No abstract

Leptin Receptor + (LepR + ) stromal cells in adult bone marrow are a critical source of growth factors, including Stem Cell Factor (SCF), for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and early restricted progenitors 1 – 6 . LepR + cells are heterogeneous, including skeletal stem cells, osteogenic, and adipogenic progenitors 7 – 12 , though few markers have been available to distinguish these subsets or to compare their functions. Here we show expression of an osteogenic growth factor, Osteolectin 13 , 14 , distinguishes peri-arteriolar LepR + cells poised to undergo osteogenesis from peri-sinusoidal LepR + cells poised to undergo adipogenesis (but retaining osteogenic potential). Peri-arteriolar LepR + Osteolectin + cells are rapidly dividing, short-lived, osteogenic progenitors that increase in number after fracture and are depleted during aging. Deletion of Scf from adult Osteolectin + cells did not affect the maintenance of HSCs or most restricted progenitors but depleted common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs), impairing lymphopoiesis, bacterial clearance, and survival after acute bacterial infection. Peri-arteriolar Osteolectin + cell maintenance required mechanical stimulation. Voluntary running increased, while hindlimb unloading decreased, the frequencies of peri-arteriolar Osteolectin + cells and CLPs. Deletion of the mechanosensitive ion channel, Piezo1 , from Osteolectin + cells depleted Osteolectin + cells and CLPs. A peri-arteriolar niche for osteogenesis and lymphopoiesis in bone marrow is maintained by mechanical stimulation and depleted during aging.

Integrins are membrane receptors mediating cell adhesion and mechanosensing. The structure-function relationship of integrins remains incompletely understood, despite the extensive studies due to its importance to basic cell biology and translational medicine. Using fluorescence dual biomembrane force probe, microfluidics and cone-and-plate rheometry, we applied precisely-controlled mechanical stimulations to platelets and identified an intermediate state of integrin α IIb β 3 , which is characterized by an ectodomain conformation, ligand affinity and bond lifetimes that are all intermediate between the well-known inactive and active states. This intermediate state is induced by ligand engagement of GPIbα via a mechano-signaling pathway and potentiates the outside-in mechano-signaling of α IIb β 3 for further transition to the active state during integrin mechanical affinity maturation. Our work reveals distinct α IIb β 3 state transitions in response to biomechanical and biochemical stimuli, and identifies a role for the α IIb β 3 intermediate state in promoting biomechanical platelet aggregation.