Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

A Kinetic Fluorescence-based Ca2+ Mobilization Assay to Identify G Protein-coupled Receptor Agonists, Antagonists, and Allosteric Modulators
07:41

A Kinetic Fluorescence-based Ca2+ Mobilization Assay to Identify G Protein-coupled Receptor Agonists, Antagonists, and Allosteric Modulators

Published on: February 20, 2018

Concurrent blockade of alpha4-integrin and CXCR4 in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell mobilization

Halvard Bonig1, Korashon L Watts, Kai-Hsin Chang

  • 1German Red Cross Blood Center, Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany. hbonig@u.washington.edu

Stem Cells (Dayton, Ohio)
|April 8, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Combining alpha4-integrin and CXCR4 blockade enhances stem cell mobilization. This combination therapy, using small molecules, shows promise as an alternative to cytokine use for clinical stem cell mobilization.

Area of Science:

  • Hematology
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Alpha4 integrin (VLA-4) and the CXCR4/SDF-1 axis are crucial for stem cell mobilization.
  • Current methods often rely on cytokine use, which can have side effects.
  • Existing alpha4-integrin or CXCR4 blockade strategies provide modest stem cell mobilization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the additive effects of combining alpha4-integrin and CXCR4 blockade for stem cell mobilization.
  • To evaluate novel therapeutic strategies for clinical stem cell mobilization without cytokines.

Main Methods:

  • Testing alpha4-integrin blockade with antibodies combined with CXCR4 blockade (AMD3100) in macaques.
  • Testing conditional alpha4-integrin ablation combined with AMD3100 in mice.
  • Assessing hematopoietic stem cell mobilization efficiency.

Main Results:

  • The combination of alpha4-integrin and CXCR4 blockade resulted in additive stem cell mobilization effects in both macaques and mice.
  • Single-agent blockade provided modest, though reproducible, mobilization.
  • The combination strategy demonstrated enhanced efficacy compared to individual approaches.

Conclusions:

  • Combined blockade of alpha4-integrin and CXCR4 offers an additive effect for stem cell mobilization.
  • Small-molecule alpha4-antagonists combined with AMD3100 represent a potential cytokine-free alternative for clinical stem cell mobilization.
  • Further development of small-molecule alpha4-antagonists is warranted for clinical application.

More Related Videos

A Novel Three-dimensional Flow Chamber Device to Study Chemokine-directed Extravasation of Cells Circulating under Physiological Flow Conditions10:56

A Novel Three-dimensional Flow Chamber Device to Study Chemokine-directed Extravasation of Cells Circulating under Physiological Flow Conditions

Published on: July 15, 2013

Isolation of Murine Embryonic Hemogenic Endothelial Cells08:56

Isolation of Murine Embryonic Hemogenic Endothelial Cells

Published on: June 17, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:01

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

All blood and immune cells are produced from the multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by the process of hematopoiesis. However, they all have a limited life span. In addition, many are depleted in immune surveillance or combatting an injury or infection. This makes blood one of the most regenerative tissues. Hematopoiesis helps replenish these blood and immune cells, restoring the body's normal functioning. However, overproduction of blood and immune cells can make them cancerous or...
Multipotency of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:19

Multipotency of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

The hematopoietic stem cells or HSCs are multipotent, meaning they can differentiate and give rise to all blood and immune cells. HSCs are maintained in the quiescent stage until an external stimulus initiates their differentiation. The multipotent HSCs exist as two heterogeneous populations, long-term repopulating cells (LTRC) and short-term repopulating cells (STRC). The two HSC populations have different surface markers or receptors and are classified based on quiescence and long-term...
Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells01:15

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells

Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...
Hematopoiesis01:21

Hematopoiesis

The process of blood cell formation is called hematopoiesis. Hematopoiesis starts early during development, on the seventh day of embryogenesis. This phase of hematopoiesis is called the primitive wave, wherein the extraembryonic yolk sac allows the production of erythroid cells and endothelial cells from a common precursor called hemangioblast. The erythroid cells provide oxygen to support the growth of the rapidly dividing embryo. Hemangioblasts later develop into hematopoietic stem cells or...
Lineage Commitment01:21

Lineage Commitment

Commitment is the  process whereby stem cells: