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We have previously shown that the plant-derived compound parthenolide (PTL) can impair the survival and leukemogenic activity of primary human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) stem cells. However,despite the activity of this agent,PTL also induces cellular protective responses that likely function to reduce its overall cytotoxicity. Thus,we sought to identify pharmacologic agents that enhance the antileukemic potential of PTL. Toward this goal,we used the gene expression signature of PTL to identify compounds that inhibit cytoprotective responses by performing chemical genomic screening of the Connectivity Map database. This screen identified compounds acting along the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin pathways. Compared with single agent treatment,exposure of AML cells to the combination of PTL and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors significantly decreased viability of AML cells and reduced tumor burden in vitro and in murine xenotransplantation models. Taken together,our data show that rational drug combinations can be identified using chemical genomic screening strategies and that inhibition of cytoprotective functions can enhance the eradication of primary human AML cells. View Publication

We re-examine the individual components for human embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) culture and formulate a cell culture system in which all protein reagents for liquid media,attachment surfaces and splitting are chemically defined. A major improvement is the lack of a serum albumin component,as variations in either animal- or human-sourced albumin batches have previously plagued human ESC and iPSC culture with inconsistencies. Using this new medium (E8) and vitronectin-coated surfaces,we demonstrate improved derivation efficiencies of vector-free human iPSCs with an episomal approach. This simplified E8 medium should facilitate both the research use and clinical applications of human ESCs and iPSCs and their derivatives,and should be applicable to other reprogramming methods. View Publication

Existing methods for human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) cardiac differentiation are efficient but require complex,undefined medium constituents that hinder further elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of cardiomyogenesis. Using hiPSCs derived under chemically defined conditions on synthetic matrices,we systematically developed an optimized cardiac differentiation strategy,using a chemically defined medium consisting of just three components: the basal medium RPMI 1640,L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate and rice-derived recombinant human albumin. Along with small molecule-based induction of differentiation,this protocol produced contractile sheets of up to 95% TNNT2(+) cardiomyocytes at a yield of up to 100 cardiomyocytes for every input pluripotent cell and was effective in 11 hiPSC lines tested. This chemically defined platform for cardiac specification of hiPSCs will allow the elucidation of cardiomyocyte macromolecular and metabolic requirements and will provide a minimal system for the study of maturation and subtype specification. View Publication

AIMS The aim of this study was to improve a method that induce cartilage differentiation of human embryoid stem cells (hESCs) in vitro,and test the effect of in vivo environments on the further maturation of hESCs derived cells. MAIN METHODS Embryoid bodies (EBs) formed from hESCs,with serum-free KSR-based medium and mesodermal specification related factors,CHIR,and Noggin for first 8days. Then cells were digested and cultured as micropellets in serum-free KSR-based chondrogenic medium that was supplemented with PDGF-BB,TGF β3,BMP4 in sequence for 24days. The morphology,FACS,histological staining as well as the expression of chondrogenic specific genes were detected in each stage,and further in vivo experiments,cell injections and tissue transplantations,further verified the formation of chondrocytes. KEY FINDINGS We were able to obtain chondrocyte/cartilage from hESCs using serum-free KSR-based conditioned medium. qPCR analysis showed that expression of the chondroprogenitor genes and the chondrocyte/cartilage matrix genes. Morphology analysis demonstrated we got PG+COL2+COL1-particles. It indicated we obtained hyaline cartilage-like particles. 32-Day differential cells were injected subcutaneous. Staining results showed grafts developed further mature in vivo. But when transplanted in subrenal capsule,their effect was not good as in subcutaneous. Microenvironment might affect the cartilage formation. SIGNIFICANCE The results of this study provide an absolute serum-free and efficient approach for generation of hESC-derived chondrocytes,and cells will become further maturation in vivo. It provides evidence and technology for the hypothesis that hESCs may be a promising therapy for the treatment of cartilage disease. View Publication

Stem cell-induced hepatocytes (SC-iHeps) have been suggested as a valuable model for evaluating drug toxicology. Here,human-induced pluripotent stem cells (QIA7) and embryonic stem cells (WA01) were differentiated into hepatocytes,and the hepatotoxic effects of acetaminophen (AAP) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) were compared with primary hepatocytes (p-Heps) and HepG2. In a cytotoxicity assay,the IC50 of SC-iHeps was similar to that in p-Heps and HepG2 in the AAP groups but different from that in p-Heps of the AFB1 groups. In a multi-parameter assay,phenotypic changes in mitochondrial membrane potential,calcium influx and oxidative stress were similar between QIA7-iHeps and p-Heps following AAP and AFB1 treatment but relatively low in WA01-iHeps and HepG2. Most hepatic functional markers (hepatocyte-specific genes,albumin/urea secretion,and the CYP450 enzyme activity) were decreased in a dose-dependent manner following AAP and AFB1 treatment in SC-iHeps and p-Heps but not in HepG2. Regarding CYP450 inhibition,the cell viability of SC-iHeps and p-Heps was increased by ketoconazole,a CYP3A4 inhibitor. Collectively,SC-iHeps and p-Heps showed similar cytotoxicity and hepatocyte functional effects for AAP and AFB1 compared with HepG2. Therefore,SC-iHeps have phenotypic characteristics and sensitivity to cytotoxic chemicals that are more similar to p-Heps than to HepG2 cells. View Publication

