Hematopoietic defects in the Ts1Cje mouse model of Down syndrome

Blood. 2009 Feb 26;113(9):1929-37. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-06-161422. Epub 2008 Dec 24.

Abstract

Down syndrome (DS) persons are born with various hematopoietic abnormalities, ranging from relatively benign, such as neutrophilia and macrocytosis, to a more severe transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD). In most cases, these abnormalities resolve in the first few months to years of life. However, sometimes the TMD represents a premalignant disease that develops into acute megakaryocytic leukemia (AMKL), usually in association with acquired GATA1 mutations. To gain insight into the mechanisms responsible for these abnormalities, we analyzed the hematopoietic development of the Ts1Cje mouse model of DS. Our analyses identified defects in mature blood cells, including macrocytosis and anemia, as well as abnormalities in fetal liver and bone marrow stem and progenitor cell function. Despite these defects, the Ts1Cje mice do not develop disease resembling either TMD or AMKL, and this was not altered by a loss of function allele of Gata1. Thus, loss of Gata1 and partial trisomy of chromosome 21 orthologs, when combined, do not appear to be sufficient to induce TMD or AMKL-like phenotypes in mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / physiology
  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Down Syndrome / complications*
  • Down Syndrome / genetics
  • Down Syndrome / mortality
  • Down Syndrome / pathology
  • GATA1 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • Hematologic Diseases / etiology*
  • Hematologic Diseases / genetics
  • Hematologic Diseases / mortality
  • Hematologic Diseases / pathology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / pathology
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Spleen / pathology
  • Survival Analysis
  • Thrombocytosis / pathology

Substances

  • GATA1 Transcription Factor
  • Gata1 protein, mouse