技术资料

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult stem cells that have an immunosuppressive effect. The biological stability of MSCs in serum-free medium during long-term culture in vitro has not been elucidated clearly. The morphology,immunophenotype and multi-lineage potential were analyzed at passages 3,5,10,15,20,and 25 (P3,P5,P10,P15,P20,and P25,respectively). The cell cycle distribution,apoptosis,and karyotype of human umbilical cord-derived (hUC)-MSCs were analyzed at P3,P5,P10,P15,P20,and P25. From P3 to P25,the three defining biological properties of hUC-MSCs [adherence to plastic,specific surface antigen expression,multipotent differentiation potential] met the standards proposed by the International Society for Cellular Therapy for definition of MSCs. The cell cycle distribution analysis at the P25 showed that the percentage of cells at G0/G1 was increased,compared with the cells at P3 (P textless 0.05). Cells at P25 displayed an increase in the apoptosis rate (to 183 %),compared to those at P3 (P textless 0.01). Within subculture generations 3-20 (P3-P20),the differences between the cell apoptotic rates were not statistically significant (P textgreater 0.05). There were no detectable chromosome eliminations,displacements,or chromosomal imbalances,as assessed by the karyotyping guidelines of the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature (ISCN,2009). Long-term culture affects the biological stability of MSCs in serum-free MesenCult-XF medium. MSCs can be expanded up to the 25th passage without chromosomal changes by G-band. The best biological activity period and stability appeared between the third to 20th generations. View Publication

As sentinels of the immune system,dendritic cells (DCs) play an essential role in regulating cellular immune responses. One of the main challenges of developing DC-targeted therapies includes the delivery of antigen to DCs in order to promote the activation of antigen-specific effector CD8 T cells. With the goal of creating antigen-directed immunotherapeutics that can be safely administered directly to patients,Immune Design has developed a platform of novel integration-deficient lentiviral vectors that target and deliver antigen-encoding nucleic acids to human DCs. This platform,termed ID-VP02,utilizes a novel genetic variant of a Sindbis virus envelope glycoprotein with posttranslational carbohydrate modifications in combination with Vpx,a SIVmac viral accessory protein,to achieve efficient targeting and transduction of human DCs. In addition,ID-VP02 incorporates safety features in its design that include two redundant mechanisms to render ID-VP02 integration-deficient. Here,we describe the characteristics that allow ID-VP02 to specifically transduce human DCs,and the advances that ID-VP02 brings to conventional third-generation lentiviral vector design as well as demonstrate upstream production yields that will enable manufacturing feasibility studies to be conducted. View Publication

The breakthrough development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) raises the prospect of patient-specific treatment for many diseases through the replacement of affected cells. However,whether iPSC-derived functional cell lineages generate a deleterious immune response upon auto-transplantation remains unclear. In this study,we differentiated five human iPSC lines from skin fibroblasts and urine cells into neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and analyzed their immunogenicity. Through co-culture with autogenous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs),we showed that both somatic cells and iPSC-derived NPCs do not stimulate significant autogenous PBMC proliferation. However,a significant immune reaction was detected when these cells were co-cultured with allogenous PBMCs. Furthermore,no significant expression of perforin or granzyme B was detected following stimulation of autogenous immune effector cells (CD3+CD8− T cells,CD3+CD8+ T cells or CD3−CD56+ NK cells) by NPCs in both PBMC and T cell co-culture systems. These results suggest that human iPSC-derived NPCs may not initiate an immune response in autogenous transplants,and thus set a base for further preclinical evaluation of human iPSCs. View Publication

