R spondin 2 regulates regeneration of the hematopoietic stem cell niche

V Vanessa N Montinelli (Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States) S Samantha Grohe (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) X Xue Ying Song (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) J Jacqueline Judith Turnlund (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) H Hannah Hackbart (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) J Joshua P Sasine (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States) M Morgan Brady (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) M Masahiro Muraoka (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) R Rucha Kadam (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) F Flavia Cavicchioli (Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States) S Sage Victoria Kang (Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States) A Ashley Dawson (Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States) M Mimoli Ellise Uehara (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) C Courtny Dizon (Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States) K Kurt Hankenson (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States) T Theresa Krack (Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States) P Peibin Yue (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States) Y Yuwei He J John P Chute (Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States)

Abstract

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) depend upon paracrine signals from bone marrow endothelial cells (BM ECs) and perivascular stromal cells for their maintenance and regeneration. Chemotherapy and total body irradiation (TBI) utilized in the curative treatment of cancer cause profound damage to the BM vascular niche, which impedes hematopoietic reconstitution. The mechanisms controlling regeneration of the HSC vascular niche are not well understood. We discovered that conditional deletion of R spondin 2 (Rspo2) from BM endothelial cells (ECs) impaired HSC regeneration in mice following total body irradiation (TBI), in association with decreased HSC survival. Mice lacking EC - Rspo2 expression demonstrated delayed regeneration of the BM vascular niche following TBI and Rspo2 - deficient BM ECs displayed defective angiogenesis. Conversely, systemic administration of R spondin 2 caused early restoration of the BM sinusoidal vascular niche in irradiated mice and augmented BM EC angiogenesis. Concordantly, R spondin 2 - treated mice displayed accelerated regeneration of the HSC pool. These studies suggest that BM ECs regulate the regeneration of the BM sinusoidal vascular niche via secretion of R spondin 2.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published July 01, 2026
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (19)

V

Vanessa N Montinelli

Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States

S

Samantha Grohe

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

X

Xue Ying Song

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

J

Jacqueline Judith Turnlund

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

H

Hannah Hackbart

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

J

Joshua P Sasine

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States

M

Morgan Brady

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

M

Masahiro Muraoka

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

R

Rucha Kadam

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

F

Flavia Cavicchioli

Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States

S

Sage Victoria Kang

Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States

A

Ashley Dawson

Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States

M

Mimoli Ellise Uehara

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

C

Courtny Dizon

Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California, United States

K

Kurt Hankenson

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

T

Theresa Krack

Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States

P

Peibin Yue

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States

Y

Yuwei He

J

John P Chute

Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States