参考文献

BACKGROUND & AIMS Wnt signaling regulates multiple aspects of intestinal physiology,including stem cell maintenance. Paneth cells support stem cells by secreting Wnt,but little is known about the exact sources and primary functions of individual Wnt family members. METHODS We analyzed intestinal tissues and cultured epithelial cells from adult mice with conditional deletion of Wnt3 (Vil-CreERT2;Wnt3fl/fl mice). We also analyzed intestinal tissues and cells from Atoh1 mutant mice,which lack secretory cells. RESULTS Unexpectedly,Wnt3 was dispensable for maintenance of intestinal stem cells in mice,indicating a redundancy of Wnt signals. By contrast,cultured crypt organoids required Paneth cell-derived Wnt3. Addition of exogenous Wnt,or coculture with mesenchymal cells,restored growth of Vil-CreERT2;Wnt3fl/fl crypt organoids. Intestinal organoids from Atoh1 mutant mice did not grow or form Paneth cells; addition of Wnt3 allowed growth in the absence of Paneth cells. Wnt signaling had a synergistic effect with the Lgr4/5 ligand R-spondin to induce formation of Paneth cells. Mosaic expression of Wnt3 in organoids using a retroviral vector promoted differentiation of Paneth cells in a cell-autonomous manner. CONCLUSIONS Wnt is part of a signaling loop that affects homeostasis of intestinal stem and Paneth cells in mice. Wnt3 signaling is required for growth and development of organoid cultures,whereas nonepithelial Wnt signals could provide a secondary physiological source of Wnt. View Publication

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have been shown to differentiate into primordial germ cells (PGCs) but not into spermatogonia,haploid spermatocytes,or spermatids. Here,we show that hESCs and hiPSCs differentiate directly into advanced male germ cell lineages,including postmeiotic,spermatid-like cells,in vitro without genetic manipulation. Furthermore,our procedure mirrors spermatogenesis in vivo by differentiating PSCs into UTF1-,PLZF-,and CDH1-positive spermatogonia-like cells; HIWI- and HILI-positive spermatocyte-like cells; and haploid cells expressing acrosin,transition protein 1,and protamine 1 (proteins that are uniquely found in spermatids and/or sperm). These spermatids show uniparental genomic imprints similar to those of human sperm on two loci: H19 and IGF2. These results demonstrate that male PSCs have the ability to differentiate directly into advanced germ cell lineages and may represent a novel strategy for studying spermatogenesis in vitro View Publication

INTRODUCTION: Retinoic acid signaling plays key roles in embryonic development and in maintaining the differentiated status of adult tissues. Recently,the nuclear retinoic acid receptor (RAR) isotypes α,β and γ were found to play specific functions in the expansion and differentiation of the stem compartments of various tissues. For instance,RARγ appears to be involved in stem cell compartment expansion,while RARα and RARβ are implicated in the subsequent cell differentiation. We found that over-expressing c-Myc in normal mouse mammary epithelium and in a c-Myc-driven transgenic model of mammary cancer,disrupts the balance between RARγ and RARα/β in favor of RARγ. METHODS: The effects of c-Myc on RAR isotype expression were evaluated in normal mouse mammary epithelium,mammary tumor cells obtained from the MMTV-Myc transgenic mouse model as well as human normal immortalized breast epithelial and breast cancer cell lines. The in vivo effect of the RARα-selective agonist 4-[(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthyl)carboxamido]benzoic acid (Am580) was examined in the MMTV-Myc mouse model of mammary tumorigenesis. RESULTS: Modulation of the RARα/β to RARγ expression in mammary glands of normal mice,oncomice,and human mammary cell lines through the alteration of RAR-target gene expression affected cell proliferation,survival and tumor growth. Treatment of MMTV-Myc mice with the RARα-selective agonist Am580 led to significant inhibition of mammary tumor growth (˜90%,Ptextless0.001),lung metastasis (Ptextless0.01) and extended tumor latency in 63% of mice. Immunocytochemical analysis showed that in these mice,RARα responsive genes such as Cyp26A1,E-cadherin,cellular retinol-binding protein 1 (CRBP1) and p27,were up-regulated. In contrast,the mammary gland tumors of mice that responded poorly to Am580 treatment (37%) expressed significantly higher levels of RARγ. In vitro experiments indicated that the rise in RARγ was functionally linked to promotion of tumor growth and inhibition of differentiation. Thus,activation of the RARα pathway is linked to tumor growth inhibition,differentiation and cell death. CONCLUSIONS: The functional consequence of the interplay between c-Myc oncogene expression and the RARγ to RARα/β balance suggests that prevalence of RARγ over-RARα/β expression levels in breast cancer accompanied by c-Myc amplification or over-expression in breast cancer should be predictive of response to treatment with RARα-isotype-specific agonists and warrant monitoring during clinical trials. View Publication

