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Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Competitive Transplants to Evaluate Hematopoietic Stem Cell Fitness
Published on: August 31, 2016
Reduced Competitive Repopulation Capacity of Multipotential Hematopoietic Stem Cells in the Bone Marrow of Friend
Michael W Epperly1, Xichen Zhang1, Renee Fisher1
1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A.
Background/Aim:
The polycythemia form of Friend leukemia virus (FVP) causes splenomegaly and lethal erythroleukemia in Fv-2s-susceptible mouse strains. We sought to determine whether the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) pool was expanded in Fv-2r-resistant mice.
Materials And Methods:
The 120-day bone marrow transplantation competitive repopulation assay was used to determine whether FVP-infected Fv-2r C57BL/6 mice demonstrated expansion of the HSC pool compared to the pool of committed hematopoietic progenitor cells in the same marrow assayed in vitro.
Results:
There was a significant expansion of committed hematopoietic progenitors observed in virus-infected Fv-2s FVB mice, but not Fv-2r C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, Fv-2r mice showed no detectable expansion of either committed hematopoietic progenitor cells or the multipotential stem cell pool by competitive repopulation assay.
Conclusion:
Friend virus disease in Fv-2s mice is associated with expansion of committed hematopoietic progenitors. Fv-2r mice show no expansion of either committed progenitor or pluripotential stem cell numbers.
Insights
Friend virus infection expands hematopoietic stem cells in susceptible mice but not resistant mice. Resistant mice show no expansion of stem or progenitor cells, indicating a protective genetic mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Virology
- Immunogenetics
Background:
- Friend leukemia virus (FVP) causes lethal erythroleukemia and splenomegaly in susceptible mice.
- Genetic resistance (Fv-2r) in C57BL/6 mice confers protection against FVP-induced disease.
- Investigating the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) pool in resistant mice is crucial for understanding FVP pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the HSC pool expands in Fv-2r-resistant mice following FVP infection.
- To compare HSC pool expansion in resistant (Fv-2r) versus susceptible (Fv-2s) mouse strains.
- To elucidate the role of genetic resistance in regulating hematopoietic stem cell dynamics during viral infection.
Main Methods:
- Competitive repopulation assay (120-day bone marrow transplantation) was employed.
- Assessed HSC pool expansion in FVP-infected Fv-2r C57BL/6 mice.
- Quantified committed hematopoietic progenitor cells in vitro.
Main Results:
- Susceptible Fv-2s FVB mice showed significant expansion of committed hematopoietic progenitors after FVP infection.
- Resistant Fv-2r C57BL/6 mice did not exhibit expansion of committed hematopoietic progenitors.
- No detectable expansion of multipotential stem cells or committed progenitor cells was observed in Fv-2r mice via competitive repopulation.
Conclusions:
- FVP disease in Fv-2s mice is linked to committed hematopoietic progenitor expansion.
- Fv-2r mice demonstrate resistance, showing no expansion of progenitor or stem cell populations.
- Genetic resistance (Fv-2r) prevents aberrant hematopoietic stem cell proliferation during Friend virus infection.
