Characterization of a culture-derived CD15+CD11b- promyelocytic population from CD34+ peripheral blood cells.

Selected CD34+ cells from mobilized apheresis products were cultured in serum-free or serum-containing media supplemented with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), and stem cell factor (SCF; c-kit ligand). We examined the emergence of a CD15+CD11b- population, which appeared morphologically to be promyelocytes. This CD15+CD11b- population can be further expanded in culture into morphologically mature granulocytes. In an attempt to characterize this culture-derived CD15+CD11b- promyelocytic population, single cells were clone sorted into wells of a Terasaki plate containing various growth factors. We compared the growth factor requirements and kinetics of this apheresis culture-derived CD15+CD11b- population to the CD15+CD11b- population from fresh bone marrow samples. Our studies indicate that the CD15+CD11b- promyelocytic population from bone marrow and blood are equivalent in their ability to proliferate and in their requirements for growth factors. The CD15+CD11b- population in vitro shows a high proliferative capacity when compared with the other CD15/CD11b populations (CD15-CD11b-, CD15+CD11b+, CD15-CD11b+). Thus, we can manipulate CD34+ cells in vitro to proliferate and differentiate toward a mature neutrophil lineage. The CD15+CD11b- promyelocytic population derived from this culture may represent the most effective cultured cell population for therapeutic reduction of neutropenia in vivo based on both its stage of differentiation and its proliferative potential.