Ultrastructural localization of stem cell factor in canine marrow-derived stromal cells.

Stromal cell lines derived from canine long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC) were characterized regarding the expression of growth factors and especially the localization of stem cell factor (SCF) (c-kit ligand). One cell line (DO64) was immortalized by transformation with a retroviral vector containing the open reading frames (ORFs) E6 and E7 of the human papilloma virus type 16 (HPV-16). Transfection did not change cellular characteristics but rendered the cell line more independent from culture conditions. The transformed line DO64 consisted mainly of fibroblast-like cells. In addition, some cells showed endothelial and some smooth-muscle cell features. Stromal cells expressed a broad spectrum of surface markers, including low levels of major histocompatibility-complex (MHC) class-II antigens. A new murine monoclonal antibody (MAb), RG7.6 (IgG1), specific for canine SCF, recognized the majority of fibroblast-like stromal cells. The staining pattern for SCF showed perinuclear and intracytoplasmic dense areas. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed the localization of SCF in secretory vesicles, the perivesicular cytoplasm, and bound to the cytoplasmatic membrane. RNA analysis showed that stromal cells transcribed, in addition to SCF, messages for granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-monocyte CSF (GM-CSF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). In summary, we have established and characterized canine marrow-derived stromal cell lines, and using the new MAb RG7.6, we have localized SCF to cytoplasmatic vesicles as well as the membrane of stromal cells.