技术资料

High-dose,posttransplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) is an effective strategy for preventing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT). However,the mechanisms by which PTCy modulates alloimmune responses are not well understood. We studied early T cell reconstitution in patients undergoing alloBMT with PTCy and the effects of mafosfamide,a cyclophosphamide (Cy) analog,on CD4(+) T cells in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLRs) in vitro. Patients exhibited reductions in naïve,potentially alloreactive conventional CD4(+) T cells with relative preservation of memory CD4(+)Foxp3(+) T cells. In particular,CD4(+)CD45RA(-)Foxp3(+hi) effector regulatory T cells (Tregs) recovered rapidly after alloBMT and,unexpectedly,were present at higher levels in patients with GVHD. CD4(+)Foxp3(+) T cells from patients and from allogeneic MLRs expressed relatively high levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH),the major in vivo mechanism of Cy resistance. Treatment of MLR cultures with the ALDH inhibitor diethylaminobenzaldehyde reduced the activation and proliferation of CD4(+) T cells and sensitized Tregs to mafosfamide. Finally,removing Tregs from peripheral blood lymphocyte grafts obviated PTCy's GVHD-protective effect in a xenogeneic transplant model. Together,these findings suggest that Treg resistance to Cy through expression of ALDH may contribute to the clinical activity of PTCy in preventing GVHD. View Publication

PURPOSE: Retinal pigmented epithelium derived from human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (iPS-RPE) may be a source of cells for transplantation. For this reason,it is essential to determine the functional competence of iPS-RPE. One key role of the RPE is uptake and processing of retinoids via the visual cycle. The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of visual cycle proteins and the functional ability of the visual cycle in iPS-RPE.$$n$$nMETHODS: iPS-RPE was derived from human iPS cells. Immunocytochemistry,RT-PCR,and Western blot analysis were used to detect expression of RPE genes lecithin-retinol acyl transferase (LRAT),RPE65,cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP),and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). All-trans retinol was delivered to cultured cells or whole cell homogenate to assess the ability of the iPS-RPE to process retinoids.$$n$$nRESULTS: Cultured iPS-RPE expresses visual cycle genes LRAT,CRALBP,and RPE65. After incubation with all-trans retinol,iPS-RPE synthesized up to 2942 ± 551 pmol/mg protein all-trans retinyl esters. Inhibition of LRAT with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) prevented retinyl ester synthesis. Significantly,after incubation with all-trans retinol,iPS-RPE released 188 ± 88 pmol/mg protein 11-cis retinaldehyde into the culture media.$$n$$nCONCLUSIONS: iPS-RPE develops classic RPE characteristics and maintains expression of visual cycle proteins. The results of this study confirm that iPS-RPE possesses the machinery to process retinoids for support of visual pigment regeneration. Inhibition of all-trans retinyl ester accumulation by NEM confirms LRAT is active in iPS-RPE. Finally,the detection of 11-cis retinaldehyde in the culture medium demonstrates the cells' ability to process retinoids through the visual cycle. This study demonstrates expression of key visual cycle machinery and complete visual cycle activity in iPS-RPE. View Publication

In February 2013,zoonotic transmission of a novel influenza A virus of the H7N9 subtype was reported in China. Although at present no sustained human-to-human transmission has been reported,a pandemic outbreak of this H7N9 virus is feared. Since neutralizing antibodies to the hemagglutinin (HA) globular head domain of the virus are virtually absent in the human population,there is interest in identifying other correlates of protection,such as cross-reactive CD8(+) T cells (cytotoxic T lymphocytes [CTLs]) elicited during seasonal influenza A virus infections. These virus-specific CD8(+) T cells are known to recognize conserved internal proteins of influenza A viruses predominantly,but it is unknown to what extent they cross-react with the newly emerging H7N9 virus. Here,we assessed the cross-reactivity of seasonal H3N2 and H1N1 and pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus-specific polyclonal CD8(+) T cells,obtained from HLA-typed study subjects,with the novel H7N9 virus. The cross-reactivity of CD8(+) T cells to H7N9 variants of known influenza A virus epitopes and H7N9 virus-infected cells was determined by their gamma interferon (IFN-γ) response and lytic activity. It was concluded that,apart from recognition of individual H7N9 variant epitopes,CD8(+) T cells to seasonal influenza viruses display considerable cross-reactivity with the novel H7N9 virus. The presence of these cross-reactive CD8(+) T cells may afford some protection against infection with the new virus. View Publication

