Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of New South Wales, 2003. / Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-104).

Investigations on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and serotonin (5-HT), molecules stored in platelet granules, imply their potential effects in regulating megakaryopoiesis, which also intimates the existence of an autocrine and/or paracrine loop constructed by megakaryocytes/platelets and their granular constituents. In addition, numerous reports indicate that melatonin, a derivative from serotonin effectively enhances platelet counts in patients with thrombocytopenia. However, their exact roles on human megakaryocytes and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Present studies showed that PDGF, like thrombopoietin (TPO), significantly promoted platelet recovery and the formation of bone marrow colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-MK) in an irradiated-mouse model. An increased number of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and a reduction of apoptosis were found in the bone marrow aspirate. In the M-07e apoptotic model, PDGF had a similar anti-apoptotic effect as TPO on megakaryocytes. Our findings demonstrated that PDGF activated the PI3-k/Akt signaling pathway, while addition of imatinib mesylate reduced p-Akt expression. Our findings suggested that the PDGF-initiated radioprotective effect is likely to be mediated via PDGF receptors (PDGFRs) with subsequent activation of the PI3-k/Akt pathway. We also provide a possible explanation that blockade of PDGFR may reduce thrombopoiesis and play a role in imatinib mesylate-induced thrombocytopenia. We explored how serotonin regulated megakaryopoiesis and proplatelet formation. Our results indicated that serotonin (5-HT) significantly promoted CFU-MK formation and reduced apoptosis on megakaryocytes through phosphorylation of Akt. These effects were attenuated by addition of ketanserin, a 5-HT2 receptor inhibitor. In addition, serotonin was able to stimulate the F-actin reorganization in megakaryocytes through activating the p-Erk1/2 expression. Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are important in regulating megakaryopoiesis through stimulating the release of thrombopoietic growth factor, such as TPO. Our studies suggested that when activated by serotonin, bone marrow MSCs were induced to release significant amount of TPO. Furthermore, thousands of membrane-derived microparticles (MPs) arose from MSCs and the TPO RNA/proteins contained within MPs were also considerably increased under serotonin treatment. In summary, our findings demonstrated an important role serotonin played on megakaryopoiesis. This effect was likely mediated via 5HT2 receptors with subsequent activation of Akt and Erk 1/2 phosphorylation, which led to survival of megakaryocytes and proplatelet formation. Serotonin also stimulated TPO released from MSCs in both dissociative and MP-encapsulated form, which indirectly promoted megakaryopoiesis. The effects of melatonin on megakaryopoiesis were also determined in our studies. Our findings showed that melatonin enhanced proliferation and reduced doxorubicin-induced toxicity on MKs. We further demonstrated the mechanism for melatonin-mediated protection on MKs maybe via repair of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and inhibition of cell apoptosis on MK cells. The effects of melatonin on megakaryopoiesis were also determined in our studies. Our findings showed that melatonin enhanced proliferation and reduced doxorubicin-induced toxicity on MKs. We further demonstrated the mechanism for melatonin-mediated protection on MKs maybe via repair of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and inhibition of cell apoptosis on MK cells. / published_or_final_version / Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

Thrombin-activable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a carboxypeptidase B-like pro-enzyme that, once activated, attenuates fibrinolysis. TAFIa also possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Although liver is the main source of plasma TAFI, platelet-derived TAFI has also been reported. An alternatively spliced TAFI variant resulted from the skipping of exon 6 and a 52-base deletion in exon 10 of CPB2 mRNA (∆6+10) was described to be brain specific. This TAFI variant is reputed to possess a secretase-like activity that cleaves β-amyloid precursor protein to form β-amyloid, a process involved in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. In this thesis, we report the identification of CPB2 mRNA and TAFI protein in various vascular and inflammatory cells. Specifically, we describe the expression of CPB2 mRNA in the megakaryocytic cell lines MEG-01 and Dami, the monocytic cell line THP-1, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. TAFI protein was detected in differentiated Dami and THP-1 cells. We next describe the effect of external stimuli such as phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) on CPB2 expression in Dami and THP-1 cells. We found that PMA treatment increases both CPB2 mRNA abundance and promoter activity in Dami cells, and decreases both CPB2 mRNA abundance and promoter activity in THP-1 cells. Deletion analysis of the CPB2 promoter indicated cell-type specific regulation of CPB2 gene expression. Finally, we evaluated the expression of alternatively