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He N, Wang Y, Zhang C, Wang M, Wang Y, Zuo Q, Zhang Y, Li B. Wnt signaling pathway regulates differentiation of chicken embryonic stem cells into spermatogonial stem cells via Wnt5a. J Cell Biochem 2017; 119:1689-1701. [PMID: 28786525 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.26329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the mechanism of signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in chicken. The Wnt signaling pathway was identified based on previous RNA Sequencing results and was proven a crucial signaling pathway that participates in the differentiation of ESCs into SSCs. In retinoic acid (RA) induction experiments in vitro, we found that Wnt signaling expression was inhibited by Wnt5a-shRNA, resulting in decreased expression of corresponding marker genes in SSCs, C-kit, Cvh, integrin α6 and integrin β1, but it was significantly promoted by RA treatment. Immunofluorescence assay showed that percentage of C-kit, Cvh, and integrin α6 and integrin β1-positive cells in RA treatment group and Wnt5a overexpression group was significantly higher than that in Wnt5a signaling interference group. Results of fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis (FACS) also showed that proportion of germ-like cells was reduced by 14.3% (from 18.3% to 4.0%) at day 4 and 15.4% (from 18.6% to 3.2%) at day 12 after transfection, respectively. In experiments in vivo, shRNA-Wnt5a was stably expressed in fertilized chicken embryos and significantly reduced germ cell formation by 11.3% (from 21.7% to 10.4%) and 3.7% (6.4% from 10.1%). Results of quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot assays showed that the expression of some specific germ cell marker genes, integrin α6 and integrin β1, was significantly suppressed following Wnt5a signaling interference in vivo. Taken together, our study suggests that Wnt signaling pathway could regulate positively the differentiation of chicken ESCs into SSCs through Wnt5a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, YangZhou University, YangZhou, P. R. China
| | - Yilin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, YangZhou University, YangZhou, P. R. China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, YangZhou University, YangZhou, P. R. China
| | - Man Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, YangZhou University, YangZhou, P. R. China
| | - Yingjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, YangZhou University, YangZhou, P. R. China
| | - Qisheng Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, YangZhou University, YangZhou, P. R. China
| | - Yani Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, YangZhou University, YangZhou, P. R. China
| | - Bichun Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, YangZhou University, YangZhou, P. R. China
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Foja S, Luther M, Hoffmann K, Rupprecht A, Gruenauer-Kloevekorn C. CTG18.1 repeat expansion may reduce TCF4 gene expression in corneal endothelial cells of German patients with Fuchs' dystrophy. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2017; 255:1621-1631. [PMID: 28608272 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-017-3697-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE It was the aim of this investigation to elucidate the functional effects of CTG18.1 trinucleotide repeat expansion and the polymorphism rs613872 in the transcription factor 4 (TCF4) in corneas of patients affected by Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). METHODS Sixty-one unrelated German patients with FECD and 113 unaffected controls were investigated and genotyped for the CTG18.1 locus by triplet primed PCR (TP-PCR) and the rs613872 polymorphism via Sanger sequencing and by employing genomic DNA from peripheral blood leucocytes. DNA and RNA retrieved from human corneal endothelial explants were examined for alterations in the gene expression of TCF4, ZEB1, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, as well as the CTG18.1 locus. RESULTS The CTG18.1 trinucleotide repeat expansion (>50 repeats) was detected in the peripheral blood in 77% of affected FECD patients and 11.5% of the healthy volunteers. Applying the TP-PCR method, the length of CTG18.1 repeat expansions correlates in the blood and corneal cells. We noted that the CTG18.1 trinucleotide repeat expansion was associated with reduced TCF4 and ZEB1 gene expression, especially in the explanted corneal endothelial cells. While E-cadherin gene expression was not detected in any corneal endothelial cells, expression of CDH2 (N-cadherin) was detected in FECD-affected endothelium and in our controls. CONCLUSIONS The CTG18.1 repeat expansion may reduce gene expression of TCF4 and ZEB1, suggesting that a mechanism triggering a loss of function may contribute to FECD. The correlation of CTG18.1 repeat expansion from blood and the cornea may represent the first step toward investigating the potential relevance of testing the blood of cornea donors to minimize the risk of transplanting grafts potentially affected with FECD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Foja
- Department of Human Genetics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112, Halle, Germany.
| | - Mirjam Luther
- Department of Human Genetics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112, Halle, Germany
| | - Katrin Hoffmann
- Department of Human Genetics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112, Halle, Germany
| | - Andreas Rupprecht
- Opthalmic Surgery, Augenärzte am Markt, Halle; in affilation with Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Claudia Gruenauer-Kloevekorn
- Opthalmic Surgery, Augenärzte am Markt, Halle; in affilation with Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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54
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Wang P, Mokhtari R, Pedrosa E, Kirschenbaum M, Bayrak C, Zheng D, Lachman HM. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated heterozygous knockout of the autism gene CHD8 and characterization of its transcriptional networks in cerebral organoids derived from iPS cells. Mol Autism 2017; 8:11. [PMID: 28321286 PMCID: PMC5357816 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0124-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CHD8 (chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 8), which codes for a member of the CHD family of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling factors, is one of the most commonly mutated genes in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) identified in exome-sequencing studies. Loss of function mutations in the gene have also been found in schizophrenia (SZ) and intellectual disabilities and influence cancer cell proliferation. We previously reported an RNA-seq analysis carried out on neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and monolayer neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that were heterozygous for CHD8 knockout (KO) alleles generated using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. A significant number of ASD and SZ candidate genes were among those that were differentially expressed in a comparison of heterozygous KO lines (CHD8+/-) vs isogenic controls (CHD8+/-), including the SZ and bipolar disorder (BD) candidate gene TCF4, which was markedly upregulated in CHD8+/- neuronal cells. METHODS In the current study, RNA-seq was carried out on CHD8+/- and isogenic control (CHD8+/+) cerebral organoids, which are 3-dimensional structures derived from iPS cells that model the developing human telencephalon. RESULTS TCF4 expression was, again, significantly upregulated. Pathway analysis carried out on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) revealed an enrichment of genes involved in neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, forebrain development, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and axonal guidance, similar to our previous study on NPCs and monolayer neurons. There was also significant overlap in our CHD8+/- DEGs with those found in a transcriptome analysis carried out by another group using cerebral organoids derived from a family with idiopathic ASD. Remarkably, the top DEG in our respective studies was the non-coding RNA DLX6-AS1, which was markedly upregulated in both studies; DLX6-AS1 regulates the expression of members of the DLX (distal-less homeobox) gene family. DLX1 was also upregulated in both studies. DLX genes code for transcription factors that play a key role in GABAergic interneuron differentiation. Significant overlap was also found in a transcriptome study carried out by another group using iPS cell-derived neurons from patients with BD, a condition characterized by dysregulated WNT/β-catenin signaling in a subgroup of affected individuals. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the findings show that distinct ASD, SZ, and BD candidate genes converge on common molecular targets-an important consideration for developing novel therapeutics in genetically heterogeneous complex traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Wang
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY USA
| | - Ryan Mokhtari
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Erika Pedrosa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Michael Kirschenbaum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Can Bayrak
- Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY USA
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY USA
| | - Herbert M. Lachman
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY USA
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY USA
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Abstract
In recent years, the cultivation and expansion of primary corneal cells has made significant progress. The transplantation of cultured limbal epithelial cells represents a successful and established treatment of the ocular surface. Cultivated corneal endothelial cells are undergoing a clinical trial in Japan. Stromal keratocytes can now be expanded in vitro. A wide range of stem cell sources is being tested in vitro and animal models for their possible application in corneal cell therapy. This article gives an overview of recent advancements and prevailing limitations for the use of different cell sources in the therapy of corneal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fuest
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Deutschland.
