RESUMEN
Megakaryocytes release platelets into the bloodstream by elongating proplatelets. In this study, we showed that human megakaryocytes constitutively release Transforming Growth Factor ß1 and express its receptors. Importantly, Transforming Growth Factor ß1 downstream signaling, through SMAD2/3 phosphorylation, was shown to be active in megakaryocytes extending proplatelets, indicating a type of autocrine stimulation on megakaryocyte development. Furthermore, inactivation of Transforming Growth Factor ß1 signaling, by the receptor inhibitors SB431542 and Stemolecule ALK5 inhibitor, determined a significant decrease in proplatelet formation. Recent studies indicated a crucial role of Transforming Growth Factor ß1 in the pathogenesis of primary myelofibrosis. We demonstrated that primary myelofibrosis-derived megakaryocytes expressed increased levels of bioactive Transforming Growth Factor ß1; however, higher levels of released Transforming Growth Factor ß1 did not lead to enhanced activation of downstream pathways. Overall, these data propose Transforming Growth Factor ß1 as a new element in the autocrine regulation of proplatelet formation in vitro. Despite the increase in Transforming Growth Factor ß1 this mechanism seems to be preserved in primary myelofibrosis.
Asunto(s)
Comunicación Autocrina , Megacariocitos/metabolismo , Mielofibrosis Primaria/genética , Factor de Crecimiento Transformador beta1/genética , Benzamidas/farmacología , Plaquetas/citología , Plaquetas/metabolismo , Western Blotting , Células Cultivadas , Dioxoles/farmacología , Expresión Génica , Humanos , Megacariocitos/citología , Fosforilación , Mielofibrosis Primaria/sangre , Mielofibrosis Primaria/metabolismo , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/genética , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/metabolismo , Receptor Tipo I de Factor de Crecimiento Transformador beta , Receptor Tipo II de Factor de Crecimiento Transformador beta , Receptores de Factores de Crecimiento Transformadores beta/antagonistas & inhibidores , Receptores de Factores de Crecimiento Transformadores beta/genética , Receptores de Factores de Crecimiento Transformadores beta/metabolismo , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa de Transcriptasa Inversa , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Transducción de Señal/genética , Proteína Smad2/metabolismo , Proteína smad3/metabolismo , Factor de Crecimiento Transformador beta1/metabolismoRESUMEN
MYH9-related disease (MYH9-RD) is an autosomal-dominant thrombocytopenia caused by mutations of MYH9, the gene for the heavy chain of myosin-IIA. Pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia of MYH9-RD is unknown. Recent studies in mice demonstrated that myosin-IIA is an inhibitor of proplatelet formation (PPF), and suggested that it could be involved in the suppression of PPF exerted by megakaryocyte adhesion to type I collagen, which regulates the timing of platelet release within bone marrow. However, the consequences on PPF of the heterozygous mutations causative of the MYH9-RD have never been investigated. We studied the in-vitro PPF by megakaryocytes obtained from four patients carrying the p.D1424N or the p.R1933X mutations. We demonstrated that MYH9-RD megakaryocytes completely lose the physiologic suppression of proplatelet extension exerted by interaction with type I collagen, thus supporting the hypothesis that a premature platelet release within bone marrow contributes to pathogenesis of MYH9-related thrombocytopenia. Moreover, proplatelets extended by MYH9-RD megakaryocytes presented a significant defect in branching in secondary processes (p=0.001) and formed a significantly lower number of proplatelet tips (p=0.005). Since platelets are assembled at the level of proplatelet tips, this defect could further contribute to pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia of MYH9-RD patients.
Asunto(s)
Plaquetas/patología , Megacariocitos/patología , Proteínas Motoras Moleculares/genética , Cadenas Pesadas de Miosina/genética , Células Madre/patología , Trombocitopenia/genética , Trombocitopenia/patología , Adulto , Diferenciación Celular , Células Cultivadas , Femenino , Heterocigoto , Humanos , Masculino , Mutación PuntualRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Ph-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are clonal disorders that include primary myelofibrosis (PMF), polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET). Although the pathogenesis of MPNs is still incompletely understood, an involvement of the megakaryocyte lineage is a distinctive feature. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed the in vitro megakaryocyte differentiation and proplatelet formation in 30 PMF, 8 ET, 8 PV patients, and 17 healthy controls (CTRL). Megakaryocytes were differentiated from peripheral blood CD34(+) or CD45(+) cells in the presence of thrombopoietin. Megakaryocyte output was higher in MPN patients than in CTRL with no correlation with the JAK2 V617F mutation. PMF-derived megakaryocytes displayed nuclei with a bulbous appearance, were smaller than ET- or PV-derived megakaryocytes and formed proplatelets that presented several structural alterations. In contrast, ET- and PV-derived megakaryocytes produced more proplatelets with a striking increase in bifurcations and tips compared to both control and PMF. Proplatelets formation was correlated with platelet counts in patient peripheral blood. Patients with pre-fibrotic PMF had a pattern of megakaryocyte proliferation and proplatelet formation that was similar to that of fibrotic PMF and different from that of ET. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In conclusion, MPNs are associated with high megakaryocyte proliferative potential. Profound differences in megakaryocyte morphology and proplatelet formation distinguish PMF, both fibrotic and prefibrotic, from ET and PV.