Role of microvascular endothelial cells on proliferation, migration and adhesion of hematopoietic stem cells
Authors: Yang Liu
Chunlan Huang
Fanli Lin
Hao Xiong
Xiaoming Li
Shuyue Wang
Journal: Bioscience reports (2020)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: Cell adhesion; Cell migration; Cell proliferation; Chemotaxis; Hematopoietic stem cells
Affiliations: Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China., The affiliated hospital of Panzhihua University, Panzhihua, Sichuan, China., Stem Cell Laboratory and Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.

Abstract:  Background: The present study investigated the effects of microvascular endothelial cells (MECs) on the chemotaxis, adhesion and proliferation of bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) ex vivo. Methods and results: MECs were collected from the lung tissue of C57BL/6 mice, and HSCs were isolated with immunomagnetic beads from bone marrow of GFP mice. MECs and HSCs were co-cultured with or without having direct cell-cell contact in Transwell device for the measurement of chemotaxis and adhesion of MECs to HSCs. Experimental results indicate that the penetration rate of HSCs from the Transwell upper chamber to lower chamber in 'co-culture' group was significantly higher than that of 'HSC single culture' group. Also, the HSCs in co-culture group were all adherent at 24 h, and the co-culture group with direct cell-cell contact had highest proliferation rate. The HSC number was positively correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) levels in supernatants of the culture. Conclusions: Our study reports that MECs enhance the chemotaxis, adhesion and proliferation of HSCs, which might be related to cytokines SDF-1 and VEGF secreted by MECs, and thus MECs enhance the HSC proliferation through cell-cell contact. The present study revealed the effect of MECs on HSCs, and provided a basis and direction for effective expansion of HSCs ex vivo. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Two microscopy images in Figure 4A appear to be of the same set of cells at different magnification. I did not check elsewhere in this paper. *** ![file] *** ![file] , 
 I m very sorry that I just saw the PubPeer email today. Thank you very much for pointing out the mistakes of Fig. 4(A). We have carefully checked the original data. It turned out that during the preparation of the graphic, due to our negligence, we mistakenly took the image of different magnifications of day 7 HSC group as the day 5 HSC group in Figure 4(A). I most sincerely apologize for the omission of my supervision.All our authors deeply apologies for the mistake. We have carefully verified all the data of the manuscript and revised the wrong picture. We have contacted the journal and request for a correction.Once again we sincerely express my serious apologies! , 
 #2 Thank for your reply and for planning a correction. Perhaps the authors can explain how the scale bars were generated on these images. They appear to be the same even though the magnification is different. , 
 #1 There was an earlier paper (10.19746 j.cnki.issn1009-2137.2019.02.046) in a Chinese journal by the same group of authors (four authors in common) on almost the identical topic. (Paper was provided by another reader). I started a separate thread for that paper: https: pubpeer.com publications C91C48553BE3B12EB2049AAACC0813#3 Some potential overlapped images for different experimental conditions between their English and Chinese versions. The solid red boxes were from user Actinopolyspora Biskrensis s comment in #1. Noted that there are 5 identical pairs of images for Transwell group day 5 and 7 (D3 and D4), and for 2D group day 1, 5, and 7 (D1, 3, and 4). I did not mark them because they were supposedly to be identical, per experimental conditions, suggesting potential duplicated publication of the same set of data. ![] , 
 The Editorial Office has been made aware of potential issues surrounding the scientific validity of this paper, hence has issued an expression of concern to notify readers whilst the Editorial Office investigates. , 
 https: doi.org 10.1042 BSR-20192104_RET This Retraction follows an Expression of Concern relating to this article previously published by Portland Press. This article is being retracted from Bioscience Reports at the request of the authors following receipt of a notification from a reader, alerting the authors to the duplications in Figure 4A as well as duplicated figures from another published article by the same authors in Zhongguo Shi Yan Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi (10.19746 j.cnki.issn1009-2137.2019.02.046). The authors wish to retract the article. The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board agree with the retraction. ,