Hepatocytes play a central and crucial role in cholesterol and lipid homeostasis,and their proper function is of key importance for cardiovascular health. In particular,hepatocytes (especially periportal hepatocytes) endogenously synthesize large amounts of cholesterol and secrete it into circulating blood via apolipoprotein particles. Cholesterol-secreting hepatocytes are also the clinically-relevant cells targeted by statin treatment in vivo. The study of cholesterol homeostasis is largely restricted to the use of animal models and immortalized cell lines that do not recapitulate those key aspects of normal human hepatocyte function that result from genetic variation of individuals within a population. Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) derived from human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells can provide a cell culture model for the study of cholesterol homeostasis,dyslipidemias,the action of statins and other pharmaceuticals important for cardiovascular health. We have analyzed expression of core components for cholesterol homeostasis in untreated human iPS cells and in response to pravastatin. Here we show the production of differentiated cells resembling periportal hepatocytes from human pluripotent stem cells. These cells express a broad range of apolipoproteins required for secretion and elimination of serum cholesterol,actively secrete cholesterol into the medium,and respond functionally to statin treatment by reduced cholesterol secretion. Our research shows that HLCs derived from human pluripotent cells provide a robust cell culture system for the investigation of the hepatic contribution to human cholesterol homeostasis at both cellular and molecular levels. Importantly,it permits for the first time to also functionally assess the impact of genetic polymorphisms on cholesterol homeostasis. Finally,the system will also be useful for mechanistic studies of heritable dyslipidemias,drug discovery,and investigation of modes of action of cholesterol-modulatory drugs. View Publication

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a postnatal neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects girls. Mutations in the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene account for approximately 95 % of all RTT cases. To model RTT in vitro,we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from fibroblasts of two RTT patients with different mutations (MECP2 (R306C) and MECP2 (1155$$32)) in their MECP2 gene. We found that these iPSCs were capable of differentiating into functional neurons. Compared to control neurons,the RTT iPSC-derived cells had reduced soma size and a decreased amount of synaptic input,evident both as fewer Synapsin 1-positive puncta and a lower frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents. Supplementation of the culture media with choline rescued all of these defects. Choline supplementation may act through changes in the expression of choline acetyltransferase,an important enzyme in cholinergic signaling,and also through alterations in the lipid metabolite profiles of the RTT neurons. Our study elucidates the possible mechanistic pathways for the effect of choline on human RTT cell models,thereby illustrating the potential for using choline as a nutraceutical to treat RTT. View Publication

Cell transplantation has been well explored for cartilage regeneration. We recently showed that the entire articular surface of a synovial joint can regenerate by endogenous cell homing and without cell transplantation. However,the sources of endogenous cells that regenerate articular cartilage remain elusive. Here,we studied whether cytokines not only chemotactically recruit adipose stem cells (ASCs),mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs),and synovium stem cells (SSCs) but also induce chondrogenesis of the recruited cells. Recombinant human transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3; 100 ng) and/or recombinant human stromal derived factor-1β (SDF-1β; 100 ng) was control released into an acellular collagen sponge cube with underlying ASCs,MSCs,or SSCs in monolayer culture. Although all cell types randomly migrated into the acellular collagen sponge cube,TGF-β3 and/or SDF-1β recruited significantly more cells than the cytokine-free control group. In 6 wk,TGF-β3 alone recruited substantial numbers of ASCs (558±65) and MSCs (302±52),whereas codelivery of TGF-β3 and SDF-1β was particularly chemotactic to SSCs (400±120). Proliferation of the recruited cells accounted for some,but far from all,of the observed cellularity. TGF-β3 and SDF-1β codelivery induced significantly higher aggrecan gene expression than the cytokine-free group for ASCs,MSCs,and SSCs. Type II collagen gene expression was also significantly higher for ASCs and SSCs by SDF-1 and TGF-β3 codelivery. Remarkably,the expression of aggrecan and type II collagen was detected among all cell types. Thus,homing of multiple stem/progenitor cell populations may potentially serve as an alternative or adjunctive approach to cell transplantation for cartilage regeneration. View Publication

