技术资料

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are a promising cell source for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine,but before they can be used in therapies,we must be able to accurately identify the state and progeny of hESCs. One of the most commonly used methods for identification is flow cytometry. Many flow cytometry applications use antibodies to detect the amount of antigen present on/in a cell. This allows for the identification of unique cell populations or the tracking of expression changes within a population during differentiation. The results are typically presented as a percentage of positively expressing cells (%Pos) for a marker of choice,relative to a negative control. However,this reporting term is vulnerable to distortion from outliers and inaccuracy from loss of information about the population's fluorescence intensity. In this article,we describe an alternate strategy that uses the normalized median fluorescence intensity (nMFI),in which the MFI of the stained sample is normalized to the MFI of the negative control,as the reporting term to more accurately describe a population of cells in culture. We observed that nMFI provides a more accurate representation for the quality of a starting population and comparing data of different experimental runs. In addition,we demonstrated that the nMFI is a more sensitive measure of pluripotent and differentiation markers expression changes during hESC differentiation into three germ layer lineages. View Publication

Suramin,an antitrypanosomal agent used since the early 1920s for the treatment of onchocerciasis and African sleeping sickness is now under active investigation as an antineoplastic drug characterized by an unusual and interesting mechanism of action and by a peculiar pattern of toxicity. Its capacity to interfere with the autocrine loop which promotes the growth of many human tumors as well as the suggested ability to modify the tumoral environment (chiefly by inhibiting the angiogenesis) holds out great promises for a major step forward in cancer therapy. View Publication

Although we previously reported the development of cell-dense thickened cardiac tissue by repeated transplantation-based vascularization of neonatal rat cardiac cell sheets,the cell sources for human cardiac cells sheets and their functions have not been fully elucidated. In this study,we developed a bioreactor to expand and induce cardiac differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Bioreactor culture for 14 days produced around 8×10(7) cells/100 ml vessel and about 80% of cells were positive for cardiac troponin T. After cardiac differentiation,cardiomyocytes were cultured on temperature-responsive culture dishes and showed spontaneous and synchronous beating,even after cell sheets were detached from culture dishes. Furthermore,extracellular action potential propagation was observed between cell sheets when two cardiac cell sheets were partially overlaid. These findings suggest that cardiac cell sheets formed by hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes might have sufficient properties for the creation of thickened cardiac tissue. View Publication

The Hippo pathway is crucial in organ size control,and its dysregulation contributes to tumorigenesis. However,upstream signals that regulate the mammalian Hippo pathway have remained elusive. Here,we report that the Hippo pathway is regulated by G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling. Serum-borne lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine 1-phosphophate (S1P) act through G12/13-coupled receptors to inhibit the Hippo pathway kinases Lats1/2,thereby activating YAP and TAZ transcription coactivators,which are oncoproteins repressed by Lats1/2. YAP and TAZ are involved in LPA-induced gene expression,cell migration,and proliferation. In contrast,stimulation of Gs-coupled receptors by glucagon or epinephrine activates Lats1/2 kinase activity,thereby inhibiting YAP function. Thus,GPCR signaling can either activate or inhibit the Hippo-YAP pathway depending on the coupled G protein. Our study identifies extracellular diffusible signals that modulate the Hippo pathway and also establishes the Hippo-YAP pathway as a critical signaling branch downstream of GPCR. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in cancer,as these cells possess enhanced tumor-forming capabilities and are responsible for relapses after apparently curative therapies have been undertaken. Hence,novel cancer therapies will be needed to test for both tumor regression and CSC targeting. The use of oncolytic vaccinia virus (VACV) represents an attractive anti-tumor approach and is currently under evaluation in clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate whether VACV does kill CSCs that are resistant to irradiation and chemotherapy. METHODS: Cancer stem-like cells were identified and separated from the human breast cancer cell line GI-101A by virtue of increased aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) activity as assessed by the ALDEFLUOR assay and cancer stem cell-like features such as chemo-resistance,irradiation-resistance and tumor-initiating were confirmed in cell culture and in animal models. VACV treatments were applied to both ALDEFLUOR-positive cells in cell culture and in xenograft tumors derived from these cells. Moreover,we identified and isolated CD44(+)CD24(+)ESA(+) cells from GI-101A upon an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). These cells were similarly characterized both in cell culture and in animal models. RESULTS: We demonstrated for the first time that the oncolytic VACV GLV-1h68 strain replicated more efficiently in cells with higher ALDH1 activity that possessed stem cell-like features than in cells with lower ALDH1 activity. GLV-1h68 selectively colonized and eventually eradicated xenograft tumors originating from cells with higher ALDH1 activity. Furthermore,GLV-1h68 also showed preferential replication in CD44(+)CD24(+)ESA(+) cells derived from GI-101A upon an EMT induction as well as in xenograft tumors originating from these cells that were more tumorigenic than CD44(+)CD24(-)ESA(+) cells. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together,our findings indicate that GLV-1h68 efficiently replicates and kills cancer stem-like cells. Thus,GLV-1h68 may become a promising agent for eradicating both primary and metastatic tumors,especially tumors harboring cancer stem-like cells that are resistant to chemo and/or radiotherapy and may be responsible for recurrence of tumors. View Publication

