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Microenvironments appear important in stem cell lineage specification but can be difficult to adequately characterize or control with soft tissues. Naive mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are shown here to specify lineage and commit to phenotypes with extreme sensitivity to tissue-level elasticity. Soft matrices that mimic brain are neurogenic,stiffer matrices that mimic muscle are myogenic,and comparatively rigid matrices that mimic collagenous bone prove osteogenic. During the initial week in culture,reprogramming of these lineages is possible with addition of soluble induction factors,but after several weeks in culture,the cells commit to the lineage specified by matrix elasticity,consistent with the elasticity-insensitive commitment of differentiated cell types. Inhibition of nonmuscle myosin II blocks all elasticity-directed lineage specification-without strongly perturbing many other aspects of cell function and shape. The results have significant implications for understanding physical effects of the in vivo microenvironment and also for therapeutic uses of stem cells. View Publication

We previously demonstrated that RARα2 expression is increased in CD138 selected plasma cells of relapsed multiple myelomas (MMs),and increased expression was linked to poor prognosis in newly diagnosed MM patients. In the present study,we demonstrate that increased RARα2 confers myeloma stem cell features. Higher expression of RARα2 was identified in the multiple myeloma stem cell (MMSC) fraction. Overexpression of RARα2 in bulk MM cell lines resulted in: 1) increased drug resistance; 2) increased clonogenic potential; 3) activation of both Wnt and Hedgehog (Hh) pathways; 4) increased side population and aldehyde dehydrogenase levels; and 5) increased expression of embryonic stem cell genes. The opposite effects were seen with RARα2 knockdown. We demonstrate that RARα2 induces drug resistance by activating the drug efflux pump gene ABCC3 and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members. Inhibition of Wnt signaling or ABCC3 function could overcome drug resistance in RARα2 overexpressing MM cells. We also showed that in the 5TGM1 mouse model,targeting of the Wnt and Hh pathways using CAY10404,cyclopamine,or itraconazole significantly reduced the myeloma tumor burden and increased survival. Targeting RARα2 or its downstream signaling pathways provides a potential strategy to eliminate MMSC. View Publication

The ability to create 3D tissues from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is poised to revolutionize stem cell research and regenerative medicine,including individualized,patient-specific stem cell-based treatments. There are,however,few examples of tissue engineering using iPSCs. Their culture and differentiation is predominantly planar for monolayer cell support or induction of self-organizing embryoids (EBs) and organoids. Bioprinting iPSCs with advanced biomaterials promises to augment efforts to develop 3D tissues,ideally comprising direct-write printing of cells for encapsulation,proliferation,and differentiation. Here,such a method,employing a clinically amenable polysaccharide-based bioink,is described as the first example of bioprinting human iPSCs for in situ expansion and sequential differentiation. Specifically,There are extrusion printed the bioink including iPSCs,alginate (Al; 5% weight/volume [w/v]),carboxymethyl-chitosan (5% w/v),and agarose (Ag; 1.5% w/v),crosslinked the bioink in calcium chloride for a stable and porous construct,proliferated the iPSCs within the construct and differentiated the same iPSCs into either EBs comprising cells of three germ lineages-endoderm,ectoderm,and mesoderm,or more homogeneous neural tissues containing functional migrating neurons and neuroglia. This defined,scalable,and versatile platform is envisaged being useful in iPSC research and translation for pharmaceuticals development and regenerative medicine. View Publication

Following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation,monitoring the proportion of donor and recipient haematopoiesis in the patient (chimerism) is an influential tool in directing further treatment choices. Short tandem repeat (STR) analysis is a method of chimerism monitoring using DNA isolated from peripheral blood,bone marrow or specific isolated cell lineages such as CD3+ T cells. For lineage-specific STR analysis on cell populations isolated from peripheral blood,a qualitative estimation of the purity of each isolated population is essential for the correct interpretation of the test data. We describe a rapid,inexpensive method for the determination of purity using a simple flow cytometry method. The method described for assessing the purity of sorted CD3+ cells can be applied to any cell population isolated using the same technology. Data obtained were comparable to results from a commercial polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method for the assessment of purity (Non-T Genomic Detection Kit,Accumol,Calgary,AB,Canada) (P = 0.59). Of the 303 samples tested by flow cytometry,290 (95.7%) exceeded 90% purity,and 215 (70.95%) were over 99% pure. There were some outlying samples,showing diversity between samples and the unpredictability of purity of isolated cell populations. This flow cytometry method can be easily assimilated into routine testing protocols,allowing purity assessment in multiple-sorted cell populations for lineage-specific chimerism monitoring using a single secondary antibody and giving results comparable to a PCR-based method. As purity of isolated cell lineages is affected by time after venepuncture and storage temperature,assessment of each sample is recommended to give a reliable indication of sample quality and confidence in the interpretation of the results. View Publication

