Gene expression and epigenetic profiling of CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells in multiple sclerosis patients (miRNA). Homo sapiens

Intense immunosuppression followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) is a potential treatment for patients suffering from aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS). However it remains unresolved whether autologous CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells of MS patients show gene expression differences prior to aHSCT that indicate a preset proinflammatory state, which would then also predispose to or predetermine recurrence of the autoimmune disease. To approach this key point we compared the micro RNA gene expression signature of CD34+ cells collected from MS patients and healthy donors (HD). Gene expression of CD34+ cells was analysed with the Human miRNA Microarray (Agilent-Technologies) chip. No substantial alterations in the gene expression profile of CD34+ HPCs in MS were observed. Overall design: Samples of CD34+ cells were obtained from 4 female MS patients and 4 age matched healthy donors (3 female) mobilized by G-CSF (2x5μg/kg/day). White blood cells, containing the CD34+ cell fraction, were collected by leucocytapheresis from peripheral blood, frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen. All samples were thawed and processed at one center and CD34+ HPCs purified by magnetic bead separation using the autoMACS system (Miltenyi). Purity and viability of CD34+ cells was analyzed by Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS). Total cellular RNA were extracted with TRIzol reagent and analyzed with the Human miRNA Microarray (Agilent-Technologies).