PEDF Can Rescue the Inhibition of Injured Endothelial Cells on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Expansion Ex Vivo

Introduction: Endothelial cells (ECs) provide a fertile niche for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance, differentiation, and migration.Several studies have indicated that bone marrow (BM) vascular niche was impaired after HSC transplantation and severely inhibited hematopoietic reconstruction. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an important potential cytoprotection and therapeutic agent for injured cells. The direct role of the injured endothelial cells on hematopoietic stem cells and whether PEDF has protective effect in this system remain unknown. This study aims to observe the influence of enjured ECs on HSCs and to explore the role of PEDF in endothelial-HSC coculture system.

Methods: Injury of Endothelial cells by two important preparative regimenconditioning radiation and Busulfan respectively was evaluated with CCK8 assay. The expression of endothelial tight junctions(TJs),adherent junctions related molecules and endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition molecules such as ZO-1, Occludin,VE-cadherin, ICAM, α-SMA, CD31 and VCAM were detected by RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and western blot. The effects of injured endothelial cells on HSC self-renewal, differentiation, cell cycle and apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry, photography, viable cell count and clone formation assay. Hematopoiesis regulation factors SCF, IL-6, TGF-β and TNF-α were detected by ELISA. The protective effect of PEDF was also explored.

Results: Both radiation and Busulfan could decrease cell viability of endothelial cells. The expression level of ZO-1, Occludin, VE-cadherin, ICAM, CD31 and VCAM were decreased and α-SMA was increased when EC exposed to radiation or Busulfan suggesting endothelial activation, impaired EC permeability and endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition after EC injured. Compared with normal endothelial cells and hematopoietic stem cell co-culture group, the HSC% of injured endothelial cells and hematopoietic stem cells co-cultured group were significantly decreased, the cell colony formation ability was decreased, the proportion of mature cells increased, and the damage of endothelial cells could not maintain the characteristics of HSC, weakened the self-renewal and multidirectional differentiation potential of HSC and promoted the maturation of HSC. After the administration of PEDF, endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition of EC was suppressed and the EC permeability was improved. Most importantly, the proportion of HSC was significantly increased, and the proportion of mature cells decreased in the coculture system.

Conclusion: Injured endothelial cells can inhibit proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells, self-renewal and promote HSC differentiation. PEDF could ameliorate endothelial injury and promote HSC expansion by suppressing endothelial-mesenchymal transition and protecting TJs and AJs.