Recruitment of Stem and Progenitor Cells from the Bone Marrow Niche Requires MMP-9 Mediated Release of Kit-Ligand

• Published in: Cell Vol. 109; no. 5; pp. 625 - 637
• Main Authors: Heissig, Beate, Hattori, Koichi, Dias, Sergio, Friedrich, Matthias, Ferris, Barbara, Hackett, Neil R., Crystal, Ronald G., Besmer, Peter, Lyden, David, Moore, Malcolm A.S., Werb, Zena, Rafii, Shahin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 31-05-2002
• Subjects: Animals; Bone Marrow - drug effects; Bone Marrow - enzymology; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cell Movement - physiology; Cells, Cultured; Chemokine CXCL12; Chemokines - pharmacology; Chemokines, CXC - pharmacology; Endothelial Growth Factors - pharmacology; Female; Fluorouracil - pharmacology; Hematopoietic Stem Cells - cytology; Hematopoietic Stem Cells - metabolism; Immunosuppressive Agents - pharmacology; Lymphokines - pharmacology; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - deficiency; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - genetics; Megakaryocytes - drug effects; Megakaryocytes - immunology; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Mice, SCID; Myeloid Cells - drug effects; Myeloid Cells - immunology; Recovery of Function - drug effects; Recovery of Function - immunology; Stem Cell Factor - metabolism; Stem Cell Factor - pharmacology; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - metabolism; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
• ISSN: 0092-8674; 1097-4172
• DOI: 10.1016/S0092-8674(02)00754-7

Stem cells within the bone marrow (BM) exist in a quiescent state or are instructed to differentiate and mobilize to circulation following specific signals. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), induced in BM cells, releases soluble Kit-ligand (sKitL), permitting the transfer of endothelial and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from the quiescent to proliferative niche. BM ablation induces SDF-1, which upregulates MMP-9 expression, and causes shedding of sKitL and recruitment of c-Kit
+ stem/progenitors. In MMP-9
−/− mice, release of sKitL and HSC motility are impaired, resulting in failure of hematopoietic recovery and increased mortality, while exogenous sKitL restores hematopoiesis and survival after BM ablation. Release of sKitL by MMP-9 enables BM repopulating cells to translocate to a permissive vascular niche favoring differentiation and reconstitution of the stem/progenitor cell pool.