TNF-α has tropic rather than apoptotic activity in human hematopoietic progenitors: involvement of TNF receptor-1 and caspase-8.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been suggested to exert detrimental effects on hematopoietic progenitor function that might limit the success of transplants. In this study, we assessed the influences of TNF-alpha and its two cognate receptors on the function of fresh umbilical cord blood (UCB) and cryopreserved mobilized peripheral blood (mPB). CD34(+) progenitors from both sources are less susceptible to spontaneous apoptosis than lineage-committed cells and are not induced into apoptosis by TNF-alpha. Consequently, the activity of UCB-derived severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) reconstituting cells and long-term culture-initiating cells is unaffected by this cytokine. On the contrary, transient exposure of cells from both sources to TNF-alpha stimulates the activity of myeloid progenitors, which persists in vivo in UCB cell transplants. Progenitor stimulation is selectively mediated by TNF-R1 and involves activation of caspase-8, without redundant activity of TNF-R2. Despite significant differences between fresh UCB cells and cryopreserved mPB cells in susceptibility to apoptosis and time to activation, TNF-alpha is primarily involved in tropic signaling in hematopoietic progenitors from both sources. Cytokine-mediated tropism cautions against TNF-alpha neutralization under conditions of stress hematopoiesis and may be particularly beneficial in overcoming the limitations of UCB cell transplants. STEM CELLS 2013;31:156-166