We would like to thank David R. Rodriguez, M.A. for the graphic design and photography in this manuscript. This work was supported by funding from the GCCRI, the NIH/NIA (5R21AG033339) and the Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA054174) to the UTHSCSA Flow Cytometry Core facility and the UTHSCSA Advanced Nucleic Acids Core Facility.

The authors declare&#160;no competing financial interests.

The in vivo mutagenesis assay described herein is based on the LacI transgenic mouse model originally generated by Kohler et al.18 This model utilizes a &#955; phage vector carrying a lacI reporter gene. The two cos sites flanking the vector allow for a relatively simple recovery and subsequent packaging into infectious phage particles, used to infect E. coli. A blue plaque will be generated by phage-infected E. coli that contain a mutated LacI...

In most tissues, differentiated cells have a limited life-span. To maintain functional integrity, long-lived, tissue-specific stem cells continuously produce progenitor cells that in turn give rise to the fully differentiated cells required for the function of that particular tissue. Stem cells also replenish their own compartment through a process called self-renewal. Thus, stem cells are responsible for maintaining the functional integrity of the tissue they reside in. Therefore, it is imperative that they are equipped with robust mechanisms to sense and potentially repair damaged DNA. If not, they may acquire multiple genomic (potentially harmful) perturbations, which can be inherited by their progeny. Understanding how stem cells safe-guard their genome during the life span of an organism is an important question and may help us understand why genomic instability is linked with cancer and some other age-related diseases (reviewed in1,2).
Controlling genomic integrity of a tissue at the level of stem cells or early progenitor cell populations can be achieved by either eliminating defective stem (or progenitor) cells via cell death, senescence or differentiation, and/or by efficient repair of damaged DNA. Recent studies have demonstrated that it is possible to measure certain types of DNA repair directly in these rare populations3-6. It was found that, for example in the hematopoietic system, double strand DNA breaks can be repaired by homologous recombination (HR) or non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), the latter being a repair process of lower fidelity and thus increased risk of making errors. Both are being utilized in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)4,5, however, in mice it seems it is predominantly NHEJ in HSCs whereas early progenitors cells utilize HR4. A similar observation was made for stem cells in the skin6. Interestingly, in human HSCs HR, not NHEJ, seems to be the repair mechanism of choice for double strand breaks3. Whether this functional difference between the two species is real or merely represents a technological or experimental difference remains to be seen.
A stem cell&#39;s repertoire to repair damaged DNA is likely to include other DNA repair mechanisms, such as base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER) and mismatch repair (MMR). BER and NER are responsible for repairing single or multiple base pair lesions in single stranded DNA, while MMR fixes base-base mismatches and insertion/deletion loops; these types of DNA damage cannot be repaired by NHEJ or HR. Supporting this notion are several studies from the hematopoietic system demonstrating a link between alterations in one of these pathways and abnormalities in the HSC compartment7-9, as well as an increased risk of developing myelodysplastic syndrome10-16, a disease that originates in the HSC and that is associated with increasing genomic instability as the disease progresses17. As of yet, measurements of BER, NER, and MMR directly in HSCs have not been reported.
In addition to elucidating the various processes that control tissue integrity at a mechanistic level, it is imperative to be able to measure the extent of mutated DNA, so that the consequences of aberrations in one of these processes can be tested, e.g. in normal versus genetically engineered stem cells or in old versus young. However, the development of a relevant assay is difficult because of the paucity of tissue-specific stem cells and the lack of culture conditions that preserves &#34;stemness&#34;. Moreover, such an assay should be amendable to environmental and genetic manipulations. A possible solution to these limitations and requirements is the use of mouse models that are specifically engineered to detect DNA mutations.
