HOXB8

JBC members are offered a highly innovative method for the generation, manipulation and in vivo testing of murine myeloid lineages using HoxB8 cell manipulation.

Mechanism:

Hoxb8 is a homeobox gene that inhibits myeloid differentiation. Integration of a murine stem cell virus encoding HoxB8 under the control of mutant estrogen receptor promotes myeloid progenitor proliferation in the presence of supraphysiologic levels of estradiol and stem cell factor (SCF). HoxB8 progenitors exhibit the phenotype of common myeloid progenitors. Upon estradiol withdrawal, HoxB8 cells differentiate into genetically normal daughter cells.

• HoxB8 progenitors are generated easily from any strain or background, expand indefinitely, and can be transported easily.
• HoxB8 technology is centralizable.
• HoxB8 progenitors can differentiate into a large range of daughter lineages relevant for arthritis by varying the growth factor profile employed during culture.
• HoxB8 progenitors are easily transducible using viral vectors, allowing CRISPR or shRNA targeting of any gene of interest
• HoxB8 daughter cells can be engrafted into live mice.