Epidermal growth factor augments the self-renewal capacity of aged hematopoietic stem cells

Hematopoietic aging is associated with decreased hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal capacity and myeloid skewing. We report that culture of bone marrow (BM) HSCs from aged mice with epidermal growth factor (EGF) suppressed myeloid skewing, increased multipotent colony formation, and increased HSC repopulation in primary and secondary transplantation assays. Mice transplanted with aged, EGF-treated HSCs displayed increased donor cell engraftment within BM HSCs and systemic administration of EGF to aged mice increased HSC self-renewal capacity in primary and secondary transplantation assays. Expression of a dominant negative EGFR in Scl/Tal1