搜索结果: 'methocult media formulations for human hematopoietic cells serum containing'

BACKGROUND Definitive endoderm (DE) is one of the three germ layers which during in vivo vertebrate development gives rise to a variety of organs including liver,lungs,thyroid and pancreas; consequently efficient in vitro initiation of stem cell differentiation to DE cells is a prerequisite for successful cellular specification to subsequent DE-derived cell types [1,2]. In this study we present a novel approach to rapidly and efficiently down regulate pluripotency genes during initiation of differentiation to DE cells by addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to Activin A-based culture medium and report its effects on the downstream differentiation to hepatocyte-like cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) were differentiated to DE using standard methods in medium supplemented with 100ng/ml of Activin A and compared to cultures where DE specification was additionally enhanced with different concentrations of DMSO. DE cells were subsequently primed to generate hepatic-like cells to investigate whether the addition of DMSO during formation of DE improved subsequent expression of hepatic markers. A combination of flow cytometry,real-time quantitative reverse PCR and immunofluorescence was applied throughout the differentiation process to monitor expression of pluripotency (POUF5/OCT4 & NANOG),definitive endoderm (SOX17,CXCR4 & GATA4) and hepatic (AFP & ALB) genes to generate differentiation stage-specific signatures. RESULTS Addition of DMSO to the Activin A-based medium during DE specification resulted in rapid down regulation of the pluripotency genes OCT4 and NANOG,accompanied by an increase expression of the DE genes SOX17,CXCR4 and GATA4. Importantly,the expression level of ALB in DMSO-treated cells was also higher than in cells which were differentiated to the DE stage via standard Activin A treatment. View Publication

Here,we describe a procedure and first-in-man clinical effects of adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded CD4+CD25+CD127- T regulatory cells (Tregs) in the treatment of graft versus host disease (GvHD). The cells were sorted from buffy coats taken from two family donors,expanded ex vivo and transferred to respective recipients who suffered from either acute or chronic GvHD. The therapy allowed for significant alleviation of the symptoms and reduction of pharmacologic immunosuppression in the case of chronic GvHD,while in the case of grade IV acute GvHD it only transiently improved the condition,for the longest time within all immunosuppressants used nonetheless. View Publication

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been associated with metastasis and therapeutic resistance and can be generated via epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). Some studies suggest that the hormone melatonin acts in CSCs and may participate in the inhibition of the EMT. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the formation of mammospheres from the canine and human breast cancer cell lines,CMT-U229 and MCF-7,and the effects of melatonin treatment on the modulation of stem cell and EMT molecular markers: OCT4,E-cadherin,N-cadherin and vimentin,as well as on cell viability and invasiveness of the cells from mammospheres. The CMT-U229 and MCF-7 cell lines were subjected to three-dimensional culture in special medium for stem cells. The phenotype of mammospheres was first evaluated by flow cytometry (CD44+/CD24low/- marking). Cell viability was measured by MTT colorimetric assay and the expression of the proteins OCT4,E-cadherin,N-cadherin and vimentin was evaluated by immunofluorescence and quantified by optical densitometry. The analysis of cell migration and invasion was performed in Boyden Chamber. Flow cytometry proved the stem cell phenotype with CD44+/CD24low/- positive marking for both cell lines. Cell viability of CMT-U229 and MCF-7 cells was reduced after treatment with 1mM melatonin for 24 h (Ptextless0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed increased E-cadherin expression (Ptextless0.05) and decreased expression of OCT4,N-cadherin and vimentin (Ptextless0.05) in both cell lines after treatment with 1 mM melatonin for 24 hours. Moreover,treatment with melatonin was able to reduce cell migration and invasion in both cell lines when compared to control group (Ptextless0.05). Our results demonstrate that melatonin shows an inhibitory role in the viability and invasiveness of breast cancer mammospheres as well as in modulating the expression of proteins related to EMT in breast CSCs,suggesting its potential anti-metastatic role in canine and human breast cancer cell lines. View Publication

Hematopoietic tissues in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients contain both leukemia stem cells (LSC) and residual normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). The ability to prospectively separate residual HSC from LSC would enable important scientific and clinical investigation including the possibility of purged autologous hematopoietic cell transplants. We report here the identification of TIM3 as an AML stem cell surface marker more highly expressed on multiple specimens of AML LSC than on normal bone marrow HSC. TIM3 expression was detected in all cytogenetic subgroups of AML,but was significantly higher in AML-associated with core binding factor translocations or mutations in CEBPA. By assessing engraftment in NOD/SCID/IL2Rγ-null mice,we determined that HSC function resides predominantly in the TIM3-negative fraction of normal bone marrow,whereas LSC function from multiple AML specimens resides predominantly in the TIM3-positive compartment. Significantly,differential TIM3 expression enabled the prospective separation of HSC from LSC in the majority of AML specimens with detectable residual HSC function. View Publication