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapur, Singapur.
| | - G Hin-Fai Yam
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapur, Singapur
- Eye-ACP, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapur, Singapur
| | - G Swee-Lim Peh
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapur, Singapur
- Eye-ACP, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapur, Singapur
| | - P Walter
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Deutschland
| | - N Plange
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Deutschland
| | - J S Mehta
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapur, Singapur
- Eye-ACP, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapur, Singapur
- Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapur, Singapur
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapur, Singapur
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Inagaki E, Hatou S, Higa K, Yoshida S, Shibata S, Okano H, Tsubota K, Shimmura S. Skin-Derived Precursors as a Source of Progenitors for Corneal Endothelial Regeneration. Stem Cells Transl Med 2017; 6:788-798. [PMID: 28186681 PMCID: PMC5442762 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.16-0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corneal blindness is the fourth leading cause of blindness in the world. Current treatment is allogenic corneal transplantation, which is limited by shortage of donors and immunological rejection. Skin-derived precursors (SKPs) are postnatal stem cells, which are self-renewing, multipotent precursors that can be isolated and expanded from the dermis. Facial skin may therefore be an accessible autologous source of neural crest derived cells. SKPs were isolated from facial skin of Wnt1-Cre/Floxed EGFP mouse. After inducing differentiation with medium containing retinoic acid and GSK 3-β inhibitor, SKPs formed polygonal corneal endothelial-like cells (sTECE). Expression of major corneal endothelial markers were confirmed by Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative Real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Western blots confirmed the expression of Na, K-ATPase protein, the major functional marker of corneal endothelial cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed the expression of zonular occludens-1 and Na, K-ATPase in cell-cell junctions. In vitro functional analysis of Na, K-ATPase pump activity revealed that sTECE had significantly high pump function compared to SKPs or control 3T3 cells. Moreover, sTECE transplanted into a rabbit model of bullous keratopathy successfully maintained corneal thickness and transparency. Furthermore, we successfully induced corneal endothelial-like cells from human SKPs, and showed that transplanted corneas also maintained corneal transparency and thickness. Our findings suggest that SKPs may be used as a source of autologous cells for the treatment of corneal endothelial disease. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:788-798.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emi Inagaki
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shin Hatou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazunari Higa
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College Ichikawa General Hospital, Ichikawa, Japan
| | - Satoru Yoshida
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Shibata
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuo Tsubota
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeto Shimmura
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Liu Y, Sun H, Hu M, Zhu M, Tighe S, Chen S, Zhang Y, Su C, Cai S, Guo P. Human Corneal Endothelial Cells Expanded In Vitro Are a Powerful Resource for Tissue Engineering. Int J Med Sci 2017; 14:128-135. [PMID: 28260988 PMCID: PMC5332841 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.17624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human corneal endothelial cells have two major functions: barrier function mediated by proteins such as ZO-1 and pump function mediated by Na-K-ATPase which help to maintain visual function. However, human corneal endothelial cells are notorious for their limited proliferative capability in vivo and are therefore prone to corneal endothelial dysfunction that eventually may lead to blindness. At present, the only method to cure corneal endothelial dysfunction is by transplantation of a cadaver donor cornea with normal corneal endothelial cells. Due to the global shortage of donor corneas, it is vital to engineer corneal tissue in vitro that could potentially be transplanted clinically. In this review, we summarize the advances in understanding the behavior of human corneal endothelial cells, their current engineering strategy in vitro and their potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsong Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yan' An Hospital of Kunming City, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Hong Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Min Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Second People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, 650021, China
| | - Min Zhu
- Public Health, the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85709, USA
| | - Sean Tighe
- Research and Development Department, TissueTech, Inc., 7000 SW 97th Avenue, Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173, USA
| | - Shuangling Chen
- Research and Development Department, TissueTech, Inc., 7000 SW 97th Avenue, Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173, USA
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Research and Development Department, TissueTech, Inc., 7000 SW 97th Avenue, Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173, USA
| | - Chenwei Su
- Research and Development Department, TissueTech, Inc., 7000 SW 97th Avenue, Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173, USA
| | - Subo Cai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Ping Guo
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, School of Optometry & Ophthalmology of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen, 518000, China
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Liu Y, Sun H, Guo P, Hu M, Zhang Y, Tighe S, Chen S, Zhu Y. Characterization and Prospective of Human Corneal Endothelial Progenitors. Int J Med Sci 2017; 14:705-710. [PMID: 28824304 PMCID: PMC5562123 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.19018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Corneal endothelial cells play a critical role in maintaining corneal transparency and dysfunction of these cells caused by aging, diseases (such as Fuch's dystrophy), injury or surgical trauma, which can lead to corneal edema and blindness. Due to their limited proliferative capacity in vivo, the only treatment method is via transplantation of a cadaver donor cornea. However, there is a severe global shortage of donor corneas. To circumvent such issues, tissue engineering of corneal tissue is a viable option thanks to the recent discoveries in this field. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in reprogramming adult human corneal endothelial cells into their progenitor status, the expansion methods and characteristics of human corneal endothelial progenitors, and their potential clinical applications as corneal endothelial cell grafts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsong Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yan' An Hospital of Kunming City, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Hong Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Ping Guo
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, School of Optometry & Ophthalmology of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Min Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Second People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, 650021, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Research and Development Department, TissueTech, Inc., 7000 SW 97th Avenue, Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173, USA
| | - Sean Tighe
- Research and Development Department, TissueTech, Inc., 7000 SW 97th Avenue, Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173, USA
| | - Shuangling Chen
- Research and Development Department, TissueTech, Inc., 7000 SW 97th Avenue, Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173, USA
| | - Yingting Zhu
- Research and Development Department, TissueTech, Inc., 7000 SW 97th Avenue, Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173, USA
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59
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Abstract
Corneal integrity is essential for visual function. Transplantation remains the most common treatment option for advanced corneal diseases. A global donor material shortage requires a search for alternative treatments. Different stem cell populations have been induced to express corneal cell characteristics in vitro and in animal models. Yet before their application to humans, scientific and ethical issues need to be solved. The in vitro propagation and implantation of primary corneal cells has been rapidly evolving with clinical practices of limbal epithelium transplantation and a clinical trial for endothelial cells in progress, implying cultivated ocular cells as a promising option for the future. This review reports on the latest developments in primary ocular cell and stem cell research for corneal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Fuest
- Tissue Engineering & Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.,Department of Ophthalmology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gary Hin-Fai Yam
- Tissue Engineering & Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.,Eye-ACP, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Gary Swee-Lim Peh
- Tissue Engineering & Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.,Eye-ACP, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Jodhbir S Mehta
- Tissue Engineering & Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.,Eye-ACP, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore.,Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore.,School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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Abstract
Recently, regenerative medicine has become a highlighted field because it has great potential to induce a paradigm shift of supportive conventional therapy into definitive treatment. The cornea is the avascular, transparent, dome-shaped outermost layer of the eyeball, and it consists of three layers: epithelium, stroma, and endothelium. Conventional corneal transplantation, known as keratoplasty, has two main problems, a donor shortage and immunological rejection. Therefore, regenerative medicine has been applied to overcome these challenges. Regenerative medicine involving the corneal epithelium has been clinically applied, along with an understanding of corneal epithelial stem cell biology, earlier than that of the corneal stroma or endothelium. Thus, the effectiveness and safety of cultivated corneal or oral mucosal epithelial cell sheet transplantation have been reported by many researchers. Clinical studies on regenerative medicine for corneal stroma or endothelium have begun after basic and nonclinical study. Translational research has been performed to make corneal regenerative medicine a universal therapy. This article reviews corneal regenerative medicine.
