Genetic Network Analysis of Human CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem/Precursor Cells

Chang, Shing-Jyh; Huang, Tse-Sung; Wang, Kung-Liahng; Wang, Tao-Yeuan; Yang, Yuh-Cheng; Chang, Margaret Dah-Tsyr; Wu, Yu-Hsuan; Wang, Hsei-Wei

doi:10.1016/S1028-4559(09)60010-3

« Previous Next »Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume 47, Issue 4 , Pages 422-430, December 2008

Genetic Network Analysis of Human CD34⁺ Hematopoietic Stem/Precursor Cells

Shing-Jyh Chang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, HsinChu, Taiwan
- National Tsing Hua University, HsinChu, Taiwan
Tse-Sung Huang
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Kung-Liahng Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- National Taipei College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan
- Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan
Tao-Yeuan Wang
- Department of Pathology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Yuh-Cheng Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Margaret Dah-Tsyr Chang
- National Tsing Hua University, HsinChu, Taiwan
Yu-Hsuan Wu
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Hsei-Wei Wang
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- VGH-YM Genome Center, National Yang-Ming, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- University, and Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Correspondence to Dr Hsei-Wei Wang, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, 155, Section 2, Li-Nong Street, Taipei, Taiwan

Accepted 7 March 2008.

SUMMARY

Objective

Somatic CD34⁺ hematopoietic stem/precursor cells (HSPCs) give rise to hematopoietic cells and endothelial cells and have been used in clinical applications. Understanding the genes responsible for stemness and how they interact with each other will help us to manipulate these cells more efficiently in the future.

Materials and Methods

We performed microarray analysis on human CD34⁺ HSPCs and on two different progeny cell types, i.e. microvascular endothelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Systems biology and advanced bioinformatics tools were used to help clarify the genetic networks associated with these stem cell genes.

Results

We identified CD34⁺ HSPC genes and found that they were involved in critical biologic processes such as cell cycle regulation, chromosome organization, and DNA repair. We also identified a novel precursor gene cluster on chromosome 19p13.3. Analysis of HSPC-enriched genes using systems biology tools revealed a complex genetic network functioning in CD34⁺ cells, in which several genes acted as hubs to maintain the stability (such as GATA1) or connectivity (such as hepatic growth factor) of the whole network.