First published online March 13, 2008
Stem Cells
Vol. 26 No.
5
May 2008, pp.
1231
-1240
doi:10.1634/stemcells.2007-0712; www.StemCells.com
© 2008 AlphaMed Press
Mobilization of Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells by Yeast-Derived β-Glucan Requires Activation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9
Daniel E. Cramera,
Stephanie Wagnera,b,
Bing Lia,
Jingjing Liua,
Richard Hansena,
Ryan Recac,
Wan Wuc,
Ewa Zuba Surmac,
Damian A. Laberb,
Mariusz Z. Ratajczakc,
Jun Yana,b
aTumor Immunobiology Program,
bDivision of Hematology/Oncology, and
cStem Cell Institute, Department of Medicine, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Key Words. Hematopoietic progenitor cells • Mobilization • β-Glucan • Matrix metalloproteinase-9
Correspondence: Jun Yan, M.D., Ph.D., Tumor Immunobiology Program, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Delia D. Baxter Research Building, Room 119A, University of Louisville, 580 South Preston Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA. Telephone: 502-852-3628; Fax: 502-852-2123; e-mail: jun.yan{at}louisville.edu
Received August 27, 2007;
accepted for publication March 5, 2008.
First published online in STEM CELLS EXPRESS March 13, 2008.
Poly-(1,6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1,3)-β-D-glucopyranose (PGG) β-glucan is a soluble yeast-derived polysaccharide that has previously been shown to induce hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) mobilization. However, the mobilizing mechanism of action remains unknown. Here, we confirmed that PGG β-glucan alone or in combination with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilizes HPC into the periphery. Optimal mobilizing effects were seen 24–48 hours after PGG β-glucan doses of 4.8–9.6 mg/kg. Animals treated with G-CSF and PGG β-glucan showed a collaborative effect in HPC mobilization compared with G-CSF treatment alone. Additional studies demonstrated that neither complement 3 nor complement receptor 3 played a role in this effect and that PGG β-glucan treatment did not induce proinflammatory cytokine secretion. However, bone marrow cells from PGG β-glucan-treated mice secreted abundant matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and PGG β-glucan-induced HPC mobilization was abrogated in MMP-9 knockout mice. Moreover, we demonstrated that both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells contributed to MMP-9 secretion upon PGG β-glucan treatment. In addition, HPCs mobilized by PGG β-glucan had similar levels of engraftment in host and lineage differentiation capability compared with those mobilized by G-CSF. Thus, PGG β-glucan is an agent that enhances HPC mobilization and may improve the outcome of clinical stem cell transplantation.
Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.

Copyright © 2008 by AlphaMed Press.