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Key Words
- COMET, cultivated oral mucosal epithelial cell sheet transplantation
- Cornea
- GAG, glycosaminoglycan
- LEC, limbal epithelial crypts
- LSCD, limbal stem-cell deficiency
- PMD Act, Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Regenerative and Cellular Therapy Products, Gene Therapy Products, and Cosmetics (PMD Act)
- Regenerative medicine
- Translational research
- iPS, induced pluripotent stem
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kohji Nishida
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 6 6879 3451; fax: +81 6 6879 3458.
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61
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Friedman N, Shushan A, Rojansky N, Shveiky D, Levitzki R, Chaouat M, Ben-Bassat H. Targeting leiomyomas with all-trans-retinoic acid at phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway suppression: Effective roles of β-catenin and of signaling interactions. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2016; 42:1343-1353. [PMID: 27354299 DOI: 10.1111/jog.13068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
AIM Leiomyomas, monoclonal tumors developed by the transformation of myometrium somatic stem cells, are a major health concern that can severely impair quality of life. Pathological alterations of signaling pathways have been recognized as a key feature in a variety of human diseases. Our objective was to analyze treatment with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) by suppression of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway on growth, signaling pattern and interactions among PI3K/B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)/retinol leiomyoma proteins. METHODS Cultures of paired myometrium and leiomyoma cells from premenopausal women undergoing hysterectomy were collected. Western blot and analysis of variance were used for analysis. RESULTS Significant differences were detected between treatment with ATRA alone or with LY294002 (a PI3K growth suppressor) in response to treatment and among cell samples and cell numbers. Leiomyoma cells were less affected. Immunochemical analysis of signaling patterns demonstrated that treatments affected most of the examined protein levels differently. Significant differences between the cell type responses to treatment in pyruvate phosphate dikinase 1 (pPDK1), Bad and pβ-catenin levels were identified. The pβ-catenin level showed highly significant interaction between response to treatment and cell type. CONCLUSIONS ATRA treatment on PI3K pathway suppression significantly affected growth, signaling pattern and interactions among PI3K/Bcl2/retinol proteins involved in the growth, survival and apoptosis of leiomyomas. Interpretation of our results suggests that increasing knowledge of the role of signaling interplay in the pathogenesis of leiomyomas may present an opportunity to use specific signal transduction inhibitors for treating and preventing this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Friedman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.,Laboratory of Experimental Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Asher Shushan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nathan Rojansky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - David Shveiky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rubina Levitzki
- Laboratory of Experimental Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Malka Chaouat
- Israel National Skin Bank, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.,Laboratory of Experimental Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hannah Ben-Bassat
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. .,Israel National Skin Bank, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
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62
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Soh YQ, Peh GSL, Mehta JS. Translational issues for human corneal endothelial tissue engineering. J Tissue Eng Regen Med 2016; 11:2425-2442. [DOI: 10.1002/term.2131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Qiang Soh
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group; Singapore Eye Research Institute; Singapore
- Singapore National Eye Centre; Singapore
| | - Gary S. L. Peh
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group; Singapore Eye Research Institute; Singapore
- Ophthalmology Academic Clinical Programme; Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School; Singapore
| | - Jodhbir S. Mehta
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group; Singapore Eye Research Institute; Singapore
- Singapore National Eye Centre; Singapore
- Ophthalmology Academic Clinical Programme; Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School; Singapore
- Department of Clinical Sciences; Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School; Singapore
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63
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Zhu MY, Yao QK, Chen JZ, Shao CY, Yan CX, Ni N, Fan XQ, Gu P, Fu Y. Effects of corneal stromal cell- and bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cell-conditioned media on the proliferation of corneal endothelial cells. Int J Ophthalmol 2016; 9:332-9. [PMID: 27158599 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2016.03.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To explore the effects of conditioned media on the proliferation of corneal endothelial cells (CECs) and to compare the efficiency of different conditioned media (CM). METHODS Rat CECs, corneal stromal cells (CSCs), bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BEPCs), and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were isolated and cultured in vitro. CM was collected from CSCs, BEPCs, and BMSCs. CECs were cultivated in different culture media. Cell morphology was recorded, and gene and protein expression were analyzed. RESULTS After grown in CM for 5d, CECs in each experimental group remained polygonal, in a cobblestone-like monolayer arrangement. Immunocytofluorescence revealed positive expression of Na(+)/K(+)-ATP, aquaporin 1 (AQP1), and zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1). Based on quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis, Na(+)/K(+)-ATP expression in CSC-CM was notably upregulated by 1.3-fold (±0.036) (P<0.05, n=3). The expression levels of ZO-1, neuron specific enolase (NSE), Vimentin, paired homebox 6 (PAX6), and procollagen type VIII (COL8A1) were notably upregulated in each experimental group. Each CM had a positive effect on CEC proliferation, and CSC-CM had the strongest effect on proliferation. CONCLUSION CSC-CM, BEPC-CM, and BMSC-CM not only stimulated the proliferation of CECs, but also maintained the characteristic differentiated phenotypes necessary for endothelial functions. CSC-CM had the most notable effect on CEC proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Yu Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Qin-Ke Yao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jun-Zhao Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Chun-Yi Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Chen-Xi Yan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Ni Ni
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xian-Qun Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Ping Gu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Yao Fu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
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Isolation of a recombinant antibody specific for a surface marker of the corneal endothelium by phage display. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21661. [PMID: 26902886 PMCID: PMC4763205 DOI: 10.1038/srep21661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell surface antigens are important targets for monoclonal antibodies, but they are often difficult to work with due to their association with the cell membrane. Phage display is a versatile technique that can be applied to generate binders against difficult targets. Here we used antibody phage display to isolate a binder for a rare and specialized cell, the human corneal endothelial cell. The human corneal endothelium is a medically important cell layer; defects in this layer account for about half of all corneal transplants. Despite its importance, no specific antigens have been found to mark this cell type. By panning a phage library directly on human corneal endothelial cells, we isolated an antibody that bound to these cells and not the other types of corneal cells. Subsequently, we identified the antibody's putative target to be CD166 by immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry. This approach can be used to isolate antibodies against other poorly-characterized cell types, such as stem cells or cancer cells, without any prior knowledge of their discriminating markers.
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65
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Machon O, Masek J, Machonova O, Krauss S, Kozmik Z. Meis2 is essential for cranial and cardiac neural crest development. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2015; 15:40. [PMID: 26545946 PMCID: PMC4636814 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-015-0093-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background TALE-class homeodomain transcription factors Meis and Pbx play important roles in formation of the embryonic brain, eye, heart, cartilage or hematopoiesis. Loss-of-function studies of Pbx1, 2 and 3 and Meis1 documented specific functions in embryogenesis, however, functional studies of Meis2 in mouse are still missing. We have generated a conditional allele of Meis2 in mice and shown that systemic inactivation of the Meis2 gene results in lethality by the embryonic day 14 that is accompanied with hemorrhaging. Results We show that neural crest cells express Meis2 and Meis2-defficient embryos display defects in tissues that are derived from the neural crest, such as an abnormal heart outflow tract with the persistent truncus arteriosus and abnormal cranial nerves. The importance of Meis2 for neural crest cells is further confirmed by means of conditional inactivation of Meis2 using crest-specific AP2α-IRES-Cre mouse. Conditional mutants display perturbed development of the craniofacial skeleton with severe anomalies in cranial bones and cartilages, heart and cranial nerve abnormalities. Conclusions Meis2-null mice are embryonic lethal. Our results reveal a critical role of Meis2 during cranial and cardiac neural crest cells development in mouse. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12861-015-0093-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondrej Machon
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, 14200, Praha, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Masek
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, 14200, Praha, Czech Republic.
| | - Olga Machonova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, 14200, Praha, Czech Republic.
| | - Stefan Krauss
- Unit for Cell Signaling, Oslo University Hospital, N-0349, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Zbynek Kozmik
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, 14200, Praha, Czech Republic.
