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Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a novel tool to investigate the pathophysiology of poorly known diseases,in particular those affecting the nervous system,which has been difficult to study for its lack of accessibility. In this emerging and promising field,recent iPSCs studies are mostly used as proof-of-principle" experiments that are confirmatory of previous findings obtained from animal models and postmortem human studies; its promise as a discovery tool is just beginning to be realized. A recent number of studies point to the functional similarities between in vitro neurogenesis and in vivo neuronal development� View Publication

The ability to yield glucose-responsive pancreatic beta-cells from human pluripotent stem cells in vitro will facilitate the development of the cell replacement therapies for the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes. Here,through the sequential in vitro targeting of selected signaling pathways,we have developed an abbreviated five-stage protocol (25-30 days) to generate human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Beta-like Cells (ES-DBCs). We showed that Geltrex,as an extracellular matrix,could support the generation of ES-DBCs more efficiently than that of the previously described culture systems. The activation of FGF and Retinoic Acid along with the inhibition of BMP,SHH and TGF-beta led to the generation of 75% NKX6.1+/NGN3+ Endocrine Progenitors. The inhibition of Notch and tyrosine kinase receptor AXL,and the treatment with Exendin-4 and T3 in the final stage resulted in 35% mono-hormonal insulin positive cells,1% insulin and glucagon positive cells and 30% insulin and NKX6.1 co-expressing cells. Functionally,ES-DBCs were responsive to high glucose in static incubation and perifusion studies,and could secrete insulin in response to successive glucose stimulations. Mitochondrial metabolic flux analyses using Seahorse demonstrated that the ES-DBCs could efficiently metabolize glucose and generate intracellular signals to trigger insulin secretion. In conclusion,targeting selected signaling pathways for 25-30 days was sufficient to generate ES-DBCs in vitro. The ability of ES-DBCs to secrete insulin in response to glucose renders them a promising model for the in vitro screening of drugs,small molecules or genes that may have potential to influence beta-cell function. View Publication

The demand of high cell numbers for applications in cellular therapies and drug screening requires the development of scalable platforms capable to generating highly pure populations of tissue-specific cells from human pluripotent stem cells. In this work,we describe the scaling-up of an aggregate-based culture system for neural induction of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) under chemically-defined conditions. A combination of non-enzymatic dissociation and rotary agitation was successfully used to produce homogeneous populations of hiPSC aggregates with an optimal (140 μm) and narrow distribution of diameters (coefficient of variation of 21.6%). Scalable neural commitment of hiPSCs as 3D aggregates was performed in 50 mL spinner flasks,and the process was optimized using a factorial design approach,involving parameters such as agitation rate and seeding density. We were able to produce neural progenitor cell cultures,that at the end of a 6-day neural induction process contained less than 3% of Oct4-positive cells and that,after replating,retained more than 60% of Pax6-positive neural cells. The results here presented should set the stage for the future generation of a clinically relevant number of human neural progenitors for transplantation and other biomedical applications using controlled,automated and reproducible large-scale bioreactor culture systems. View Publication

Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize the secretion profile of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (iPS-RPE) during wound healing. iPS-RPE was used to develop an in vitro wound healing model. We hypothesized that iPS-RPE secretes cytokines and growth factors which act in an autocrine manner to promote migration and proliferation of cells during wound healing. Methods iPS-RPE was grown in transwells until fully confluent and pigmented. The monolayers were scratched to induce a wound. Levels of Ki-67,$$-catenin,e-cadherin,n-cadherin,and S100A4 expression were analyzed by immunofluorescent labeling. Cell culture medium samples were collected from both the apical and basolateral sides of the transwells every 72 hours for 21 days. The medium samples were analyzed using multiplex ELISA to detect secreted growth factors and cytokines. The effects of conditioned medium on collagen gel contraction,cell proliferation,and migration were measured. Results iPS-RPE underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during wound healing as indicated by the translocation of $$-catenin to the nucleus,cadherin switch,and expression of S100A4. GRO,GM-CSF,MCP-1,IL-6,and IL-8 were secreted by both the control and the wounded cell cultures. VEGF,FGF-2,and TGF$$ expression were detected at higher levels after wounding than those in control. The proteins were found to be secreted in a polarized manner. The conditioned medium from wounded monolayers promoted collagen gel contraction,as well as proliferation and migration of ARPE 19 cells. Conclusions These results indicate that after the monolayer is wounded,iPS-RPE secretes proteins into the culture medium that promote increased proliferation,contraction,and migration. View Publication