SIRT1,an NAD-dependent deacetylase,plays a role in regulation of autophagy. SIRT1 increases mitochondrial function and reduces oxidative stress,and has been linked to age-related reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation,which is highly dependent on mitochondrial metabolism. H2O2 induces oxidative stress and autophagic cell death through interference with Beclin 1 and the mTOR signaling pathways. We evaluated connections between SIRT1 activity and induction of autophagy in murine (m) and human (h) embryonic stem cells (ESCs) upon ROS challenge. Exogenous H2O2 (1 mM) induced apoptosis and autophagy in wild-type (WT) and Sirt1-/- mESCs. High concentrations of H2O2 (1 mM) induced more apoptosis in Sirt1-/-,than in WT mESCs. However,addition of 3-methyladenine,a widely used autophagy inhibitor,in combination with H2O2 induced more cell death in WT than in Sirt1-/- mESCs. Decreased induction of autophagy in Sirt1-/- mESCs was demonstrated by decreased conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II,lowered expression of Beclin-1,and decreased LC3 punctae and LysoTracker staining. H2O2 induced autophagy with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and disruption of mitochondrial dynamics in Sirt1-/- mESCs. Increased phosphorylation of P70/85-S6 kinase and ribosomal S6 was noted in Sirt1-/- mESCs,suggesting that SIRT1 regulates the mTOR pathway. Consistent with effects in mESCs,inhibition of SIRT1 using Lentivirus-mediated SIRT1 shRNA in hESCs demonstrated that knockdown of SIRT1 decreased H2O2-induced autophagy. This suggests a role for SIRT1 in regulating autophagy and mitochondria function in ESCs upon oxidative stress,effects mediated at least in part by the class III PI3K/Beclin 1 and mTOR pathways. Stem Cells 2014;32:1183-1194 View Publication

UNLABELLED Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a major cause of central nervous system structural anomalies and sensory impairments. It is likely that the stage of fetal development,as well as the state of differentiation of susceptible cells at the time of infection,affects the severity of the disease. We used human embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived primitive prerosette neural stem cells (pNSCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) maintained in chemically defined conditions to study HCMV replication in cells at the early stages of neural development. In contrast to what was observed previously using fetus-derived NPCs,infection of ES cell-derived pNSCs with HCMV was nonprogressive. At a low multiplicity of infection,we observed only a small percentage of cells expressing immediate-early genes (IE) and early genes. IE expression was found to be restricted to cells negative for the anterior marker FORSE-1,and treatment of pNSCs with retinoic acid restored IE expression. Differentiation of pNSCs into NPCs restored IE expression but not the transactivation of early genes. Virions produced in NPCs and pNSCs were exclusively cell associated and were mostly non-neural tropic. Finally,we found that viral genomes could persist in pNSC cultures for up to a month after infection despite the absence of detectable IE expression by immunofluorescence,and infectious virus could be produced upon differentiation of pNSCs to neurons. In conclusion,our results highlight the complex array of hurdles that HCMV must overcome in order to infect primitive neural stem cells and suggest that these cells might act as a reservoir for the virus. IMPORTANCE Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a betaherpesvirus that is highly prevalent in the population. HCMV infection is usually asymptomatic but can lead to severe consequences in immunosuppressed individuals. HCMV is also the most important infectious cause of congenital developmental birth defects. Manifestations of fetal HCMV disease range from deafness and learning disabilities to more severe symptoms such as microcephaly. In this study,we have used embryonic stem cells to generate primitive neural stem cells and have used these to model HCMV infection of the fetal central nervous system (CNS) in vitro. Our results reveal that these cells,which are similar to those present in the developing neural tube,do not support viral replication but instead likely constitute a viral reservoir. Future work will define the effect of viral persistence on cellular functions as well as the exogenous signals leading to the reactivation of viral replication in the CNS. View Publication

