技术资料

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

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been demonstrated to result in premature aging due to its effects on stem cells. Nevertheless,a full understanding of the role of mitochondrial bioenergetics through differentiation is still lacking. Here we show the bioenergetics profile of human stem cells of embryonic origin differentiating along the hepatic lineage. Our study reveals especially the transition between hepatic specification and hepatic maturation as dependent on mitochondrial respiration and demonstrates that even though differentiating cells are primarily dependent on glycolysis until induction of hepatocyte maturation,oxidative phosphorylation is essential at all stages of differentiation. View Publication

Induced pluripotent stem cells have great potential as a human model system in regenerative medicine,disease modeling,and drug screening. However,their use in medical research is hampered by laborious reprogramming procedures that yield low numbers of induced pluripotent stem cells. For further applications in research,only the best,competent clones should be used. The standard assays for pluripotency are based on genomic approaches,which take up to 1 week to perform and incur significant cost. Therefore,there is a need for a rapid and cost-effective assay able to distinguish between pluripotent and nonpluripotent cells. Here,we describe a novel multiplexed,high-throughput,and sensitive peptide-based multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry assay,allowing for the identification and absolute quantitation of multiple core transcription factors and pluripotency markers. This assay provides simpler and high-throughput classification into either pluripotent or nonpluripotent cells in 7 min analysis while being more cost-effective than conventional genomic tests. View Publication

INTRODUCTION The α-synuclein (SNCA) gene has been implicated in the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). METHODS A computational analysis of SNCA 3' untranslated region to identify potential microRNA (miRNA) binding sites and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine their expression in isogenic induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons as a model of PD and DLB,respectively,were performed. In addition,we performed a deep sequencing analysis of the SNCA 3' untranslated region of autopsy-confirmed cases of PD,DLB,and normal controls,followed by genetic association analysis of the identified variants. RESULTS We identified four miRNA binding sites and observed a neuronal-type-specific expression profile for each miRNA in the different isogenic induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons. Furthermore,we found that the short structural variant rs777296100-polyT was moderately associated with DLB but not with PD. DISCUSSION We suggest that the regulation of SNCA expression through miRNAs is neuronal-type-specific and possibly plays a part in the phenotypic heterogeneity of synucleinopathies. Furthermore,genetic variability in the SNCA gene may contribute to synucleinopathies in a pathology-specific manner. View Publication

Mitochondrial disease is associated with a wide variety of clinical presentations,even among patients carrying heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations,probably because of variations in mutant mtDNA proportions at the tissue and organ levels. Although several case reports and clinical trials have assessed the effectiveness of various types of drugs and supplements for the treatment of mitochondrial diseases,there are currently no cures for these conditions. In this study,we demonstrated for the first time that low dose resveratrol (RSV) ameliorated mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction in patient-derived fibroblasts carrying homoplasmic mtDNA mutations. Furthermore,low dose RSV also facilitated efficient cellular reprogramming of the patient-derived fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells,partly due to improved cellular viability. Our results highlight the potential of RSV as a new therapeutic drug candidate for the treatment of mitochondrial diseases. View Publication

Recent reports on the characteristics of naive human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) obtained using independent methods differ. Naive hPSCs have been mainly derived by conversion from primed hPSCs or by direct derivation from human embryos rather than by somatic cell reprogramming. To provide an unbiased molecular and functional reference,we derived genetically matched naive hPSCs by direct reprogramming of fibroblasts and by primed-to-naive conversion using different naive conditions (NHSM,RSeT,5iLAF and t2iLGöY). Our results show that hPSCs obtained in these different conditions display a spectrum of naive characteristics. Furthermore,our characterization identifies KLF4 as sufficient for conversion of primed hPSCs into naive t2iLGöY hPSCs,underscoring the role that reprogramming factors can play for the derivation of bona fide naive hPSCs. View Publication