spliced CPB2 mRNA variants in hepatic and non hepatic cells. We found that exon 6 skipping variants are expressed in all cell types of interest. The variant previously reported to be brain specific was also found to be expressed in platelets. We found that the alternatively spliced TAFI variants accumulated inside the cells in a non-secretable, hypoglycosylated form and showed no carboxypeptidase activity. Taken together, this thesis provides further evidence supporting the hypothesis that platelet-derived TAFI is originated from CPB2 gene expression in megakaryocytes. Moreover, our data imply a potential for site-specific anti-inflammatory control provided by macrophage-derived TAFI. Alternative splicing of the CPB2 mRNA may give rise to variants with an intracellular role, perhaps as a peptidase chaperone, and may modulate the synthesis of secretable TAFI. / Thesis (Ph.D, Biochemistry) -- Queen's University, 2011-09-26 21:22:33.348

Megakaryocytes (MK) are responsible for platelet biogenesis, which is thought to occur canonically in the adult bone marrow (BM) and in the fetal liver during development. However, emerging evidence highlights the lung as a previously underappreciated residence for MKs that may significantly contribute to circulating platelet mass. While a diversity of cells specific to the BM are known to promote the maturation and trafficking of MKs, little investigation into the impact of the lung niche on the development and function of MKs has been done. Here, we describe the application of single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) coupled with histological, ploidy and flow cytometric analyses to profile primary MKs derived from syngeneic mouse lung and hematopoietic tissues. Transcriptional profiling demonstrated that lung MKs have a unique signature distinct from their hematopoietic counterparts with lung MKs displaying enrichment for maturation markers, potentially indicating a propensity for more efficient platelet production. Reciprocally, fetal lung MKs also showed the robust expression of cytokines and growth factors known to promote lung development. Lastly, lung MKs possess an enrichment profile skewed towards roles in immunity and inflammation. These findings highlight the existence of a lung-specific MK phenotype and support the notion that the lung plays an independent role in the development and functional maturation of MKs. In addition to MKs, the lung houses many resident hematopoietic cells, including hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). The existence of lung HSPCs suggests that the differentiation and development of lung resident hematopoietic cells may occur in-situ. To investigate the potential role the lung has in instructing site specific hematopoiesis, we employed explant cultures of murine and human fetal lungs. This displayed adherent endothelial cells transitioning into floating hematopoietic cells, suggesting that the fetal lung is a source of hemogenic endothelial cells that have the functional capacity to undergo endothelial to hematopoietic transition (EHT) to produce HSPCs. Flow cytometric and functional assessment of fetal lung explants showed the production of HSPCs that expressed key EHT and pre-HSPC markers. Expression profiles revealed by scRNA-Seq and small molecule modulation demonstrated that fetal lung EHT is reliant on canonical EHT signaling pathways. These findings suggest that functional HECs are present in the fetal lung, thus establishing this location as a potential extramedullary site of de-novo hematopoiesis. Overall, these findings suggest that the lung may have a greater role in instructing tissue specific hematopoiesis and/or overall hematopoietic development.

published_or_final_version / Physiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Les plaquettes jouent un rôle primordial dans le processus d'hémostase. Elles sont générées à partir des mégacaryocytes (MK) présents dans la moelle osseuse. En plus des compartiments vésiculaires classiques de la voie d'endocytose et de dégradation vers les lysosomes, les plaquettes possèdent deux compartiments sécrétoires additionnels, les granules alpha et denses. Ces granules sont générés au cours de la maturation des MK à partir des corps multivésiculaires (MVB) et contiennent des molécules essentielles aux fonctions plaquettaires. Un défaut dans la production ou le remplissage de ces granules est à l'origine de symdromes hémorragiques. Malgré des études montrant l'implication de certaines protéines du trafic vésiculaire, les mécanismes moléculaires qui contrôlent la biogenèse et la maintenance des granules plaquettaires dans les MK ainsi que les mécanismes de tri des cargos qu'ils contiennent, ne sont pas complètement élucidés. Au cours de ces dernières années les phosphoinositides (PI) sont apparus comme des acteurs majeurs du trafic vésiculaire en régulant de la localisation de certaines protéines. Cependant, peu de choses sont connues à ce jour quant au rôle de ces lipides dans la biogenèse et le trafic des granules plaquettaires dans les MK. Au cours de ma thèse, j'ai étudié le rôle d'un des membres de la famille des PI, le phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate (PtdIns5P), ainsi que deux enzymes responsables de sa synthèse : la 3-phosphatase MTM1 (mutée dans la myopathie centronucléaire, CNM) et la lipide kinase PIKfyve, dans le contrôle de la dynamique des