Multiple transgenic mouse models for mutation detection have been developed. For example, LacI transgenic mice18 carry a recoverable &#955; phage vector encoding the LacI reporter system, in which the LacI gene encodes a suppressor of the Lac operator and serves as the mutation reporter. Upon mutation of the LacI gene, the Lac operator is activated and &#946;-galactosidase is produced. &#946;-galactosidase cleaves the chromogenic substrate X-gal (5-bromo-4-chloro-e-indolyl-&#946;-D-galactopyranoside), which turns it blue. The cos sites flanking the LacI vector allows easy recovery by lambda phage proteins and subsequent infection of E. coli. After incubating infected E. coli on agarose that contains the X-gal substrate, plaques can be scored. Blue plaques contain a putative mutant Lac-I carrying phage, while clear plaques harbor non-mutants. The frequency of blue plaques (among the clear ones) indicates the mutant frequency in the original cell population the DNA was extracted from. Moreover, the &#955; phage hosting the LacI target can be readily sequenced using PCR techniques for relatively high throughput analysis. Sequencing multiple mutant LacI genes will reveal important information about the mutation spectrum, which in turn may point to possible deficiencies in specific DNA repair pathways or to specific genotoxic events. The LacI transgenic system has been standardized across multiple laboratories19 and the reagents are available commercially. One major disadvantage of the LacI system is the limited ability to detect large deletions or rearrangements; therefore, other methods, e.g. multi-color FISH on metaphase spreads need to be used to compliment this deficiency.
Within the &#955; phage vector of the LacI mouse model, there is a much smaller gene, CII, available for mutation analysis. Its size and the fact that mutants can be selected makes this a less labor-intensive and cheaper assay20 than the LacI gene analysis. However, the LacI gene is more extensively studied for mutagenesis21 and the sensitivity of the gene to mutations has been well characterized so that there is a clear understanding of the amino acid residues that generate a phenotypic response on a chromogenic substrate22-25.
Other mouse models for mutation detection include the use of the &#934;X174 or the LacZ transgenes. The &#934;X174 transgenic mouse model, with the original A:T&#8594;G:C reversion mutation assay26 or the forward mutation assay27 that allows detection of a spectrum of base pair substitutions, represents a less costly system than the LacI model. However, the mutational screen in the forward assay is not trivial and the mutation spectrum of the &#934;X174 transgene is not as well-characterized as that of the LacI. In mouse models carrying LacZ transgenes, the LacZ mutational reporter is recovered utilizing E. coli host cells that are sensitive to galactose and medium containing galactose28. A drawback of this system is that recovery of the LacZ target also involves restriction endonuclease digestion followed by ligation and electroporation of E. coli hosts, thereby making it difficult to adapt the system for small numbers of cells. Although it is not an absolute requirement for working with stem/progenitor cell populations (one can always start with more mice), if large numbers of cells are required (e.g. millions or more) it will quickly become impractical and cost-prohibitive. Also, the relatively large size of LacZ, while providing a sensitive mutational reporter, is cumbersome and more costly for DNA sequence analysis and determination of mutation spectra. A major advantage of this model however, is its ability to detect large deletions and insertions, as well as chromosomal rearrangements.
Since all cells in the LacI, &#934;X174 and LacZ transgenic mouse models carry the reporter system, any of these mouse models can be used to measure mutagenesis in any cell type of interest, including stem and progenitor cells, as long as they can be reliably harvested and in sufficient numbers. Because we had extensive experience with the LacI mouse model and the LacI mutation assay, we decided to pursue this system further for mutagenesis analysis in hematopoietic stem and progenitor populations.
The hematopoietic tissue is well-characterized in terms of cell surface phenotype of its individual components, including long-term repopulating stem cells, which are identifiable as the extremely rare population of Lin-IL7R-Sca-1+cKit++(LSK)/ Flk2-CD150+CD48- cells29. Mohrin et al.4 demonstrated that the slightly larger population of LSK/Flk2- cells are still good representatives for HSCs and significantly different from the most primitive committed myeloid progenitor (CMP) population when it comes to studying DNA repair. Moreover, when the HSC-enriched LSK (Flk-2+ and Flk-2-) cells were compared to the Lin-IL7R-Sca-1-cKit++ (LS-K progenitor cells), there was still a significant difference in NHEJ ability5 between the less pure, stem cell-enriched LSK population and the progenitor cells. In our study we use HSC-enriched LSK (Flk-2+ and Flk-2-) cells because we found that at least 2 x 105 cells are required for consistent, reliable results in this mutagenesis assay; this cell number is extremely difficult to obtain when one sorts the LSK/Flk2-CD150+CD48 population or even the LSK/Flk2- population (in terms of mice, costs and practicality). This protocol, based on the one originally developed by Kohler et al.18 describes in detail how the spontaneous DNA mutant frequency can be determined in LSK cells and defined populations of differentiated myeloid cells as well as unseparated bone marrow and spleen cells.

