as demonstrated by flow cytometric and DNA analysis. Levels of huCD45+cells and colony forming units (CFU) appeared to be dependent on the infusion cell dose and were higher in animals receiving CB cells when compared with those of the NB group. The transplanted cells were capable of differentiation into multi-lineage progenitor cells (CD34+ cells and differential CFU), as well as mature myeloid (CD14+, CD33+), B lymphoid (CD19+) and megakaryocytic (CD61+) cells in the recipients. NB cells, subjected to ex vivo culture in an optimized preclinical condition, were significantly expanded to early and committed progenitor cells. Expanded NB contained SRC at a reduced quantity but with high proportions of CD14+ cells and CD33+ cells. Our study confirms that NB contains pluripotent hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells capable of homing and engrafting the NOD/SCID mice.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the staff of the Labor and Pediatric Wards for the collection of samples, Ms Fung Wan Yau, Ms Rui Jun Su and Mr John Tse for their technical assistance. We also acknowledge the Area of Excellence in Cancer Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Industrial Support Fund AF/203/98, Department of Industry, Hong Kong Government Special Administrative Region for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    XB Zhang, K Li, TF Fok, CK Li, AC Lam, SM Lee & PMP Yuen

  2. Laboratory Animal Services Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    AE James

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Zhang, X., Li, K., Fok, T. et al. Cobblestone area-forming cells, long-term culture-initiating cells and NOD/SCID repopulating cells in human neonatal blood: a comparison with umbilical cord blood. Bone Marrow Transplant 30, 557–564 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1703714

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