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66
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Müller RT, Pourmirzaie R, Pavan-Langston D, Cavalcanti BM, Aggarwal S, Colón C, Jamali A, Cruzat A, Hamrah P. In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Demonstrates Bilateral Loss of Endothelial Cells in Unilateral Herpes Simplex Keratitis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2015. [PMID: 26225629 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.15-16527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To report bilateral corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), as well as its correlation with subbasal nerve changes, in patients with unilateral herpes simplex keratitis (HSK). METHODS Thirty-six eyes of 36 patients with corneal scarring caused by HSK, as well as their respective contralateral clinically unaffected eyes, were prospectively studied and compared with 26 eyes of 26 healthy volunteers. In vivo confocal microscopy and corneal sensation of the central cornea were performed bilaterally in all patients and in one random eye of controls. The ECD and subbasal corneal nerve density, including the lengths of total nerves, main trunks, and branches were evaluated and correlated to central corneal sensation. RESULTS The ECD was significantly lower in eyes affected with HSK than in controls (2304 ± 578 vs. 2940 ± 370 cells/mm(2), P < 0.0001). Surprisingly, lower ECD was also detected in contralateral clinically unaffected eyes (2548 ± 423), compared to controls (P = 0.02). Both affected and contralateral eyes showed decrease in total nerve length, compared to controls (10.0 ± 6.3 vs. 17.6 ± 6.3 vs. 21.9 ± 4.3 mm/mm2, respectively; P < 0.05 for all). The ECD correlated positively with total nerve length (r = 0.39, P = 0.0009) and with corneal sensation (r = 0.31, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS In vivo confocal microscopy findings demonstrated alterations in corneal ECD in both affected and clinically unaffected contralateral eyes of patients with unilateral HSK. Moreover, the positive significant correlation between the ECD and the subbasal nerve density may suggest a potential link between corneal innervation and corneal endothelial cell homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo T Müller
- Ocular Surface Imaging Center, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Roxanna Pourmirzaie
- Ocular Surface Imaging Center, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Deborah Pavan-Langston
- Ocular Surface Imaging Center, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Bernardo M Cavalcanti
- Ocular Surface Imaging Center, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Shruti Aggarwal
- Ocular Surface Imaging Center, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Clara Colón
- Ocular Surface Imaging Center, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Arsia Jamali
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Andrea Cruzat
- Ocular Surface Imaging Center, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Pedram Hamrah
- Ocular Surface Imaging Center, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medic
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Lee JG, Heur M. WNT10B enhances proliferation through β-catenin and RAC1 GTPase in human corneal endothelial cells. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:26752-64. [PMID: 26370090 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.677245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The cornea is the anterior, transparent tissue of the human eye that serves as its main refractive element. Corneal endothelial cells are arranged as a monolayer on the posterior surface of the cornea and function as a pump to counteract the leakiness of its basement membrane. Maintaining the cornea in a slightly dehydrated state is critical for the maintenance of corneal transparency. Adult human corneal endothelial cells are G1-arrested, even in response to injury, leading to an age-dependent decline in endothelial cell density. Corneal edema and subsequent vision loss ensues when endothelial cell density decreases below a critical threshold. Vision loss secondary to corneal endothelial dysfunction is a common indication for transplantation in developed nations. An impending increase in demand for and a current global shortage of donor corneas will necessitate the development of treatments for vision loss because of endothelial dysfunction that do not rely on donor corneas. Wnt ligands regulate many critical cellular functions, such as proliferation, making them attractive candidates for modulation in corneal endothelial dysfunction. We show that WNT10B causes nuclear transport and binding of RAC1 and β-catenin in human corneal endothelial cells, leading to the activation of Cyclin D1 expression and proliferation. Our findings indicate that WNT10B promotes proliferation in human corneal endothelial cells by simultaneously utilizing both β-catenin-dependent and -independent pathways and suggest that its modulation could be used to treat vision loss secondary to corneal endothelial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Goo Lee
- From the University of Southern California Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
| | - Martin Heur
- From the University of Southern California Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
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68
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Navaratnam J, Utheim TP, Rajasekhar VK, Shahdadfar A. Substrates for Expansion of Corneal Endothelial Cells towards Bioengineering of Human Corneal Endothelium. J Funct Biomater 2015; 6:917-45. [PMID: 26378588 PMCID: PMC4598685 DOI: 10.3390/jfb6030917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corneal endothelium is a single layer of specialized cells that lines the posterior surface of cornea and maintains corneal hydration and corneal transparency essential for vision. Currently, transplantation is the only therapeutic option for diseases affecting the corneal endothelium. Transplantation of corneal endothelium, called endothelial keratoplasty, is widely used for corneal endothelial diseases. However, corneal transplantation is limited by global donor shortage. Therefore, there is a need to overcome the deficiency of sufficient donor corneal tissue. New approaches are being explored to engineer corneal tissues such that sufficient amount of corneal endothelium becomes available to offset the present shortage of functional cornea. Although human corneal endothelial cells have limited proliferative capacity in vivo, several laboratories have been successful in in vitro expansion of human corneal endothelial cells. Here we provide a comprehensive analysis of different substrates employed for in vitro cultivation of human corneal endothelial cells. Advances and emerging challenges with ex vivo cultured corneal endothelial layer for the ultimate goal of therapeutic replacement of dysfunctional corneal endothelium in humans with functional corneal endothelium are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesintha Navaratnam
- Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, Postbox 4950 Nydalen, Oslo 0424, Norway.
| | - Tor P Utheim
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, Postbox 4950 Nydalen, Oslo 0424, Norway.
- Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Postbox 1052, Blindern, Oslo 0316, Norway.
| | - Vinagolu K Rajasekhar
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Rockefeller Research Building, Room 1163, 430 East 67th Street/1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Aboulghassem Shahdadfar
- Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, Postbox 4950 Nydalen, Oslo 0424, Norway.