OBJECTIVE To analyze the combination therapy of Sinomenine (SIN) and Methotrexate (MTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA),we herein demonstrated the combination effect of SIN and MTX on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats through their modulation on osteoclast-related cytokines. METHODS CIA was induced by the immunization of type II collagen (CII) in SD rats. SIN and MTX were administrated alone or in combination after the onset of arthritis. Arthritis index and histological analysis were used to evaluate the effect of treatments. Effects of SIN and MTX on expression of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteopontin (OPN) in synovial tissues were assayed by immunohistochemistry. RANKL,osteoprotegerin (OPG),IL-6,IL-17 and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in rat serum were measured by ELISA. The expression of osteoclast-related cytokines in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from RA patients was assayed by RT-PCR. RESULTS SIN and MTX combination additively reduced the inflammatory symptoms and joint damage in CIA. Combination of SIN and MTX significantly repressed synovial RANKL and OPN production. SIN and MTX exhibited complementary and synergistic effect upon down-regulating RANKL,IL-6,IL-17 and MMPs in rat serum. SIN and MTX also modulated the expression of RANKL and OPG in RA-FLS. CONCLUSION SIN and MTX have additive effects,decreasing inflammation and joint damage in CIA rats by modulating osteoclast-related cytokines. These results are indicative of the combined effect of SIN and MTX for anti-arthritic treatment in RA. View Publication

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a unique lymphocyte subpopulation that mediates antitumor activities upon activation. A current strategy to harness iNKT cells for cancer treatment is endogenous iNKT cell activation using patient-derived dendritic cells (DCs). However,the limited number and functional defects of patient DCs are still the major challenges for this therapeutic approach. In this study,we investigated whether human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with an ectopically expressed CD1d gene could be exploited to address this issue. Using a lentivector carrying an optimized expression cassette,we generated stably modified hESC lines that consistently overexpressed CD1d. These modified hESC lines were able to differentiate into DCs as efficiently as the parental line. Most importantly,more than 50% of such derived DCs were CD1d+. These CD1d-overexpressing DCs were more efficient in inducing iNKT cell response than those without modification,and their ability was comparable to that of DCs generated from monocytes of healthy donors. The iNKT cells expanded by the CD1d-overexpressing DCs were functional,as demonstrated by their ability to lyse iNKT cell-sensitive glioma cells. Therefore,hESCs stably modified with the CD1d gene may serve as a convenient,unlimited,and competent DC source for iNKT cell-based cancer immunotherapy. View Publication

Efficient generation of cardiomyocytes from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) for multiple downstream applications such as regenerative medicine,disease modeling,and drug screening remains a challenge. Cardiomyogenesis may be regulated in vitro by a controlled differentiation process,which involves various signaling molecules and extracellular environment. Here,we describe a simple method to efficiently generate cardiomyocytes from human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells. View Publication

The fabrication of high-density polymer microarray is described,allowing the simultaneous and efficient evaluation of more than 7000 different polymers in a single-cellular-based screen. These high-density polymer arrays are applied in the search for synthetic substrates for hESCs culture. Up-scaling of the identified hit polymers enables long-term cellular cultivation and promoted successful stem-cell maintenance. View Publication

The airway epithelium constitutes an essential immunological and cytoprotective barrier to inhaled insults,such as cigarette smoke,environmental particles,or viruses. Although bronchial epithelial integrity is crucial for airway homeostasis,defective epithelial barrier function contributes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tight junctions at the apical side of epithelial cell-cell contacts determine epithelial permeability. Cigarette smoke exposure,the major risk factor for COPD,is suggested to impair tight junction integrity; however,detailed mechanisms thereof remain elusive. We investigated whether cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-$$1 affected tight junction integrity. Exposure of human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE14o(-)) and differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells (pHBECs) to CSE significantly disrupted tight junction integrity and barrier function. Specifically,CSE decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and tight junction-associated protein levels. Zonula occludens (ZO)-1 and ZO-2 protein levels were significantly reduced and dislocated from the cell membrane,as observed by fractionation and immunofluorescence analysis. These findings were reproduced in isolated bronchi exposed to CSE ex vivo,as detected by real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR and immunohistochemistry. Combined treatment of 16HBE14o(-) cells or pHBECs with CSE and TGF-$$1 restored ZO-1 and ZO-2 levels. TGF-$$1 cotreatment restored membrane localization of ZO-1 and ZO-2 protein and prevented CSE-mediated TEER decrease. In conclusion,CSE led to the disruption of tight junctions of human bronchial epithelial cells,and TGF-$$1 counteracted this CSE-induced effect. Thus,TGF-$$1 may serve as a protective factor for bronchial epithelial cell homeostasis in diseases such as COPD. View Publication

Many studies have compared the genetic and epigenetic profiles of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and yet the picture remains unclear. To address this,we derived a population of neural precursor cells (NPCs) from the H1 (WA01) hESC line and generated isogenic iPSC lines by reprogramming. The gene expression and methylation profile of three lines were compared to the parental line and intermediate NPC population. We found no gene probe with expression that differed significantly between hESC and iPSC samples under undifferentiated or differentiated conditions. Analysis of the global methylation pattern also showed no significant difference between the two PSC populations. Both undifferentiated populations were distinctly different from the intermediate NPC population in both gene expression and methylation profiles. One point to note is that H1 is a male line and so extrapolation to female lines should be cautioned. However,these data confirm our previous findings that there are no significant differences between hESCs and hiPSCs at the gene expression or methylation level. View Publication

