Effect of fibroblast growth factor 2 on stromal cell-derived factor 1 production by bone marrow stromal cells and hematopoiesis

Background Reduction of intramedullary hematopoiesis and the development of myelofibrosis and splenic hematopoiesis are frequent complications of CIonal myeloid disorders that cause severe morbidity and death and present a therapeutic challenge. However, the pathogenesis of these complications is still unknown. We evaluated the effect of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), the level of which is elevated in patients with CIonal myeloid disorders, on bone marrow stromal cell expression of stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1), a chemokine that is essential for normal hematopoiesis. Methods Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis, immunoblot analysis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to examine effects of human recombinant FGF-2 exposure on SDF-1 expression in mouse stromal MS-5 and S-17 cells. Cocultures of human CD34-positive peripheral blood stem cells or mouse pre-B DW34 cells with mouse stromal cells were used to characterize the functional relevance of the effects of FGF-2 on SDF-1 expression. The in vivo hematologic effects of FGF-2 were determined by systemic administration to mice (n = 10). All statistical tests were two-sided. Results FGF-2 reduced constitutive SDF-1 mRNA expression and secretion in stromal cells (SDF-1 levels in supernatants: MS-5 cells cultured for 3 days in medium only versus in medium with FGF-2, 95.4 ng/mL versus 22.2 ng/mL, difference = 73.2 ng/mL, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 60.52 to 85.87 ng/mL; P=.002, two-sided Student's t test; S-17 cultured in medium only versus in medium with FGF-2, 203.53 ng/mL versus 32.36 ng/mL, difference = 171.17 ng/mL, 95% CI = 161.8 to 180.6 ng/mL; P < 001). These effects of FGF-2 were reversible. FGF-2 compromised stromal cell support of the growth and survival of pre-13 DW34 and myeloid lineage cells, and these effects were reversed in part by exogenous recombinant SDF-1 alpha (rSDF-1 alpha) QW34 pre-B cells recovery on S-17 stromal cells, expressed as a percentage of DW34 cells recovered from medium only: with FGF-2 versus without FGF-2, 27.6% versus 100%, difference = 72.4%, 95% CI = 45.34% to 99.51%, P=.008; with FGF-2 plus rSDF1 versus with FGF-2 only, 60.3% versus 27.6%, difference = 32.7%, 95% CI = 9.35% to 56.08%, P=.034; fold increase in number of myeloid lineage cells after culture on S-17 stromal cells: with FGF-2 versus without FGF-2, 0.25-fold versus 3.8-fold, difference = 3.55-fold, 95% CI = 2.66- to 4.44-fold, P < 001; recovery of myeloid cells on S-17 stromal cells, expressed as a percentage of myeloid cells recovered from medium only: FGF-2 plus rSDF-1 alpha versus FGF-2 only, 76.5% versus 32.4%, difference = 44.1%, 95% CI = 32.58% to 55.68%, P < 001). Administration of FGF-2 to mice reversibly reduced bone marrow levels of SDF-1 and cellularity and induced immature myeloid cell mobilization, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and splenomegaly. Conclusions Systemic administration of FGF-2 in mice disrupts normal bone marrow hematopoiesis in part through reduced expression of SDF-1. Thus, endogenous FGF-2 may represent a potential therapeutic target in CIonal myeloid disorders characterized by bone marrow failure.