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69
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Espana EM, Sun M, Birk DE. Existence of Corneal Endothelial Slow-Cycling Cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2015; 56:3827-37. [PMID: 26066751 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-16030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To demonstrate the presence and location of corneal endothelial progenitor cells. METHODS Progenitor cell markers nestin, leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5, Sox9, and nerve growth factor receptor p75, as well as proliferation marker Ki-67, were examined on postnatal day (P)3, P30, and P90 corneas using immunofluorescence microscopy. Mice (P3) were pulsed with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and chased. RESULTS Cell proliferation was observed in all layers of P3 corneas. No posterior stromal cell proliferation was noted in P30 corneas. Progenitor cell markers were expressed in the P3 cornea, but were downregulated during maturation with minimal or no expression in P90 central corneas. In contrast, cells expressing progenitor markers were located exclusively at the corneal periphery at P90. Clusters of cells reactive for progenitor markers were in the endothelial and subendothelial space in the P90 peripheral cornea. Reactivity against BrdU was localized to the central and peripheral cornea at 1 week, and to the extreme periphery 3 weeks following a BrdU pulse. Cells reactive for both BrdU and progenitor markers were localized to the peripheral endothelium. At 3 weeks, cells reactive for BrdU and the progenitor markers were localized in the peripheral endothelium. Approximately, 20% to 45% of the progenitor marker positive cells also were labeled with BrdU. CONCLUSIONS During development, the murine corneal endothelium is composed of proliferating cells expressing progenitor markers. In contrast, in the mature endothelium slow-cycling cells, cells expressing progenitor markers and a subpopulation of slow-cycling cells expressing progenitor makers are restricted to the endothelial periphery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar M Espana
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States 2Department of Ophthalmology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States
| | - Mei Sun
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States
| | - David E Birk
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States
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Branch MJ, Yu WY, Sheridan C, Hopkinson A. Isolation of adult stem cell populations from the human cornea. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1235:165-77. [PMID: 25388394 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1785-3_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Corneal blindness is a leading cause of vision loss globally. From a tissue engineering perspective, the cornea represents specific challenges in respect to isolating, stably expanding, banking, and effectively manipulating the various cell types required for effective corneal regeneration. The current research trend in this area focuses on a combined stem cell component with a biological or synthetic carrier or engineering scaffold. Corneal derived stem cells play an important role in such strategies as they represent an available supply of cells with specific abilities to further generate corneal cells in the long term. This chapter describes the isolation protocols of the epithelial stromal and endothelial stem cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Branch
- Ophthalmology DCN, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Center, Clifton Blvd., Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
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71
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Zhu YT, Tighe S, Chen SL, John T, Kao WY, Tseng SCG. Engineering of Human Corneal Endothelial Grafts. CURRENT OPHTHALMOLOGY REPORTS 2015; 3:207-217. [PMID: 26509105 DOI: 10.1007/s40135-015-0077-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human corneal endothelial cells (HCEC) play a pivotal role in maintaining corneal transparency. Unlike in other species, HCEC are notorious for their limited proliferative capacity in vivo after diseases, injury, aging, and surgery. Persistent HCEC dysfunction leads to sight-threatening bullous keratopathy with either an insufficient cell density or retrocorneal membrane due to endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Presently, the only solution to restore vision in eyes inflicted with bullous keratopathy or retrocorneal membrane relies upon transplantation of a cadaver human donor cornea containing a healthy corneal endothelium. Due to a severe global shortage of donor corneas, in conjunction with an increasing trend toward endothelial keratoplasty, it is opportune to develop a tissue engineering strategy to produce HCEC grafts. Prior attempts of producing these grafts by unlocking the contact inhibition-mediated mitotic block using trypsin-EDTA and culturing of single HCEC in a bFGF-containing medium run the risk of losing the normal phenotype to EMT by activating canonical Wnt signaling and TGF-β signaling. Herein, we summarize our novel approach in engineering HCEC grafts based on selective activation of p120-Kaiso signaling that is coordinated with activation of Rho-ROCK-canonical BMP signaling to reprogram HCEC into neural crest progenitors. Successful commercialization of this engineering technology will not only fulfill the global unmet need but also encourage the scientific community to re-think how cell-cell junctions can be safely perturbed to uncover novel therapeutic potentials in other model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Ting Zhu
- R&D Department, Tissue Tech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, 7000 SW 97 Ave #212, Miami, FL, 33173, USA
| | - Sean Tighe
- R&D Department, Tissue Tech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, 7000 SW 97 Ave #212, Miami, FL, 33173, USA
| | - Shuang-Ling Chen
- R&D Department, Tissue Tech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, 7000 SW 97 Ave #212, Miami, FL, 33173, USA
| | - Thomas John
- Department of Ophthalmology, Loyola University at Chicago, 2160 1 Ave, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Winston Y Kao
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - Scheffer C G Tseng
- R&D Department, Tissue Tech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, 7000 SW 97 Ave #212, Miami, FL 33173, USA, Telephone: (305) 274-1299
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72
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Yuan S, Fan G. Stem cell-based therapy of corneal epithelial and endothelial diseases. Regen Med 2015; 10:495-504. [DOI: 10.2217/rme.15.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corneal dysfunction is the second leading cause of blindness. Approximately 10 million patients worldwide are affected by some form of corneal disease. More than 50,000 cornea transplants are performed every year, but this procedure is limited by cornea donation availability. Recently, new cell replacement procedures have been developed to treat a variety of corneal diseases. This review will focus on the recent advances in the use of limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) to treat corneal epithelial cell deficiency and improvements in replacing dysfunctional corneal endothelial cells (CECs) with exogenous CECs. Several protocols have been developed to differentiate pluripotent stem cells into LESC- or CEC-like cells, potentially yielding an unlimited source for the cell replacement therapy of corneal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songtao Yuan
- Department of Human Genetics & Broad Stem Cell Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, China
| | - Guoping Fan
- Department of Human Genetics & Broad Stem Cell Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Discovery of molecular markers to discriminate corneal endothelial cells in the human body. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117581. [PMID: 25807145 PMCID: PMC4373821 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The corneal endothelium is a monolayer of hexagonal corneal endothelial cells (CECs) on the inner surface of the cornea. CECs are critical in maintaining corneal transparency through their barrier and pump functions. CECs in vivo have a limited capacity in proliferation, and loss of a significant number of CECs results in corneal edema called bullous keratopathy which can lead to severe visual loss. Corneal transplantation is the most effective method to treat corneal endothelial dysfunction, where it suffers from donor shortage. Therefore, regeneration of CECs from other cell types attracts increasing interests, and specific markers of CECs are crucial to identify actual CECs. However, the currently used markers are far from satisfactory because of their non-specific expression in other cell types. Here, we explored molecular markers to discriminate CECs from other cell types in the human body by integrating the published RNA-seq data of CECs and the FANTOM5 atlas representing diverse range of cell types based on expression patterns. We identified five genes, CLRN1, MRGPRX3, HTR1D, GRIP1 and ZP4 as novel markers of CECs, and the specificities of these genes were successfully confirmed by independent experiments at both the RNA and protein levels. Notably none of them have been documented in the context of CEC function. These markers could be useful for the purification of actual CECs, and also available for the evaluation of the products derived from other cell types. Our results demonstrate an effective approach to identify molecular markers for CECs and open the door for the regeneration of CECs in vitro.