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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:252px;">LacI transgenic mice&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">BioReliance Corporation</td>
			<td style="width:195px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:252px;">RecoverEase DNA Isolation Kit, including the RNace-It ribonuclease cocktail</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Agilent Technologies (Stratagene)</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">720202</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:252px;">Transpack Packaging Extract, including the orange and blue transpack tubes and the SCS-8 E. coli</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Agilent Technologies (Stratagene)</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">200221</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">DNA size standards &#8211; lambda ladder</td>
			<td>Bio Rad</td>
			<td>170-3635</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">0.025 mM pore size membranes&#160;</td>
			<td>Fisher (Millipore)</td>
			<td>VSWP 025 00</td>
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			<td height="25" style="height:25px;">245 mm2 bioassay dishes (trays)&#160;</td>
			<td>Fisher (Corning)</td>
			<td>07-200-600</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">NZY broth (powder)</td>
			<td>Fisher (Teknova)</td>
			<td>N1144</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Agar</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>BP1423-500</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Agarose</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>E-3120-500</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">N, N-dimethylformamide</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>AC34843-5000</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">X-gal</td>
			<td>Research Products Intl Corp (RPI)</td>
			<td>B71800-10.0</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Proteinase K</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>3-115-852</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">PCR Extender Taq Polimerase kit</td>
			<td>5 PRIME</td>
			<td>2200500</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">Agencourt AMPure XP cleanup kit</td>
			<td>Beckman/coulter</td>
			<td>A63880</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

identifying dna mutations in purified hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells

In recent years, it has become apparent that genomic instability is tightly related to many developmental disorders, cancers, and aging. Given that stem cells are responsible for ensuring tissue homeostasis and repair throughout life, it is reasonable to hypothesize that the stem cell population is critical for preserving genomic integrity of tissues. Therefore, significant interest has arisen in assessing the impact of endogenous and environmental factors on genomic integrity in stem cells and their progeny, aiming to understand the etiology of stem-cell based diseases.
LacI transgenic mice carry a recoverable &#955;&#160;phage vector encoding the LacI reporter system, in which the LacI gene serves as the mutation reporter. The result of a mutated LacI gene is the production of &#946;-galactosidase that cleaves a chromogenic substrate, turning it blue. The LacI reporter system is carried in all cells, including stem/progenitor cells and can easily be recovered and used to subsequently infect E. coli. After incubating infected E. coli on agarose that contains the correct substrate, plaques can be scored; blue plaques indicate a mutant LacI gene, while clear plaques harbor wild-type. The frequency of blue (among clear) plaques indicates the mutant frequency in the original cell population the DNA was extracted from. Sequencing the mutant LacI gene will show the location of the mutations in the gene and the type of mutation.
The LacI transgenic mouse model is well-established as an in vivo mutagenesis assay. Moreover, the mice and the reagents for the assay are commercially available. Here we describe in detail how this model can be adapted to measure the frequency of spontaneously occurring DNA mutants in stem cell-enriched Lin-IL7R-Sca-1+cKit++(LSK) cells and other subpopulations of the hematopoietic system.

The in vivo mutagenesis assay measures a rare event (mutant PFUs) among many events (all PFUs). By performing the assay with small number of cells, it is possible that the outcome is considerably influenced by false-positive and false-negative results. To address this issue we performed a serial dilution experiment with unfractionated bone marrow cells, harvested from three different animals. We measured the mutant frequency in the bone marrow of these animals using 1.4 x 106, 7.0 x 105, 3....

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Identifying DNA Mutations in Purified Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells at JoVE.com

Identifying DNA Mutations in Purified Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells

Here we describe an in vivo mutagenesis assay for small numbers of purified hematopoietic cells using the LacI transgenic mouse model.&#160;The LacI gene can be isolated to determine the frequency, location, and type of DNA mutants&#160;spontaneously arisen or after exposure to genotoxins.

In recent years, it has become apparent that genomic instability is tightly related to many developmental disorders, cancers, and aging. Given that stem ...