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) provide an unlimited source of donor cells for potential cardiac regenerative therapies. However,hPSC-CMs are immature. For instance,hPSC-CMs are only 1/10 of the physical size of their adult counterparts; the majority are mono- rather than bi- or multi-nucleated,which is an evolutionary adaptive feature in metabolically active cells such as adult CMs. Here,we attempted to increase the physical size and nucleation status of hPSC-derived ventricular (V) cardiomyocytes (hPSC-VCMs) using chemically-induced cell fusion,and examined the subsequent functional effects. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was employed to fuse a 1:1 mixture of lentiviral vectors LV-MLC2v-GFP- or -tdTomato-labeled hPSC-VCMs,such that hPSC-VCMs fused syncytia (FS) were identified as doubly GFP(+)/tdTomato(+) multi-nucleated cells. These microscopically-identified FS were doubled in size as gauged by their capacitance when compared to the control mononucleated hPSC-VCMs using patch-clamp analysis. Reduced automaticity or action potential (AP) firing rate and moderately prolonged AP duration were observed in FS from day 6 post-fusion induction. However,Ca(2+) handling,mitochondrial biogenesis and the extent of apoptosis were not significantly altered. We conclude that larger,multi-nucleated hPSC-VCMs FS can be created by chemically-induced cell fusion but global maturation requires additional triggering cues. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Embryonic stem (ES) cells self-renew as coherent colonies in which cells maintain tight cell-cell contact. Although intercellular communications are essential to establish the basis of cell-specific identity,molecular mechanisms underlying intrinsic cell-cell interactions in ES cells at the signaling level remain underexplored.backslashnbackslashnMETHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we show that endogenous Rho signaling is required for the maintenance of cell-cell contacts in ES cells. siRNA-mediated loss of function experiments demonstrated that Rock,a major effector kinase downstream of Rho,played a key role in the formation of cell-cell junctional assemblies through regulation of myosin II by controlling a myosin light chain phosphatase. Chemical engineering of this signaling axis by a Rock-specific inhibitor revealed that cell-cell adhesion was reversibly controllable and dispensable for self-renewal of mouse ES cells as confirmed by chimera assay. Furthermore,a novel culture system combining a single synthetic matrix,defined medium,and the Rock inhibitor fully warranted human ES cell self-renewal independent of animal-derived matrices,tight cell contacts,or fibroblastic niche-forming cells as determined by teratoma formation assay.backslashnbackslashnCONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings demonstrate an essential role of the Rho-Rock-Myosin signaling axis for the regulation of basic cell-cell communications in both mouse and human ES cells,and would contribute to advance in medically compatible xeno-free environments for human pluripotent stem cells. View Publication

Defined growth conditions are essential for many applications of human embryonic stem cells (hESC). Most defined media are presently used in combination with Matrigel,a partially defined extracellular matrix (ECM) extract from mouse sarcoma. Here,we defined ECM requirements of hESC by analyzing integrin expression and ECM production and determined integrin function using blocking antibodies. hESC expressed all major ECM proteins and corresponding integrins. We then systematically replaced Matrigel with defined medium supplements and ECM proteins. Cells attached efficiently to natural human vitronectin,fibronectin,and Matrigel but poorly to laminin + entactin and collagen IV. Integrin-blocking antibodies demonstrated that alphaVbeta5 integrins mediated adhesion to vitronectin,alpha5beta1 mediated adhesion to fibronectin,and alpha6beta1 mediated adhesion to laminin + entactin. Fibronectin in feeder cell-conditioned medium partially supported growth on all natural matrices,but in defined,nonconditioned medium only Matrigel or (natural and recombinant) vitronectin was effective. Recombinant vitronectin was the only defined functional alternative to Matrigel,supporting sustained self-renewal and pluripotency in three independent hESC lines. View Publication

Cdx1,Cdx2,and Cdx4 comprise the caudal-like Cdx gene family in mammals,whose homologues regulate hematopoietic development in zebrafish. Previously,we reported that overexpression of Cdx4 enhances hematopoietic potential from murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Here we compare the effect of ectopic Cdx1,Cdx2,and Cdx4 on the differentiation of murine ESC-derived hematopoietic progenitors. The 3 Cdx genes differentially influence the formation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors within a CD41(+)c-kit(+) population of embryoid body (EB)-derived cells. Cdx1 and Cdx4 enhance,whereas Cdx2 strongly inhibits,the hematopoietic potential of CD41(+)ckit(+) EB-derived cells,changes that are reflected by effects on hematopoietic lineage-specific and Hox gene expression. When we subject stromal cell and colony assay cultures of EB-derived hematopoietic progenitors to ectopic expression of Cdx genes,Cdx4 dramatically enhances,whereas Cdx1 and Cdx2 both inhibit hematopoietic activity,probably by blocking progenitor differentiation. These data demonstrate distinct effects of Cdx genes on hematopoietic progenitor formation and differentiation,insights that we are using to facilitate efforts at in vitro culture of hematopoietic progenitors from ESC. The behavior of Cdx genes in vitro suggests how derangement of these developmental regulators might contribute to leukemogenesis. View Publication

The growth factors that drive the division and differentiation of stem cells during early human embryogenesis are unknown. The secretion of endorphins,progesterone (P(4)),human chorionic gonadotropin,17beta-estradiol,and gonadotropin-releasing hormone by trophoblasts that lie adjacent to the embryoblast in the blastocyst suggests that these pregnancy-associated factors may directly signal the growth and development of the embryoblast. To test this hypothesis,we treated embryoblast-derived human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with ICI 174,864,a delta-opioid receptor antagonist,and RU-486 (mifepristone),a P(4) receptor competitive antagonist. Both antagonists potently inhibited the differentiation of hESC into embryoid bodies,an in vitro structure akin to the blastocyst containing all three germ layers. Furthermore,these agents prevented the differentiation of hESC aggregates into columnar neuroectodermal cells and their organization into neural tube-like rosettes as determined morphologically. Immunoblot analyses confirmed the obligatory role of these hormones; both antagonists inhibited nestin expression,an early marker of neural precursor cells normally detected during rosette formation. Conversely,addition of P(4) to hESC aggregates induced nestin expression and the formation of neuroectodermal rosettes. These results demonstrate that trophoblast-associated hormones induce blastulation and neurulation during early human embryogenesis. View Publication