技术资料

The prevalence and specificity of unique fusion oncogenes are high in a number of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). The close relationship between fusion genes and clinicopathological features suggests that a correlation may exist between the function of fusion proteins and cellular context of the cell-of-origin of each tumor. However,most STSs are origin-unknown tumors and this issue has not yet been investigated in detail. In the present study,we examined the effects of the cellular context on the function of the synovial sarcoma (SS)-specific fusion protein,SS18-SSX,using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) containing the drug-inducible SS18-SSX gene. We selected the neural crest cell (NCC) lineage for the first trial of this system,induced SS18-SSX at various differentiation stages from PSCs to NCC-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs),and compared its biological effects on each cell type. We found that the expression of FZD10,identified as an SS-specific gene,was induced by SS18-SSX at the PSC and NCC stages,but not at the MSC stage. This stage-specific induction of FZD10 correlated with stage-specific changes in histone marks associated with the FZD10 locus and also with the loss of the BAF47 protein,a member of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex. Furthermore,the global gene expression profile of hPSC-derived NCCs was the closest to that of SS cell lines after the induction of SS18-SSX. These results clearly demonstrated that the cellular context is an important factor in the function of SS18-SSX as an epigenetic modifier. View Publication

We present a novel and efficient non-integrating gene expression system in human embryonic stem cells (hESc) utilizing human artificial chromosomes (HAC),which behave as autonomous endogenous host chromosomes and segregate correctly during cell division. HAC are important vectors for investigating the organization and structure of the kinetochore,and gene complementation. HAC have so far been obtained in immortalized or tumour-derived cell lines,but never in stem cells,thus limiting their potential therapeutic application. In this work,we modified the herpes simplex virus type 1 amplicon system for efficient transfer of HAC DNA into two hESc. The deriving stable clones generated green fluorescent protein gene-expressing HAC at high frequency,which were stably maintained without selection for 3 months. Importantly,no integration of the HAC DNA was observed in the hESc lines,compared with the fibrosarcoma-derived control cells,where the exogenous DNA frequently integrated in the host genome. The hESc retained pluripotency,differentiation and teratoma formation capabilities. This is the first report of successfully generating gene expressing de novo HAC in hESc,and is a significant step towards the genetic manipulation of stem cells and potential therapeutic applications. View Publication

Differences in ex vivo cell culture conditions can drastically affect stem cell physiology. We sought to establish an assay for measuring the effects of chemical,environmental,and genetic manipulations on the precision of repair at a single DNA double-strand break (DSB) in pluripotent and somatic human cells. DSBs in mammalian cells are primarily repaired by either homologous recombination (HR) or nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ). For the most part,previous studies of DSB repair in human cells have utilized nonspecific clastogens like ionizing radiation,which are highly nonphysiologic,or assayed repair at randomly integrated reporters. Measuring repair after random integration is potentially confounded by locus-specific effects on the efficiency and precision of repair. We show that the frequency of HR at a single DSB differs up to 20-fold between otherwise isogenic human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) based on the site of the DSB within the genome. To overcome locus-specific effects on DSB repair,we used zinc finger nucleases to efficiently target a DSB repair reporter to a safe-harbor locus in hESCs and a panel of somatic human cell lines. We demonstrate that repair at a targeted DSB is highly precise in hESCs,compared to either the somatic human cells or murine embryonic stem cells. Differentiation of hESCs harboring the targeted reporter into astrocytes reduces both the efficiency and precision of repair. Thus,the phenotype of repair at a single DSB can differ based on either the site of damage within the genome or the stage of cellular differentiation. Our approach to single DSB analysis has broad utility for defining the effects of genetic and environmental modifications on repair precision in pluripotent cells and their differentiated progeny. View Publication

The translation of laboratory processes into scaled production systems suitable for manufacture is a significant challenge for cell based therapies; in particular there is a lack of analytical methods that are informative and efficient for process control. Here the potential of image analysis as one part of the solution to this issue is explored,using pluripotent stem cell colonies as a valuable and challenging exemplar. The Cell-IQ live cell imaging platform was used to build image libraries of morphological culture attributes such as colony edge� View Publication