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12.9K Views.  UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Here we describe an in vivo mutagenesis assay for small numbers of purified hematopoietic cells using the LacI transgenic mouse model. The LacI gene can be isolated to determine the frequency, location, and type of DNA mutants spontaneously arisen or after exposure to genotoxins.

Video: Identifying DNA Mutations in Purified Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells

Identifying Dysregulated Genes Induced by Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV)

Currently KS is the most predominant HIV/AIDS related malignancy in Southern Africa and hence the world.1,2 It is characterized as an angioproliferative tumor of vascular endothelial cells and produces rare B cell lymphoproliferative diseases in the form of pleural effusion lymphomas (PEL) and some forms of multicentric Castleman's disease.3-5 Only 1-5% of cells in KS lesions actively support lytic replication of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the etiological agent associated with KS, and it is clear that cellular factors must interact with viral factors in the process of oncogenesis and tumor progression.6,7 Identifying novel host-factor determinants which contribute to KS pathology is essential for developing prognostic markers for tumor progression and metastasis as well as for developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of KS.8 The accompanying video details the methods we use to identify host cell gene expression programs altered in dermal microvascular endothelial cells (DMVEC) after KSHV infection and in KS tumor tissue.9 Once dysregulated genes are identified by microarray analysis, changes in protein expression are confirmed by immunoblot and dual labeled immunofluorescence. Changes in transcriptional expression of dysregulated genes are confirmed in vitro by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Validation of in vitro findings using archival KS tumor tissue is also performed by dual labeled immunochemistry and tissue microarrays.8,10 Our approach to identifying dysregulated genes in the KS tumor tissue microenvironment will allow the development of in vitro and subsequently in vivo model systems for discovery and evaluation of potential novel therapeutic for the treatment of KS.

Identifying Dysregulated Genes Induced by Kaposi&#039;s Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus KSHV

Host cell factors play a critical role in the establishment and maintenance of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). We outline methods to identify host cell factors altered in KSHV-infected DMVEC cells, and in KS tumor tissue. Cellular genes altered by virus will serve as potential target(s) for novel therapeutics.

Currently KS is the most predominant HIV/AIDS related malignancy in Southern Africa and hence the world.1,2 It is characterized as an angioproliferative ...

Induction and Assessment of Class Switch Recombination in Purified Murine B Cells

Humoral immunity is the branch of the immune system maintained by B cells and mediated through the secretion of antibodies. Upon B cell activation, the immunoglobulin locus undergoes a series of genetic modifications to alter the binding capacity and effector function of secreted antibodies. This process is highlighted by a genomic recombination event known as class switch recombination (CSR) in which the default IgM antibody isotype is substituted for one of IgG, IgA, or IgE. Each isotype possesses distinct effector functions thereby making CSR crucial to the maintenance of immunity. Diversification of the immunoglobulin locus is mediated by the enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). A schematic video describing this process in detail is available online (http://video.med.utoronto.ca/videoprojects/immunology/aam.html). AID's activity and the CSR pathway are commonly studied in the assessment of B cell function and humoral immunity in mice. The protocol outlined in this report presents a method of B cell isolation from murine spleens and subsequent stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce class switching to IgG3 (for other antibody isotypes see Table 1). In addition, the fluorescent cell staining dye Carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) is used to monitor cell division of stimulated cells, a process crucial to isotype switching 1, 2. The regulation of AID and the mechanism by which CSR occurs are still unclear and thus in vitro class switch assays provide a reliable method for testing these processes in various mouse models. These assays have been previously used in the context of gene deficiency using knockout mice 3. Furthermore, in vitro switching of B cells can be preceded by viral transduction to modulate gene expression by RNA knockdown or transgene expression 4-6. The data from these types of experiments have impacted our understanding of AID activity, resolution of the CSR reaction, and antibody-mediated immunity in the mouse.

Following antigen exposure, subpopulations of activated B cells undergo a process known as class switch recombination (CSR) to produce antibody isotypes with distinct effector functions. The protocol outlined in this report explains how CSR can be induced and analyzed in vitro for the purposes of studying B cell function.

Humoral immunity is the branch of the immune system maintained by B cells and mediated through the secretion of antibodies. Upon B cell activation, the ...