Recent genomic approaches have revealed that the repertoire of RNA Pol III-transcribed genes varies in different human cell types,and that this variation is likely determined by a combination of the chromatin landscape,cell-specific DNA-binding transcription factors,and collaboration with RNA Pol II. Although much is known about this regulation in differentiated human cells,there is presently little understanding of this aspect of the Pol III system in human ES cells. Here,we determine the occupancy profiles of Pol III components in human H1 ES cells,and also induced pluripotent cells,and compare to known profiles of chromatin,transcription factors,and RNA expression. We find a relatively large fraction of the Pol III repertoire occupied in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In ES cells we find clear correlations between Pol III occupancy and active chromatin. Interestingly,we find a highly significant fraction of Pol III-occupied genes with adjacent binding events by pluripotency factors in ES cells,especially NANOG. Notably,in human ES cells we find H3K27me3 adjacent to but not overlapping many active Pol III loci. We observe in all such cases,a peak of H3K4me3 and/or RNA Pol II,between the H3K27me3 and Pol III binding peaks,suggesting that H3K4me3 and Pol II activity may “insulate�? Pol III from neighboring repressive H3K27me3. Further,we find iPSCs have a larger Pol III repertoire than their precursors. Finally,the active Pol III genome in iPSCs is not completely reprogrammed to a hESC like state and partially retains the transcriptional repertoire of the precursor. Together,our correlative results are consistent with Pol III binding and activity in human ES cells being enabled by active/permissive chromatin that is shaped in part by the pluripotency network of transcription factors and RNA Pol II activity. View Publication

Over 60 bromodomains belonging to proteins with very different functions have been identified in humans. Several of them interact with acetylated lysine residues,leading to the recruitment and stabilization of protein complexes. The bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins contain tandem bromodomains which bind to acetylated histones and are thereby implicated in a number of DNA-centered processes,including the regulation of gene expression. The recent identification of inhibitors of BET and non-BET bromodomains is one of the few examples in which effective blockade of a protein-protein interaction can be achieved with a small molecule. This has led to major strides in the understanding of the function of bromodomain-containing proteins and their involvement in diseases such as cancer and inflammation. Indeed,BET bromodomain inhibitors are now being clinically evaluated for the treatment of hematological tumors and have also been tested in clinical trials for the relatively rare BRD-NUT midline carcinoma. This review gives an overview of the newest developments in the field,with a focus on the biology of selected bromodomain proteins on the one hand,and on reported pharmacological inhibitors on the other,including recent examples from the patent literature. View Publication

BACKGROUND & AIMS Reduced generation of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) by CD103(+) intestinal dendritic cells (DCs) is linked to intestinal inflammation in mice. However,the role of RA in intestinal inflammation in humans is unclear. We investigated which antigen-presenting cells (APCs) produce RA in the human intestine and whether generation of RA is reduced in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS Ileal and colonic tissues were collected from patients with CD during endoscopy or surgery,and healthy tissues were collected from subjects who were undergoing follow-up because of rectal bleeding,altered bowel habits,or cancer (controls). Cells were isolated from the tissue samples,and APCs were isolated by flow cytometry. Retinaldehyde dehydrogenase (RALDH) activity was assessed by Aldefluor assay,and ALDH1A expression was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Macrophages were derived by incubation of human blood monocytes with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). RESULTS CD103(+) and CD103(-) DCs and CD14(+) macrophages from healthy human intestine had RALDH activity. Although ALDH1A1 was not expressed by DCs,it was the predominant RALDH enzyme isoform expressed by intestinal CD14(+) macrophages and their putative precursors,CD14(+) monocytes. RALDH activity was up-regulated in all 3 populations of APCs from patients with CD; in CD14(+) macrophages,it was associated with local induction of ALDH1A1 expression. Blocking of RA receptor signaling during GM-CSF-mediated differentiation of monocytes into macrophages down-regulated CD14 and HLA-DR expression and reduced the development of tumor necrosis factor $$-producing inflammatory macrophages. CONCLUSIONS RA receptor signaling promotes differentiation of human tumor necrosis factor $$-producing inflammatory macrophages in vitro. In vivo,more CD14(+) macrophages from the intestinal mucosa of patients with CD than from controls are capable of generating RA,which might increase the inflammatory phenotype of these cells. Strategies to reduce the generation of RA by CD14(+) macrophages could provide new therapeutic options for patients with CD. View Publication

