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Xenopus in vitro studies have implicated both transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) families in mesoderm induction. Although members of both families are present during mouse mesoderm formation,there is little evidence for their functional role in mesoderm induction. We show that mouse embryonic stem cells,which resemble primitive ectoderm,can differentiate to mesoderm in vitro in a chemically defined medium (CDM) in the absence of fetal bovine serum. In CDM,this differentiation is responsive to TGF-beta family members in a concentration-dependent manner,with activin A mediating the formation of dorsoanterior-like mesoderm and bone morphogenetic protein 4 mediating the formation of ventral mesoderm,including hematopoietic precursors. These effects are not observed in CDM alone or when TGF-beta 1,-beta 2,or -beta 3,acid FGF,or basic FGF is added individually to CDM. In vivo,at day 6.5 of mouse development,activin beta A RNA is detectable in the decidua and bone morphogenetic protein 4 RNA is detectable in the egg cylinder. Together,our data strongly implicate the TGF-beta family in mammalian mesoderm development and hematopoietic cell formation. View Publication

Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a human premature aging disorder associated with neurological and developmental abnormalities,caused by mutations mainly in the CS group B gene (ERCC6). At the molecular level,CS is characterized by a deficiency in the transcription-couple DNA repair pathway. To understand the role of this molecular pathway in a pluripotent cell and the impact of CSB mutation during human cellular development,we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from CSB skin fibroblasts (CSB-iPSC). Here,we showed that the lack of functional CSB does not represent a barrier to genetic reprogramming. However,iPSCs derived from CSB patient's fibroblasts exhibited elevated cell death rate and higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Moreover,these cellular phenotypes were accompanied by an up-regulation of TXNIP and TP53 transcriptional expression. Our findings suggest that CSB modulates cell viability in pluripotent stem cells,regulating the expression of TP53 and TXNIP and ROS production. View Publication

INTRODUCTION: The expression of proinflammatory protein tissue transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is frequently upregulated in multiple cancer cell types. However,the exact role of TG2 in cancer cells is not well-understood. We recently initiated studies to determine the significance of TG2 in cancer cells and observed that sustained expression of TG2 resulted in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promoted cancer stem cell (CSC) traits in mammary epithelial cells. These results suggested that TG2 could serve as a promising therapeutic target for overcoming chemoresistance and inhibiting metastatic spread of cancer cells. METHODS: Using various mutant constructs,we analyzed the activity of TG2 that is essential for promoting the EMT-CSC phenotype. RESULTS: Our results suggest that catalytically inactive TG2 (TG2-C277S) is as effective as wild-type TG2 (TG2-WT) in inducing the EMT-CSC in mammary epithelial cells. In contrast,overexpression of a GTP-binding-deficient mutant (TG2-R580A) was completely incompetent in this regard. Moreover,TG2-dependent activation of the proinflammatory transcription factor NF-κB is deemed essential for promoting the EMT-CSC phenotype in mammary epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the transamidation activity of TG2 is not essential for promoting its oncogenic functions and provide a strong rationale for developing small-molecule inhibitors to block GTP-binding pockets of TG2. Such inhibitors may have great potential for inhibiting the TG2-regulated pathways,reversing drug resistance and inhibiting the metastasis of cancer cells. View Publication

The HOXA9 homeoprotein exerts dramatic effects in hematopoiesis. Enforced expression of HOXA9 enhances proliferation of primitive blood cells,expands hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs),and leads to myeloid leukemia. Conversely,loss of HOXA9 inhibits proliferation and impairs HSC function. The pathways by which HOXA9 acts are largely unknown,and although HOXA9 is a transcription factor,few direct target genes have been identified. Our previous study suggested that HOXA9 positively regulates Pim1,an oncogenic kinase. The hematologic phenotypes of Hoxa9- and Pim1-deficient animals are strikingly similar. Here we show that HOXA9 protein binds to the Pim1 promoter and induces Pim1 mRNA and protein in hematopoietic cells. Pim1 protein is diminished in Hoxa9(-/-) cells,and Hoxa9 and Pim1 mRNA levels track together in early hematopoietic compartments. Induction of Pim1 protein by HOXA9 increases the phosphorylation and inactivation of the proapoptotic BAD protein,a target of Pim1. Hoxa9(-/-) cells show increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation,defects that are ameliorated by reintroduction of Pim1. Thus Pim1 appears to be a direct transcriptional target of HOXA9 and a mediator of its antiapoptotic and proproliferative effects in early cells. Since HOXA9 is frequently up-regulated in acute myeloid leukemia,Pim1 may be a therapeutic target in human disease. View Publication

