搜索结果: 'gmp t cell activator'

Neurodevelopmental studies employing animal models encounter challenges due to interspecies differences and ethical concerns. Maturing neurons of human origin,undergoing several developmental stages,present a powerful alternative. In this study,human embryonic stem cell (H9 cell line) was differentiated into neural stem cells and subsequently matured into neurons over 30 days. Ion AmpliSeq™ was used for transcriptomic characterization of human stem cell-derived neurons at multiple time points. Data analysis revealed a progressive increase of markers associated with neuronal development and astrocyte markers,indicating the establishment of a co-culture accommodating both glial and neurons. Transcriptomic and pathway enrichment analysis also revealed a more pronounced GABAergic phenotype in the neurons,signifying their specialization toward this cell type. The findings confirm the robustness of these cells across different passages and demonstrate detailed progression through stages of development. The model is intended for neurodevelopmental applications and can be adapted to investigate how genetic modifications or exposure to chemicals,pharmaceuticals,and other environmental factors influence neurons and glial maturation. View Publication

The airway epithelium provides a first line of defense against pathogens by release of antimicrobial factors and neutrophil-attracting chemokines. Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa,a Gram-negative bacterium that expresses flagellin as an important virulence factor,is a common cause of injurious airway inflammation. The aim of our study was to determine the contribution of flagellin to the inflammatory,antimicrobial,and metabolic responses of the airway epithelium to P. aeruginosa . Furthermore,as we previously showed that targeting mTOR limited the glycolytic and inflammatory response induced by flagellin,we assessed the effect of rapamycin on human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells stimulated with flagellated and non-flagellated P. aeruginosa. Primary pseudostratified HBE cells,cultured on an air-liquid-interface,were treated on the basolateral side with medium,vehicle or rapamycin,exposed on the apical side with flagellated or flagellin-deficient P. aeruginosa,and analyzed for their inflammatory,antimicrobial,and glycolytic responses. Flagellin augmented the P. aeruginosa -induced expression of antimicrobial factors and secretion of chemokines by HBE cells but did not further increase the glycolytic response. Treatment of HBE cells with rapamycin inhibited mTOR activation in general and flagellin-augmented mTOR activation in particular,but did not affect the glycolytic response. Rapamycin,however,diminished the flagellin-augmented inflammatory and antimicrobial response induced by Pseudomonas . These results demonstrate that flagellin is a significant factor that augments the inflammatory and antimicrobial response of human airway epithelial cells upon exposure to P. aeruginosa and suggest that mTOR inhibition by rapamycin in the airway epithelium diminishes these exaggerated responses. View Publication

Circulating cancer cells (CCCs) are closely related to the process of distant metastasis. In early step of the metastasis cascade,CCCs must evade the detachment-induced cell death (anoikis) for their survival. Here,we examined whether Na + /K + -ATPase α3-isoform (α3NaK) in CCCs contributes to avoidance of anoikis. In CCCs isolated from gastric cancer patients,α3NaK was predominantly localized in the plasma membrane (PM),but it moved to the cytoplasm when the CCCs were attached to culture dishes. The CCCs showed significant expression of integrin α5 but not fibronectin,one of components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In human gastric cancer MKN45 cells,digoxin (20 and 50 nM),a cardiac glycoside,significantly inhibited the enzyme activity and translocation (from cytoplasm to PM) of α3NaK,while they had no significant effect on ubiquitous Na + /K + -ATPase α1-isoform (α1NaK) in the PM. The translocation of α3NaK required the loss of ECM components from the cells. Additionally,digoxin significantly enhanced caspase 3/7 activity,as well as the expression of cleaved caspase 3,while reducing the viability of detached (floating) cells. In the MKN45 xenograft mouse model,intraperitoneal administration of digoxin (2 mg/kg/day) significantly decreased the number of CCCs and suppressed their liver metastasis. Our results suggest that α3NaK plays an essential role in the survival of CCCs in gastric cancer,and that digoxin enhances anoikis in detached (metastatic) gastric cancer cells by inhibiting the α3NaK translocation from cytoplasm to PM,thereby reducing CCCs. Targeting α3NaK may be a promising therapeutic strategy against CCC survival. Subject terms: Metastasis,Gastric cancer,Apoptosis View Publication