Cell Research 23,122 (2013). doi:10.1038/cr.2012.119 View Publication

Previous studies have shown aberrant expression of miR-214 in human malignancy. Elevated miR-214 is associated with chemoresistance and metastasis. In this study,we identified miR-214 regulation of ovarian cancer stem cell (OCSC) properties by targeting p53/Nanog axis. Enforcing expression of miR-214 increases,whereas knockdown of miR-214 decreases,OCSC population and self-renewal as well as the Nanog level preferentially in wild-type p53 cell lines. Furthermore,we found that p53 is directly repressed by miR-214 and that miR-214 regulates Nanog through p53. Expression of p53 abrogated miR-214-induced OCSC properties. These data suggest the critical role of miR-214 in OCSC via regulation of the p53-Nanog axis and miR-214 as a therapeutic target for ovarian cancer. View Publication

Differentiation of pluripotent and lineage restricted stem cells such as neural stem cells (NSCs) was studied on conducting substrates of various nature without perturbation of the genome with exogenous genetic material or chemical stimuli. Primary mouse adult neural stem cells (NSCs) and P19 pluripotent embryonal (P19 EC) carcinoma cells were used. Expression levels of neuronal markers β-III-tubulin and neurofilament were evaluated by immunochemistry and flow cytometry. It was shown that the ability of the substrate to induce differentiation directly correlated with its conductivity. Conducting substrates (conducting oxides or doped pi-conjugated organic polymers) with different morphology,structure,and conductivity mechanisms all promoted differentiation of NSC and P19 cells into neuronal lineage to a similar degree without use of additional factors such as poly-L-ornithine coating or retinoic acid,as verified by their morphology and upregulation of the neuronal markers but not astrocyte marker GFAP. However,substrates with low conductance below ca. 10(-4) S cm(-2) did not show this ability. Morphology of differentiating cells was visualized by atomic force microscopy. NSCs cells increased β-III-tubulin expression by 95% and P19 cells by over 30%. Our results suggest that the substrate conductivity is a key factor governing the cell fate. Differentiation of P19 cells into neuronal lineage on conducting substrates was attributed to downregualtion of Akt signaling pathway and increase in expression of dual oxidase 1 (DUOX 1). View Publication

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB(1)) and fumonisin B1 (FB(1)) are mycotoxins widely found as cereal contaminants. Their immunotoxicities predispose to infectious diseases and may alter the tumor immunosurveillance of human and animals,but the mechanisms underlying have not been fully elucidated,and the induction of oxidative stress has been proposed as a probable mechanism. This work was aimed at evaluating in spleen mononuclear cells (SMC) from Wistar rats the effects of the exposure,in vitro for up to 48 h,to 20 μM AFB(1),10 μM FB(1) and AFB(1)-FB(1) mixture (MIX),over cellular oxidative status,as well as at elucidating the contribution of different reactive oxygen species (ROS) to biomolecular oxidative damage,the biochemical pathways involved,and the probable interaction of both toxins to induce oxidative stress. All the treatments increased total ROS and oxidation of biomolecules,with MIX having the greatest effects. However,only MIX increased superoxide anion radical. The main ROS involved in oxidation of proteins,lipids and DNA appear to be hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical. The mitochondrial complex I and CYP450 were involved in the ROS generation induced by all treatments. The NADPH oxidase system was induced by FB1 and MIX. The arachidonic acid metabolism contributed to the ROS formation induced by AFB(1) and MIX. These results demonstrate that an interaction between AFB(1) and FB(1) occur in the oxidative stress induction,and show the biochemical pathways involved in ROS generation in SMC. The oxidative stress could mediate the AFB(1) and FB(1) individual and combined immunotoxicities. View Publication