Expression of genes associated with inflammation was analyzed during differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) to hepatic cells. Messenger RNA transcript profiles of differentiated endoderm (day 5),hepatoblast (day 15) and hepatocyte-like cells (day 21) were obtained by RNA sequencing analysis. When compared to endoderm cells an immature cell type,the hepatic cells (days 15 and 21) had significantly higher expression of acute phase protein genes including complement factors,coagulation factors,serum amyloid A and serpins. Furthermore,hepatic phase of cells expressed proinflammatory cytokines IL18 and IL32 as well as cytokine receptors IL18R1,IL1R1,IL1RAP,IL2RG,IL6R,IL6ST and IL10RB. These cells also produced CCL14,CCL15,and CXCL- 1,2,3,16 and 17 chemokines. Endoderm cells had higher levels of chemokine receptors,CXCR4 and CXCR7,than that of hepatic cells. Sirtuin family of genes involved in aging,inflammation and metabolism were differentially regulated in endoderm and hepatic phase cells. Ligands and receptors of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family as well as downstream signaling factors TRAF2,TRAF4,FADD,NFKB1 and NFKBIB were differentially expressed during hepatic differentiation. View Publication

We demonstrate that dissociated human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are intrinsically programmed to form lumens. PSCs form two-cell cysts with a shared apical domain within 20 hr of plating; these cysts collapse to form monolayers after 5 days. Expression of pluripotency markers is maintained throughout this time. In two-cell cysts,an apical domain,marked by EZRIN and atypical PKC$\$,is surrounded by apically targeted organelles (early endosomes and Golgi). Molecularly,actin polymerization,regulated by ARP2/3 and mammalian diaphanous-related formin 1 (MDIA),promotes lumen formation,whereas actin contraction,mediated by MYOSIN-II,inhibits this process. Finally,we show that lumenal shape can be manipulated in bioengineered micro-wells. Since lumen formation is an indispensable step in early mammalian development,this system can provide a powerful model for investigation of this process in a controlled environment. Overall,our data establish that lumenogenesis is a fundamental cell biological property of human PSCs. View Publication

textlessptextgreaterStem cell phenotypes are reflected by post-translational histone modifications,and this chromatin-related memory must be mitotically inherited to maintain cell identity through proliferative expansion. In human embryonic stem cells (hESCs),bivalent genes with both activating (H3K4me3) and repressive (H3K27me3) histone modifications are essential to sustain pluripotency. Yet the molecular mechanisms by which this epigenetic landscape is transferred to progeny cells remains to be established. By mapping genomic enrichment of H3K4me3/H3K27me3 in pure populations of hESCs in G2,mitotic,and G1 phases of the cell cycle,we found striking variations in the levels of H3K4me3 through the G2-M-G1 transition. Analysis of a representative set of bivalent genes revealed that chromatin modifiers involved in H3K4 methylation/demethylation are recruited to bivalent gene promoters in a cell cycle–dependent fashion. Interestingly,bivalent genes enriched with H3K4me3 exclusively during mitosis undergo the strongest upregulation after induction of differentiation. Furthermore,the histone-modification signature of genes that remain bivalent in differentiated cells resolves into a cell cycle–independent pattern after lineage commitment. These results establish a new dimension of chromatin regulation important in maintenance of pluripotency.textless/ptextgreater View Publication

This unit describes the generation of tetracycline-inducible short hairpin RNA interference (shRNAi) human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. Using this vector-based approach enables stable and long-term expression of target hairpins under the control of doxycycline/tetracycline. Target degradation can be controlled in both a dose- and time-dependent manner that can even be switched off,depending upon the particular requirements of the study. View Publication

Induced pluripotent stem cells hold great potential in regenerative medicine as it enables to generate pluripotent stem cells from any available cell types. Ectopic expression of four transcription factors (Oct4,Sox2,Klf4,and c-Myc) can reprogram fibroblasts directly to pluripotency as shown in multiple species. Here,we describe detailed protocols for generation of iPSCs from adult canine fibroblasts. Robust canine iPSCs will provide powerful tools not only to study human diseases,but also for the development of therapeutic approaches. View Publication