Hematopoiesis News Volume 1.30 | Aug 10 2010

TOP STORY

VE-Cadherin Expression Allows Identification of a New Class of Hematopoietic Stem Cells within Human Embryonic Liver 
Researchers report the identification of a new, transient and rare cell population in the human embryonic liver, which co-expresses VE-cadherin, an endothelial marker, CD45, a pan-hematopoietic marker, and CD34, a common endothelial and hematopoietic marker. [Blood]

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UCSF-Led Team Discovers Familial Link in Rare Childhood Leukemia
A UCSF-led team has discovered a direct link between an inherited genetic mutation, a set of developmental abnormalities and a rare form of childhood leukemia called juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. [Press release from the University of California, San Francisco discussing online prepublication in Nature Genetics]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by Impact Factor of the Journal)

LABORATORY RESEARCH

KLF1 Regulates BCL11A Expression and Gamma- to Beta-Globin Gene Switching
Researchers show that knockdown of KLF1 in human and mouse adult erythroid progenitors markedly reduces BCL11A levels and increases human gamma-globin/beta-globin expression ratios. [Nat Genet]

Germline CBL Mutations Cause Developmental Abnormalities and Predispose to Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia
Researchers describe a dominant developmental disorder resulting from germline missense CBL mutations, which is characterized by impaired growth, developmental delay, cryptorchidism and a predisposition to juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. [Nat Genet]

Haploinsufficiency for the Erythroid Transcription Factor KLF1 Causes Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin
Functional assays suggested that, in addition to its established role in regulating adult globin expression, KLF1 is a key activator of the BCL11A gene, which encodes a suppressor of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) expression. These observations provide a rationale for the effects of KLF1 haploinsufficiency on HbF levels. [Nat Genet]

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Antagonists Promote the Expansion of Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Although practiced clinically for over 40 years, the use of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplants remains limited by the ability to expand these cells ex vivo. An unbiased screen with primary human HSC identified a purine derivative, StemRegenin 1, that promotes the ex vivo expansion of CD34+ cells. [Science]

CCR7 Impairs Hematopoiesis Following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Increasing Susceptibility to Invasive Aspergillosis
Researchers investigated the role of CCR7 in a murine model of invasive aspergillosis following combined hematopoietic stem cell and myeloid progenitor cell transplantation into lethally irradiated wild-type mice. [Blood]

Genetic Manipulation of AML1-ETO-Induced Expansion of Hematopoietic Precursors in a Drosophila Model
Among mutations in human Runx1/AML1 transcription factors, the t(8;21)(q22;q22) genomic translocation that creates an AML1-ETO fusion protein is implicated in etiology of the acute myeloid leukemia. To identify genes and components associated with this oncogene researchers employed Drosophila as a genetic model. [Blood]

c-Myb Supports Erythropoiesis Through the Transactivation of KLF1 and LMO2 Expression
The c-Myb transcription factor is highly expressed in immature hematopoietic cells and down-regulated during differentiation. To define its role during the hematopoietic lineage commitment, researchers silenced c-Myb in human CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. [Blood]

Polarization and Migration of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells Rely on RhoA/ROCK I Pathway and an Active Reorganization of the Microtubule Network
Here, researchers investigated the role of the Rho kinase pathway in the morphology and migration of hematopoietic progenitors using an ex vivo co-culture consisting of human primary CD34+ progenitors and mesenchymal stromal cells. [J Biol Chem]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Randomized Study of Induction Therapy Comparing Standard-Dose Idarubicin with High-Dose Daunorubicin in Adult Patients with Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Researchers conducted a multi-institutional randomized study to determine whether high-dose daunorubicin would be as effective as standard-dose idarubicin in remission induction therapy for newly diagnosed adult patients aged younger than 65 with acute myeloid leukemia. [Blood]

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Hematological Malignancy: Relative Risks and Benefits of Double Umbilical Cord Blood
Researchers studied 536 patients at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Minnesota with malignant disease who underwent transplant with an HLA matched related donor (MRD, n=204), HLA allele matched or 1-antigen mismatched unrelated adult donor (MUD, n=152; MMUD, n=52) or 4-6/6 HLA matched double umbilical cord blood (n=128) graft after myeloablative conditioning. [Blood]

