Expression of CD44 isoforms by highly enriched CD34-positive cells in cord blood, bone marrow and leukaphereses

Bone Marrow Transplant. 1997 Oct;20(7):593-8. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1700940.

Abstract

CD34-positive cells were isolated from cord blood (n = 8), bone marrow (n = 4) and leukapheresed material (n = 7), using an immunomagnetic isolation technique, MACS (Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany). In flow cytometric analysis, cell populations after enrichment revealed a fraction of 96.1% (cord blood), 96.2% (bone marrow) and 98.6% (leukapheresis material) CD34-positive cells. Cells were further stained with antibodies specific for CD44 isoforms: CD44s (SFF-2), CD44v5 (VFF-8) and CD44v6 (VFF-18). CD44-positive cells were detected by directly (FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate) or indirectly (streptavidin-PE, phycoerythrin)-conjugated fluorochromes in flow cytometric analysis. Analysis was restricted to CD34-positive cells. A high expression of CD44s was noted in all kinds of material under investigation with mean values in the range of 98.6-100%. There was little expression of CD44v6 (mean values in the range of 1.5-3.6%) and very slight expression of CD44v5 (mean values in the range of 0.6-1.4%). The finding that CD34-positive hematopoietic stem cells express CD44v5 and CD44v6 to a very small extent offers the possibility of using antibodies specific to CD44v5 and CD44v6 in immunopurging in the course of autologous stem cell transplantation.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antigens, CD34 / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology*
  • Female
  • Fetal Blood / cytology
  • Fetal Blood / immunology*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization / methods
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / biosynthesis*
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / immunology
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Leukapheresis*
  • Pregnancy

Substances

  • Antigens, CD34
  • Hyaluronan Receptors