While during the first trimester of pregnancy natural killer (NK) cells represent the most abundant lymphocyte population in the decidua,their actual function at this site is still debated. In this study we analyzed NK cells isolated from decidual tissue for their surface phenotype and functional capability. We show that decidual NK (dNK) cells express normal surface levels of certain activating receptors,including NKp46,NKG2D,and 2B4,as well as of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and CD94/NKG2A inhibitory receptor. In addition,they are characterized by high levels of cytoplasmic granules despite their CD56(bright) CD16- surface phenotype. Moreover,we provide evidence that in dNK cells,activating NK receptors display normal triggering capability whereas 2B4 functions as an inhibitory receptor. Thus,cross-linking of 2B4 resulted in inhibition of both cytolytic activity and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production. Clonal analysis revealed that,in the majority of dNK cell clones,the 2B4 inhibitory function is related to the deficient expression of signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM)-associated protein (SAP) mRNA. Moreover,biochemical analysis revealed low levels of SAP in the dNK polyclonal population. This might suggest that dNK cells,although potentially capable of killing,are inhibited in their function when interacting with cells expressing CD48. View Publication

On the basis of our previous report verifying that CXCR2 ligands in human placenta-conditioned medium (hPCCM) support human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) propagation without exogenous bFGF,this study was designed to identify the effect of CXCR2 manipulation on the fate of hPSCs and the underlying mechanism,which had not been previously determined. We observed that CXCR2 inhibition in hPSCs induces predominant differentiation to mesoderm and endoderm with concomitant loss of hPSC characteristics and accompanying decreased expression of mTOR,beta-catenin,and hTERT. These phenomena are recapitulated in hPSCs propagated in conventional culture conditions including bFGF as well as those in hPCCM without exogenous bFGF,suggesting that the action of CXCR2 on hPSCs might not be associated with a bFGF-related mechanism. In addition,the specific CXCR2 ligand GROalpha markedly increased the expression of ectodermal markers in differentiation-committed embryoid bodies derived from hPSCs. This finding suggests that CXCR2 inhibition in hPSCs prohibits the propagation of hPSCs and leads to predominant differentiation to mesoderm and endoderm owing to the blockage of ectodermal differentiation. Taken together,our results indicate that CXCR2 preferentially supports the maintenance of hPSC characteristics as well as facilitates ectodermal differentiation after the commitment to differentiation,and that the mechanism might be associated with mTOR,beta-catenin,and hTERT activities. View Publication

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs),including human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs),share the properties of unlimited self-renewal and the capacity to become any cell type in the body,making them well suited for regenerative medicine and cell therapy. So far,almost all hPSC lines have been directly or indirectly exposed to animal-derived products,which would hinder their use for clinical purposes. One of the biggest challenges in this area is to remove animal components from the derivation,propagation,and cryopreservation of hPSCs. Moreover,the presence of undefined components of animal or human origin in culture system may interfere with the interpretation of the effect of exogenous agents on the growth and differentiation of hPSCs and are prone to significant variability. To explore hPSC expansion in defined,xeno-free conditions,2 different groups of culture systems were used to culture different hESC and hiPSC lines. Our results suggested that (1) medium,matrix,and exogenous factors have synergistic effects on the adhesion and growth of hPSCs; (2) cooperation of exogenous factors including basic fibroblast growth factor,Rho-associated kinase inhibitor (ROCK),and other growth factors is critical for hPSC adhesion and proliferation; (3) basal media have different effects on hPSC attachment to the culture surface; and (4) a medium or matrix component can work synergistically in one culture system,and not at all in another. In this study,we found that Vitronectin/TeSR2 and PDL/HEScGRO (Y-27632) systems were optimal for maintaining the long-term culture of 3 hESC lines and 2 hiPSC lines under defined,xeno-free conditions. View Publication

This study evaluated the effects of a mammalian target of mTOR inhibitor everolimus alone or in combination with trastuzumab on stem cells from HER2-overexpressing primary breast cancer cells and the BT474 breast cancer cell line in vitro and in vivo. For the in vitro studies,we sorted ESA(+)CD44(+)CD24(-/low) cells as stem cells from primary breast cancer cells and BT474 cells using flow cytometry. The MTT assay was used to quantify the inhibitory effect of the drugs on total cells and stem cells specifically. Stem cell apoptosis,cell cycle distributions,and their tumorigenicity after treatment were investigated by flow cytometry or soft agar colony formation assays. For the in vivo studies,BALB/c mice were injected with BT474 stem cells,and the different treatments were administered. After necropsy,the expression of Ki67,CD31,AKT1,and phospho-AKT (Thr308) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. For the in vitro studies,Treatment with everolimus resulted in stem cell growth inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of everolimus with trastuzumab was more effective at inhibiting cell growth (P textless 0.001) and tumorigenicity (P textless 0.001) compared with single-agent therapy. In addition,an increase in G1 cell cycle arrest and an increased population of cells in early apoptosis were seen in the combination treatment group compared with either of the single-agent groups (P textless 0.01). For the in vivo studies,everolimus plus trastuzumab therapy was much more effective at reducing tumor volume in mice compared with either single agent alone (P textless 0.05). Compared with everolimus alone,the combination of everolimus and trastuzumab reduced the expression of Ki67,AKT1,and phospho-AKT (Thr308) (P textless 0.05). We conclude that everolimus has effective inhibitory effects on HER2-overexpressing stem cells in vitro and vivo. Everolimus plus trastuzumab is a rational combination treatment that may be promising in human clinical trials. View Publication

