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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Identification and Isolation of Oligopotent and Lineage-committed Myeloid Progenitors from Mouse Bone Marrow
Published on: July 29, 2018
Identification of eosinophil lineage-committed progenitors in the murine bone marrow
Hiromi Iwasaki1, Shin-ichi Mizuno, Robin Mayfield
1Department of Cancer Immunology and AIDS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Abstract:
Eosinophil lineage-committed progenitors (EoPs) are phenotypically isolatable in the steady-state murine bone marrow. Purified granulocyte/monocyte progenitors (GMPs) gave rise to eosinophils as well as neutrophils and monocytes at the single cell level. Within the short-term culture of GMPs, the eosinophil potential was found exclusively in cells activating the transgenic reporter for GATA-1, a transcription factor capable of instructing eosinophil lineage commitment. These GATA-1-activating cells possessed an IL-5Ralpha(+)CD34(+)c-Kit(lo) phenotype. Normal bone marrow cells also contained IL-5Ralpha(+)CD34(+)c-Kit(lo) EoPs that gave rise exclusively to eosinophils. EoPs significantly increased in number in response to helminth infection, suggesting that the EoP stage is physiologically involved in eosinophil production in vivo. EoPs expressed eosinophil-related genes, such as the eosinophil peroxidase and the major basic protein, but did not express basophil/mast cell-related mast cell proteases. The enforced retroviral expression of IL-5Ralpha in GMPs did not enhance the frequency of eosinophil lineage read-outs, whereas IL-5Ralpha(+) GMPs displayed normal neutrophil/monocyte differentiation in the presence of IL-5 alone. Thus, IL-5Ralpha might be expressed specifically at the EoP stage as a result of commitment into the eosinophil lineage. The newly identified EoPs could be the cellular target in the treatment of a variety of disorders mediated by eosinophils.
Insights
Researchers identified eosinophil lineage-committed progenitors (EoPs) in mouse bone marrow. These cells, marked by IL-5Ralpha and GATA-1 activation, are crucial for eosinophil production, especially during infection, and represent a potential therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Hematopoiesis
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Granulocyte/monocyte progenitors (GMPs) can differentiate into eosinophils, neutrophils, and monocytes.
- Identifying specific progenitor stages is key to understanding lineage commitment and immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize eosinophil lineage-committed progenitors (EoPs) in murine bone marrow.
- To investigate the role of GATA-1 and IL-5Ralpha in eosinophil differentiation.
- To explore the potential of EoPs as therapeutic targets.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell analysis of purified murine bone marrow progenitors.
- Transgenic reporter assays for GATA-1 activation.
- Flow cytometry to identify cell surface markers (IL-5Ralpha, CD34, c-Kit).
- Gene expression analysis of eosinophil-specific markers.
- In vivo helminth infection model.
Main Results:
- Eosinophil lineage-committed progenitors (EoPs) were phenotypically isolated with an IL-5Ralpha(+)CD34(+)c-Kit(lo) signature.
- GATA-1 activation was exclusively found in GMPs with eosinophil potential.
- EoP numbers increased significantly following helminth infection.
- EoPs expressed eosinophil-specific genes but not basophil/mast cell proteases.
- IL-5Ralpha expression appears specific to the EoP stage, not an early driver of commitment.
Conclusions:
- A distinct EoP stage exists in murine bone marrow, characterized by specific molecular markers and GATA-1 activity.
- EoPs are physiologically relevant in vivo, particularly during parasitic infections.
- These EoPs represent a promising cellular target for treating eosinophil-mediated disorders.
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