Olfactomedin 4 defines a subset of human neutrophils

OLFM4 was identified initially as a gene highly induced in myeloid stem cells by G-CSF treatment. A bioinformatics method using a global meta-analysis of microarray data predicted that OLFM4 would be associated with specific granules in human neutrophils. Subcellular fractionation of peripheral blood neutrophils demonstrated complete colocalization of OLFM4 with the specific granule protein NGAL, and stimulation of neutrophils with PMA resulted in corelease of NGAL and OLFM4, proving that OLFM4 is a genuine constituent of neutrophil-specific granules. In accordance with this, OLFM4 mRNA peaked at the MY/MM stage of maturation. OLFM4 was, however, present in only 20-25% of peripheral blood neutrophils, as determined by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry, whereas mRNA for OLFM4 was present in all MY/MM, indicating post-transcriptional regulation as a basis for the heterogeneous expression of OLFM4 protein.