Stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) is a potent chemoattractant for hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC), suggesting that it could play an important role during their migration within or to the bone marrow (BM). The integrin VLA-4 mediates HPC adhesion to BM stroma by interacting with CS-1/fibronectin and VCAM-1. It is required during hematopoiesis and homing of HPC to the BM. As HPC migration in response to SDF-1alpha might require dynamic regulation of integrin function, we investigated if SDF-1alpha could modulate VLA-4 function on BM CD34(hi) cells.CD34(hi) BM cells and hematopoietic cell lines were tested for the effect of SDF-1alpha on VLA-4-dependent adhesion to CS-1/fibronectin and VCAM-1, as well as to BM stroma. CD34(hi) BM cells that adhered to VLA-4 ligands after SDF-1alpha treatment were characterized in colony-forming and long-term culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) assays.SDF-1alpha rapidly (1 minute) and transiently upregulated the adhesion of CD34(hi) BM cells and hematopoietic cell lines to both CS-1/fibronectin and VCAM-1, and to BM stromal cells. The upregulation of VLA-4-dependent cell adhesion by SDF-1alpha targeted primitive LTC-IC as well as committed CD34(hi) cells. SDF-1alpha-triggered enhancement in VLA-4 function was inhibited by pertussis toxin (PTx) and cytochalasin D, indicating the involvement of G(i) protein downstream signaling and an intact cytoskeleton. Instead, activation of p44/42 MAP kinases by SDF-1alpha did not functionally correlate with enhancement of VLA-4-dependent cell adhesion. Modulation of VLA-4-mediated CD34(hi) BM cell adhesion by SDF-1alpha could play a key role in their migration within and to the BM and therefore influence their proliferation and differentiation.