Differentiation of human embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into hepatocyte-like cells provides a platform to study the molecular basis of human hepatocyte differentiation,to develop cell culture models of liver disease,and to potentially provide hepatocytes for treatment of end-stage liver disease. Additionally,hepatocyte-like cells generated from human pluripotent stem cells could serve as platforms for drug discovery,determination of pharmaceutical-induced hepatotoxicity,and evaluation of idiosyncratic drug-drug interactions. Here,we describe a step-wise protocol previously developed in our laboratory that facilitates the highly efficient and reproducible differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into hepatocyte-like cells. Our protocol uses defined culture conditions and closely recapitulates key developmental events that are found to occur during hepatogenesis. View Publication

While human pluripotent stem cells are attractive sources for cell-replacement therapies,a major concern remains regarding their tumorigenic potential. Thus,safety assessment of human pluripotent stem cell-based products in terms of tumorigenicity is critical. Previously we have identified a pluripotent stem cell-specific lectin probe rBC2LCN recognizing hyperglycosylated podocalyxin as a cell surface ligand. Here we demonstrate that hyperglycosylated podocalyxin is secreted from human pluripotent stem cells into cell culture supernatants. We establish a sandwich assay system,named the GlycoStem test,targeting the soluble hyperglycosylated podocalyxin using rBC2LCN. The GlycoStem test is sufficiently sensitive and quantitative to detect residual human pluripotent stem cells. This work provides a proof of concept for the noninvasive and quantitative detection of tumorigenic human pluripotent stem cells using cell culture supernatants. The developed method should increase the safety of human pluripotent stem cell-based cell therapies. View Publication

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) initiate differentiation in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) but the exact mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. We demonstrate here that SLUG and MSX2,transcription factors involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transitions,essential features of gastrulation in development and tumor progression,are important mediators of BMP4-induced differentiation in hESCs. Phosphorylated Smad1/5/8 colocalized with the SLUG protein at the edges of hESC colonies where differentiation takes place. The upregulation of the BMP target SLUG was direct as shown by the binding of phosphorylated Smad1/5/8 to its promoter,which interrupted the formation of adhesion proteins,resulting in migration. Knockdown of SLUG by short hairpin RNA blocked these changes,confirming an important role for SLUG in BMP-mediated mesodermal differentiation. Furthermore,BMP4-induced MSX2 expression leads to mesoderm formation and then preferential differentiation toward the cardiovascular lineage. View Publication

Basal-like breast cancers (BLBC) are poorly differentiated and display aggressive clinical behavior. These tumors become resistant to cytotoxic agents,and tumor relapse has been attributed to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSC). One of the pathways involved in CSC regulation is the Wnt/$$-catenin signaling pathway. LRP6,a Wnt ligand receptor,is one of the critical elements of this pathway and could potentially be an excellent therapeutic target. Niclosamide has been shown to inhibit the Wnt/$$-catenin signaling pathway by causing degradation of LRP6. TRA-8,a monoclonal antibody specific to TRAIL death receptor 5,is cytotoxic to BLBC cell lines and their CSC-enriched populations. The goal of this study was to examine whether niclosamide is cytotoxic to BLBCs,specifically the CSC population,and if in combination with TRA-8 could produce increased cytotoxicity. Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is a known marker of CSCs. By testing BLBC cells for ALDH expression by flow cytometry,we were able to isolate a nonadherent population of cells that have high ALDH expression. Niclosamide showed cytotoxicity against these nonadherent ALDH-expressing cells in addition to adherent cells from four BLBC cell lines: 2LMP,SUM159,HCC1187,and HCC1143. Niclosamide treatment produced reduced levels of LRP6 and $$-catenin,which is a downstream Wnt/$$-catenin signaling protein. The combination of TRA-8 and niclosamide produced additive cytotoxicity and a reduction in Wnt/$$-catenin activity. Niclosamide in combination with TRA-8 suppressed growth of 2LMP orthotopic tumor xenografts. These results suggest that niclosamide or congeners of this agent may be useful for the treatment of BLBC. View Publication