Crystalline Mg-Zinc (Zn)-Strontium (Sr) ternary alloys consist of elements naturally present in the human body and provide attractive mechanical and biodegradable properties for a variety of biomedical applications. The first objective of this study was to investigate the degradation and cytocompatibility of four Mg-4Zn-xSr alloys (x=0.15,0.5,1.0,1.5wt%; designated as ZSr41A,B,C,and D respectively) in the direct culture with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro. The second objective was to investigate,for the first time,the early-stage inflammatory response in cultured HUVECs as indicated by the induction of vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). The results showed that the 24-h in vitro degradation of the ZSr41 alloys containing a β-phase with a Zn/Sr at% ratio ∼1.5 was significantly faster than the ZSr41 alloys with Zn/Sr at% ∼1. Additionally,the adhesion density of HUVECs in the direct culture but not in direct contact with the ZSr41 alloys for up to 24h was not adversely affected by the degradation of the alloys. Importantly,neither culture media supplemented with up to 27.6mM Mg(2+) ions nor media intentionally adjusted up to alkaline pH 9 induced any detectable adverse effects on HUVEC responses. In contrast,the significantly higher,yet non-cytotoxic,Zn(2+) ion concentration from the degradation of ZSr41D alloy was likely the cause for the initially higher VCAM-1 expression on cultured HUVECs. Lastly,analysis of the HUVEC-ZSr41 interface showed near-complete absence of cell adhesion directly on the sample surface,most likely caused by either a high local alkalinity,change in surface topography,and/or surface composition. The direct culture method used in this study was proposed as a valuable tool for studying the design aspects of Zn-containing Mg-based biomaterials in vitro,in order to engineer solutions to address current shortcomings of Mg alloys for vascular device applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Magnesium (Mg) alloys specifically designed for biodegradable implant applications have been the focus of biomedical research since the early 2000s. Physicochemical properties of Mg alloys make these metallic biomaterials excellent candidates for temporary biodegradable implants in orthopedic and cardiovascular applications. As Mg alloys continue to be investigated for biomedical applications,it is necessary to understand whether Mg-based materials or the alloying elements have the intrinsic ability to direct an immune response to improve implant integration while avoiding cell-biomaterial interactions leading to chronic inflammation and/or foreign body reactions. The present study utilized the direct culture method to investigate for the first time the in vitro transient inflammatory activation of endothelial cells induced by the degradation products of Zn-containing Mg alloys. View Publication

BACKGROUND & AIMS One major obstacle of hepatitis B virus (HBV) research is the lack of efficient cell culture system permissive for viral infection and replication. The aim of our study was to establish a robust HBV infection model by using hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) derived from human pluripotent stem cells. METHODS HLCs were differentiated from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Maturation of hepatocyte functions was determined. After HBV infection,total viral DNA,cccDNA,total viral RNA,pgRNA,HBeAg and HBsAg were measured. RESULTS More than 90% of the HLCs expressed strong signals of human hepatocyte markers,like albumin,as well as known host factors required for HBV infection,suggesting that these cells possessed key features of mature hepatocytes. Notably,HLCs expressed the viral receptor sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide more stably than primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). HLCs supported robust infection and some spreading of HBV. Finally,by using this model,we identified two host-targeting agents,genistin and PA452,as novel antivirals. CONCLUSIONS Stem cell-derived HLCs fully support HBV infection. This novel HLC HBV infection model offers a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of the molecular details of the HBV life cycle; to further characterize virus-host interactions and to define new targets for HBV curative treatment. LAY SUMMARY Our study used human pluripotent stem cells to develop hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) capable of expressing hepatocyte markers and host factors important for HBV infection. These cells fully support HBV infection and virus-host interactions,allowing for the identification of two novel antiviral agents. Thus,stem cell-derived HLCs provide a highly physiologically relevant system to advance our understanding of viral life cycle and provide a new tool for antiviral drug screening and development. View Publication

Fate allocation in the gastrulating embryo is spatially organized as cells differentiate into specialized cell types depending on their positions with respect to the body axes. There is a need for in vitro protocols that allow the study of spatial organization associated with this developmental transition. Although embryoid bodies and organoids can exhibit some spatial organization of differentiated cells,methods that generate embryoid bodies or organoids do not yield consistent and fully reproducible results. Here,we describe a micropatterning approach in which human embryonic stem cells are confined to disk-shaped,submillimeter colonies. After 42 h of BMP4 stimulation,cells form self-organized differentiation patterns in concentric radial domains,which express specific markers associated with the embryonic germ layers,reminiscent of gastrulating embryos. Our protocol takes 3 d; it uses commercial microfabricated slides (from CYTOO),human laminin-521 (LN-521) as extracellular matrix coating,and either conditioned or chemically defined medium (mTeSR). Differentiation patterns within individual colonies can be determined by immunofluorescence and analyzed with cellular resolution. Both the size of the micropattern and the type of medium affect the patterning outcome. The protocol is appropriate for personnel with basic stem cell culture training. This protocol describes a robust platform for quantitative analysis of the mechanisms associated with pattern formation at the onset of gastrulation. View Publication

Genetic diseases of blood cells are prime candidates for treatment through ex vivo gene editing of CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs),and a variety of technologies have been proposed to treat these disorders. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a recessive genetic disorder caused by a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the $\beta$-globin gene (HBB). Sickle hemoglobin damages erythrocytes,causing vasoocclusion,severe pain,progressive organ damage,and premature death. We optimize design and delivery parameters of a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex comprising Cas9 protein and unmodified single guide RNA,together with a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide donor (ssODN),to enable efficient replacement of the SCD mutation in human HSPCs. Corrected HSPCs from SCD patients produced less sickle hemoglobin RNA and protein and correspondingly increased wild-type hemoglobin when differentiated into erythroblasts. When engrafted into immunocompromised mice,ex vivo treated human HSPCs maintain SCD gene edits throughout 16 weeks at a level likely to have clinical benefit. These results demonstrate that an accessible approach combining Cas9 RNP with an ssODN can mediate efficient HSPC genome editing,enables investigator-led exploration of gene editing reagents in primary hematopoietic stem cells,and suggests a path toward the development of new gene editing treatments for SCD and other hematopoietic diseases. View Publication