Assessing relevant molecular differences between human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is important,given that such differences may impact their potential therapeutic use. Controversy surrounds recent gene expression studies comparing hiPSCs and hESCs. Here,we present an in-depth quantitative mass spectrometry-based analysis of hESCs,two different hiPSCs and their precursor fibroblast cell lines. Our comparisons confirmed the high similarity of hESCs and hiPSCS at the proteome level as 97.8% of the proteins were found unchanged. Nevertheless,a small group of 58 proteins,mainly related to metabolism,antigen processing and cell adhesion,was found significantly differentially expressed between hiPSCs and hESCs. A comparison of the regulated proteins with previously published transcriptomic studies showed a low overlap,highlighting the emerging notion that differences between both pluripotent cell lines rather reflect experimental conditions than a recurrent molecular signature. View Publication

Nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) is a key pathway for efficient repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and V(D)J recombination. NHEJ defects in humans cause immunodeficiency and increased cellular sensitivity to ionizing irradiation (IR) and are variably associated with growth retardation,microcephaly,and neurodevelopmental delay. Repair of DNA DSBs is important for reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). To compare the specific contribution of DNA ligase 4 (LIG4),Artemis,and DNA-protein kinase catalytic subunit (PKcs) in this process and to gain insights into phenotypic variability associated with these disorders,we reprogrammed patient-derived fibroblast cell lines with NHEJ defects. Deficiencies of LIG4 and of DNA-PK catalytic activity,but not Artemis deficiency,were associated with markedly reduced reprogramming efficiency,which could be partially rescued by genetic complementation. Moreover,we identified increased genomic instability in LIG4-deficient iPSCs. Cell cycle synchronization revealed a severe defect of DNA repair and a G0/G1 cell cycle arrest,particularly in LIG4- and DNA-PK catalytically deficient iPSCs. Impaired myeloid differentiation was observed in LIG4-,but not Artemis- or DNA-PK-mutated iPSCs. These results indicate a critical importance of the NHEJ pathway for somatic cell reprogramming,with a major role for LIG4 and DNA-PKcs and a minor,if any,for Artemis. View Publication

Cardiac tissue engineering is a promising method for regenerative medicine. Although we have developed human cardiac cell sheets by integration of cell sheet-based tissue engineering and scalable bioreactor culture,the risk of contamination by induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in cardiac cell sheets remains unresolved. In the present study,we established a novel culture method to fabricate human cardiac cell sheets with a decreased risk of iPS cell contamination while maintaining viabilities of iPS cell-derived cells,including cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts,using a methionine-free culture condition. When cultured in the methionine-free condition,human iPS cells did not survive without feeder cells and could not proliferate or form colonies on feeder cells or in coculture with cells for cardiac cell sheet fabrication. When iPS cell-derived cells after the cardiac differentiation were transiently cultured in the methionine-free condition,gene expression of OCT3/4 and NANOG was downregulated significantly compared with that in the standard culture condition. Furthermore,in fabricated cardiac cell sheets,spontaneous and synchronous beating was observed in the whole area while maintaining or upregulating the expression of various cardiac and extracellular matrix genes. These findings suggest that human iPS cells are methionine dependent and a methionine-free culture condition for cardiac cell sheet fabrication might reduce the risk of iPS cell contamination. View Publication

The recent development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by ectopic expression of defined reprogramming factors offers enormous therapeutic opportunity. To deliver these factors,murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based vectors have been broadly used in the setting of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However,MLV vectors have been implicated in malignancy induced by insertional mutagenesis,whereas lentiviral vectors have not. Furthermore,the infectivity of MLV vectors is limited to dividing cells,whereas lentiviral vectors can also transduce nondividing cells. One important characteristic of MLV vectors is a self-silencing property of the promoter element in pluripotent stem cells,allowing temporal transgene expression in a nonpluripotent state before iPSC derivation. Here we test iPSC generation using a novel chimeric vector carrying a mutant MLV promoter internal to a lentiviral vector backbone,thereby containing the useful properties of both types of vectors. Transgene expression of this chimeric vector was highly efficient compared with that of MLV vectors and was silenced specifically in human embryonic stem cells. Human fetal fibroblasts transduced with the vector encoding each factor were efficiently reprogrammed into a pluripotent state,and these iPSCs had potential to differentiate into a variety of cell types. To explore the possibility of iPSCs for gene therapy,we established iPSC clones expressing a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5),the main coreceptor for HIV-1. Using a reporter construct for CCR5 expression,we confirmed that CCR5 shRNA was expressed and specifically knocked down the reporter expression in iPSCs. These data indicate that our chimeric lentiviral vector is a valuable tool for generation of iPSCs and the combination with vectors encoding transgenes allows for rapid establishment of desired genetically engineered iPSC lines. View Publication