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells show an atypical cell-cycle regulation characterized by a high proliferation rate and a short G1 phase. In fact,a shortened G1 phase might protect ES cells from external signals inducing differentiation,as shown for certain stem cells. It has been suggested that self-renewal and pluripotency are intimately linked to cell-cycle regulation in ES cells,although little is known about the overall importance of the cell-cycle machinery in maintaining ES cell identity. An appealing model to address whether the acquisition of stem cell properties is linked to cell-cycle regulation emerged with the ability to generate induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells by expression of defined transcription factors. Here,we show that the characteristic cell-cycle signature of hES cells is acquired as an early event in cell reprogramming. We demonstrate that induction of cell proliferation increases reprogramming efficiency,whereas cell-cycle arrest inhibits successful reprogramming. Furthermore,we show that cell-cycle arrest is sufficient to drive hES cells toward irreversible differentiation. Our results establish a link that intertwines the mechanisms of cell-cycle control with the mechanisms underlying the acquisition and maintenance of ES cell identity. View Publication

Replacing defective retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells with those derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is a potential strategy for treating retinal degenerative diseases. Early clinical trials have demonstrated that hESC-derived or hiPSC-derived RPE cells can be delivered safely as a suspension to the human eye. The next step is transplantation of hESC/hiPSC-derived RPE cells as cell sheets that are more physiological. We have developed a tissue-engineered product consisting of hESC-derived RPE cells grown as sheets on human amniotic membrane as a biocompatible substrate. We established a surgical approach to engraft this tissue-engineered product into the subretinal space of the eyes of rats with photoreceptor cell loss. We show that transplantation of the hESC-RPE cell sheets grown on a human amniotic membrane scaffold resulted in rescue of photoreceptor cell death and improved visual acuity in rats with retinal degeneration compared to hESC-RPE cells injected as a cell suspension. These results suggest that tissue-engineered hESC-RPE cell sheets produced under good manufacturing practice conditions may be a useful approach for treating diseases of retinal degeneration. View Publication

Membrane potential (Vmem) is a key bioelectric property of non-excitable cells that plays important roles in regulating cell proliferation. However,the regulation of Vmem itself remains largely unexplored. We found that,under nutrient starvation,during which cell division is inhibited,MKN45 gastric cancer cells were in a hyperpolarized state associated with a high intracellular chloride concentration. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity increased,and expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) decreased,in nutrient-starved cells. Furthermore,the increase in intracellular chloride concentration level and Vmem hyperpolarization in nutrient-starved cells was suppressed by inhibition of AMPK activity. Intracellular chloride concentrations and hyperpolarization increased after over-activation of AMPK using the specific activator AICAR or suppression of CFTR activity using specific inhibitor GlyH-101. Under these conditions,proliferation of MKN45 cells was inhibited. These results reveal that AMPK controls the dynamic change in Vmem by regulating CFTR and influencing the intracellular chloride concentration,which in turn influences cell-cycle progression. These findings offer new insights into the mechanisms underlying cell-cycle arrest regulated by AMPK and CFTR. View Publication

Receptor type protein tyrosine phosphatase-sigma (PTPsigma) is primarily expressed by adult neurons and regulates neural regeneration. We recently discovered that PTPsigma is also expressed by hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Here,we describe small molecule inhibitors of PTPsigma that promote HSC regeneration in vivo. Systemic administration of the PTPsigma inhibitor,DJ001,or its analog,to irradiated mice promotes HSC regeneration,accelerates hematologic recovery,and improves survival. Similarly,DJ001 administration accelerates hematologic recovery in mice treated with 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy. DJ001 displays high specificity for PTPsigma and antagonizes PTPsigma via unique non-competitive,allosteric binding. Mechanistically,DJ001 suppresses radiation-induced HSC apoptosis via activation of the RhoGTPase,RAC1,and induction of BCL-XL. Furthermore,treatment of irradiated human HSCs with DJ001 promotes the regeneration of human HSCs capable of multilineage in vivo repopulation. These studies demonstrate the therapeutic potential of selective,small-molecule PTPsigma inhibitors for human hematopoietic regeneration. View Publication

