Increasing Flt3L availability alters composition of a novel bone marrow lymphoid progenitor compartment.

We have recently described a CD19(-) B220(+)CD117(low) bone marrow subpopulation with B, T, and myeloid developmental potential, which we have called "early progenitors with lymphoid and myeloid potential" or EPLM. These cells also expressed Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3, Flt3, or CD135. Treatment of mice with the corresponding ligand, Flt3L, showed a 50-fold increase in EPLM. In addition to the expected increase in dendritic cell numbers, Flt3L treatment had a reversible inhibitory effect on B lymphopoiesis. Limiting dilution analysis of sorted EPLM from Flt3L-treated mice showed that B-lymphocyte progenitor activity was reduced 20-fold, but that myeloid and T-cell progenitor activity was largely preserved. EPLM from treated mice transiently reconstituted the thymus and bone marrow of recipient mice, generating cohorts of functional T and B cells in peripheral lymphoid organs. Thus, Flt3L treatment results in a dramatic increase in a novel bone marrow cell with lymphoid and myeloid progenitor activity.