1
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Wang L, Xu W, Zhang S, Gundberg GC, Zheng CR, Wan Z, Mustafina K, Caliendo F, Sandt H, Kamm R, Weiss R. Sensing and guiding cell-state transitions by using genetically encoded endoribonuclease-mediated microRNA sensors. Nat Biomed Eng 2024:10.1038/s41551-024-01229-z. [PMID: 38982158 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-024-01229-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Precisely sensing and guiding cell-state transitions via the conditional genetic activation of appropriate differentiation factors is challenging. Here we show that desired cell-state transitions can be guided via genetically encoded sensors, whereby endogenous cell-state-specific miRNAs regulate the translation of a constitutively transcribed endoribonuclease, which, in turn, controls the translation of a gene of interest. We used this approach to monitor several cell-state transitions, to enrich specific cell types and to automatically guide the multistep differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells towards a haematopoietic lineage via endothelial cells as an intermediate state. Such conditional activation of gene expression is durable and resistant to epigenetic silencing and could facilitate the monitoring of cell-state transitions in physiological and pathological conditions and eventually the 'rewiring' of cell-state transitions for applications in organoid-based disease modelling, cellular therapies and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Wenlong Xu
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shun Zhang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gregory C Gundberg
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Christine R Zheng
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Zhengpeng Wan
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kamila Mustafina
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Fabio Caliendo
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hayden Sandt
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Roger Kamm
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ron Weiss
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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2
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Wu RY, Wu CQ, Xie F, Xing X, Xu L. Building RNA-Mediated Artificial Signaling Pathways between Endogenous Genes. Acc Chem Res 2024; 57:1777-1789. [PMID: 38872074 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
ConspectusSophisticated genetic networks play a pivotal role in orchestrating cellular responses through intricate signaling pathways across diverse environmental conditions. Beyond the inherent complexity of natural cellular signaling networks, the construction of artificial signaling pathways (ASPs) introduces a vast array of possibilities for reshaping cellular responses, enabling programmable control of living organisms. ASPs can be integrated with existing cellular networks and redirect output responses as desired, allowing seamless communication and coordination with other cellular processes, thereby achieving designable transduction within cells. Among diversified ASPs, establishing connections between originally independent endogenous genes is of particular significance in modifying the genetic networks, so that cells can be endowed with new capabilities to sense and deal with abnormal factors related to differentiated gene expression (i.e., solve the issues of the aberrant gene expression induced by either external or internal stimuli). In a typical scenario, the two genes X and Y in the cell are originally expressed independently. After the introduction of an ASP, changes in the expression of gene X may exert a designed impact on gene Y, subsequently inducing the cellular response related to gene Y. If X represents a disease signal and Y serves as a therapeutic module, the introduction of the ASP empowers cells with a new spontaneous defense system to handle potential risks, which holds great potential for both fundamental and translational studies.In this Account, we primarily review our endeavors in the construction of RNA-mediated ASPs between endogenous genes that can respond to differentiated RNA expression. In contrast to other molecules that may be restricted to specific pathways, synthetic RNA circuits can be easily utilized and expanded as a general platform for constructing ASPs with a high degree of programmability and tunability for diversified functionalities through predictable Watson-Crick base pairing. We first provide an overview of recent advancements in RNA-based genetic circuits, encompassing but not limited to utilization of RNA toehold switches, siRNA and CRISPR systems. Despite notable progress, most reported RNA circuits have to contain at least one exogenous RNA X as input or one engineered RNA Y as a target, which is not suitable for establishing endogenous gene connections. While exogenous RNAs can be engineered and controlled as desired, constructing a general and efficient platform for manipulation of naturally occurring RNAs poses a formidable challenge, especially for the mammalian system. With a focus on this goal, we are devoted to developing efficient strategies to manipulate cell responses by establishing RNA-mediated ASPs between endogenous genes, particularly in mammalian cells. Our step-by-step progress in engineering customized cell signaling circuits, from bacterial cells to mammalian cells, from gene expression regulation to phenotype control, and from small RNA to long mRNA of low abundance and more complex secondary structures, is systematically described. Finally, future perspectives and potential applications of these RNA-mediated ASPs between endogenous genes are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Yue Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chao-Qun Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Fan Xie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiwen Xing
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Liang Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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3
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Hui KK, Yamanaka S. iPS cell therapy 2.0: Preparing for next-generation regenerative medicine. Bioessays 2024:e2400072. [PMID: 38922935 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the world's first transplantation of tissue generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). There is now a growing number of clinical trials worldwide examining the efficacy and safety of autologous and allogeneic iPSC-derived products for treating various pathologic conditions. As we patiently wait for the results from these and future clinical trials, it is imperative to strategize for the next generation of iPSC-based therapies. This review examines the lessons learned from the development of another advanced cell therapy, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, and the possibility of incorporating various new bioengineering technologies in development, from RNA engineering to tissue fabrication, to apply iPSCs not only as a means to achieve personalized medicine but also as designer medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin K Hui
