Critical roles of lysosomal acid lipase in myelopoiesis

Am J Pathol. 2010 May;176(5):2394-404. doi: 10.2353/ajpath.2010.091063. Epub 2010 Mar 26.

Abstract

Lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) is a key enzyme that cleaves cholesteryl esters and triglycerides to generate free fatty acids and cholesterol in lysosomes. Genetic ablation of the lal gene (lal(-/-)) in mice has resulted in a systemic increase of macrophages and neutrophils, causing severe inflammation and pathogenesis in multiple organs. We hypothesized that aberrant growth and differentiation of myeloid cells in lal(-/-) mice arises from dysregulated production of progenitor cells in the bone marrow. Indeed, lal(-/-) mice displayed increased numbers of primitive lin(-)Sca-1(+)c-Kit(+) (LSK) cells and granulocyte-macrophage precursors (GMP). Increased high proliferative potential colony-forming cells (HPP-CFC) were enumerated from cultured lal(-/-) bone marrow cells, as were significantly more CFU-GM, CFU-G, and CFU-M colonies. As a consequence, lal(-/-) mice developed significant myeloid infiltration, particularly with CD11b+/Gr-1+ myeloid-derived suppressive cells in multiple organs. Both decreased apoptosis and increased proliferation contribute to the systemic increase of myeloid cells in lal(-/-) myeloid cells. These lal(-/-) CD11b(+)/Gr-1(+) cells displayed suppressive activity on T cell proliferation and function in vitro. Bone marrow chimeras confirmed that the myeloproliferative disorder in lal(-/-) mice was primarily attributable to autonomous defects in myeloid progenitor cells, although the hematopoietic microenvironment in the lal(-/-) mice did not support hematopoiesis normally. These results provide evidence that LAL is an important regulator of myelopoiesis during hematopoietic development, differentiation, and homeostasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • CD11b Antigen / biosynthesis
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Granulocytes / cytology
  • Homeostasis
  • Macrophages / cytology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Myelopoiesis*
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Sterol Esterase / chemistry
  • Sterol Esterase / physiology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology

Substances

  • CD11b Antigen
  • Sterol Esterase