Colony Forming Cell (CFC) Assay for Human Hematopoietic Cells

Human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells are usually obtained from bone marrow, cord blood, or peripheral blood and are used to study hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis. They have the capacity to differentiate into lymphoid and myeloid lineages. The colony forming cell (CFC) assay is used to study the proliferation and differentiation pattern of hematopoietic progenitors by their ability to form colonies in a semisolid medium. The number and the morphology of the colonies formed by a fixed number of input cells provide preliminary information about the ability of progenitors to differentiate and proliferate. Cells can be harvested from individual colonies or from the whole plate to further assess their numbers and differentiation states using flow cytometry and morphologic evaluation of Giemsa-stained slides. This assay is useful for assessing myeloid but not lymphoid differentiation. The term myeloid in this context is used in its wider sense to encompass granulocytic, monocytic, erythroid, and megakaryocytic lineages.

We have used this assay to assess the effects of oncogenes on the differentiation of primary human CD34+ cells derived from peripheral blood. For this purpose cells are transduced with either control retroviral construct or a construct expressing the oncogene of interest, in this case NUP98-HOXA9. We employ a commonly used retroviral vector, MSCV-IRES-GFP, that expresses a bicistronic mRNA that produces the gene of interest and a GFP marker. Cells are pre-activated by growing in the presence of cytokines for two days prior to retroviral transduction. After another two days, GFP+ cells are isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and mixed with a methylcellulose-containing semisolid medium supplemented with cytokines and incubated till colonies appear on the surface, typically 14 days. The number and morphology of the colonies are documented. Cells are then removed from the plates, washed, counted, and subjected to flow cytometry and morphologic examination. Flow cytometry with antibodies specific to the cell surface markers expressed during hematopoiesis provides information about lineage and maturation stage. Morphological studies of individual cells under a microscope after Wright- Giemsa staining provide further information with regard to lineage and maturation. Comparison of cells transduced with control empty vector to those transduced with an oncogene reveals the effects of the oncogene on hematopoietic differentiation.

Colony Forming Cell CFC Assay for Human Hematopoietic Cells

The colony forming cell (CFC) assay is an in vitro assay in which hematopoietic progenitors form colonies in a semi-solid medium. A combination of colony morphology, cell morphology, and flow cytometry are used to assess the ability of the progenitors to proliferate and differentiate along the different hematopoietic lineages.

Human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells are usually obtained from bone marrow, cord blood, or peripheral blood and are used to study hematopoiesis and ...

Seven Steps to Stellate Cells

Hepatic stellate cells are liver-resident cells of star-like morphology and are located in the space of Disse between liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatocytes1,2. Stellate cells are derived from bone marrow precursors and store up to 80% of the total body vitamin A1, 2. Upon activation, stellate cells differentiate into myofibroblasts to produce extracellular matrix, thus contributing to liver fibrosis3. Based on their ability to contract, myofibroblastic stellate cells can regulate the vascular tone associated with portal hypertension4. Recently, we demonstrated that hepatic stellate cells are potent antigen presenting cells and can activate NKT cells as well as conventional T lymphocytes5. 

 Here we present a method for the efficient preparation of hepatic stellate cells from mouse liver. Due to their perisinusoidal localization, the isolation of hepatic stellate cells is a multi-step process. In order to render stellate cells accessible to isolation from the space of Disse, mouse livers are perfused in situ with the digestive enzymes Pronase E and Collagenase P. Following perfusion, the liver tissue is subjected to additional enzymatic treatment with Pronase E and Collagenase P in vitro. Subsequently, the method takes advantage of the massive amount of vitamin A-storing lipid droplets in hepatic stellate cells. This feature allows the separation of stellate cells from other hepatic cell types by centrifugation on an 8% Nycodenz gradient. The protocol described here yields a highly pure and homogenous population of stellate cells. Purity of preparations can be assessed by staining for the marker molecule glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), prior to analysis by fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry. Further, light microscopy reveals the unique appearance of star-shaped hepatic stellate cells that harbor high amounts of lipid droplets. 


 Taken together, we present a detailed protocol for the efficient isolation of hepatic stellate cells, including representative images of their morphological appearance and GFAP expression that help to define the stellate cell entity.