Erythrocyte membrane protein genes serve as excellent models of complex gene locus structure and function,but their study has been complicated by both their large size and their complexity. To begin to understand the intricate interplay of transcription,dynamic chromatin architecture,transcription factor binding,and genomic organization in regulation of erythrocyte membrane protein genes,we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) coupled with microarray analysis and ChIP coupled with massively parallel DNA sequencing in both erythroid and nonerythroid cells. Unexpectedly,most regions of GATA-1 and NF-E2 binding were remote from gene promoters and transcriptional start sites,located primarily in introns. Cooccupancy with FOG-1,SCL,and MTA-2 was found at all regions of GATA-1 binding,with cooccupancy of SCL and MTA-2 also found at regions of NF-E2 binding. Cooccupancy of GATA-1 and NF-E2 was found frequently. A common signature of histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 4,GATA-1,NF-E2,FOG-1,SCL,and MTA-2 binding and consensus GATA-1-E-box binding motifs located 34 to 90 bp away from NF-E2 binding motifs was found frequently in erythroid cell-expressed genes. These results provide insights into our understanding of membrane protein gene regulation in erythropoiesis and the regulation of complex genetic loci in erythroid and nonerythroid cells and identify numerous candidate regions for mutations associated with membrane-linked hemolytic anemia. View Publication

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) can be harmed by disease,chemotherapy,radiation,and normal aging. We show in this study that damage also occurs in mice repeatedly treated with very low doses of LPS. Overall health of the animals was good,and there were relatively minor changes in marrow hematopoietic progenitors. However,HSC were unable to maintain quiescence,and transplantation revealed them to be myeloid skewed. Moreover,HSC from treated mice were not sustained in serial transplants and produced lymphoid progenitors with low levels of the E47 transcription factor. This phenomenon was previously seen in normal aging. Screening identified mAbs that resolve HSC subsets,and relative proportions of these HSC changed with age and/or chronic LPS treatment. For example,minor CD150(Hi)CD48(-) populations lacking CD86 or CD18 expanded. Simultaneous loss of CD150(Lo/-)CD48(-) HSC and gain of the normally rare subsets,in parallel with diminished transplantation potential,would be consistent with age- or TLR-related injury. In contrast,HSC in old mice differed from those in LPS-treated animals with respect to VCAM-1 or CD41 expression and lacked proliferation abnormalities. HSC can be exposed to endogenous and pathogen-derived TLR ligands during persistent low-grade infections. This stimulation might contribute in part to HSC senescence and ultimately compromise immunity. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Although current evidence suggests that only a minuscule number of osteoblast-lineage cells are present in peripheral blood,we hypothesized that such cells circulate but that their concentration has been vastly underestimated owing to the use of assays that required adherence to plastic. We further reasoned that the concentration of these cells is elevated during times of increased bone formation,such as during pubertal growth. METHODS: We used flow cytometry with antibodies to bone-specific proteins to identify circulating osteoblast-lineage cells in 11 adolescent males and 11 adult males (mean [+/-SD] age,14.5+/-0.7 vs. 37.7+/-7.6 years). Gene expression and in vitro and in vivo bone-forming assays were used to establish the osteoblastic lineage of sorted cells. RESULTS: Cells positive for osteocalcin and cells positive for bone-specific alkaline phosphatase were detected in the peripheral blood of adult subjects (1 to 2 percent of mononuclear cells). There were more than five times as many cells positive for osteocalcin in the circulation of adolescent boys (whose markers of bone formation were clearly increased as a result of pubertal growth) as compared with adult subjects (Ptextless0.001). The percentage of cells positive for osteocalcin correlated with markers of bone formation. Sorted osteocalcin-positive cells expressed osteoblastic genes,formed mineralized nodules in vitro,and formed bone in an in vivo transplantation assay. Increased values were also found in three adults with recent fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoblast-lineage cells circulate in physiologically significant numbers,correlate with markers of bone formation,and are markedly higher during pubertal growth; therefore,they may represent a previously unrecognized circulatory component to the process of bone formation. View Publication

The regulatory pathways necessary for the maintenance of adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) remain poorly defined. By using loss-of-function approaches,we report a selective and cell-autonomous requirement for the p300/CBP-binding transcriptional coactivator Cited2 in adult HSC maintenance. Conditional deletion of Cited2 in the adult mouse results in loss of HSCs causing multilineage bone marrow failure and increased lethality. In contrast,conditional ablation of Cited2 after lineage specification in lymphoid and myeloid lineages has no impact on the maintenance of these lineages. Additional deletion of Ink4a/Arf (encoding p16(Ink4a) and p19(Arf)) or Trp53 (encoding p53,a downstream target of p19(Arf)) in a Cited2-deficient background restores HSC functionality and rescues mice from bone marrow failure. Furthermore,we show that the critical role of Cited2 in primitive hematopoietic cells is conserved in humans. Taken together,our studies provide genetic evidence that Cited2 selectively maintains adult HSC functions,at least in part,via Ink4a/Arf and Trp53. View Publication