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamanaka
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- CiRA Foundation, Kyoto, Japan
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, San Francisco, California, USA
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4
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Mao Y, Wang S, Yu J, Li W. Engineering pluripotent stem cells with synthetic biology for regenerative medicine. MEDICAL REVIEW (2021) 2024; 4:90-109. [PMID: 38680679 PMCID: PMC11046572 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2023-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), characterized by self-renewal and capacity of differentiating into three germ layers, are the programmable building blocks of life. PSC-derived cells and multicellular systems, particularly organoids, exhibit great potential for regenerative medicine. However, this field is still in its infancy, partly due to limited strategies to robustly and precisely control stem cell behaviors, which are tightly regulated by inner gene regulatory networks in response to stimuli from the extracellular environment. Synthetic receptors and genetic circuits are powerful tools to customize the cellular sense-and-response process, suggesting their underlying roles in precise control of cell fate decision and function reconstruction. Herein, we review the progress and challenges needed to be overcome in the fields of PSC-based cell therapy and multicellular system generation, respectively. Furthermore, we summarize several well-established synthetic biology tools and their applications in PSC engineering. Finally, we highlight the challenges and perspectives of harnessing synthetic biology to PSC engineering for regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihuan Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Siqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jiazhen Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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5
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Chen SJ, Hashimoto K, Fujio K, Hayashi K, Paul SK, Yuzuriha A, Qiu WY, Nakamura E, Kanashiro MA, Kabata M, Nakamura S, Sugimoto N, Kaneda A, Yamamoto T, Saito H, Takayama N, Eto K. A let-7 microRNA-RALB axis links the immune properties of iPSC-derived megakaryocytes with platelet producibility. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2588. [PMID: 38519457 PMCID: PMC10960040 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46605-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
We recently achieved the first-in-human transfusion of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived platelets (iPSC-PLTs) as an alternative to standard transfusions, which are dependent on donors and therefore variable in supply. However, heterogeneity characterized by thrombopoiesis-biased or immune-biased megakaryocytes (MKs) continues to pose a bottleneck against the standardization of iPSC-PLT manufacturing. To address this problem, here we employ microRNA (miRNA) switch biotechnology to distinguish subpopulations of imMKCLs, the MK cell lines producing iPSC-PLTs. Upon miRNA switch-based screening, we find imMKCLs with lower let-7 activity exhibit an immune-skewed transcriptional signature. Notably, the low activity of let-7a-5p results in the upregulation of RAS like proto-oncogene B (RALB) expression, which is crucial for the lineage determination of immune-biased imMKCL subpopulations and leads to the activation of interferon-dependent signaling. The dysregulation of immune properties/subpopulations, along with the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, contributes to a decline in the quality of the whole imMKCL population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Jing Chen
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kazuya Hashimoto
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kosuke Fujio
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Karin Hayashi
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Sudip Kumar Paul
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Akinori Yuzuriha
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Wei-Yin Qiu
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Emiri Nakamura
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Mio Kabata
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Sou Nakamura
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naoshi Sugimoto
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kaneda
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Medical-risk Avoidance Based on iPS Cells Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Naoya Takayama
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Koji Eto
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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6
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Liang Z, Tan K, Yin Li C, Kuang Y. Self-feedback loop-containing synthetic mRNA switches for controlled microRNA sensing. Bioorg Chem 2024; 144:107081. [PMID: 38232686 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.107081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic mRNA switches are powerful cell fate manipulation tools that sense cellular input molecules to directly control protein expression at the translational level. The lack of available switch designs that can mimic the natural sophisticated protein regulation is a fundamental issue that limits the application of synthetic mRNA switches. Here we report a new set of synthetic mRNA switches by incorporating self-feedback loop machineries to dynamically control protein expression levels upon sensing cellular microRNAs. We redesigned the coding region of the switch to express output protein along with mRNA regulatory proteins. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and RBP-binding RNA motifs (aptamers) guide the regulatory proteins to act on their own mRNAs, enhancing or flattening the effect of microRNA sensing. Importantly, we demonstrated that the switches with the positive feedback feature can enlarge a high-or-low microRNA effect into a nearly all-or-none pattern, substantially boosting the use of synthetic mRNA switches as high-performance microRNA sensors or binary cell regulation tools. We believe these novel mRNA switch designs provide new strategies to construct complex mRNA-based genetic circuits for future molecular sensing and cell engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenghua Liang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Kaixin Tan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Cheuk Yin Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yi Kuang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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7
