Comprehensive transcriptome analysis of erythroid differentiation potential of olive leaf in haematopoietic stem cells.

Anaemia is one of the leading causes of disability in young adults and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in elderly. With a global target to reduce the disease burden of anaemia, recent researches focus on novel compounds with the ability to induce erythropoiesis and regulate iron homeostasis. We aimed to explore the biological events and potential polypharmacological effects of water-extracted olive leaf (WOL) on human bone marrow-derived haematopoietic stem cells (hHSCs) using a comprehensive gene expression analysis. HPLC analysis identifies six bioactive polyphenols in the WOL. Treatment with WOL for 12 days regulated gene expressions related to erythroid differentiation, oxygen homeostasis, iron homeostasis, haem metabolism and Hb biosynthesis in hHSCs. Functional clustering analysis reveals several major functions of WOL such as ribosomal biogenesis and mitochondrial translation machinery, glycolytic process, ATP biosynthesis and immune response. Additionally, the colonies of both primitive and mature erythroid progenitors, CFU-E and BFU-E, were significantly increased in WOL-treated hHSCs. The expressions of erythroid markers, CD47, glycophorin A (GYPA), and transferrin receptor (TFRC) and adult Hb subunits-HBA and HBB were also confirmed in immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometer analysis in WOL-treated hHSCs. It is well known that induction of lineage-specific differentiation, as well as the maturation of early haematopoietic precursors into fully mature erythrocytes, involves multiple simultaneous biological events and complex signalling networks. In this regard, our genome-wide transcriptome profiling with microarray study on WOL-treated hHSCs provides general insights into the multitarget prophylactic and/or therapeutic potential of WOL in anaemia and other haematological disorders.

An unusual variant glycophorin expressing protease-resistant M antigen encoded by the GYPB-E(2-4)-B hybrid gene.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: MNS is a highly polymorphic blood group comprising 49 antigens recognized by International Society of Blood Transfusion, some of which may have been generated by genomic recombination among the closely linked genes GYPA, GYPB and GYPE. The GYPE gene has an almost identical sequence to GYPA*01 allele in exon 2 (99% homology), which accounts for M antigen. We investigated an unusual glycophorin molecule with protease-resistant M antigen. METHODS: Blood samples were screened by an automated blood typing system (PK7300) using bromelain-treated red blood cells (RBCs) and murine monoclonal anti-M. The M-positive RBC samples were analysed by immunoblotting using anti-M as the primary antibody. GYPA, GYPB and GYPE genes were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cloning and sequencing using reticulocyte mRNA and genomic DNA. RESULTS: Serological tests and immunoblotting revealed that 103 of the 193 009 individuals (0·0534%) expressed protease-resistant M-active glycophorin having a molecular weight of 20 kDa. All the 103 individuals were S+ s- or S- s+. When reticulocyte mRNA from the individuals with M-active glycophorin (20 kDa) was examined by PCR and cloning followed by sequencing, a novel GYPE-B hybrid transcript was identified. Long-range PCR and sequencing using genomic DNA revealed that the individuals had a GYPB-E(2-4)-B hybrid gene. This hybrid gene was predicted to encode a 59-amino-acid mature glycoprotein that expresses no S or s antigens CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of the M-active glycophorin (20 kDa) in the Japanese population is 0·0534%. This glycophorin is predicted to be a 59 amino acids polypeptide encoded by the novel GYPB-E(2-4)-B hybrid gene.

Metallothionein isogene transcription in red blood cell precursors from human cord blood.

The in vitro transcription patterns for 10 functional metallothionein (MT) isogenes have been investigated in red blood cell (RBC) precursors from human cord blood. Active transcription status of the isogenes, MT-0, MT-1A, MT-1B, MT-1E, MT-1G, MT-1X, and MT-2A, was detected in both ex vivo expanded RBC precursors (burst-forming unit-erythroid) and glycophorin A(+) and CD71(+) cells separated by magnetic cell sorting. Transcription patterns of these isogenes were analyzed at different times of incubation with the addition of Zn supplement. In neither the ex vivo expanded precursors nor glycophorin A(+) and CD71(+) cells could MT-1F and MT-3 be detected. Transcripts of MT-4 were detected in glycophorin A(+) and CD71(+) cells. Erythropoietin-responsive constitutive transcription of MT-1X and possible interleukin-3-responsive downregulation of MT-2A in ex vivo expanded precursors reveal their effect on MT biosynthesis. Biosynthesis and induction of MT at the protein level in the RBC precursors was also demonstrated by immunoblotting.

Stroma-derived factor 1alpha induces a selective inhibition of human erythroid development via the functional upregulation of Fas/CD95 ligand.

CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), the high-affinity receptor for stroma-derived factor 1alpha (SDF-1alpha), shows distinct patterns of expression in human CD34+ haematopoietic progenitor cells induced to differentiate in vitro along the granulocytic and erythroid lineages. In serum-free liquid cultures supplemented with stem cell factor (SCF), interleukin 3 (IL-3) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, the expression of surface CXCR4 progressively increased in cells differentiating along the granulocytic lineage. The addition in culture of 200 ng/ml of SDF-1alpha, a concentration which maximally activated intracellular Ca2+ flux, only modestly affected the expression levels of CD15 and CD11b granulocytic antigens, as well as the total number of viable cells. On the other hand, in liquid cultures supplemented with SCF, IL-3 and erythropoietin, SDF-1alpha induced the downregulation of glycophorin A erythroid antigen, accompanied by a progressive decline in the number of viable erythroblasts. Moreover, in semisolid assays, SDF-1alpha significantly reduced the number of plurifocal erythroid colonies (erythroid blast-forming units; BFU-E), whereas it did not affect granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM). We also demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of SDF-1alpha on glycophorin A+ erythroid cell development was mediated by the functional upregulation of CD95L in erythroid cultures. These data indicate that SDF-1alpha plays a role as a negative regulator of erythropoiesis.

Sialic acid-binding motif of Maackia amurensis lectins.

Maackia amurensis hemagglutinin (MAH) and leukoagglutinin (MAL) are leguminous lectins which recognize carbohydrate chains containing sialic acid residues linked alpha2,3 to penultimate galactose residues. In the present investigation, cDNA clones encoding MAL were isolated from a cDNA library constructed from germinated Maackia amurensis seeds and sequenced. From the reading frame of the cloned cDNAs, MAL was predicted to be composed of 287 amino acid residues, and showed strong similarity to MAH (86.2% identity). In leguminous lectins, most amino acid residues involved in sugar-binding were previously shown to be conserved. However, in both MAL and MAH lectins, the conserved glycine and asparagine were shown to be substituted by lysine and aspartic acid, respectively. Substitutions were made at position 105 and/or 135 of MAH to examine the roles of amino acid residues postulated to be important in binding to sialic acids. Recombinant MAH bound to the sialic acid-containing CB-II glycopeptide of human glycophorin A. By contrast, mutant lectins with lysine-105 substituted with glycine and/or aspartic acid-135 with asparagine did not bind to sialic acid residues. This indicates that these characteristic substitutions are important in sialic acid binding.

Endoplasmic reticulum-through-Golgi transport assay based on O-glycosylation of native glycophorin in permeabilized erythroleukemia cells: role for Gi3.

An assay for endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-through-Golgi transport has been developed in streptolysin O-permeabilized murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. The reporter proteins are metabolically labeled native murine glycophorins, which display a distinctive shift in electrophoretic mobility after acquisition of O-linked oligosaccharides. The O-linked sugars are acquired at a site distal to a brefeldin A block, presumably in a cis Golgi compartment, and sialylation occurs in middle and/or trans Golgi compartments. In permeabilized cells supplemented with cytosolic proteins and an ATP-generating system, 20-50% of the radiolabeled precursor glycophorins can be converted to the mature, sialylated form. This maturation process is ATP- and cytosol-dependent and is blocked by guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[gamma S]). Electron microscopy of permeabilized MEL cells shows retention of ER elements, stacked Golgi cisternae, free polysomes, and other subcellular components. In the presence of GTP[gamma S], dilated vesicles accumulate around the Golgi stacks. Antisera to the carboxyl terminus of the Golgi resident alpha subunit of Gi3 inhibit maturation of glycophorin. To our knowledge, a transport assay utilizing O-glycosylation of an endogenous protein as a monitor of ER-through-Golgi traffic in permeabilized cells has not been reported previously. Furthermore, the data provide evidence for heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein involvement in Golgi function.

Attachment of influenza C virus to human erythrocytes.

Binding experiments with radioactively labelled influenza C virions were carried out to investigate the interaction of the virus with human erythrocytes. The erythrocytes from any of 35 different individuals were found to contain influenza C virus-binding sites though their number was variable among the individuals and was much less than that on mouse, rat and chicken erythrocytes. Attachment of influenza C virus to human erythrocytes was inhibited completely by prior treatment of the virus with anti-HE monoclonal antibody having a strong haemagglutination inhibition activity. Pretreatment of erythrocytes with neuraminidase or the neuraminate-O-acetylesterase of influenza C virus resulted in a marked reduction in the level of virus binding. Thus it appears that human erythrocytes have a low level of O-acetylated sialic acid-containing glycoconjugates that can interact specifically with the HE glycoprotein of influenza C virus. Proteolytic digestion of erythrocytes with ficin, bromelain or V-8 protease inhibited virus binding almost completely, suggesting that the erythrocyte receptor for influenza C virus is a glycoprotein. In contrast to these enzymes, trypsin treatment of erythrocytes reduced virus binding by only about 50%, and alpha-chymotrypsin treatment did not inhibit at all. It was also found that treatment of erythrocytes with monoclonal antibody to the M or N blood group antigen greatly inhibited virus binding to the cells. These results, taken together, suggest that most influenza C virus receptors on human erythrocytes, if not all, reside on glycophorin A which is known to possess the M or N blood group activity.