A Novel Mechanism Of Megakaryopoiesis From Pre-Adipocytes: Involvement Of Transferrin/Cd71/Tpo Pathways

Platelets are released from terminally differentiated megakaryocytes (MKs) through lineage commitment, although the underlying mechanisms of megakaryopoiesis and subsequent thrombopoiesis are incompletely understood. MKs were reportedly generated from not only hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), but also pre-adipocytes, without any gene transfer in an in vitro culture system (Matsubara et al, 2012 Methods Mol Biol). Because of high efficiency of platelet production from pre-adipocytes, much interest has been attracted to clarify the mechanisms of megakaryopoiesis from pre-adipocytes. Here we demonstrate a novel mechanism that megakaryopoiesis from pre-adipocytes is regulated by the inducible production of endogenous TPO via transferrin receptor CD71. NF-kB pathway in pre-adipocytes might modulate the TPO production through the stimulation of transferrin.