技术资料

We have observed karyotypic changes involving the gain of chromosome 17q in three independent human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines on five independent occasions. A gain of chromosome 12 was seen occasionally. This implies that increased dosage of chromosome 17q and 12 gene(s) provides a selective advantage for the propagation of undifferentiated hES cells. These observations are instructive for the future application of hES cells in transplantation therapies in which the use of aneuploid cells could be detrimental. View Publication

Differentiating embryonic stem (ES) cells are an increasingly important source of hematopoietic progenitors,useful for both basic research and clinical applications. Besides their characterization in colony assays,protocols exist for the cultivation of lymphoid,myeloid,and erythroid cells. With the possible exception of mast cells,however,long-term expansion of pure hematopoietic progenitors from ES cells has not been possible without immortalization caused by overexpression of exogenous genes. Here,we describe for the first time an efficient yet easy strategy to generate mass cultures of pure,immature erythroid progenitors from mouse ES cells (ES-EPs),using serum-free medium plus recombinant cytokines and hormones. ES-EPs represent long-lived,adult,definitive erythroid progenitors that resemble immature erythroid cells expanding in vivo during stress erythropoiesis. When exposed to terminal differentiation conditions,ES-EPs differentiated into mature,enucleated erythrocytes. Importantly,ES-EPs injected into mice did not exhibit tumorigenic potential but differentiated into normal erythrocytes. Both the virtually unlimited supply of cells and the defined culture conditions render our system a valuable tool for the analysis of factors influencing proliferation and maturation of erythroid progenitors. In addition,the system allows detailed characterization of processes during erythroid proliferation and differentiation using wild-type (wt) and genetically modified ES cells. View Publication

IkappaB kinase (IKK) complex plays a key regulatory role in macrophages for NF-kappaB activation during both innate and adaptive immune responses. Because IKK1-/- mice died at birth,we differentiated functional macrophages from embryonic day 15.5 IKK1 mutant embryonic liver. The embryonic liver-derived macrophage (ELDM) showed enhanced phagocytotic clearance of bacteria,more efficient antigen-presenting capacity,elevated secretion of several key proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines,and known NFkappaB target genes. Increased NFkappaB activity in IKK1 mutant ELDM was the result of prolonged degradation of IkappaBalpha in response to infectious pathogens. The delayed restoration of IkappaBalpha in pathogen-activated IKK1-/- ELDM was a direct consequence of uncontrolled IKK2 kinase activity. We hypothesize that IKK1 plays a checkpoint role in the proper control of IkappaBalpha kinase activity in innate and adaptive immunity. View Publication

Mechanisms of lymphoid and myeloid lineage choice by hemopoietic stem cells remain unclear. In this study we show that the multipotent progenitor (MPP) population,which is immediately downstream of hemopoietic stem cells,is heterogeneous and can be subdivided in terms of VCAM-1 expression. VCAM-1(+) MPPs were fully capable of differentiating into both lymphoid and myeloid lineages. In contrast,VCAM-1(-) MPPs gave rise to lymphocytes predominately in vivo. T and B cell development from VCAM-1(-) MPPs was 1 wk faster than that from VCAM-1(+) MPPs. Furthermore,VCAM-1(+) MPPs gave rise to common myeloid progenitors and VCAM-1(-) MPPs in vivo,indicating that VCAM-1(-) MPPs are progenies of VCAM-1(+) MPPs. VCAM-1(-) MPPs,in turn,developed into lymphoid lineage-restricted common lymphoid progenitors. These results establish a hierarchy of developmental relationship between MPP subsets and lymphoid and myeloid progenitors. In addition,VCAM-1(+) MPPs may represent the branching point between the lymphoid and myeloid lineages. View Publication

We have previously reported that high concentrations of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) support feeder-independent growth of human embryonic stem (ES) cells,but those conditions included poorly defined serum and matrix components. Here we report feeder-independent human ES cell culture that includes protein components solely derived from recombinant sources or purified from human material. We describe the derivation of two new human ES cell lines in these defined culture conditions. View Publication

