![Sample our Bioscience journals, sign in here to start your access, Latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5925/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Bioscience.jpg"})
Abstract
The objective of this study was to re-evaluate the previously published hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) expansion work using human brain endothelial cells (HUBEC). The expansion effect of contact and non-contact conditions was reported to be equivalent by others. However, we report here different results that the expansion can be achieved only with direct contact. We co-cultured human CD34+ cells with and without HUBEC contact for seven days with cytokines and the readouts were CD34+/CD38 − phenotype and SCID repopulating cell (SRC) frequency. Also tested was the inhibitory effect of Wnt receptor inhibitor Dkk-1 on HUBEC contact ex vivo expansion; whether an increased expression of Wnt3 occurs on the HUBEC surface; and detection of an increased nuclear localization of beta-catenin in CD34+/CD38 − cells in HUBEC contact culture condition. We conclude that the successful expansion by HUBEC contact culture is a candidate explanation based on the Wnt family protein, possibly Wnt3, expression on HUBEC.