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IVA is a bone-affecting lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by impaired degradation of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) keratan sulfate (KS) and chondroitin 6-sulfate (C6S) due to deficient N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase (GALNS) enzyme activity. Previously,we successfully developed and validated a CRISPR/nCas9-based gene therapy (GT) to insert an expression cassette at the AAVS1 and ROSA26 loci in human MPS IVA fibroblasts and MPS IVA mice,respectively. In this study,we have extended our approach to evaluate the effectiveness of our CRISPR/nCas9-based GT in editing human CD34+ cells to mediate cross-correction of MPS IVA fibroblasts. CD34+ cells were electroporated with the CRISPR/nCas9 system,targeting the AAVS1 locus. The nCas9-mediated on-target donor template insertion,and the stemness of the CRISPR/nCas-edited CD34+ cells was evaluated. Additionally,MPS IVA fibroblasts were co-cultured with CRISPR/nCas-edited CD34+ cells to assess cross-correction. CRISPR/nCas9-based gene editing did not affect the stemness of CD34+ cells but did lead to supraphysiological levels of the GALNS enzyme. Upon co-culture,MPS IVA fibroblasts displayed a significant increase in the GALNS enzyme activity along with lysosomal mass reduction,pro-oxidant profile amelioration,mitochondrial mass recovery,and pro-apoptotic and pro-inflammatory profile improvement. These results show the potential of our CRISPR/nCas9-based GT to edit CD34+ cells to mediate cross-correction. View Publication

Trogocytosis is an underappreciated phenomenon that shapes the immune microenvironment surrounding many types of solid tumors. The consequences of membrane-bound proteins being deposited from a donor immune cell to a recipient cancer cell via trogocytosis are still unclear. Here,we report that human clear cell renal carcinoma tumors stably express the lymphoid markers CD45,CD56,CD14,and CD16. Flow cytometry performed on fresh kidney tumors revealed consistent CD45 expression on tumor cells,as well as varying levels of the other markers mentioned previously. These results were consistent with our immunofluorescent analysis,which also revealed colocalization of lymphoid markers with carbonic anhydrase 9,a standard kidney tumor marker. RNA analysis showed a significant upregulation of genes typically associated with immune cells by tumor cells. Finally,we show evidence of chromosomal DNA being transferred from immune cells to tumor cells through physical contact. This horizontal gene transfer has transcriptional consequences in the recipient tumor cell,resulting in a fusion phenotype that expresses both immune and cancer specific proteins. This work demonstrates a novel mechanism by which tumor cell protein expression is altered through the acquisition of surface membrane fragments and genomic DNA from infiltrating lymphocytes. These results alter the way in which we understand tumor-immune cell interactions and may reveal new insights into the mechanisms by which tumors develop. Additionally,further studies into trogocytosis and other mechanisms of contact-mediated cellular transfer will help push the field towards the next generation of immunotherapies and biomarkers for treating renal cell carcinoma and other cancers. View Publication

Testicular somatic cells play an important role in supporting spermatogenesis. Leydig cells (LCs) and peritubular myoid cells (PTMs) originate from a common progenitor population and show similar expression signatures in adulthood,making it difficult to distinguish and isolate the two in vitro. In this study,new surface markers for identifying adult LCs (ALCs) and PTMs were discovered by reanalyzing testicular single-cell dataset. Differential expressions of ITGA9 and NGFR were confirmed through immunofluorescence staining of human testes. A novel Fluorescence activated Cell Sorting (FACS) protocol is established for the isolation of ALCs and PTMs based on the two markers. Long-term culture of both cells were performed and their characteristics were characterized and explored. ITGA9+ /NGFR + cells were positive for markers of PTMs (SMA,CNN1) and negative for markers of ALCs (HSD3B,STAR),and were able to form tubular and spheroid structures in vitro. In contrast,ITGA9-/NGFR + cells were positive for ALC markers and negative for PTM markers,and showed a capacity of testosterone production in vitro. Also,both cells were negative for Sertoli cell marker SOX9. When the two cells were cultured,they can expand for more than 15 passages. Our study established a novel and efficient method for identifying and isolating human ALCs and PTMs,which provides a great potential for researches of the two cell types in human. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12958-025-01389-w. View Publication