The development of embryonic stem cell (ESC) therapies requires the establishment of efficient methods to differentiate ESCs into specific cell lineages. Here,we report the in vitro differentiation of common marmoset (CM) (Callithrix jacchus) ESCs into hematopoietic cells after exogenous gene transfer using vesicular stomatitis virus-glycoprotein-pseudotyped lentiviral vectors. We transduced hematopoietic genes,including tal1/scl,gata1,gata2,hoxB4,and lhx2,into CM ESCs. By immunochemical and morphological analyses,we demonstrated that overexpression of tal1/scl,but not the remaining genes,dramatically increased hematopoiesis of CM ESCs,resulting in multiple blood-cell lineages. Furthermore,flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that CD34,a hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell marker,was highly expressed in tal1/scl-overexpressing embryoid body cells. Similar results were obtained from three independent CM ESC lines. These results suggest that transduction of exogenous tal1/scl cDNA into ESCs is a promising method to induce the efficient differentiation of CM ESCs into hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. View Publication

Definitive mesoderm arises from a bipotent mesendodermal population,and to study processes controlling its development at this stage,embryonic stem (ES) cells can be employed. SHB (Src homology 2 protein in beta-cells) is an adapter protein previously found to be involved in ES cell differentiation to mesoderm. To further study the role of SHB in this context,we have established ES cell lines deficient for one (SHB+/-) or both SHB alleles (SHB-/-). Differentiating embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from these ES cell lines were used for gene expression analysis. Alternatively,EBs were stained for the blood vessel marker CD31. For hematopoietic differentiation,EBs were differentiated in methylcellulose. SHB-/- EBs exhibited delayed down-regulation of the early mesodermal marker Brachyury. Later mesodermal markers relatively specific for the hematopoietic,vascular,and cardiac lineages were expressed at lower levels on day 6 or 8 of differentiation in EBs lacking SHB. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 was also reduced in SHB-/- EBs. SHB-/- EBs demonstrated impaired blood vessel formation after vascular endothelial growth factor stimulation. In addition,the SHB-/- ES cells formed fewer blood cell colonies than SHB+/+ ES cells. It is concluded that SHB is required for appropriate hematopoietic and vascular differentiation and that delayed down-regulation of Brachyury expression may play a role in this context. View Publication

Human embryonic stem cells hold great promise in furthering our treatment of disease and increasing our understanding of early development. This chapter describes protocols for the derivation and maintenance of human embryonic stem cells. In addition,it summarizes briefly several alternative methods for the culture of human embryonic stem cells. Thus,this chapter provides a good starting point for researchers interested in harnessing the potential of human embryonic stem cells. View Publication

The amyloid-beta precursor protein (AbetaPP) is a ubiquitously expressed adhesion and neuritogenic protein whose processing has previously been shown to be regulated by reproductive hormones including the gonadotropin luteinizing hormone (LH) in human neuroblastoma cells. We report for the first time the expression of AbetaPP in human embryonic stem (hES) cells at the mRNA and protein levels. Using N- and C-terminal antibodies against AbetaPP,we detected both the mature and immature forms of AbetaPP as well as truncated variants ( approximately 53kDa,47kDa,and 29kDa) by immunoblot analyses. Expression of AbetaPP is regulated by both the stemness of the cells and pregnancy-associated hormones. Addition of human chorionic gonadotropin,the fetal equivalent of LH that is dramatically elevated during pregnancy,markedly increased the expression of all AbetaPP forms. These results indicate a critical molecular signaling link between the hormonal environment of pregnancy and the expression of AbetaPP in hES cells that is suggestive of an important function for this protein during early human embryogenesis prior to the formation of neural precursor cells. View Publication