Endothelial cells and macrophages are known to engage in tight and specific interactions that contribute to the modulation of vascular function. Here we show that adult endothelial cells provide critical signals for the selective growth and differentiation of macrophages from several hematopoietic progenitors. The process features the formation of well-organized colonies that exhibit progressive differentiation from the center to the periphery and toward an M2-like phenotype,characterized by enhanced expression of Tie2 and CD206/Mrc1. These colonies are long-lived depending on the contact with the endothelium; removal of the endothelial monolayer results in rapid colony dissolution. We further found that Csf1 produced by the endothelium is critical for the expansion of the macrophage colonies and that blockade of Csf1 receptor impairs colony growth. Functional analyses indicate that these macrophages are capable of accelerating angiogenesis,promoting tumor growth,and effectively engaging in tight associations with endothelial cells in vivo. These findings uncover a critical role of endothelial cells in the induction of macrophage differentiation and their ability to promote further polarization toward a proangiogenic phenotype. This work also highlights some of the molecules underlying the M2-like differentiation,a process that is relevant to the progression of both developmental and pathologic angiogenesis. View Publication

Regenerative medicine,relying on human embryonic stem cell (hESC) technology,opens promising new avenues for therapy of many severe diseases. However,this approach is restricted by limited production of the desired cells due to the refractory properties of hESC growth in vitro. It is further hindered by insufficient control of cellular stress,growth rates,and heterogeneous cellular states under current culture conditions. In this study,we report a novel cell culture method based on a non-colony type monolayer (NCM) growth. Human ESCs under NCM remain pluripotent as determined by teratoma assays and sustain the potential to differentiate into three germ layers. This NCM culture has been shown to homogenize cellular states,precisely control growth rates,significantly increase cell production,and enhance hESC recovery from cryopreservation without compromising chromosomal integrity. This culture system is simple,robust,scalable,and suitable for high-throughput screening and drug discovery. View Publication

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

Efficient derivation of neural cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) remains an unmet need for the treatment of neurological disorders. The limiting factors for current methods include being labor-intensive,time-consuming and expensive. In this study,we hypothesize that the substrate topography,with optimal geometry and dimension,can modulate the neural fate of hESCs and enhance the efficiency of differentiation. A multi-architectural chip (MARC) containing fields of topographies varying in geometry and dimension was developed to facilitate high-throughput analysis of topography-induced neural differentiation in vitro. The hESCs were subjected to direct differentiation" 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

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) therapeutics are a promising treatment for genetic and infectious diseases. To assess engraftment,risk of neoplastic formation,and therapeutic benefit in an autologous setting,testing iPSC therapeutics in an appropriate model,such as the pigtail macaque (Macaca nemestrina; Mn),is crucial. Here,we developed a chemically defined,scalable,and reproducible specification protocol with bone morphogenetic protein 4,prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2),and StemRegenin 1 (SR1) for hematopoietic differentiation of Mn iPSCs. Sequential coculture with bone morphogenetic protein 4,PGE2,and SR1 led to robust Mn iPSC hematopoietic progenitor cell formation. The combination of PGE2 and SR1 increased CD34(+)CD38(-)Thy1(+)CD45RA(-)CD49f(+) cell yield by 6-fold. CD34(+)CD38(-)Thy1(+)CD45RA(-)CD49f(+) cells isolated on the basis of CD34 expression and cultured in SR1 expanded 3-fold and maintained this long-term repopulating HSC phenotype. Purified CD34(high) cells exhibited 4-fold greater hematopoietic colony-forming potential compared with unsorted hematopoietic progenitors and had bilineage differentiation potential. On the basis of these studies,we calculated the cell yields that must be achieved at each stage to meet a threshold CD34(+) cell dose that is required for engraftment in the pigtail macaque. Our protocol will support scale-up and testing of iPSC-derived CD34(high) cell therapies in a clinically relevant nonhuman primate model. View Publication

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