Here we describe a method for the isolation of hepatic stellate cells from mouse liver. For stellate cell purification, mouse livers are digested in situ and in vitro by pronase-collagenase treatment prior to density gradient centrifugation. This technique yields highly pure hepatic stellate cells.

Hepatic stellate cells are liver-resident  cells of star-like morphology and are located in the space of Disse between  liver sinusoidal endothelial cells ...

Generation of Multivirus-specific T Cells to Prevent/treat Viral Infections after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant

Viral infections cause morbidity and mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. We and others have successfully generated and infused T-cells specific for Epstein Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Adenovirus (Adv) using monocytes and EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell (EBV-LCL) gene-modified with an adenovirus vector as antigen presenting cells (APCs). As few as 2x105/kg trivirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) proliferated by several logs after infusion and appeared to prevent and treat even severe viral disease resistant to other available therapies. The broader implementation of this encouraging approach is limited by high production costs, complexity of manufacture and the prolonged time (4-6 weeks for EBV-LCL generation, and 4-8 weeks for CTL manufacture &#x2013; total 10-14 weeks) for preparation. To overcome these limitations we have developed a new, GMP-compliant CTL production protocol. First, in place of adenovectors to stimulate T-cells we use dendritic cells (DCs) nucleofected with DNA plasmids encoding LMP2, EBNA1 and BZLF1 (EBV), Hexon and Penton (Adv), and pp65 and IE1 (CMV) as antigen-presenting cells. These APCs reactivate T cells specific for all the stimulating antigens. Second, culture of activated T-cells in the presence of IL-4 (1,000U/ml) and IL-7 (10ng/ml) increases and sustains the repertoire and frequency of specific T cells in our lines. Third, we have used a new, gas permeable culture device (G-Rex) that promotes the expansion and survival of large cell numbers after a single stimulation, thus removing the requirement for EBV-LCLs and reducing technician intervention. By implementing these changes we can now produce multispecific CTL targeting EBV, CMV, and Adv at a cost per 106 cells that is reduced by &gt;90%, and in just 10 days rather than 10 weeks using an approach that may be extended to additional protective viral antigens. Our FDA-approved approach should be of value for prophylactic and treatment applications for high risk allogeneic HSCT recipients.

A rapid, simple and cost-effective protocol for the generation of donor-derived multivirus-specific CTLs (rCTL) for infusion to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients at risk of developing CMV, Adv or EBV infections. This manufacturing process is GMP-compliant and should ensure the broader implementation of T-cell immunotherapy beyond specialized centers.

Viral infections cause morbidity and mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. We and others have successfully ...

Following Cell-fate in E. coli After Infection by Phage Lambda

The system comprising bacteriophage (phage) lambda and the bacterium E. coli has long served as a paradigm for cell-fate determination1,2. Following the simultaneous infection of the cell by a number of phages, one of two pathways is chosen: lytic (virulent) or lysogenic (dormant)3,4. We recently developed a method for fluorescently labeling individual phages, and were able to examine the post-infection decision in real-time under the microscope, at the level of individual phages and cells5. Here, we describe the full procedure for performing the infection experiments described in our earlier work5. This includes the creation of fluorescent phages, infection of the cells, imaging under the microscope and data analysis. The fluorescent phage is a "hybrid", co-expressing wild- type and YFP-fusion versions of the capsid gpD protein. A crude phage lysate is first obtained by inducing a lysogen of the gpD-EYFP (Enhanced Yellow Fluorescent Protein) phage, harboring a plasmid expressing wild type gpD. A series of purification steps are then performed, followed by DAPI-labeling and imaging under the microscope. This is done in order to verify the uniformity, DNA packaging efficiency, fluorescence signal and structural stability of the phage stock. The initial adsorption of phages to bacteria is performed on ice, then followed by a short incubation at 35&deg;C to trigger viral DNA injection6. The phage/bacteria mixture is then moved to the surface of a thin nutrient agar slab, covered with a coverslip and imaged under an epifluorescence microscope. The post-infection process is followed for 4 hr, at 10 min interval. Multiple stage positions are tracked such that ~100 cell infections can be traced in a single experiment. At each position and time point, images are acquired in the phase-contrast and red and green fluorescent channels. The phase-contrast image is used later for automated cell recognition while the fluorescent channels are used to characterize the infection outcome: production of new fluorescent phages (green) followed by cell lysis, or expression of lysogeny factors (red) followed by resumed cell growth and division. The acquired time-lapse movies are processed using a combination of manual and automated methods. Data analysis results in the identification of infection parameters for each infection event (e.g. number and positions of infecting phages) as well as infection outcome (lysis/lysogeny). Additional parameters can be extracted if desired.