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) hold significant promise for cancer diagnosis,prognosis,and treatment monitoring. We previously developed a technique for a single‐cell filtering device known as the microcavity array (MCA),specifically designed for the efficient recovery of CTCs from whole blood samples. Efficient enrichment and release of cells from the MCA remains challenging because of cell adhesion that occurs on the MCA surface during the enrichment phase. This study investigated the effects of surface modification with 2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) on the recovery efficiency of cancer cell lines from MCA. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) demonstrated reduced cell‐substrate interactions,leading to improved recovery efficiency. Comparative analyses showed that the MCA method provided superior recovery efficiency and reduced processing time compared to traditional methods such as density gradient centrifugation (DGC),while maintaining cell viability and proliferative capacity. CTCs were successfully detected in patients with gastric cancer,and short‐term cultures were achieved even when fewer than 20 CTCs per milliliter of blood were isolated. These findings emphasize the importance of surface modification for enhancing CTC isolation and the need for optimized culture conditions. The optimized MCA method offers a promising approach for rapid CTC recovery and potential integration with automated systems. Practical application : The Microcavity array (MCA) is a device specifically designed for efficient recovery of CTCs from whole blood. However cell adhesion on the MCA surface can limit release efficiency. This study demonstrated that surface modification with MPC signigicantly reduces cell‐substrate adhesion,improving recovery efficiency while maintaining cell viability and proliferative capacity. Compared to traditional density gradient centrifugation,the MPC‐modified MCA offers shorter processing time and better performance. CTCs were successfully detected in gastric cancer,and short‐term cultures were achieved even when fewer than 20 CTCs per mL of blood were isolated. The method supports downstearm applications such as cancer cell characterization and treatment monitoring. With potential for integration into automated system,the optimized MCA provides a practical,scalable solution for clinical liquid biopsy and personalized oncology. View Publication

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for colorectal cancer (CRC) chemoresistance,recurrence,and metastasis. Therefore,identifying molecular stemness targets that are involved in tumor growth is crucial for effective treatment. Here,we performed an extensive in vitro and in vivo molecular and functional characterization,revealing the pivotal role of the lysine methyltransferase SET and MYND Domain Containing 3 (SMYD3) in colorectal cancer stem cell (CRC-SC) biology. Specifically,we showed that SMYD3 interacts with and methylates c-MYC at K158 and K163,thereby modulating its transcriptional activity,which is implicated in stemness and colorectal malignancy. Our in vitro data suggest that SMYD3 pharmacological inhibition or its stable genetic ablation affects the clonogenic and self-renewal potential of patient-derived CRC-SCs and organoids by altering their molecular signature. Moreover,we found that SMYD3 stable knock-out or pharmacological inhibition drastically reduces CRC tumorigenicity in vivo and CRC-SC metastatic potential. Overall,our findings identify SMYD3 as a promising therapeutic target acting directly on c-MYC,with potential implications for countering CRC-SC proliferation and metastatic dissemination. Subject terms: Gastrointestinal cancer,Cancer stem cells View Publication

The growth factor and small molecule protocol are the two primary approaches for generating human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells (iPSC-HLCs). We compared the efficacy of the growth factor and small molecule protocols across fifteen different human iPSC lines. Morphological assessment,relative quantification of gene expression,protein expression and proteomic studies were carried out. HLCs derived from the growth factor protocol displayed mature hepatocyte morphological features including a raised,polygonal shape with well-defined refractile borders,granular cytoplasm with lipid droplets and/or vacuoles with multiple spherical nuclei or a large centrally located nucleus; significantly elevated hepatocyte gene and protein expression including AFP,HNF4A,ALBUMIN,and proteomic and metabolic features that are more aligned with a mature phenotype. HLCs derived from the small molecule protocol showed a dedifferentiated,proliferative phenotype that is more akin to liver tumor-derived cell lines. These experimental results suggest that HLCs derived from growth factors are better suited for studies of metabolism,biotransformation,and viral infection. View Publication