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Therapy-Related Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Leukemia: a Single-Center Analysis of 47 Patients
Although this study has several limitations, including a potential selection bias due to the retrospective nature of the analysis and a small number of patients, the results show that modern hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may be useful for inducing long-term survival in a fraction of patients suffering from therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome and acute leukemia. The present findings warrant future prospective studies. [Int J Hematol]

HemaCare Reports Return to Profitablity in Second Quarter
HemaCare Corporation announced profitable second quarter 2010 results with a 4% increase in revenue over the first quarter of the year, and $224,000 of net income, a significant improvement over the first quarter loss of $204,000. [MarketWatch]

Affymax and Takeda Announce Preliminary U.S. Registration Strategy for Investigational Drug, Hematide(TM)/Peginesatide, to Treat Anemia in Chronic Renal Failure
Affymax, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced that the companies have decided on a preliminary strategic path forward for the investigational drug, Hematide(TM)/peginesatide, for the treatment of anemia in chronic renal failure patients in the United States. [Affymax, Inc. Press Release]

Decision Memo for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Myelodysplastic Syndrome (CAG-00415N)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have determined that the evidence does not demonstrate that the use of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation improves health outcomes in Medicare beneficiaries with myelodysplastic syndrome. [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, United States]

Free Access to U.S. Research Papers Could Yield $1 Billion in Benefits
A new economic analysis finds that making taxpayer-funded scientific papers freely available would yield more than $1 billion in benefits to the U.S. economy over 30 years–five times the costs of archiving the papers. [ScienceInsider]

Advanced Technologies for Detection of Perturbation-Induced Cellular Signatures (U01) (RFA-RM-10-004) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Technical Assistance Videocast for RFA-RR-10-007: Clinical and Translational Science Coordinating Center (U54) (NOT-RR-10-012) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

NIH Common Fund Transformative Research Projects Program (R01) (RFA-RM-10-010) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meeting (FR Doc. 2010-19167) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

National Human Genome Research Institute; Notice of Meeting (FR Doc. 2010-19165) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

2010 Biological License Application Approvals [Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, United States] 

2010 Biological License Application Supplement Noteworthy Approvals [Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, United States] 

7342.007 Addendum – Imported Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-based Products (HCT/Ps) [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

7342.007 – Imported CBER-Regulated Products [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

EVENTS (Listed by Date)

Select Biosciences 3rd Annual Stem Cells Europe Conference
August 24-25, 2010
Edinburgh, Scotland

Select Biosciences 2nd Annual World Biobanking Summit
August 24-25, 2010
Edinburgh, Scotland

Select Biosciences Inaugural Cellular Therapy Summit
August 24-25, 2010
Edinburgh, Scotland

The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Meeting 2010
September 4-7, 2010
Barcelona, Spain

International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) – Europe 2nd Regional Meeting
September 11-14, 2010
Belgirate, Italy

Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2010
September 13-15, 2010
Philadelphia, United States

Society for Hematology and Stem Cells (ISEH) 2010 Meeting
September 15-18, 2010
Melbourne, Australia

Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) 38th Annual Convention
September 21-24, 2010
Washington D.C., United States

American Society of Hematology (ASH) State-of-the-Art Symposium 2010
September 24-25, 2010
Chicago, United States

Society for the Advancement of Blood Management® (SABM®) 2010 Annual Meeting
September 24-26, 2010
San Juan, Puerto Rico

Stem Cells and Regeneration
October 3-9, 2010
Woods Hole, United States

American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) Annual Meeting 2010
October 9-12, 2010
Baltimore, United States

Fraunhofer Life Science Symposium Leipzig 2010
October 29-30, 2010
Leipzig, Germany

52nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition
December 4-7, 2010
Orlando, United States

Highlights of American Society of Hematology (ASH) Vancouver
January 21-22, 2011
Vancouver, Canada

Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

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