granules. Mes résultats montrent que MTM1 est présente dans les MK et les plaquettes et est localisée en partie sur les granules denses. Cependant, cette phosphatase n'est pas essentielle pour la production et l'activation plaquettaire. En effet, les souris MTM1 KO ne présentent pas de défaut du nombre plaquettaire, ni d'agrégation et de sécrétion suite à une stimulation par la thrombine ou le collagène. Nous montrons la présence d'autres membres de la famille des myotubularines dans les plaquettes et les MK différenciés, ce qui pourrait expliquer une redondance de fonction. De façon intéressante, nous montrons que la détection de MTM1 à partir de faible quantité de sang (<100 ?l) pourrait déboucher sur la mise au point d'un test diagnostic rapide pour la détection de la CNM. Mes travaux ont été focalisés par la suite sur PIKfyve. En utilisant la lignée leucémique mégacaryoblastique MEG-01 différenciée, je montre pour la première fois que le PtdIns5P est localisé dans les compartiments endosomes tardifs ainsi que dans les granules alpha et denses. Dans ces cellules, PIKfyve contrôle plus de 50% du PtdIns5P. De façon remarquable, l'inhibition pharmacologique de PIKfyve ou son invalidation par siRNA entraine une perte d'identité des granules avec la formation de granules élargis qui présentent à la fois des marqueurs de granules denses et alpha et bloque totalement leur mobilité. Ces données ont été confirmées dans des MK primaires de souris. L'addition de PtdIns5P exogène sur les MEG-01 restaure le phénotype normal des granules démontrant que PIKfyve, par l'intermédiaire du PtdIns5P, contrôle l'intégrité des granules qui est donc un phénomène actif et les mécanismes de fusion/fission des vésicules affectant le tri des cargos. De plus, l'inhibition de PIKfyve dans les plaquettes isolées affecte leur agrégation et leur sécrétion, montrant que PIKfyve et le PtdIns5P peuvent agir d'une part lors de la biogénèse des plaquettes dans les MK et d'autre part sur le fonctionnement des plaquettes. Dans leur ensemble, mes travaux placent PIKfyve et son produit lipidique, le PtdIns5P, comme des acteurs majeurs de la maintenance et l'identité des granules plaquettaires. / Platelets play a major role in homeostasis processes. They are generated from megakaryocytes (MKs) in the bone marrow. In addition to the classic vesicular compartments of the endocytic and degradation pathway toward lysosomes, platelets have two additional specialized secretory compartments, the dense and alpha granules. These granules are made during MK maturation from multivesicular bodies (MVB) and contain molecules that are essential to platelet functions. Defect in the production of these granules or absence of their cargos is the cause of hemorrhagic syndromes. Despite many studies showing the implication of vesicle trafficking proteins, the molecular mechanisms controlling the biogenesis and maintenance of the granules and cargo sorting are not completely understood. In recent years, phosphoinositides (PIs) have emerged as key actors in vesicular trafficking playing a role of important spatial regulators of many proteins. However, little is known about the role of these lipids in the biogenesis and the trafficking of platelet granules in the MK.During my thesis, I have studied the role of one the member of the PI family, the phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate (PtdIns5P), and of two enzymes responsible of its synthesis : the 3-phosphatase MTM1(mutated in the Centronuclear myopathy, CNM) and the lipid kinase PIKfyve, in the control of granules dynamic. My results show that MTM1 is present in MK and platelet and that platelet MTM1 localizes in part on dense granules. However, the phosphatase is not mandatory for platelet production and activation. Indeed, the knock-out of MTM1 in mice has no effect on platelet count, aggregation and secretion following thrombin or collagen stimulation. We show the presence of other members of the myotubularins family in platelet and differentiated MK, which can explain a redundancy in functions. Interestingly, we show that MTM1 detection from small amount of blood (<100 ?l) could lead to the development of a rapid diagnostic test for the detection of the CNM. My work was next focalized on PIKfyve. Using the differentiated leukemic megakaryoblastic cell line MEG-01 as a cell model, I showed for the first time that PtdIns5P is localized on late endosome and on alpha and dense granules. In these cells, PIKfyve controls more than 50% of cellular PtdIns5P. Remarkably, pharmacological inhibition of PIKfyve or its invalidation by siRNA leads to a loss of granules identity with the formation of enlarged granules containing both alpha and dense granules markers, and totally blocks their mobility. These data were also confirmed on primary mice MK. Addition of exogenous PtdIns5P on MEG-01 cells restores the normal phenotype of granules showing that PIKfyve, via PtdIns5P, controls granules integrity, an active phenomenon, and the fusion/fission mechanisms that affect cargos sorting. Furthermore, PIKfyve inhibition in isolated platelet affects their aggregation and secretion, showing that PIKfyve and the PtdIns5P may act on the biogenesis of platelets in MK and also on the function of mature platelets. In conclusion, my Ph.D. work shows that PIKfyve and its product PtdIns5P are major actors in platelet granules maintenance and integrity.