Following Cell-fate in E. coli After Infection by Phage Lambda

This article describes the procedure for preparing a fluorescently-labeled version of bacteriophage lambda, infection of E. coli bacteria, following the infection outcome under the microscope, and analysis of infection results.

The system comprising bacteriophage (phage) lambda and the bacterium E. coli has long served as a paradigm for cell-fate determination1,2. Following the ...

Establishment of an In vitro System to Study Intracellular Behavior of Candida glabrata in Human THP-1 Macrophages

A cell culture model system, if a close mimic of host environmental conditions, can serve as an inexpensive, reproducible and easily manipulatable alternative to animal model systems for the study of a specific step of microbial pathogen infection. A human monocytic cell line THP-1 which, upon phorbol ester treatment, is differentiated into macrophages, has previously been used to study virulence strategies of many intracellular pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here, we discuss a protocol to enact an in vitro cell culture model system using THP-1 macrophages to delineate the interaction of an opportunistic human yeast pathogen Candida glabrata with host phagocytic cells. This model system is simple, fast, amenable to high-throughput mutant screens, and requires no sophisticated equipment. A typical THP-1 macrophage infection experiment takes approximately 24 hr with an additional 24-48 hr to allow recovered intracellular yeast to grow on rich medium for colony forming unit-based viability analysis. Like other in vitro model systems, a possible limitation of this approach is difficulty in extrapolating the results obtained to a highly complex immune cell circuitry existing in the human host. However, despite this, the current protocol is very useful to elucidate the strategies that a fungal pathogen may employ to evade/counteract antimicrobial response and survive, adapt, and proliferate in the nutrient-poor environment of host immune cells.

Establishment of an In vitro System to Study Intracellular Behavior of Candida glabrata in Human THP-1 Macrophages

The current article outlines a protocol to establish an in vitro cell culture model system to study the interaction of a facultative intracellular human fungal pathogen Candida glabrata with human macrophages which will be a useful tool to advance our knowledge of fungal virulence mechanisms.

A cell culture model system, if a close mimic of host environmental conditions, can serve as an inexpensive, reproducible and easily manipulatable ...

Systemic Injection of Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells in Mice with Chronic EAE

Neural stem/precursor cells (NPCs) are a promising stem cell source for transplantation approaches aiming at brain repair or restoration in regenerative neurology. This directive has arisen from the extensive evidence that brain repair is achieved after focal or systemic NPC transplantation in several preclinical models of neurological diseases.
These experimental data have identified the cell delivery route as one of the main hurdles of restorative stem cell therapies for brain diseases that requires urgent assessment. Intraparenchymal stem cell grafting represents a logical approach to those pathologies characterized by isolated and accessible brain lesions such as spinal cord injuries and Parkinson's disease. Unfortunately, this principle is poorly applicable to conditions characterized by a multifocal, inflammatory and disseminated (both in time and space) nature, including multiple sclerosis (MS). As such, brain targeting by systemic NPC delivery has become a low invasive and therapeutically efficacious protocol to deliver cells to the brain and spinal cord of rodents and nonhuman primates affected by experimental chronic inflammatory damage of the central nervous system (CNS).
This alternative method of cell delivery relies on the NPC pathotropism, specifically their innate capacity to (i) sense the environment via functional cell adhesion molecules and inflammatory cytokine and chemokine receptors; (ii) cross the leaking anatomical barriers after intravenous (i.v.) or intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection; (iii) accumulate at the level of multiple perivascular site(s) of inflammatory brain and spinal cord damage; and (i.v.) exert remarkable tissue trophic and immune regulatory effects onto different host target cells in vivo.
Here we describe the methods that we have developed for the i.v. and i.c.v. delivery of syngeneic NPCs in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), as model of chronic CNS inflammatory demyelination, and envisage the systemic stem cell delivery as a valuable technique for the selective targeting of the inflamed brain in regenerative neurology.