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are somatic cells that have been reprogrammed to a pluripotent state via the introduction of defined transcription factors. Although iPS is a potentially valuable resource for regenerative medicine and drug development,several issues regarding their pluripotency,differentiation propensity and potential for tumorigenesis remain to be elucidated. Analysis of cell surface glycans has arisen as an interesting tool for the characterization of iPS. An appropriate characterization of glycan surface molecules of human embryonic stem (hES) cells and iPS cells might generate crucial data to highlight their role in the acquisition and maintenance of pluripotency. In this study,we characterized the surface glycans of iPS generated from menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal cells (iPS-MBMC). We demonstrated that,upon spontaneous differentiation,iPS-MBMC present high amounts of terminal $\$-galactopyranoside residues,pointing to an important role of terminal-linked sialic acids in pluripotency maintenance. The removal of sialic acids by neuraminidase induces iPS-MBMC and hES cells differentiation,prompting an ectoderm commitment. Exposed $\$-galactopyranose residues might be recognized by carbohydrate-binding molecules found on the cell surface,which could modulate intercellular or intracellular interactions. Together,our results point for the first time to the involvement of the presence of terminal sialic acid in the maintenance of embryonic stem cell pluripotency and,therefore,the modulation of sialic acid biosynthesis emerges as a mechanism that may govern stem cell differentiation. View Publication

Sensory stimuli drive the maturation and function of the mammalian nervous system in part through the activation of gene expression networks that regulate synapse development and plasticity. These networks have primarily been studied in mice,and it is not known whether there are species- or clade-specific activity-regulated genes that control features of brain development and function. Here we use transcriptional profiling of human fetal brain cultures to identify an activity-dependent secreted factor,Osteocrin (OSTN),that is induced by membrane depolarization of human but not mouse neurons. We find that OSTN has been repurposed in primates through the evolutionary acquisition of DNA regulatory elements that bind the activity-regulated transcription factor MEF2. In addition,we demonstrate that OSTN is expressed in primate neocortex and restricts activity-dependent dendritic growth in human neurons. These findings suggest that,in response to sensory input,OSTN regulates features of neuronal structure and function that are unique to primates. View Publication

Mobile elements are important evolutionary forces that challenge genomic integrity. Long interspersed element-1 (L1,also known as LINE-1) is the only autonomous transposon still active in the human genome. It displays an unusual pattern of evolution,with,at any given time,a single active L1 lineage amplifying to thousands of copies before getting replaced by a new lineage,likely under pressure of host restriction factors,which act notably by silencing L1 expression during early embryogenesis. Here,we demonstrate that in human embryonic stem (hES) cells,KAP1 (KRAB [Kruppel-associated box domain]-associated protein 1),the master cofactor of KRAB-containing zinc finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs) previously implicated in the restriction of endogenous retroviruses,represses a discrete subset of L1 lineages predicted to have entered the ancestral genome between 26.8 million and 7.6 million years ago. In mice,we documented a similar chronologically conditioned pattern,albeit with a much contracted time scale. We could further identify an L1-binding KRAB-ZFP,suggesting that this rapidly evolving protein family is more globally responsible for L1 recognition. KAP1 knockdown in hES cells induced the expression of KAP1-bound L1 elements,but their younger,human-specific counterparts (L1Hs) were unaffected. Instead,they were stimulated by depleting DNA methyltransferases,consistent with recent evidence demonstrating that the PIWI-piRNA (PIWI-interacting RNA) pathway regulates L1Hs in hES cells. Altogether,these data indicate that the early embryonic control of L1 is an evolutionarily dynamic process and support a model in which newly emerged lineages are first suppressed by DNA methylation-inducing small RNA-based mechanisms before KAP1-recruiting protein repressors are selected. View Publication

Ewing sarcoma gene EWS encodes a putative RNA-binding protein with proposed roles in transcription and splicing,but its physiological role in vivo remains undefined. Here,we have generated Ews-deficient mice and demonstrated that EWS is required for the completion of B cell development and meiosis. Analysis of Ews(-/-) lymphocytes revealed a cell-autonomous defect in precursor B lymphocyte (pre-B lymphocyte) development. During meiosis,Ews-null spermatocytes were deficient in XY bivalent formation and showed reduced meiotic recombination,resulting in massive apoptosis and complete arrest in gamete maturation. Inactivation of Ews in mouse embryonic fibroblasts resulted in premature cellular senescence,and the mutant animals showed hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation. Finally,we showed that EWS interacts with lamin A/C and that loss of EWS results in a reduced lamin A/C expression. Our findings reveal essential functions for EWS in pre-B cell development and meiosis,with proposed roles in DNA pairing and recombination/repair mechanisms. Furthermore,we demonstrate a novel role of EWS in cellular senescence,possibly through its interaction and modulation of lamin A/C. View Publication

