Simplified Intrafemoral Injections Using Live Mice Allow for Continuous Bone Marrow Analysis

Summary

This protocol describes the intrafemoral injection of a few hematopoietic or leukemic stem cells, including gene-edited cells, in murine xenograft models, which will not only enable the quick and safe transplantation of cells but also serial analyses of the bone marrow.

Abstract

Despite the complexity of hematopoietic cell transplantation in humans, researchers commonly perform intravenous or intrafemoral (IF) injections in mice. In murine models, this technique has been adapted to enhance the seeding efficiency of transplanted hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). This paper describes a detailed step-by-step technical procedure of IF injection and the following bone marrow (BM) aspiration in mice that allows for serial characterization of cells present in the BM. This method enables the transplantation of valuable samples with low cell numbers that are particularly difficult to engraft by intravenous injection. This procedure facilitates the creation of xenografts that are critical for pathological analysis. While it is easier to access peripheral blood (PB), the cellular composition of PB does not reflect the BM, which is the niche for HSPCs. Therefore, procedures providing access to the BM compartment are essential for studying hematopoiesis. IF injection and serial BM aspiration, as described here, allow for the prospective retrieval and characterization of cells enriched in the BM, such as HSPCs, without sacrificing the mice.

Introduction

The blood system is maintained throughout life by hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which reside in bone marrow (BM)^1,2. To study dynamic changes in the BM environment, it is important to understand the biology of both normal and malignant hematopoiesis^3,4. Transplantation of HSCs directly into human BM yields higher engraftment than peripheral blood (PB) infusion, but high procedural complexity and increased risk of infection preclude this method from being part of standard practice⁵. In mice, procedures that facilitate BM acces....

Protocol

Six- to ten-week-old male or female NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice were used in this protocol, but it can be applied to all types of mice. The irradiation depends on the experimental content and the type of mice, whether or not to irradiate the mice depends on the research objectives. All animal procedures described here were conducted in accordance with the Guidelines for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and were approved by Stanford University's Administrative Panel on Lab Animal Care (APLAC #222.......

Discussion

Murine xenograft models are important for studying both normal and pathological human hematopoiesis. The BM is the source of hematopoiesis³; therefore, studying hematological diseases requires the successful engraftment of rare human stem cells into the murine BM. So far, transplantation methods such as a tail vein, retroorbital vein, and IF injection have been reported, and it is known that any of these methods can engraft transplanted cells. IF injection is a transplantation method that has been.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
1/2 mL Syringe, 27 G	BD	305620	https://www.bd.com/en-ca/offerings/capabilities/bd-luer-lok-syringe-with-attached-needle/305620
ACK Lysing Buffer	Qualoty Biological	118-156-101CS	https://www.qualitybiological.com/product/ack-lysing-buffer/
Biological Irradiator	Kimtron	IC-250	https://www.kimtron.com/ic-250
Chlorhexidine	Nolvasan	NDC 54771-8701-1	https://www.zoetisus.com/products/petcare/nolvasan-skin-and-wound-cleanser
Ethyl alcohol, proof 190	Gold Shield		https://goldsd.com/line-card/
FACSCanto II	(Becton Dickinson and Company (BD), Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA
Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)	Omega Scientific	FB-01	https://www.omegascientific.com/product/fetal-bovine-serum-usda-certified/
Flow cytometer, AriaII	Beckton Dickinson (BD)		cell sorting
IMDM	Gibco	12440053	https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/12440053
Isoflurane, USP	Dechra	NDC 17033-094-25	https://www.dechra-us.com/our-products/us/companion-animal/dog/prescription/isoflurane-usp-inhalation-anesthetic
NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice	Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA	Strain #:005557	Six- to ten-week-old male or female
Ophthalmic ointment, USP	Bausch Lomb	NDC 24208-780-55	https://www.bausch.com/contentassets/2914df881e4344a 7a202cc5a0673c977/neomycin-and-polymyxin-b-sulfates-gramicidin-ophthalmic-solution.pdf
OstiFen Injection (Caprofen)	VetOne	NDC 13985-748-20	http://vetone.net/Default/CatHeaderPage?id=9534ccca-eac5-4d68-8ad8-46436067587b
PBS, pH 7.4	Homemade
Penicillin-Streptomycin	Gibco	15140122	https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/15140122
Povidone-iodine	Betadine	NDC 67618-155-16	https://www.betadine.com/veterinary-surgical-scrub-and-solution/
TokeOni (in the U.S.)	Sigma-Aldrich	808350-5MG	AkaLumine-HCl/Akaluc; https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/aldrich/808350
UltraPure 0.5 M EDTA, pH 8.0	Invitrogen	15575020	https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/15575020
Engraftment antibody panel (in vivo, mouse bone marrow)
Antigen			Dilution
Antigen: Anti-human CD45 Fluorophore: V450 Clone: HI30	BD Biosciences	560367	1:25
Antigen: Anti-mouse CD45.1 Fluorophore: PE-Cy7 Clone: A20	eBioscience	25-0453-81	1:50
Antigen:Anti-mouse TER-119 Fluorophore: PE-Cy5 Clone: TER-119	eBioscience	15-5921-83	1:100
Antigen:Anti-human CD3 Fluorophore: APC-Cy7 Clone: SK7	BD Biosciences	341090	1:12.5
Antigen:Anti-human CD19 Fluorophore: APC Clone: HIB19	BD Biosciences	555415	1:25
Antigen:Anti-human CD33 Fluorophore: PE Clone: WM53	BD Biosciences	555450	1:25
Live/Dead staining			Conc.
PI	Invitrogen		1 μg/mL
Compensation beads
Negative control	BD Biosciences		See instruction for details
Anti-mouse Ig, κ	BD Biosciences		See instruction for details