The transplantation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) holds great promises in regenerative neurology. The systemic delivery of NPCs has turned into effective, low invasive, and therapeutically very efficacious protocol to deliver stem cells in the brain and spinal cord of rodents and nonhuman primates affected by experimental chronic inflammatory damage of the central nervous system.

Neural stem/precursor cells (NPCs) are a promising stem cell source for transplantation approaches aiming at brain repair or restoration in regenerative ...

Visualizing Protein-DNA Interactions in Live Bacterial Cells Using Photoactivated Single-molecule Tracking

Protein-DNA interactions are at the heart of many fundamental cellular processes. For example, DNA replication, transcription, repair, and chromosome organization are governed by DNA-binding proteins that recognize specific DNA structures or sequences. In vitro experiments have helped to generate detailed models for the function of many types of DNA-binding proteins, yet, the exact mechanisms of these processes and their organization in the complex environment of the living cell remain far less understood. We recently introduced a method for quantifying DNA-repair activities in live Escherichia coli cells using Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM) combined with single-molecule tracking. Our general approach identifies individual DNA-binding events by the change in the mobility of a single protein upon association with the chromosome. The fraction of bound molecules provides a direct quantitative measure for the protein activity and abundance of substrates or binding sites at the single-cell level. Here, we describe the concept of the method and demonstrate sample preparation, data acquisition, and data analysis procedures.

Photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) combined with single-molecule tracking allows direct observation and quantification of protein-DNA interactions in live Escherichia coli cells.

Protein-DNA interactions are at the heart of many fundamental cellular processes. For example, DNA replication, transcription, repair, and chromosome ...

Assessing the Development of Murine Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Peyer's Patches Using Adoptive Transfer of Hematopoietic Progenitors

This protocol details a method to analyze the ability of purified hematopoietic progenitors to generate plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) in intestinal Peyer&#39;s patch (PP). Common dendritic cell progenitors (CDPs, lin- c-kitlo CD115+ Flt3+) were purified from the bone marrow of C57BL6 mice by FACS and transferred to recipient mice that lack a significant pDC population in PP; in this case, Ifnar-/- mice were used as the transfer recipients. In some mice, overexpression of the dendritic cell growth factor Flt3 ligand (Flt3L) was enforced prior to adoptive transfer of CDPs, using hydrodynamic gene transfer (HGT) of Flt3L-encoding plasmid. Flt3L overexpression expands DC populations originating from transferred (or endogenous) hematopoietic progenitors. At 7-10 days after progenitor transfer, pDCs that arise from the adoptively transferred progenitors were distinguished from recipient cells on the basis of CD45 marker expression, with pDCs from transferred CDPs being CD45.1+ and recipients being CD45.2+. The ability of transferred CDPs to contribute to the pDC population in PP and to respond to Flt3L was evaluated by flow cytometry of PP single cell suspensions from recipient mice. This method may be used to test whether other progenitor populations are capable of generating PP pDCs. In addition, this approach could be used to examine the role of factors that are predicted to affect pDC development in PP, by transferring progenitor subsets with an appropriate knockdown, knockout or overexpression of the putative developmental factor and/or by manipulating circulating cytokines via HGT. This method may also allow analysis of how PP pDCs affect the frequency or function of other immune subsets in PPs. A unique feature of this method is the use of Ifnar-/- mice, which show severely depleted PP pDCs relative to wild type animals, thus allowing reconstitution of PP pDCs in the absence of confounding effects from lethal irradiation.

Assessing the Development of Murine Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Peyer&#039;s Patches Using Adoptive Transfer of Hematopoietic Progenitors

This protocol describes experimental procedures to assess the differentiation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in Peyer&#8217;s patch from common dendritic cell progenitors, using techniques involving FACS-mediated cell isolation, hydrodynamic gene transfer, and flow analysis of immune subsets in Peyer&#8217;s patch.

This protocol details a method to analyze the ability of purified hematopoietic progenitors to generate plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) in intestinal ...