技术资料

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have increased our knowledge of loci associated with a range of human diseases. However,applying such findings to elucidate pathophysiology and promote drug discovery remains challenging. Here,we created isogenic human ESCs (hESCs) with mutations in GWAS-identified susceptibility genes for type 2 diabetes. In pancreatic beta-like cells differentiated from these lines,we found that mutations in CDKAL1,KCNQ1,and KCNJ11 led to impaired glucose secretion in vitro and in vivo,coinciding with defective glucose homeostasis. CDKAL1 mutant insulin+ cells were also hypersensitive to glucolipotoxicity. A high-content chemical screen identified a candidate drug that rescued CDKAL1-specific defects in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the FOS/JUN pathway. Our approach of a proof-of-principle platform,which uses isogenic hESCs for functional evaluation of GWAS-identified loci and identification of a drug candidate that rescues gene-specific defects,paves the way for precision therapy of metabolic diseases. View Publication

Cardiovascular progenitor cells (CPCs) expressing the ISL1-LIM-homeodomain transcription factor contribute developmentally to cardiomyocytes in all 4 chambers of the heart. Here,we show that ISL1-CPCs can be applied to myocardial regeneration following injury. We used a rapid 3D methylcellulose approach to form murine and human ISL1-CPC spheroids that engrafted after myocardial infarction in murine hearts,where they differentiated into cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells,integrating into the myocardium and forming new blood vessels. ISL1-CPC spheroid-treated mice exhibited reduced infarct area and increased blood vessel formation compared with control animals. Moreover,left ventricular (LV) contractile function was significantly better in mice transplanted with ISL1-CPCs 4 weeks after injury than that in control animals. These results provide proof-of-concept of a cardiac repair strategy employing ISL1-CPCs that,based on our previous lineage-tracing studies,are committed to forming heart tissue,in combination with a robust methylcellulose spheroid-based delivery approach. View Publication

The ability to rationally target disease-causing mutations has been made possible with programmable nucleases with the CRISPR/Cas9 system representing a facile platform for individualized gene-based medicine. In this study we employed footprint free reprogramming of fibroblasts from a patient with mutations to the Fanconi anemia I (FANCI) gene to generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). This process was accomplished without gene complementation and the resultant iPSC were able to be gene corrected in a robust manner using the Cas9 nickase. The self-renewing iPSC that were maintained under feeder free conditions were differentiated into cells with characteristics of definitive hematopoiesis. This defined and highly efficient procedure employed small molecule modulation of the hematopoietic differentiation pathway and a vascular induction technique to generate hematopoietic progenitors. In sum,our results demonstrate the ability to induce patient derived FA cells to pluripotency for patient specific therapeutic cell derivation. View Publication

High purity chromosome sorting can be performed on instruments such as MoFlo MLS and BD influx,which are stream-in-air sorters equipped with water-cooled high power lasers. The FACSAria is a true fixed alignment,low laser powered instrument with a quartz flow cell gel-coupled to the collection optics. However,whether high purity mouse and human chromosomes can be obtained by sorting on the BD FACSAria(TM) Special Order Research Product (FACSAria SORP) remains to be determined. Here,we report that the high resolution flow karyotype of mouse lymphocytes and normal male human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) can be obtained on the FACSAria SORP using laser power settings of 50 mW for 355 nm and 20 mW for 444 nm excitation. Furthermore,the use of Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) confirmed that chromosome paints prepared from the sorted chromosomes demonstrated high purity and signal specificity. Notably,human chromosome 12 was separated from the chromosome 9-12 cluster in the flow karyotype,and its identity was confirmed using FISH in trisomy 12 human ES cell lines B2-C7 and B2-B8. In addition,multicolor FISH (mFISH) with human chromosome painting probes to 13,18,21,and sex chromosomes X and Y showed high signal specificity in hPBMCs. Taken together,our findings demonstrated that high resolution flow karyotype can be obtained using FACSAria SORP. Moreover,a FISH analysis confirmed high purity of the sorted chromosomes. Additionally,in contrast to centromeric satellite probes,chromosome painting probes with high specificity are more suitable for detection of chromosome aberrations,such as deletions and translocations,in prenatal diagnosis. textcopyright 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. View Publication