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Sidney LE, Branch MJ, Dunphy SE, Dua HS, Hopkinson A. Concise review: evidence for CD34 as a common marker for diverse progenitors. Stem Cells 2015; 32:1380-9. [PMID: 24497003 PMCID: PMC4260088 DOI: 10.1002/stem.1661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 570] [Impact Index Per Article: 63.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Revised: 12/20/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
CD34 is a transmembrane phosphoglycoprotein, first identified on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Clinically, it is associated with the selection and enrichment of hematopoietic stem cells for bone marrow transplants. Due to these historical and clinical associations, CD34 expression is almost ubiquitously related to hematopoietic cells, and it is a common misconception that CD34-positive (CD34+) cells in nonhematopoietic samples represent hematopoietic contamination. The prevailing school of thought states that multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) do not express CD34. However, strong evidence demonstrates CD34 is expressed not only by MSC but by a multitude of other nonhematopoietic cell types including muscle satellite cells, corneal keratocytes, interstitial cells, epithelial progenitors, and vascular endothelial progenitors. In many cases, the CD34+ cells represent a small proportion of the total cell population and also indicate a distinct subset of cells with enhanced progenitor activity. Herein, we explore common traits between cells that express CD34, including associated markers, morphology and differentiation potential. We endeavor to highlight key similarities between CD34+ cells, with a focus on progenitor activity. A common function of CD34 has yet to be elucidated, but by analyzing and understanding links between CD34+ cells, we hope to be able to offer an insight into the overlapping properties of cells that express CD34. Stem Cells2014;32:1380–1389
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Sidney
- Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre Campus, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Shao C, Chen J, Chen P, Zhu M, Yao Q, Gu P, Fu Y, Fan X. Targeted transplantation of human umbilical cord blood endothelial progenitor cells with immunomagnetic nanoparticles to repair corneal endothelium defect. Stem Cells Dev 2014; 24:756-67. [PMID: 25315152 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2014.0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corneal endothelial dysfunction involves progressive corneal edema and loss of visual acuity, which result in the need for corneal transplantation. The global shortage of donor corneas limits the development of the surgery. Reconstruction of a bioengineered corneal endothelium might resolve this problem. Various scaffolds have been used, but poor biocompatibility and degradation limit their applications. In this study, a novel method of targeted cellular transplantation without permanent residence of cell carriers in the host was proposed. Human umbilical cord blood endothelial progenitor cells (UCB EPCs) were labeled with CD34 immunomagnetic nanoparticles. The efficiency of the magnet attraction was evaluated in vitro with a simple device simulating the anterior chamber. The UCB EPCs labeled with nanoparticles were transplanted into the anterior chamber of rabbits with magnet attraction. The results indicated that labeling the nanoparticles did not affect the proliferation of the UCB EPCs. The in vitro study indicated that the magnet could directionally attract UCB EPCs labeled with nanoparticles. The in vivo study indicated that the corneas in rabbits transplanted with UCB EPCs labeled with nanoparticles and magnet attraction became relatively transparent with little edema. These results showed that UCB EPCs labeled with CD34 immunomagnetic nanoparticles could be attracted directionally by a magnet and could repair corneal endothelial defects, providing a promising cell therapy for corneal endothelial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyi Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai, China
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Chen P, Chen JZ, Shao CY, Li CY, Zhang YD, Lu WJ, Fu Y, Gu P, Fan X. Treatment with retinoic acid and lens epithelial cell-conditioned medium in vitro directed the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells towards corneal endothelial cell-like cells. Exp Ther Med 2014; 9:351-360. [PMID: 25574197 PMCID: PMC4280952 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2014.2103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have extensive self-renewal capacity and the potential to differentiate into all tissue-specific cell lineages, including corneal endothelial cells (CECs). They are a promising prospect for the future of regenerative medicine. The method of derivation of CECs from ESCs and iPSCs, however, remains to be elucidated. In this study, mouse ESCs and iPSCs were induced to differentiate into CECs using CEC embryonic development events as a guide. All-trans retinoic acid (RA) treatment during the embryoid body (EB) differentiation step was used to promote neural crest (NC) cell differentiation as first step and was followed by a second induction in CEC- or lens epithelial cell (LEC)-conditioned medium (CM) to ultimately generate CEC-like cells. During the corresponding differentiation stages, NC developmental markers and CEC differentiation markers were detected at the protein level using immunocytochemistry (ICC) and at the mRNA level by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). During the first stage, the data indicated that 4 days of treatment with 1 μM RA starting on day 4 of EB formation favored NC cell differentiation and that plating on gelatin-coated plates led to cell migration out of the EBs. The second-stage differentiation results showed that the CM, particularly the LEC-CM, enhanced the yield of polygonal cells with CEC-specific marker expression shown by ICC and RT-qPCR. This study demonstrates that mouse ESCs and iPSCs were induced and expressed CEC differentiation markers when subjected to a two-step inducement process, suggesting that they are a promising resource for corneal endothelium failure replacement therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China ; Department of Ophthalmology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
| | - Jun-Zhao Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
| | - Chun-Yi Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
| | - Chuan-Yin Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Dan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Juan Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
| | - Yao Fu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
| | - Ping Gu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
| | - Xianqun Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China
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Dai Y, Guo Y, Wang C, Liu Q, Yang Y, Li S, Guo X, Lian R, Yu R, Liu H, Chen J. Non-genetic direct reprogramming and biomimetic platforms in a preliminary study for adipose-derived stem cells into corneal endothelia-like cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109856. [PMID: 25333522 PMCID: PMC4198143 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fate and function can be regulated and reprogrammed by intrinsic genetic program, extrinsic factors and niche microenvironment. Direct reprogramming has shown many advantages in the field of cellular reprogramming. Here we tried the possibility to generate corneal endothelia (CE) -like cells from human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) by the non-genetic direct reprogramming of recombinant cell-penetrating proteins Oct4/Klf4/Sox2 (PTD-OKS) and small molecules (purmorphamine, RG108 and other reprogramming chemical reagents), as well as biomimetic platforms of simulate microgravity (SMG) bioreactor. Co-cultured with corneal cells and decellularized corneal ECM, Reprogrammed ADSCs revealed spherical growth and positively expressing Nanog for RT-PCR analysis and CD34 for immunofluorescence staining after 7 days-treatment of both purmorphamine and PTD-OKS (P-OKS) and in SMG culture. ADSCs changed to CEC polygonal morphology from spindle shape after the sequential non-genetic direct reprogramming and biomimetic platforms. At the same time, induced cells converted to weakly express CD31, AQP-1 and ZO-1. These findings demonstrated that the treatments were able to promote the stem-cell reprogramming for human ADSCs. Our study also indicates for the first time that SMG rotary cell culture system can be used as a non-genetic means to promote direct reprogramming. Our methods of reprogramming provide an alternative strategy for engineering patient-specific multipotent cells for cellular plasticity research and future autologous CEC replacement therapy that avoids complications associated with the use of human pluripotent stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Dai
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yonglong Guo
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chan Wang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Ophthalmology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Ophthalmology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Ophthalmology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Ophthalmology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shanyi Li
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoling Guo
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruiling Lian
- Ophthalmology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Ophthalmology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rongjie Yu
- Bioengineering Institute of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongwei Liu
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiansu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Ophthalmology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Ophthalmology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail:
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78
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Zhu YT, Li F, Han B, Tighe S, Zhang S, Chen SY, Liu X, Tseng SCG. Activation of RhoA-ROCK-BMP signaling reprograms adult human corneal endothelial cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 206:799-811. [PMID: 25202030 PMCID: PMC4164941 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201404032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Activation of RhoA-ROCK-BMP signaling reprograms adult human corneal endothelial cells into neural crest–like progenitors, which effectively form corneal endothelial monolayers that may eliminate the need for corneal transplantation. Currently there are limited treatment options for corneal blindness caused by dysfunctional corneal endothelial cells. The primary treatment involves transplantation of healthy donor human corneal endothelial cells, but a global shortage of donor corneas necessitates other options. Conventional tissue approaches for corneal endothelial cells are based on EDTA-trypsin treatment and run the risk of irreversible endothelial mesenchymal transition by activating canonical Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) and TGF-β signaling. Herein, we demonstrate an alternative strategy that avoids disruption of cell–cell junctions and instead activates Ras homologue gene family A (RhoA)–Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK)–canonical bone morphogenic protein signaling to reprogram adult human corneal endothelial cells to neural crest–like progenitors via activation of the miR302b-Oct4-Sox2-Nanog network. This approach allowed us to engineer eight human corneal endothelial monolayers of transplantable size, with a normal density and phenotype from one corneoscleral rim. Given that a similar signal network also exists in the retinal pigment epithelium, this partial reprogramming approach may have widespread relevance and potential for treating degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Ting Zhu
- TissueTech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, Miami, FL 33173
| | - Fu Li
- Pediatric Research Institute and Department of Pediatric Hematology, Qilu Children's Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250022, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Han
- Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Sean Tighe
- TissueTech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, Miami, FL 33173
| | - Suzhen Zhang
- TissueTech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, Miami, FL 33173
| | - Szu-Yu Chen
- TissueTech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, Miami, FL 33173
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Scheffer C G Tseng
- TissueTech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, Miami, FL 33173
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79
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Whole exome sequence analysis of Peters anomaly. Hum Genet 2014; 133:1497-511. [PMID: 25182519 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-014-1481-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Peters anomaly is a rare form of anterior segment ocular dysgenesis, which can also be associated with additional systemic defects. At this time, the majority of cases of Peters anomaly lack a genetic diagnosis. We performed whole exome sequencing of 27 patients with syndromic or isolated Peters anomaly to search for pathogenic mutations in currently known ocular genes. Among the eight previously recognized Peters anomaly genes, we identified a de novo missense mutation in PAX6, c.155G>A, p.(Cys52Tyr), in one patient. Analysis of 691 additional genes currently associated with a different ocular phenotype identified a heterozygous splicing mutation c.1025+2T>A in TFAP2A, a de novo heterozygous nonsense mutation c.715C>T, p.(Gln239*) in HCCS, a hemizygous mutation c.385G>A, p.(Glu129Lys) in NDP, a hemizygous mutation c.3446C>T, p.(Pro1149Leu) in FLNA, and compound heterozygous mutations c.1422T>A, p.(Tyr474*) and c.2544G>A, p.(Met848Ile) in SLC4A11; all mutations, except for the FLNA and SLC4A11 c.2544G>A alleles, are novel. This is the first study to use whole exome sequencing to discern the genetic etiology of a large cohort of patients with syndromic or isolated Peters anomaly. We report five new genes associated with this condition and suggest screening of TFAP2A and FLNA in patients with Peters anomaly and relevant syndromic features and HCCS, NDP and SLC4A11 in patients with isolated Peters anomaly.