The longevity of organisms is maintained by stem cells. If an organism loses the ability to maintain a balance between quiescence and differentiation in the stem/progenitor cell compartment due to aging and/or stress,this may result in death or age-associated diseases,including cancer. Ewing sarcoma is the most lethal bone tumor in young patients and arises from primitive stem cells. Here,we demonstrated that endogenous Ewing sarcoma gene (Ews) is indispensable for stem cell quiescence,and that the ablation of Ews promotes the early onset of senescence in hematopoietic stem progenitor cells. The phenotypic and functional changes in Ews-deficient stem cells were accompanied by an increase in senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining and a marked induction of p16(INK4a) compared with wild-type counterparts. With its relevance to cancer and possibly aging,EWS is likely to play a significant role in maintaining the functional capacity of stem cells and may provide further insight into the complexity of Ewing sarcoma in the context of stem cells. View Publication

PURPOSE: The presence of multipotent human limbal stromal cells resembling mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) provides new insights to the characteristic of these cells and its therapeutic potential. However,little is known about the expression of stage-specific embryonic antigen 4 (SSEA-4) and the embryonic stem cell (ESC)-like properties of these cells. We studied the expression of SSEA-4 surface protein and the various ESC and MSC markers in the ex vivo cultured limbal stromal cells. The phenotypes and multipotent differentiation potential of these cells were also evaluated.backslashnbackslashnMETHODS: Limbal stromal cells were derived from corneoscleral rims. The SSEA-4(+) and SSEA-4(-) limbal stromal cells were sorted by fluorescence-activated cells sorting (FACS). Isolated cells were expanded and reanalyzed for their expression of SSEA-4. Expression of MSC and ESC markers on these cells were also analyzed by FACS. In addition,expression of limbal epithelial and corneal stromal proteins such as ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2),tumour protein p63 (p63),paired box 6 (Pax6),cytokeratin 3 (AE5),cytokeratin 10,and keratocan sulfate were evaluated either by immunofluorecence staining or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Appropriate induction medium was used to differentiate these cells into adipocytes,osteocytes,and chondrocytes.backslashnbackslashnRESULTS: Expanded limbal stromal cells expressed the majority of mesenchymal markers. These cells were negative for ABCG2,p63,Pax6,AE-5,and keratocan sulfate. After passaged,a subpopulation of these cells showed low expression of SSEA-4 but were negative for other important ESC surface markers such as Tra-1-60,Tra-1-81,and transcription factors like octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4),SRY(sex determining region Y)-box 2 (Sox2),and Nanog. Early passaged cells when induced were able to differentiate into adipocytes,osteocytes and chondrocytes.backslashnbackslashnCONCLUSIONS: The expanded limbal stromal cells showed features of multipotent MSC. Our study confirmed the expression of SSEA-4 by a subpopulation of cultured limbal stromal cells. However,despite the expression of SSEA-4,these cells did not express any other markers of ESC. Therefore,we conclude that the cells did not show properties of ESC. View Publication

Immunosuppressants are powerful drugs,capable of triggering severe adverse effects. Hence,there is tremendous interest in replacing them with less-toxic agents. Adoptive therapy with CD25(+)CD4(+) T regulatory cells (Tregs) holds promise as an alternative to immunosuppressants. Tregs have been described as the most potent immunosuppressive cells in the human body. In a number of experimental models,they have been found to quench autoimmune diseases,maintain allogeneic transplants,and prevent allergic diseases. A major stumbling block in their clinical application is related to Treg phenotype and the very limited number of these cells in the periphery,not exceeding 1-5% of total CD4(+) T cells. Recent progress in multicolor flow cytometry and cell sorting as well as cellular immunology has found ways of overcoming these obstacles,and has opened the doors to the clinical application of Tregs. In the review,we describe Treg sorting and expansion techniques that have been developed in recent years. In the experience of our laboratory,as well as some published reports,Treg adoptive therapy is a promising tool in immunosuppressive therapy,and should be considered for clinical trials. View Publication

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency is caused by a purine metabolic dysfunction,leading to severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and multiple organ damage. To investigate the efficacy of ex vivo gene therapy with self-inactivating lentiviral vectors (LVs) in correcting this complex phenotype,we used an ADA(-/-) mouse model characterized by early postnatal lethality. LV-mediated ADA gene transfer into bone marrow cells combined with low-dose irradiation rescued mice from lethality and restored their growth,as did transplantation of wild-type bone marrow. Mixed chimerism with multilineage engraftment of transduced cells was detected in the long term in animals that underwent transplantation. ADA activity was normalized in lymphocytes and partially corrected in red blood cells (RBCs),resulting in full metabolic detoxification and prevention of severe pulmonary insufficiency. Moreover,gene therapy restored normal lymphoid differentiation and immune functions,including antigen-specific antibody production. Similar degrees of detoxification and immune reconstitution were obtained in mice treated early after birth or after 1 month of enzyme-replacement therapy,mimicking 2 potential applications for ADA-SCID. Overall,this study demonstrates the efficacy of LV gene transfer in correcting both the immunological and metabolic phenotypes of ADA-SCID and supports the future clinical use of this approach. View Publication