AIMS The aim of this study was to improve a method that induce cartilage differentiation of human embryoid stem cells (hESCs) in vitro,and test the effect of in vivo environments on the further maturation of hESCs derived cells. MAIN METHODS Embryoid bodies (EBs) formed from hESCs,with serum-free KSR-based medium and mesodermal specification related factors,CHIR,and Noggin for first 8days. Then cells were digested and cultured as micropellets in serum-free KSR-based chondrogenic medium that was supplemented with PDGF-BB,TGF β3,BMP4 in sequence for 24days. The morphology,FACS,histological staining as well as the expression of chondrogenic specific genes were detected in each stage,and further in vivo experiments,cell injections and tissue transplantations,further verified the formation of chondrocytes. KEY FINDINGS We were able to obtain chondrocyte/cartilage from hESCs using serum-free KSR-based conditioned medium. qPCR analysis showed that expression of the chondroprogenitor genes and the chondrocyte/cartilage matrix genes. Morphology analysis demonstrated we got PG+COL2+COL1-particles. It indicated we obtained hyaline cartilage-like particles. 32-Day differential cells were injected subcutaneous. Staining results showed grafts developed further mature in vivo. But when transplanted in subrenal capsule,their effect was not good as in subcutaneous. Microenvironment might affect the cartilage formation. SIGNIFICANCE The results of this study provide an absolute serum-free and efficient approach for generation of hESC-derived chondrocytes,and cells will become further maturation in vivo. It provides evidence and technology for the hypothesis that hESCs may be a promising therapy for the treatment of cartilage disease. View Publication

A comprehensive genetics-based precision medicine strategy to selectively and permanently inactivate only mutant,not normal allele,could benefit many dominantly inherited disorders. Here,we demonstrate the power of our novel strategy of inactivating the mutant allele using haplotype-specific CRISPR/Cas9 target sites in Huntington's disease (HD),a late-onset neurodegenerative disorder due to a toxic dominant gain-of-function CAG expansion mutation. Focusing on improving allele specificity,we combined extensive knowledge of huntingtin (HTT) gene haplotype structure with a novel personalized allele-selective CRISPR/Cas9 strategy based on Protospacer Adjacent Motif (PAM)-altering SNPs to target patient-specific CRISPR/Cas9 sites,aiming at the mutant HTT allele-specific inactivation for a given diplotype. As proof-of-principle,simultaneously using two CRISPR/Cas9 guide RNAs (gRNAs) that depend on PAM sites generated by SNP alleles on the mutant chromosome,we selectively excised ∼44 kb DNA spanning promoter region,transcription start site,and the CAG expansion mutation of the mutant HTT gene,resulting in complete inactivation of the mutant allele without impacting the normal allele. This excision on the disease chromosome completely prevented the generation of mutant HTT mRNA and protein,unequivocally indicating permanent mutant allele-specific inactivation of the HD mutant allele. The perfect allele selectivity with broad applicability of our strategy in disorders with diverse disease haplotypes should also support precision medicine through inactivation of many other gain-of-function mutations. View Publication

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) derived tissues often remain developmentally immature in vitro,and become more adult-like in their structure,cellular diversity and function following transplantation into immunocompromised mice. Previously we have demonstrated that hPSC-derived human lung organoids (HLOs) resembled human fetal lung tissue in vitro (Dye et al.,2015). Here we show that HLOs required a bioartificial microporous poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) scaffold niche for successful engraftment,long-term survival,and maturation of lung epithelium in vivo. Analysis of scaffold-grown transplanted tissue showed airway-like tissue with enhanced epithelial structure and organization compared to HLOs grown in vitro. By further comparing in vitro and in vivo grown HLOs with fetal and adult human lung tissue,we found that in vivo transplanted HLOs had improved cellular differentiation of secretory lineages that is reflective of differences between fetal and adult tissue,resulting in airway-like structures that were remarkably similar to the native adult human lung. View Publication