We have previously shown that coculture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) for 14 days with immortalized fetal hepatocytes yields CD34(+) cells that can be expanded in serum-free liquid culture into large numbers of megaloblastic nucleated erythroblasts resembling yolk sac-derived cells. We show here that these primitive erythroblasts undergo a switch in hemoglobin (Hb) composition during late terminal erythroid maturation with the basophilic erythroblasts expressing predominantly Hb Gower I (zeta(2)epsilon(2)) and the orthochromatic erythroblasts hemoglobin Gower II (alpha(2)epsilon(2)). This suggests that the switch from Hb Gower I to Hb Gower II,the first hemoglobin switch in humans is a maturation switch not a lineage switch. We also show that extending the coculture of the hESCs with immortalized fetal hepatocytes to 35 days yields CD34(+) cells that differentiate into more developmentally mature,fetal liver-like erythroblasts,that are smaller,express mostly fetal hemoglobin,and can enucleate. We conclude that hESC-derived erythropoiesis closely mimics early human development because the first 2 human hemoglobin switches are recapitulated,and because yolk sac-like and fetal liver-like cells are sequentially produced. Development of a method that yields erythroid cells with an adult phenotype remains necessary,because the most mature cells that can be produced with current systems express less than 2% adult beta-globin mRNA. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Although methods for generating cardiomyocytes from pluripotent stem cells have been reported,current methods produce heterogeneous mixtures of cardiomyocytes and noncardiomyocyte cells. Here,we report an entirely novel system in which pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes are purified by cardiomyocyte-specific molecular beacons (MBs). MBs are nanoscale probes that emit a fluorescence signal when hybridized to target mRNAs.backslashnbackslashnMETHOD AND RESULTS: Five MBs targeting mRNAs of either cardiac troponin T or myosin heavy chain 6/7 were generated. Among 5 MBs,an MB that targeted myosin heavy chain 6/7 mRNA (MHC1-MB) identified up to 99% of HL-1 cardiomyocytes,a mouse cardiomyocyte cell line,but textless3% of 4 noncardiomyocyte cell types in flow cytometry analysis,which indicates that MHC1-MB is specific for identifying cardiomyocytes. We delivered MHC1-MB into cardiomyogenically differentiated pluripotent stem cells through nucleofection. The detection rate of cardiomyocytes was similar to the percentages of cardiac troponin T- or cardiac troponin I-positive cardiomyocytes,which supports the specificity of MBs. Finally,MHC1-MB-positive cells were sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorter from mouse and human pluripotent stem cell differentiating cultures,and ≈97% cells expressed cardiac troponin T or cardiac troponin I as determined by flow cytometry. These MB-based sorted cells maintained their cardiomyocyte characteristics,which was verified by spontaneous beating,electrophysiological studies,and expression of cardiac proteins. When transplanted in a myocardial infarction model,MB-based purified cardiomyocytes improved cardiac function and demonstrated significant engraftment for 4 weeks without forming tumors.backslashnbackslashnCONCLUSIONS: We developed a novel cardiomyocyte selection system that allows production of highly purified cardiomyocytes. These purified cardiomyocytes and this system can be valuable for cell therapy and drug discovery. View Publication

RATIONALE: Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) derivatives are attractive candidates for therapeutic use. The engraftment and survival of hESC derivatives as xenografts or allografts require effective immunosuppression to prevent immune cell infiltration and graft destruction.backslashnbackslashnOBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that a short-course,dual-agent regimen of two costimulation-adhesion blockade agents can induce better engraftment of hESC derivatives compared to current immunosuppressive agents.backslashnbackslashnMETHODS AND RESULTS: We transduced hESCs with a double fusion reporter gene construct expressing firefly luciferase (Fluc) and enhanced green fluorescent protein,and differentiated these cells to endothelial cells (hESC-ECs). Reporter gene expression enabled longitudinal assessment of cell engraftment by bioluminescence imaging. Costimulation-adhesion therapy resulted in superior hESC-EC and mouse EC engraftment compared to cyclosporine therapy in a hind limb model. Costimulation-adhesion therapy also promoted robust hESC-EC and hESC-derived cardiomyocyte survival in an ischemic myocardial injury model. Improved hESC-EC engraftment had a cardioprotective effect after myocardial injury,as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Mechanistically,costimulation-adhesion therapy is associated with systemic and intragraft upregulation of T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) and a reduced proinflammatory cytokine profile.backslashnbackslashnCONCLUSIONS: Costimulation-adhesion therapy is a superior alternative to current clinical immunosuppressive strategies for preventing the post-transplant rejection of hESC derivatives. By extending the window for cellular engraftment,costimulation-adhesion therapy enhances functional preservation following ischemic injury. This regimen may function through a TIM3-dependent mechanism. View Publication