Transcription factors GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 are essential proteins for normal megakaryopoiesis, however, the detailed analyses of their functions within developmental stages of megakaryopoiesis are lacking. In my thesis, over expression of gene in target cells was adopted as the main strategy to study the biological functions of these proteins, therefore, an efficient gene delivery method was first developed by using retrovirus.This approach was then utilized to over express GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 in murine leukemia M1 cells and mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), and their effects on different developmental stages of megakaryopoiesis were investigated. In the transduced M1 cells, enforced expression of GATA-1 and Fli-1 was found to induce the megakaryocytic development, which was associated with the formation of megakaryocyte (Mk) and the increased expression of Mk specific genes c-Mpl and GPIX. In the transduced mouse HSCs, it was found that the expression of endogenous GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 was up-regulated throughout Mk differentiation; enforced expression of these transcription factors led to the significantly enhanced Mk development. Megakaryocytes over expressing GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 were characterized by the increased expression of various Mk-specific genes including GPIX, c-Mpl, platelet factor 4 (PF4), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and NF-E2, an important transcription factor for terminal megakaryopoiesis; however, GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 displayed the different abilities in promoting the proliferation of hematopoietic cells and MK differentiation, as well as regulating other transcription factors involved in hematopoiesis. To further elucidate the role of the functional domains of Fli-1, various mutants of Fli-1 were also over expressed in mouse HSCs. The results demonstrated that first, the combination of the activation domain of Fli-1 and its Ets domain is required for early megakaryopoiesis but not sufficient for terminal megakaryopoiesis; second, DNA binding of Fli-1 was not the only requirement for early Mk enhancement, moreover, the interaction between Fli-1 and GATA-1 through the Ets domain and the resultant transcriptional synergy was the essential determinant for Fli?1 ability in Mk development. Taken together, the studies presented in this thesis provided strong in vitro evidence that GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 indeed play the critical roles in normal megakaryopoiesis.

Transcription factors GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 are essential proteins for normal megakaryopoiesis, however, the detailed analyses of their functions within developmental stages of megakaryopoiesis are lacking. In my thesis, over expression of gene in target cells was adopted as the main strategy to study the biological functions of these proteins, therefore, an efficient gene delivery method was first developed by using retrovirus.This approach was then utilized to over express GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 in murine leukemia M1 cells and mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), and their effects on different developmental stages of megakaryopoiesis were investigated. In the transduced M1 cells, enforced expression of GATA-1 and Fli-1 was found to induce the megakaryocytic development, which was associated with the formation of megakaryocyte (Mk) and the increased expression of Mk specific genes c-Mpl and GPIX. In the transduced mouse HSCs, it was found that the expression of endogenous GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 was up-regulated throughout Mk differentiation; enforced expression of these transcription factors led to the significantly enhanced Mk development. Megakaryocytes over expressing GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 were characterized by the increased expression of various Mk-specific genes including GPIX, c-Mpl, platelet factor 4 (PF4), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and NF-E2, an important transcription factor for terminal megakaryopoiesis; however, GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 displayed the different abilities in promoting the proliferation of hematopoietic cells and MK differentiation, as well as regulating other transcription factors involved in hematopoiesis. To further elucidate the role of the functional domains of Fli-1, various mutants of Fli-1 were also over expressed in mouse HSCs. The results demonstrated that first, the combination of the activation domain of Fli-1 and its Ets domain is required for early megakaryopoiesis but not sufficient for terminal megakaryopoiesis; second, DNA binding of Fli-1 was not the only requirement for early Mk enhancement, moreover, the interaction between Fli-1 and GATA-1 through the Ets domain and the resultant transcriptional synergy was the essential determinant for Fli?1 ability in Mk development. Taken together, the studies presented in this thesis provided strong in vitro evidence that GATA-1, Fli-1 and FOG-1 indeed play the critical roles in normal megakaryopoiesis.