Insulin secretion is elaborately modulated in pancreatic ß cells within islets of three-dimensional (3D) structures. Using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to develop islet-like structures with insulin-producing ß cells for the treatment of diabetes is challenging. Here,we report that pancreatic islet-like clusters derived from hESCs are functionally capable of glucose-responsive insulin secretion as well as therapeutic effects. Pancreatic hormone-expressing endocrine cells (ECs) were differentiated from hESCs using a step-wise protocol. The hESC-derived ECs expressed pancreatic endocrine hormones,such as insulin,somatostatin,and pancreatic polypeptide. Notably,dissociated ECs autonomously aggregated to form islet-like,3D structures of consistent sizes (100-150 μm in diameter). These EC clusters (ECCs) enhanced insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulus and potassium channel inhibition in vitro. Furthermore,ß cell-deficient mice transplanted with ECCs survived for more than 40 d while retaining a normal blood glucose level to some extent. The expression of pancreatic endocrine hormones was observed in tissues transplanted with ECCs. In addition,ECCs could be generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells. These results suggest that hPSC-derived,islet-like clusters may be alternative therapeutic cell sources for treating diabetes. View Publication

Crystalline Mg-Zinc (Zn)-Strontium (Sr) ternary alloys consist of elements naturally present in the human body and provide attractive mechanical and biodegradable properties for a variety of biomedical applications. The first objective of this study was to investigate the degradation and cytocompatibility of four Mg-4Zn-xSr alloys (x=0.15,0.5,1.0,1.5wt%; designated as ZSr41A,B,C,and D respectively) in the direct culture with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro. The second objective was to investigate,for the first time,the early-stage inflammatory response in cultured HUVECs as indicated by the induction of vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). The results showed that the 24-h in vitro degradation of the ZSr41 alloys containing a β-phase with a Zn/Sr at% ratio ∼1.5 was significantly faster than the ZSr41 alloys with Zn/Sr at% ∼1. Additionally,the adhesion density of HUVECs in the direct culture but not in direct contact with the ZSr41 alloys for up to 24h was not adversely affected by the degradation of the alloys. Importantly,neither culture media supplemented with up to 27.6mM Mg(2+) ions nor media intentionally adjusted up to alkaline pH 9 induced any detectable adverse effects on HUVEC responses. In contrast,the significantly higher,yet non-cytotoxic,Zn(2+) ion concentration from the degradation of ZSr41D alloy was likely the cause for the initially higher VCAM-1 expression on cultured HUVECs. Lastly,analysis of the HUVEC-ZSr41 interface showed near-complete absence of cell adhesion directly on the sample surface,most likely caused by either a high local alkalinity,change in surface topography,and/or surface composition. The direct culture method used in this study was proposed as a valuable tool for studying the design aspects of Zn-containing Mg-based biomaterials in vitro,in order to engineer solutions to address current shortcomings of Mg alloys for vascular device applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Magnesium (Mg) alloys specifically designed for biodegradable implant applications have been the focus of biomedical research since the early 2000s. Physicochemical properties of Mg alloys make these metallic biomaterials excellent candidates for temporary biodegradable implants in orthopedic and cardiovascular applications. As Mg alloys continue to be investigated for biomedical applications,it is necessary to understand whether Mg-based materials or the alloying elements have the intrinsic ability to direct an immune response to improve implant integration while avoiding cell-biomaterial interactions leading to chronic inflammation and/or foreign body reactions. The present study utilized the direct culture method to investigate for the first time the in vitro transient inflammatory activation of endothelial cells induced by the degradation products of Zn-containing Mg alloys. View Publication

The demand of high cell numbers for applications in cellular therapies and drug screening requires the development of scalable platforms capable to generating highly pure populations of tissue-specific cells from human pluripotent stem cells. In this work,we describe the scaling-up of an aggregate-based culture system for neural induction of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) under chemically-defined conditions. A combination of non-enzymatic dissociation and rotary agitation was successfully used to produce homogeneous populations of hiPSC aggregates with an optimal (140 μm) and narrow distribution of diameters (coefficient of variation of 21.6%). Scalable neural commitment of hiPSCs as 3D aggregates was performed in 50 mL spinner flasks,and the process was optimized using a factorial design approach,involving parameters such as agitation rate and seeding density. We were able to produce neural progenitor cell cultures,that at the end of a 6-day neural induction process contained less than 3% of Oct4-positive cells and that,after replating,retained more than 60% of Pax6-positive neural cells. The results here presented should set the stage for the future generation of a clinically relevant number of human neural progenitors for transplantation and other biomedical applications using controlled,automated and reproducible large-scale bioreactor culture systems. View Publication