Growth of human embryonic stem (hES) cells as a pluripotent population requires a balance between survival,proliferation and self-renewal signals. Here we demonstrate that hES cells express receptors of the tropomyosin-related kinase (TRK) family,which mediate antiapoptotic signals. We show that three TRK ligands,brain-derived neurotrophic factor,neurotrophin 3 and neurotrophin 4,are survival factors for hES cells. Addition of neurotrophins to hES cell cultures effects a 36-fold improvement in their clonal survival. hES cell cultures maintained in medium containing neurotrophins remain diploid and retain full developmental potency. In the presence of neurotrophins,TRK receptors in hES cells are phosphorylated; TRK receptor inhibition leads to hES cell apoptosis. The survival activity of neurotrophins in hES cells is mediated by the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathway but not the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Neurotrophins improve hES cell survival and may facilitate their manipulation and the development of high-throughput screens to identify factors responsible for hES cell differentiation. View Publication

Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (OP) is a rare,lethal disorder in which osteoclasts are absent or nonfunctional,resulting in a bone marrow cavity insufficient to support hematopoiesis. Because osteoclasts are derived from hematopoietic precursors,allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation can cure the bony manifestations of the disorder. However,high rates of graft failure have been observed in this population. It is not possible to harvest bone marrow from these patients for reinfusion should graft failure be observed. We report that 8 of 10 patients with OP had high numbers of circulating CD34(+) cells (3% +/- 0.9%). This increased proportion of peripheral CD34(+) cells made it possible to harvest 2 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells per kilogram with a total volume of blood ranging from 8.3 to 83.7 mL (1.3-11.6 mL/kg). In addition,colony-forming assays documented significantly more colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage and burst-forming unit-erythroid in the blood of osteopetrotic patients compared with controls; the numbers of colony-forming units approximated those found in control marrow. We conclude that OP patients with high levels of circulating CD34(+) are candidates for peripheral blood autologous harvest by limited exchange transfusion. These cells are then available for reinfusion should graft failure be observed in patients for whom retransplantation is impractical. View Publication

Cancer research has long focused on mutations in normal body cells,but this approach has not produced major breakthroughs for most cancers. Our study explores a different concept that some aggressive cancers may actually arise from early reproductive cells called primordial germ cells,which normally develop into eggs and sperm. We created a new experimental model showing how a virus can transform human primordial germ cell-like cells into virus-positive Merkel cell carcinoma,a rare but deadly skin cancer. This model shows that cancers can emerge through changes in developmental states rather than relying solely on genetic mutations. By linking cancer development to early germ cells,our findings suggest a unifying explanation for both germ cell cancers and body cancers. This new perspective may guide more effective approaches to study,diagnose,and treat cancer by focusing on early human development rather than only DNA mutations and later developmental stages. View Publication

Although it is well established that women with germ-line mutations in the BRCA1 gene have a greatly increased lifetime incidence of breast and ovarian cancer,the molecular mechanisms responsible for this tissue-specific carcinogenesis remain undefined. The majority of these breast cancers are of the basal-like phenotype characterized by lack of expression of ER,PR,and ERBB2. Because this phenotype has been proposed to resemble that of normal breast stem cells,we examined the role of BRCA1 in human mammary stem cell fate. Using both in vitro systems and a humanized NOD/SCID mouse model,we demonstrate that BRCA1 expression is required for the differentiation of ER-negative stem/progenitor cells to ER-positive luminal cells. Knockdown of BRCA1 in primary breast epithelial cells leads to an increase in cells displaying the stem/progenitor cell marker ALDH1 and a decrease in cells expressing luminal epithelial markers and estrogen receptor. In breast tissues from women with germ-line BRCA1 mutations,but not normal controls,we detect entire lobules that,although histologically normal,are positive for ALDH1 expression but are negative for the expression of ER. Loss of heterozygosity for BRCA1 was documented in these ALDH1-positive lobules but not in adjacent ALDH1-negative lobules. Taken together,these studies demonstrate that BRCA1 plays a critical role in the differentiation of ER-negative stem/progenitor cells to ER-positive luminal cells. Because BRCA1 also plays a role in DNA repair,our work suggests that loss of BRCA1 may result in the accumulation of genetically unstable breast stem cells,providing prime targets for further carcinogenic events. View Publication