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Yan W, Xia Y, Zhao H, Xu X, Ma X, Tao L. Stem cell-based therapy in cardiac repair after myocardial infarction: Promise, challenges, and future directions. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2024; 188:1-14. [PMID: 38246086 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Stem cells represent an attractive resource for cardiac regeneration. However, the survival and function of transplanted stem cells is poor and remains a major challenge for the development of effective therapies. As two main cell types currently under investigation in heart repair, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) indirectly support endogenous regenerative capacities after transplantation, while induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) functionally integrate into the damaged myocardium and directly contribute to the restoration of its pump function. These two cell types are exposed to a common microenvironment with many stressors in ischemic heart tissue. This review summarizes the research progress on the mechanisms and challenges of MSCs and iPSC-CMs in post-MI heart repair, introduces several randomized clinical trials with 3D-mapping-guided cell therapy, and outlines recent findings related to the factors that affect the survival and function of stem cells. We also discuss the future directions for optimization such as biomaterial utilization, cell combinations, and intravenous injection of engineered nucleus-free MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Yan
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Yunlong Xia
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Huishou Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xiaoming Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xinliang Ma
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States of America
| | - Ling Tao
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
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8
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Nakanishi-Koakutsu M, Miki K, Naka Y, Sasaki M, Wakimizu T, Napier SC, Okubo C, Narita M, Nishikawa M, Hata R, Chonabayashi K, Hotta A, Imahashi K, Nishimoto T, Yoshida Y. CD151 expression marks atrial- and ventricular- differentiation from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Commun Biol 2024; 7:231. [PMID: 38418926 PMCID: PMC10901864 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05809-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Current differentiation protocols for human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) produce heterogeneous cardiomyocytes (CMs). Although chamber-specific CM selection using cell surface antigens enhances biomedical applications, a cell surface marker that accurately distinguishes between hiPSC-derived atrial CMs (ACMs) and ventricular CMs (VCMs) has not yet been identified. We have developed an approach for obtaining functional hiPSC-ACMs and -VCMs based on CD151 expression. For ACM differentiation, we found that ACMs are enriched in the CD151low population and that CD151 expression is correlated with the expression of Notch4 and its ligands. Furthermore, Notch signaling inhibition followed by selecting the CD151low population during atrial differentiation leads to the highly efficient generation of ACMs as evidenced by gene expression and electrophysiology. In contrast, for VCM differentiation, VCMs exhibiting a ventricular-related gene signature and uniform action potentials are enriched in the CD151high population. Our findings enable the production of high-quality ACMs and VCMs appropriate for hiPSC-derived chamber-specific disease models and other applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misato Nakanishi-Koakutsu
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kenji Miki
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
- Center for Organ Engineering, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Premium Research Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Yuki Naka
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Masako Sasaki
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Takayuki Wakimizu
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Stephanie C Napier
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
- Global Advanced Platform, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Chikako Okubo
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Megumi Narita
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Misato Nishikawa
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Reo Hata
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Chonabayashi
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Akitsu Hotta
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Kenichi Imahashi
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
- Global Advanced Platform, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Nishimoto
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
- Orizuru Therapeutics Incorporated, Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Yoshida
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
- Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, 251-8555, Japan.
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9
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Hasegawa M, Miki K, Kawamura T, Takei Sasozaki I, Higashiyama Y, Tsuchida M, Kashino K, Taira M, Ito E, Takeda M, Ishida H, Higo S, Sakata Y, Miyagawa S. Gene correction and overexpression of TNNI3 improve impaired relaxation in engineered heart tissue model of pediatric restrictive cardiomyopathy. Dev Growth Differ 2024; 66:119-132. [PMID: 38193576 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Research on cardiomyopathy models using engineered heart tissue (EHT) created from disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is advancing rapidly. However, the study of restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), a rare and intractable cardiomyopathy, remains at the experimental stage because there is currently no established method to replicate the hallmark phenotype of RCM, particularly diastolic dysfunction, in vitro. In this study, we generated iPSCs from a patient with early childhood-onset RCM harboring the TNNI3 R170W mutation (R170W-iPSCs). The properties of R170W-iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) and EHTs were evaluated and compared with an isogenic iPSC line in which the mutation was corrected. Our results indicated altered calcium kinetics in R170W-iPSC-CMs, including prolonged tau, and an increased ratio of relaxation force to contractile force in R170W-EHTs. These properties were reversed in the isogenic line, suggesting that our model recapitulates impaired relaxation of RCM, i.e., diastolic dysfunction in clinical practice. Furthermore, overexpression of wild-type TNNI3 in R170W-iPSC-CMs and -EHTs effectively rescued impaired relaxation. These results highlight the potential efficacy of EHT, a modality that can accurately recapitulate diastolic dysfunction in vitro, to elucidate the pathophysiology of RCM, as well as the possible benefits of gene therapies for patients with RCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moyu Hasegawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenji Miki
- Premium Research Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takuji Kawamura
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ikue Takei Sasozaki
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuki Higashiyama
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaru Tsuchida
- NTT Communication Science Laboratories, Media Information Research Department, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kunio Kashino
