Citation

Frodermann V, Rohde D, Courties G, Severe N, Schloss MJ, Amatullah H, McAlpine CS, Cremer S, Hoyer FF, Ji F, van Koeverden ID, Herisson F, Honold L, Masson GS, Zhang S, Grune J, Iwamoto Y, Schmidt SP, Wojtkiewicz GR, Lee IH, Gustafsson K, Pasterkamp G, de Jager SCA, Sadreyev RI, MacFadyen J, Libby P, Ridker P, Scadden DT, Naxerova K, Jeffrey KL, Swirski FK, Nahrendorf M. 2019. Exercise reduces inflammatory cell production and cardiovascular inflammation via instruction of hematopoietic progenitor cells. Nature medicine. 25(11):1761-1771. Pubmed: 31700184 DOI:10.1038/s41591-019-0633-x

Abstract

A sedentary lifestyle, chronic inflammation and leukocytosis increase atherosclerosis; however, it remains unclear whether regular physical activity influences leukocyte production. Here we show that voluntary running decreases hematopoietic activity in mice. Exercise protects mice and humans with atherosclerosis from chronic leukocytosis but does not compromise emergency hematopoiesis in mice. Mechanistically, exercise diminishes leptin production in adipose tissue, augmenting quiescence-promoting hematopoietic niche factors in leptin-receptor-positive stromal bone marrow cells. Induced deletion of the leptin receptor in Prrx1-creER; Lepr mice reveals that leptin's effect on bone marrow niche cells regulates hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) proliferation and leukocyte production, as well as cardiovascular inflammation and outcomes. Whereas running wheel withdrawal quickly reverses leptin levels, the impact of exercise on leukocyte production and on the HSPC epigenome and transcriptome persists for several weeks. Together, these data show that physical activity alters HSPCs via modulation of their niche, reducing hematopoietic output of inflammatory leukocytes.

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David Scadden’s laboratory is dedicated to discovering the principles governing blood cell production, with the ultimate goal of guiding the development of therapies for blood disorders and cancer.

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