Identifying haematopoietic stem cells based on cell surface markers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of identifying a haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) or progeny thereof comprising the steps of: obtaining a cell sample including HSC or progeny thereof; detecting the presence of at least one carbohydrate sequence having a sequence of at least one disaccharide repeat of glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine or an equivalent thereof; and identifying a HSC or progeny thereof having the sequence or equivalent thereof. The invention also relates to methods of enriching cell populations for HSC or progeny thereof, for isolating HSC or progeny thereof and cell preparations obtained using the methods of their invention and their uses.

1 - 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . A method of controlling proliferation and/or differentiation in a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) or progeny thereof, said method comprising modulating the activity of hyaluronic acid (HA) in the HSC or progeny thereof, wherein the modulation of HA activity is achieved using antagonists or inhibitors of HA. 
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 47  wherein the antagonist or inhibitor is hyaluronic acid binding protein (HABP) or hyaluronidase (HY). 
     
     
         49 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of an agent which controls the activity of hyaluronic acid (HA) in a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) or progeny thereof, for treating a HSC associated condition in a subject in need thereof, wherein the condition results from uncontrolled proliferation of HSCs or progeny thereof, and wherein the agent is an antagonist or inhibitor of HA. 
     
     
         50 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 49  wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). 
     
     
         51 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of an agent which controls the activity of hyaluronic acid (HA) in a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) or progeny thereof, for treating a HSC associated condition in a subject in need thereof, wherein the condition results from differentiation of HSCs or progeny thereof, and wherein the agent is an antagonist or inhibitor of HA. 
     
     
         52 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 49 , wherein the agent is hyaluronic acid binding protein (HABP) or hyaluronidase (HY). 
     
     
         53 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein the agent is hyaluronic acid binding protein (HABP) or hyaluronidase (HY). 
     
     
         54 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in  claim 51 , wherein the agent is hyaluronic acid binding protein (HABP) or hyaluronidase (HY).