CD106 is a novel mediator of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via NF-κB in the bone marrow failure of acquired aplastic anemia

Background: Acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is characterized by deficiency or dysfunction of the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. However, little is known about the impairment of BM-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in AA patients.

Methods: We used Illumina HiSeqTM 2000 sequencing, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), flow cytometry (FCM), and Western blotting to test the expression of CD106 gene (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1)) and CD106 protein of BM-MSCs. Furthermore, we used hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and histochemical staining analysis, immunofluorescence, and the formation of capillary-like structures to analyze capillary tube-like formation in vitro; we also used the Matrigel plug assay to test in vivo vasculogenesis, and an assay of colony forming units (CFUs) and colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-MK) to detect the support function of MSCs in vitro. The in vivo engraftment of CD34⁺ cells and MSCs in NOD/SCID mice was tested by FACS and survival assay; the expression of NF-κB was tested by NanoPro analysis and immunofluorescence. NF-κB-regulated CD106 gene (VCAM1) was confirmed by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-stimulated and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated MSCs, blockade assay, and immunofluorescence.

Results: Here, we report that BM-MSCs from AA patients exhibited downregulation of the CD06 gene (VCAM1) and low expression of CD106 in vitro. Further analysis revealed that CD106⁺ MSCs from both AA patients and healthy controls had increased potential for in vitro capillary tube-like formation and in vivo vasculogenesis compared with CD106^- MSCs, and the results were similar when healthy MSCs were compared with AA MSCs. CD106⁺ MSCs from both AA patients and healthy controls more strongly supported in vitro growth and in vivo engraftment of CD34⁺ cells in NOD/SCID mice than CD106^- MSCs, and similar results were obtained when healthy MSCs and AA MSCs were compared. The expression of NF-κB was decreased in AA MSCs, and NF-κB regulated the CD106 gene (VCAM1) which supported hematopoiesis.

Conclusions: These results revealed the effect of CD106 and NF-κB in BM failure of AA.