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80
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Zhu AY, Eberhart CG, Jun AS. Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy: a neurodegenerative disorder? JAMA Ophthalmol 2014; 132:377-8. [PMID: 24504267 DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2013.7993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Y Zhu
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Charles G Eberhart
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Albert S Jun
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
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81
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Microarray analysis of cell cycle gene expression in adult human corneal endothelial cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e94349. [PMID: 24747418 PMCID: PMC3991635 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corneal endothelial cells (ECs) form a monolayer that controls the hydration of the cornea and thus its transparency. Their almost nil proliferative status in humans is responsible, in several frequent diseases, for cell pool attrition that leads to irreversible corneal clouding. To screen for candidate genes involved in cell cycle arrest, we studied human ECs subjected to various environments thought to induce different proliferative profiles compared to ECs in vivo. Donor corneas (a few hours after death), organ-cultured (OC) corneas, in vitro confluent and non-confluent primary cultures, and an immortalized EC line were compared to healthy ECs retrieved in the first minutes of corneal grafts. Transcriptional profiles were compared using a cDNA array of 112 key genes of the cell cycle and analysed using Gene Ontology classification; cluster analysis and gene map presentation of the cell cycle regulation pathway were performed by GenMAPP. Results were validated using qRT-PCR on 11 selected genes. We found several transcripts of proteins implicated in cell cycle arrest and not previously reported in human ECs. Early G1-phase arrest effectors and multiple DNA damage-induced cell cycle arrest-associated transcripts were found in vivo and over-represented in OC and in vitro ECs. Though highly proliferative, immortalized ECs also exhibited overexpression of transcripts implicated in cell cycle arrest. These new effectors likely explain the stress-induced premature senescence that characterizes human adult ECs. They are potential targets for triggering and controlling EC proliferation with a view to increasing the cell pool of stored corneas or facilitating mass EC culture for bioengineered endothelial grafts.
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Hara S, Hayashi R, Soma T, Kageyama T, Duncan T, Tsujikawa M, Nishida K. Identification and potential application of human corneal endothelial progenitor cells. Stem Cells Dev 2014; 23:2190-201. [PMID: 24588720 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2013.0387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The corneal endothelium is believed to be developmentally originated from the periocular mesenchyme via the neural crest. Human corneal endothelial progenitor cells (HCEPs) have been investigated because of their potential availability for the tissue regenerative medicine. However, the existence and the properties of HCEPs have not been elucidated yet. We first established a novel serum-free culture system for HCEPs. The HCEPs highly expressed p75 neurotrophin receptor, SOX9, and FOXC2, and partially retained the properties of neural crest and periocular mesenchyme. Further, we demonstrated that HCEPs had a high proliferative potency, and the differentiated HCEP sheets had corneal endothelial function by using the Ussing chamber system and transplantation to the rabbit cornea. These findings suggest that the HCEPs can be selectively expanded from the corneal endothelium using a specific culture system and will provide cell sheets for corneal regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susumu Hara
- 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine , Suita, Japan
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83
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Okano H, Yamanaka S. iPS cell technologies: significance and applications to CNS regeneration and disease. Mol Brain 2014; 7:22. [PMID: 24685317 PMCID: PMC3977688 DOI: 10.1186/1756-6606-7-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2006, we demonstrated that mature somatic cells can be reprogrammed to a pluripotent state by gene transfer, generating induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Since that time, there has been an enormous increase in interest regarding the application of iPS cell technologies to medical science, in particular for regenerative medicine and human disease modeling. In this review article, we outline the current status of applications of iPS technology to cell therapies (particularly for spinal cord injury), as well as neurological disease-specific iPS cell research (particularly for Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease). Finally, future directions of iPS cell research are discussed including a) development of an accurate assay system for disease-associated phenotypes, b) demonstration of causative relationships between genotypes and phenotypes by genome editing, c) application to sporadic and common diseases, and d) application to preemptive medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
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84
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Zhu YT, Han B, Li F, Chen SY, Tighe S, Zhang S, Tseng SCG. Knockdown of both p120 catenin and Kaiso promotes expansion of human corneal endothelial monolayers via RhoA-ROCK-noncanonical BMP-NFκB pathway. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2014; 55:1509-18. [PMID: 24474278 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.13-13633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the signaling pathway involved in expanding contact-inhibited human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) using p120 and Kaiso small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). METHODS Expansion of HCEC monolayers on collagen IV in SHEM using p120 siRNA was optimized regarding various dosage, frequency, and starting date before being added Kaiso siRNA or various inhibitors of Rho, ROCK, NFκB, and TAK1. Phase contrast micrographs were used for monitoring cell shape, monolayer size, and cell density. Immunostaining was used to determine cytolocalization of BrdU, p120, pNFkB, F-actin, α-catenin, β-catenin, LEF1, Na+/K+-ATPase, N-cadherin, ZO-1, and S100A4. Western blotting was used to determine the protein level of RhoA and RhoA-guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP). RESULTS The HCEC monolayer size in diameter was expanded from 2.1 ± 0.4 mm to 4.3 ± 0.3 mm (P < 0.05) by increasing p120 siRNA from 40 nM to 100 nM starting at day 7, to 5.0 ± 0.4 mm (P < 0.05) by adding 100 nM Kaiso siRNA, to 6.8 ± 0.3 mm by using one-fourth corneoscleral rim (P < 0.05), and to 8.1 ± 0.5 mm by using one-half corneoscleral rim (P < 0.05). Such proliferative effect required activation of RhoA-ROCK-noncanonical bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling and nuclear translocation of phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (pNFκB). After withdrawal of siRNAs for 1 week, the resultant HCEC monolayer maintained a hexagonal shape, the average cell density of 2254 ± 87 mm(2) (n = 3), and normal expression patterns of F-actin, α-catenin, β-catenin, N-cadherin, ZO-1, and Na+/K+-ATPase without S100A4 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). CONCLUSIONS The optimized knockdown with p120 and Kaiso siRNAs further expands the size of HCEC monolayers without endothelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) via selective activation of p120/Kaiso signaling that requires the RhoA-ROCK-noncanonical BMP-NFkB signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Ting Zhu
- Tissue Tech, Inc., Ocular Surface Center, and Ocular Surface Research & Education Foundation, Miami, Florida
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85
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Kim EY, Song JE, Park CH, Joo CK, Khang G. Recent advances in tissue-engineered corneal regeneration. Inflamm Regen 2014. [DOI: 10.2492/inflammregen.34.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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86
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Validation of Na,K-ATPase Pump Function of Corneal Endothelial Cells for Corneal Regenerative Medicine. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2013; 19:901-10. [DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2013.0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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87
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Keeping an eye on decellularized corneas: a review of methods, characterization and applications. J Funct Biomater 2013; 4:114-61. [PMID: 24956084 PMCID: PMC4030906 DOI: 10.3390/jfb4030114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The worldwide limited availability of suitable corneal donor tissue has led to the development of alternatives, including keratoprostheses (Kpros) and tissue engineered (TE) constructs. Despite advances in bioscaffold design, there is yet to be a corneal equivalent that effectively mimics both the native tissue ultrastructure and biomechanical properties. Human decellularized corneas (DCs) could offer a safe, sustainable source of corneal tissue, increasing the donor pool and potentially reducing the risk of immune rejection after corneal graft surgery. Appropriate, human-specific, decellularization techniques and high-resolution, non-destructive analysis systems are required to ensure reproducible outputs can be achieved. If robust treatment and characterization processes can be developed, DCs could offer a supplement to the donor corneal pool, alongside superior cell culture systems for pharmacology, toxicology and drug discovery studies.
