Hematopoietic stem cells treated by in vitro fucosylation and methods of use

Patent Number: 7,332,334

On of the interesting methods of manipulating stem cells is to increase their ability to “go where they are suppose to”. For example, it is known that when bone marrow or cord blood hematopoietic stem cells are injected intravenously into an irradiated recipient, the cells selectively home to the bone marrow and if enough cells migrate appropriately, hematopoietic reconstitution occurs.

Some stem cells, for example, cord blood derived CD34 cells are known to express lower levels of ligands for P and/or E selectin. Because of lower levels of expression cells have difficult reconstituting the hematopoietic system.

The current patent’s first independent claim covers “ a composition of fucosylated hematopoietic stem cells” with the “fucosylation” being induced by exposing the cells to the enzyme alpha.1,3 fucosyltransferase and fucose. The initial dependent claims cover various levels of the fucosylated cells binding to E or P selectin. The second independent claim covers “a blood product” essentially of the same cell as in independent claim 1. The third independent claim covers again “a blood product” but specifies that the hematopoietic stem cell may have reduced expression of CD38. This is not surprising since most hematopoietic stem cells are CD34 positive and CD38 negative, or CD38 low. The forth independent claim covers “a composition of fucosylated hematopoietic stem cells” but specifies from the cord blood. The fifth independent claim covers “a blood product”. There are several other independent claims, which basically recite the overarching concept of a cell population possessing hematopoietic activity that has been treated with alpha.1,3 fucosyltransferase and exposed to an environment that increases focosylation, which in turn increases the percentage of cells that bind P or E selectin.

View this patent on the USPTO website.