Small molecule Me6TREN mobilizes hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells by activating MMP-9 expression and disrupting SDF-1/CXCR4 axis.

Mobilization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from bone marrow into the blood circulation has been widely used for hematopoietic transplantation. However, the current methods of cytokine- or small-molecule-stimulated HSPC mobilization are far from satisfactory. New mobilizing agents are needed to increase the number of stem cells in peripheral blood for effective reconstitution of hematopoiesis. Here, we report that the molecule Me6TREN (Me6) can induce rapid mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells and that Me6 exhibits more significant effects than granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or AMD3100. Me6 also mobilizes long-term repopulating cells, which successfully engraft and expand in a multilineage fashion in primary and secondary transplant recipients. Mechanistically, Me6 inhibits both the SDF-1α-induced migration and VLA-4-mediated adhesion of mouse and human hematopoietic cells. Me6 appears to mobilize HSPCs by activating MMP-9 expression and disrupting the SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis. Therefore, Me6 may become a new potent and efficacious mobilizing agent of HSPCs.