Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor deficiency leads to impaired bone marrow hematopoiesis

The bone marrow (BM) contains controlled specialized microenvironments, or niches, that regulate the quiescence, proliferation, and differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). The glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is a gut-derived incretin hormone that mediates postprandial insulin secretion and has anabolic effects on adipose tissue. Previous studies demonstrated altered bone microarchitecture in mice deficient for GIP receptor (Gipr-/-), as well as the expression of high-affinity GIP receptor by distinct cells constructing the BM HSPC niche. Nevertheless, the involvement of GIP in the process of BM hematopoiesis remains elusive. In this article, we show significantly reduced representation and proliferation of HSPC and myeloid progenitors in the BM of Gipr-/- mice. This was further manifested by reduced levels of BM and circulating differentiated immune cells in young and old adult mice. Moreover, GIP signaling was required for the establishment of supportive BM HSPC niches during HSPC repopulation in radioablated BM chimera mice. Finally, molecular profiling of various factors involved in retention, survival, and expansion of HSPC revealed significantly lower expression of the Notch-receptor ligands Jagged 1 and Jagged 2 in osteoblast-enriched bone extracts from Gipr-/- mice, which are important for HSPC expansion. In addition, there was increased expression of CXCL12, a factor important for HSPC retention and quiescence, in whole-BM extracts from Gipr-/- mice. Collectively, our data suggest that the metabolic hormone GIP plays an important role in BM hematopoiesis.