Recurrent chromosomal alterations have been repeatedly reported in cultured human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The effects of these alterations on the capability of pluripotent cells to differentiate and on growth potential of their specific differentiated derivatives remain unclear. Here,we report that the hESC lines HUES-7 and -9 carrying multiple chromosomal alterations produce in vitro mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that show progressive growth arrest and enter senescence after 15 and 16 passages,respectively. There was no difference in their proliferative potential when compared with bone marrow-derived MSCs. Array comparative genomic hybridization analysis (aCGH) of hESCs and their mesenchymal derivatives revealed no significant differences in chromosomal alterations,suggesting that genetically altered hESCs are not selected out during differentiation. Our findings indicate that genetically unstable hESCs maintain their capacity to differentiate in vitro into MSCs,which exhibit an in vitro growth pattern of normal MSCs and not that of transformed cells. View Publication

BACKGROUND Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that stimulates myeloid stem cell maturation,proliferation,and migration into circulation. Despite being a known growth factor,the impact of G-CSF on solid tumours has not been well examined. G-CSF receptor (G-CSFR) is expressed by some tumours,and thus the aim of this study was to examine the expression and impact of G-CSF and G-CSFR on gastrointestinal tumours. METHODS In this study,G-CSF expression was examined in human gastric and colon tumours and by tumour-derived stromal myofibroblasts and carcinoma cells. G-CSFR expression was examined on carcinoma cells isolated from human tissues. The effects of G-CSF on gastric and colon carcinoma cell proliferation,migration,and signalling were examined. RESULTS G-CSFR was highly expressed in 90% of human gastric and colon carcinomas. G-CSF was also found to be highly produced by stromal myofibroblasts and carcinoma cells. Exposure of carcinoma cells to G-CSF led to increased proliferation and migration,and expansion of a sub-population of carcinoma cells expressing stem-like markers. These processes were dependent on ERK1/2 and RSK1 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the G-CSF/R axis promotes gastric and colorectal cancer development and suggest they are potential tumour targets. View Publication

INTRODUCTION: Upregulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling in endocrine-resistant breast cancer (BC) has identified mTOR as an attractive target alongside anti-hormones to control resistance. RAD001 (everolimus/Afinitor®),an allosteric mTOR inhibitor,is proving valuable in this setting; however,some patients are inherently refractory or relapse during treatment requiring alternative strategies. Here we evaluate the potential for novel dual mTORC1/2 mTOR kinase inhibitors,exemplified by AZD8055,by comparison with RAD001 in ER + endocrine resistant BC cells. METHODS: In vitro models of tamoxifen (TamR) or oestrogen deprivation resistance (MCF7-X) were treated with RAD001 or AZD8055 alone or combined with anti-hormone fulvestrant. Endpoints included growth,cell proliferation (Ki67),viability and migration,with PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling impact monitored by Western blotting. Potential ER cross-talk was investigated by immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS: RAD001 was a poor growth inhibitor of MCF7-derived TamR and MCF7-X cells (IC50 ≥1 μM),rapidly inhibiting mTORC1 but not mTORC2/AKT signalling. In contrast AZD8055,which rapidly inhibited both mTORC1 and mTORC2/AKT activity,was a highly effective (P textless0.001) growth inhibitor of TamR (IC50 18 nM) and MCF7-X (IC50 24 nM),and of a further T47D-derived tamoxifen resistant model T47D-tamR (IC50 19 nM). AZD8055 significantly (P textless0.05) inhibited resistant cell proliferation,increased cell death and reduced migration. Furthermore,dual treatment of TamR or MCF7-X cells with AZD8055 plus fulvestrant provided superior control of resistant growth versus either agent alone (P textless0.05). Co-treating with AZD8055 alongside tamoxifen (P textless0.01) or oestrogen deprivation (P textless0.05) also effectively inhibited endocrine responsive MCF-7 cells. Although AZD8055 inhibited oestrogen receptor (ER) ser167 phosphorylation in TamR and MCF7-X,it had no effect on ER ser118 activity or expression of several ER-regulated genes,suggesting the mTOR kinase inhibitor impact was largely ER-independent. The capacity of AZD8055 for ER-independent activity was further evidenced by growth inhibition (IC5018 and 20 nM) of two acquired fulvestrant resistant models lacking ER. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report demonstrating dual mTORC1/2 mTOR kinase inhibitors have potential to control acquired endocrine resistant BC,even under conditions where everolimus fails. Such inhibitors may prove of particular benefit when used alongside anti-hormonal treatment as second-line therapy in endocrine resistant disease,and also potentially alongside anti-hormones during the earlier endocrine responsive phase to hinder development of resistance. View Publication