Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in human bone marrow: demonstration of TGF-alpha in erythroblasts and eosinophilic precursor cells and of epidermal growth factor receptors in blastlike cells of myelomonocytic origin

The expression of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in human differentiating leukemic cell lines and in circulating human eosinophils prompted the search for an analogous function in normal human bone marrow (BM) cells. Immunohistochemistry, using a monoclonal antibody directed to the mature form of the TGF-alpha molecule, showed TGF-alpha on the erythroblasts of normal donors. This novel property of erythroid cells was found on cells at all stages of maturation, most clearly on nucleated forms but to some extent also on erythrocytes within the BM. The presence of membrane-bound TGF-alpha on erythroblasts was confirmed by immunomagnetic cell sorting with polyclonal TGF-alpha antibodies; the recovered cells consisted almost entirely of erythroblasts. Using another monoclonal antibody directed to TGF-alpha, immunohistochemistry showed a different pattern of positive cells including eosinophilic precursor cells, in accordance with earlier findings in blood eosinophils. In addition, the TGF-alpha immunoreactivity was shown in promyelocytes and neutrophilic myelocytes. The presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor mRNA in BM cells was demonstrated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, whereas EGF receptor-carrying cells were recognized by immunohistochemistry, using polyclonal antibodies directed to the cytoplasmic part of the EGF receptor. The EGF receptor-positive cell constituted about 3% of the nucleated BM cell population. It was classified as a blastlike cell of myelomonocytic origin by morphologic criteria and CD68 positivity. Our results may indicate a novel function of TGF-alpha in erythrocytic differentiation.