Functional hepatocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have potential as tools for predicting drug-induced hepatotoxicity in the early phases of drug development. However,the propensity of hPSC lines to differentiate into specific lineages is reported to differ. The ability to predict low propensity of hPSCs to differentiate into hepatocytes would facilitate the selection of useful hPSC clones and substantially accelerate development of hPSC-derived hepatocytes for pharmaceutical research. In this study,we compared the expression of genes associated with hepatic differentiation in five hPSC lines including human ES cell line,H9,which is known to differentiate into hepatocytes,and an hPSC line reported with a poor propensity for hepatic differentiation. Genes distinguishing between undifferentiated hPSCs,hPSC-derived hepatoblast-like differentiated cells,and primary human hepatocytes were drawn by two-way cluster analysis. The order of expression levels of genes in undifferentiated hPSCs was compared with that in hPSC-derived hepatoblast-like cells. Three genes were selected as predictors of low propensity for hepatic differentiation. Expression of these genes was investigated in 23 hPSC clones. Review of representative cells by induction of hepatic differentiation suggested that low prediction scores were linked with low hepatic differentiation. Thus,our model using gene expression ranking and bioinformatic analysis could reasonably predict poor differentiation propensity of hPSC lines. View Publication

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory and multisystemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. Due to the lack of a specific test for BD,its diagnosis is very difficult and therapeutic options are limited. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology,which provides inaccessible disease-relevant cell types,opens a new era for disease treatment. In this study,we generated BD iPSCs from patient somatic cells and differentiated them into hematopoietic precursor cells (BD iPSC-HPCs) as BD model cells. Based on comparative transcriptome analysis using our BD model cells,we identified eight novel BD-specific genes,AGTR2,CA9,CD44,CXCL1,HTN3,IL-2,PTGER4,and TSLP,which were differentially expressed in BD patients compared with healthy controls or patients with other immune diseases. The use of CXCL1 as a BD biomarker was further validated at the protein level using both a BD iPSC-HPC-based assay system and BD patient serum samples. Furthermore,we show that our BD iPSC-HPC-based drug screening system is highly effective for testing CXCL1 BD biomarkers,as determined by monitoring the efficacy of existing anti-inflammatory drugs. Our results shed new light on the usefulness of patient-specific iPSC technology in the development of a benchmarking platform for disease-specific biomarkers,phenotype- or target-driven drug discovery,and patient-tailored therapies. View Publication

A progressive increase in MECP2 protein levels is a crucial and precisely regulated event during neurodevelopment,but the underlying mechanism is unclear. We report that MECP2 is regulated post-transcriptionally during in vitro differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into cortical neurons. Using reporters to identify functional RNA sequences in the MECP2 3' UTR and genetic manipulations to explore the role of interacting factors on endogenous MECP2,we discover combinatorial mechanisms that regulate RNA stability and translation. The RNA-binding protein PUM1 and pluripotent-specific microRNAs destabilize the long MECP2 3' UTR in hESCs. Hence,the 3' UTR appears to lengthen during differentiation as the long isoform becomes stable in neurons. Meanwhile,translation of MECP2 is repressed by TIA1 in hESCs until HuC predominates in neurons,resulting in a switch to translational enhancement. Ultimately,3' UTR-directed translational fine-tuning differentially modulates MECP2 protein in the two cell types to levels appropriate for normal neurodevelopment. View Publication

Insulin secretion is elaborately modulated in pancreatic ß cells within islets of three-dimensional (3D) structures. Using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to develop islet-like structures with insulin-producing ß cells for the treatment of diabetes is challenging. Here,we report that pancreatic islet-like clusters derived from hESCs are functionally capable of glucose-responsive insulin secretion as well as therapeutic effects. Pancreatic hormone-expressing endocrine cells (ECs) were differentiated from hESCs using a step-wise protocol. The hESC-derived ECs expressed pancreatic endocrine hormones,such as insulin,somatostatin,and pancreatic polypeptide. Notably,dissociated ECs autonomously aggregated to form islet-like,3D structures of consistent sizes (100-150 μm in diameter). These EC clusters (ECCs) enhanced insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulus and potassium channel inhibition in vitro. Furthermore,ß cell-deficient mice transplanted with ECCs survived for more than 40 d while retaining a normal blood glucose level to some extent. The expression of pancreatic endocrine hormones was observed in tissues transplanted with ECCs. In addition,ECCs could be generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells. These results suggest that hPSC-derived,islet-like clusters may be alternative therapeutic cell sources for treating diabetes. View Publication