BACKGROUND Neuronal stem cells (NSCs) are promising for neurointestinal disease therapy. Although NSCs have been isolated from intestinal musclularis,their presence in mucosa has not been well described. Mucosa-derived NSCs are accessible endoscopically and could be used autologously. Brain-derived Nestin-positive NSCs are important in endogenous repair and plasticity. The aim was to isolate and characterize mucosa-derived NSCs,determine their relationship to Nestin-expressing cells and to demonstrate their capacity to produce neuroglial networks in vitro and in vivo. METHODS Neurospheres were generated from periventricular brain,colonic muscularis (Musc),and mucosa-submucosa (MSM) of mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) controlled by the Nestin promoter (Nestin-GFP). Neuronal stem cells were also grown as adherent colonies from intestinal mucosal organoids. Their differentiation potential was assessed using immunohistochemistry using glial and neuronal markers. Brain and gut-derived neurospheres were transplanted into explants of chick embryonic aneural hindgut to determine their fate. KEY RESULTS Musc- and MSM-derived neurospheres expressed Nestin and gave rise to cells of neuronal,glial,and mesenchymal lineage. Although Nestin expression in tissue was mostly limited to glia co-labelled with glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP),neurosphere-derived neurons and glia both expressed Nestin in vitro,suggesting that Nestin+/GFAP+ glial cells may give rise to new neurons. Moreover,following transplantation into aneural colon,brain- and gut-derived NSCs were able to differentiate into neurons. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES Nestin-expressing intestinal NSCs cells give rise to neurospheres,differentiate into neuronal,glial,and mesenchymal lineages in vitro,generate neurons in vivo and can be isolated from mucosa. Further studies are needed for exploring their potential for treating neuropathies. View Publication

Immature primary and stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes provide useful models for fundamental studies of heart development and cardiac disease,and offer potentialbackslashrbackslashnfor patient specific drug testing and differentiation protocols aimed at cardiac grafts. To assess their potential for augmenting heart function,and to gain insight into cardiac growth and disease,tissue engineers must quantify the contractile forces of these single cells. Currently,axial contractile forces of isolated adult heart cells can only be measuredbackslashrbackslashnby two-point methods such as carbon fiber techniques,which cannot be applied to neonatal and stem cell-derived heart cells because they are more difficult to handle and lack a persistent shape. Here we present a novel axial technique for measuring the contractile forces of isolated immature cardiomyocytes. We overcome cell manipulation and patterning challenges by using a thermoresponsive sacrificialbackslashrbackslashnsupport layer in conjunction with arrays of widely separated elastomeric microposts. Our approach has the potential to be high-throughput,is functionally analogous to current gold-standard axial force assays for adult heart cells,and prescribes elongated cell shapes without protein patterning. Finally,we calibrate these force posts withbackslashrbackslashnpiezoresistive cantilevers to dramatically reduce measurement error typical for soft polymer-based force assays. We report quantitative measurements of peak contractile forces up to 146 nN with post stiffness standard error (26 nN) far betterbackslashrbackslashnthan that based on geometry and stiffness estimates alone. The addition of sacrificial layers to future 2D and 3D cell culturebackslashrbackslashnplatforms will enable improved cell placement and the complex suspension of cells across 3D constructs. View Publication

FUS/TLS (fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma) and TDP-43 are integrally involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia. We found that FUS/TLS binds to RNAs from textgreater5,500 genes in mouse and human brain,primarily through a GUGGU-binding motif. We identified a sawtooth-like binding pattern,consistent with co-transcriptional deposition of FUS/TLS. Depletion of FUS/TLS from the adult nervous system altered the levels or splicing of textgreater950 mRNAs,most of which are distinct from RNAs dependent on TDP-43. Abundance of only 45 RNAs was reduced after depletion of either TDP-43 or FUS/TLS from mouse brain,but among these were mRNAs that were transcribed from genes with exceptionally long introns and that encode proteins that are essential for neuronal integrity. Expression levels of a subset of these were lowered after TDP-43 or FUS/TLS depletion in stem cell-derived human neurons and in View Publication