Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a progressive disease caused by accumulation of metastatic (LAM) cells in the lungs, lymphatics, and the tumor angiomyolipoma (AML). LAM cells have biallelic loss of either tuberous sclerosis complex gene (but predominantly TSC-2) and resultant dysregulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Chemokines are associated with neoplastic cell grow...

Recent studies have indicated that ATRA inhibits chondrogenesis and can lead to congenital clubfoot (CCF). The molecular mechanism of ATRA-induced chondrogenesis is not clear. As RhoA/ROCK and SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling play important molecular roles for a variety of cellular processes, we hypothesized that RhoA/ROCK2 and SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling are involved in ATRA-induced chondrogenesis in rat embry...

Chondrosarcoma is notable for its lack of response to conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, propensity for developing lungmetastases, and poor survival. Therefore, a better understanding of angiogenic andmetastatic pathways is needed. Multiple pathways regulate angiogenesis and metastasis, including chemokines and their receptors. In this study, we investigated chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4...

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is characterized by widespread involvement of the bone marrow at the time of diagnosis, implying continuous homing of WM cells into the marrow. The mechanisms by which trafficking of the malignant cells into the bone marrow has not been previously elucidated. In this study, we show that WM cells express high levels of chemokine and adhesion receptors, includin...

We recently reported on an in vivo hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy approach. It involves the subcutaneous injections of G-CSF/AMD3100 to mobilize HSCs from the bone marrow into the peripheral blood stream and the intravenous injection of an integrating helper-dependent adenovirus vector system. HSCs transduced in the periphery homed back to the bone marrow, where they persisted long-...

The mechanisms of hematopoietic progenitor cell egress and clinical mobilization are not fully understood. Herein, we report that in vivo desensitization of Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors by FTY720 as well as disruption of S1P gradient toward the blood, reduced steady state egress of immature progenitors and primitive Sca-1(+)/c-Kit(+)/Lin(-) (SKL) cells via inhibition of SDF-1 release...

The chemokine (C-X-C) receptor type 4 (CXCR4) is an early marker of primordial germ cells (PGCs) essential for their migration and colonization of the gonads. In spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), the expression of CXCR4 is promoted by the self-renewal factor, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). Here, we demonstrate an important role of CXCR4 during donor mouse SSCs reoccupation ...

Tumor neovascularization and growth might be promoted by the recruitment of bone marrow-derived cells (BMDC), which include endothelial precursor cells and "vascular modulatory" myelomonocytic (CD11b+) cells. BMDCs may also drive tumor regrowth after certain chemotherapeutic and vascular disruption treatments. In this study, we evaluated the role of BMDC recruitment in breast and lung carcinoma...

Previous animal studies have shown that stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) signaling pathway plays an important role in the targeted migration of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to the injured area. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the potential role of chemotactic SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling pathway in the homing of transplanted BMS...

The inherent disadvantages of using granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization have driven efforts to identify alternate strategies based on single doses of small molecules. Here, we show targeting α9β1/α4β1 integrins with a single dose of a small molecule antagonist (BOP (N-(benzenesulfonyl)-L-prolyl-L-O-(1-pyrrolidinylcarbonyl)tyrosine)) rapid...