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent malignant tumor globally,ranking third in incidence and second in mortality. Metastasis is the main cause of death in patients with CRC. Solanum nigrum L. (SNL),a traditional Chinese medicinal herb endowed with detoxification,blood circulation enhancement,and anti-swelling properties,has been widely used in folk prescriptions for cancer treatment in China. Solamargine (SM) is the major steroidal alkaloid glycoside purified from SNL. However,its role and mechanism against metastatic CRC are not yet clear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of SM on human hepatic metastatic CRC and investigate its underlying mechanism. CCK-8 assay,colony-formation assay,transwell assay,flow cytometry,tumoursphere formation assay,reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR),Western blotting,transcriptomic sequencing and ferroptosis analysis were performed to reveal the efficacy and the underlying mechanism of SM in CRC cell lines. In vivo,allograft model,patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model,and liver metastatic model were performed to verify the effect of SM on the growth and metastasis of CRC. SM was found to suppress hepatic metastasis in CRC by effectively targeting key cellular processes,including proliferation,survival,and stemness. RNA sequencing showed that SM could induce ferroptosis,which was confirmed by elevated lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and downregulated glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and glutathione synthetase (GSS) in CRC cells and xenografts. Induction of ferroptosis by SM was regulated by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Furthermore,downregulation of β-catenin was found to be fundamental for the SM-enabled cancer stem cells (CSCs) elimination and metastasis blockage in CRC. Our results indicated that SM is a promising therapeutic drug to inhibit hepatic metastasis in CRC by inducing ferroptosis and impeding CSCs. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13020-025-01171-5. View Publication

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are widely used to model human genetic diseases. The most common strategy involves collecting cells from relevant individuals and then reprogramming them into iPSCs. This strategy is very powerful,but finding enough individuals with a specific genetic disease can be challenging,especially since most are rare. In addition,making numerous iPSC lines is time-consuming and expensive. As a result,most studies have included relatively small numbers of iPSC lines,sometimes from the same individual. Considering the experimental variability obtained using different iPSC lines,there has been great interest in delineating the most efficient number of lines needed to achieve a robust and reproducible result. Several recommendations have been published,although most conclusions have been based on methods where experimental variance from individual cases is difficult to separate from technical issues related to the preparation of iPSCs. The current study used gene expression profiles determined by RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to empirically evaluate the impact of the number of unique individuals and the number of replicate iPSC lines from each individual for modeling Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND). This disease is caused by mutations in the HPRT1 gene,which encodes the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase. Results for detecting disease-relevant changes in gene expression depended on the analytical method employed,and whether or not statistical procedures were used to address multiple iPSC lines from the same individual. In keeping with prior studies,the best results were obtained with iPSC lines from 3-4 unique individuals per group. In contrast to prior studies,results were improved with 2 lines per individual,without statistical corrections for duplicate lines from the same individual. In the current study where all lines were produced in parallel using the same methods,most variance in gene expression came from technical factors unrelated to the individual from whom the iPSC lines were prepared. View Publication

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) are malignancies of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) that lead to the overproduction of mature blood cells. These disorders include Essential Thrombocythemia (ET),Polycythemia Vera (PV),and Primary Myelofibrosis (PMF),primarily driven by somatic mutations such as JAK2 V617F . Research indicates that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) support fibrosis in PMF,though their role in ET and PV remains less clear. Furthermore,in vivo studies of ET/PV HSPCs remain a challenge due to low engraftment levels in xenograft models. We employed a 3D scaffold model to create an MPN humanized xenograft mouse model,enabling in vivo functional studies of primary MPN progenitor cells and the supportive role of human MSCs. Using this model,we first demonstrated robust hematopoietic support of healthy (HD) HSPCs by PV and ET MSCs. We then investigated the role of MSCs in sustaining JAK2 V617F mutant cells by using a CRISPR‐Cas9 editing model,along with primary PV and ET HSPCs. Our results showed consistent engraftment of CRISPR‐edited JAK2 V617F mutant HSPCs and PV and ET patient‐derived HSPCs in scaffolds seeded with HD,PV,and ET stroma,providing the first in vivo evidence that PV and ET MSCs can sustain both healthy and MPN‐associated hematopoiesis. Furthermore,HD MSCs were also capable of sustaining PV and ET HSPCs in vivo. Overall,we present the first humanized MPN xenograft model that offers valuable insights into how human BM MSCs interact with JAK2 V617F mutant clones. View Publication