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88
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Hashmani K, Branch MJ, Sidney LE, Dhillon PS, Verma M, McIntosh OD, Hopkinson A, Dua HS. Characterization of corneal stromal stem cells with the potential for epithelial transdifferentiation. Stem Cell Res Ther 2013; 4:75. [PMID: 23800436 PMCID: PMC4058700 DOI: 10.1186/scrt226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 06/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The corneal stroma is being increasingly recognized as a repository for stem cells. Like the limbal and endothelial niches, stromal stem cells often reside in the peripheral cornea and limbus. These peripheral and limbal corneal stromal cells (PLCSCs) are known to produce mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. Recently, a common corneal stromal and epithelial progenitor was hinted at. This study aims to examine the stem cell potential of corneal stromal cells and to investigate their epithelial transdifferentiation ability. METHODS PLCSCs were grown in traditional Dulbecco modified Eagle medium (DMEM)-based keratocyte culture medium and an M199-based medium and analyzed for a profile of cell-surface markers by using flow cytometry and differentiated into mesenchymal phenotypes analyzed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and histologic staining. PLCSCs in M199 were subsequently divided into subpopulations based on CD34 and CD105 expression by using fluorescence- activated cell sorting (FACS). Subpopulations were characterized by marker profile and mesenchymal differentiation ability. Both whole PLCSCs and subpopulations were also cultured for epithelial transdifferentiation. RESULTS Cells cultured in M199 demonstrated a more stem-like cell-surface marker profile, and the keratocyte marker CD34 was retained for several passages but absent in cells cultured in DMEM. Cells cultured in M199 also exhibited a greater mesenchymal differentiation potential, compared with DMEM. PLCSCs could be divided into CD34(+)CD105(+), CD34-CD105(+), and CD34-CD105- subpopulations, of which CD34(+)CD105(+) cells were the most stemlike with regard to marker expression and mesenchymal differentiation potential. Subpopulations of PLCSCs exhibited differing abilities to transdifferentiate into epithelial phenotypes. Cells that were initially CD34(+)CD105(+) showed the greatest differentiation potential, producing CK3(+) and CK19(+) cells, and expressed a range of both epithelial progenitor (HES1, FRZB1, DCT, SOD2, ABCG2, CDH1, KRT19) and terminally differentiated (DSG3, KRT3, KRT12, KRT24) genes. CONCLUSIONS Culture medium has a significant effect on the phenotype and differentiation capacity of PLCSCs. The stroma contains a heterogeneous cell population in which we have identified CD34(+) cells as a stem cell population with a capacity for mesenchymal and epithelial differentiation.
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89
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Chao JR, Bronner ME, Lwigale PY. Human fetal keratocytes have multipotent characteristics in the developing avian embryo. Stem Cells Dev 2013; 22:2186-95. [PMID: 23461574 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2013.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The human cornea contains stem cells that can be induced to express markers consistent with multipotency in cell culture; however, there have been no studies demonstrating that human corneal keratocytes are multipotent. The objective of this study is to examine the potential of human fetal keratocytes (HFKs) to differentiate into neural crest-derived tissues when challenged in an embryonic environment. HFKs were injected bilaterally into the cranial mesenchyme adjacent to the neural tube and the periocular mesenchyme in chick embryos at embryonic days 1.5 and 3, respectively. The injected keratocytes were detected by immunofluorescence using the human cell-specific marker, HuNu. HuNu-positive keratocytes injected along the neural crest pathway were localized adjacent to HNK-1-positive migratory host neural crest cells and in the cardiac cushion mesenchyme. The HuNu-positive cells transformed into neural crest derivatives such as smooth muscle in cranial blood vessels, stromal keratocytes, and corneal endothelium. However, they failed to form neurons despite their presence in the condensing trigeminal ganglion. These results show that HFKs retain the ability to differentiate into some neural crest-derived tissues. Their ability to respond to embryonic cues and generate corneal endothelium and stromal keratocytes provides a basis for understanding the feasibility of creating specialized cells for possible use in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Chao
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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90
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Sabater AL, Guarnieri A, Espana EM, Li W, Prósper F, Moreno-Montañés J. Strategies of human corneal endothelial tissue regeneration. Regen Med 2013; 8:183-95. [DOI: 10.2217/rme.13.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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91
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Chen Y, Huang K, Nakatsu MN, Xue Z, Deng SX, Fan G. Identification of novel molecular markers through transcriptomic analysis in human fetal and adult corneal endothelial cells. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 22:1271-9. [PMID: 23257286 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The corneal endothelium is composed of a monolayer of corneal endothelial cells (CECs), which is essential for maintaining corneal transparency. To better characterize CECs in different developmental stages, we profiled mRNA transcriptomes in human fetal and adult corneal endothelium with the goal to identify novel molecular markers in these cells. By comparing CECs with 12 other tissue types, we identified 245 and 284 signature genes that are highly expressed in fetal and adult CECs, respectively. Functionally, these genes are enriched in pathways characteristic of CECs, including inorganic anion transmembrane transporter, extracellular matrix structural constituent and cyclin-dependent protein kinase inhibitor activity. Importantly, several of these genes are disease target genes in hereditary corneal dystrophies, consistent with their functional significance in CEC physiology. We also identified stage-specific markers associated with CEC development, such as specific members in the transforming growth factor beta and Wnt signaling pathways only expressed in fetal, but not in adult CECs. Lastly, by the immunohistochemistry of ocular tissues, we demonstrated the unique protein localization for Wnt5a, S100A4, S100A6 and IER3, the four novel markers for fetal and adult CECs. The identification of a new panel of stage-specific markers for CECs would be very useful for characterizing CECs derived from stem cells or ex vivo expansion for cell replacement therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinyin Chen
- Translational Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji Hospital, Department of Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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