- Premium Research Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- NTT Communication Science Laboratories, Media Information Research Department, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Masaki Taira
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Emiko Ito
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Maki Takeda
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hidekazu Ishida
- Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shuichiro Higo
- Department of Medical Therapeutics for Heart Failure, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasushi Sakata
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shigeru Miyagawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Premium Research Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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10
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Hu Y, Li CY, Lu Q, Kuang Y. Multiplex miRNA reporting platform for real-time profiling of living cells. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:150-162.e7. [PMID: 38035883 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Accurately characterizing cell types within complex cell structures provides invaluable information for comprehending the cellular status during biological processes. In this study, we have developed an miRNA-switch cocktail platform capable of reporting and tracking the activities of multiple miRNAs (microRNAs) at the single-cell level, while minimizing disruption to the cell culture. Drawing on the principles of traditional miRNA-sensing mRNA switches, our platform incorporates subcellular tags and employs intelligent engineering to segment three subcellular regions using two fluorescent proteins. These designs enable the quantification of multiple miRNAs within the same cell. Through our experiments, we have demonstrated the platform's ability to track marker miRNA levels during cell differentiation and provide spatial information of heterogeneity on outlier cells exhibiting extreme miRNA levels. Importantly, this platform offers real-time and in situ miRNA reporting, allowing for multidimensional evaluation of cell profile and paving the way for a comprehensive understanding of cellular events during biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxin Hu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Cheuk Yin Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Qiuyu Lu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yi Kuang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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11
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Zhao Y, Poudel P, Wang S. Detection of MicroRNAs Using Synthetic Toehold Switch in Mammalian Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2774:243-258. [PMID: 38441769 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3718-0_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Engineering synthetic gene circuits to control cellular functions has a broad application in the field of synthetic biology. Synthetic RNA-based switches that can operate at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional level have also drawn significant interest for the application of next-generation therapeutics and diagnostics. Thus, RNA-based switchable platforms are needed to report dynamic cellular mechanisms which play an important role in cell development and diseases. Recently, several RNA-based switches have been designed and utilized for biosensing and molecular diagnostics. However, miRNA-based switches have not been well established or characterized, especially for eukaryotic translational control. Here, we designed a novel synthetic toehold switch for detection of exogenously and endogenously expressed miRNAs in CHO, HeLa, HEK 293, and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Multiplex detection of miR-155 and miR-21 was tested using two toehold switches to evaluate the orthogonality and programmability of this synthetic platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwen Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Tagliatela College of Engineering, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - Pratima Poudel
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Tagliatela College of Engineering, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shue Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Tagliatela College of Engineering, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA.
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12
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Liu S, Fang C, Zhong C, Li J, Xiao Q. Recent advances in pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac organoids and heart-on-chip applications for studying anti-cancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity. Cell Biol Toxicol 2023; 39:2527-2549. [PMID: 37889357 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-023-09835-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused by anti-cancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity is now the second leading cause of mortality among cancer survivors. It is necessary to establish efficient in vitro models for early predicting the potential cardiotoxicity of anti-cancer drugs, as well as for screening drugs that would alleviate cardiotoxicity during and post treatment. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have opened up new avenues in cardio-oncology. With the breakthrough of tissue engineering technology, a variety of hiPSC-derived cardiac microtissues or organoids have been recently reported, which have shown enormous potential in studying cardiotoxicity. Moreover, using hiPSC-derived heart-on-chip for studying cardiotoxicity has provided novel insights into the underlying mechanisms. Herein, we summarize different types of anti-cancer drug-induced cardiotoxicities and present an extensive overview on the applications of hiPSC-derived cardiac microtissues, cardiac organoids, and heart-on-chips in cardiotoxicity. Finally, we highlight clinical and translational challenges around hiPSC-derived cardiac microtissues/organoids/heart-on chips and their applications in anti-cancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity. • Anti-cancer drug-induced cardiotoxicities represent pressing challenges for cancer treatments, and cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of mortality among cancer survivors. • Newly reported in vitro models such as hiPSC-derived cardiac microtissues/organoids/chips show enormous potential for studying cardio-oncology. • Emerging evidence supports that hiPSC-derived cardiac organoids and heart-on-chip are promising in vitro platforms for predicting and minimizing anti-cancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silin Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China
- Centre for Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Heart Centre, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Academy of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China
| | - Chongkai Fang
- Centre for Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Heart Centre, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China
| | - Chong Zhong
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Academy of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China
| | - Jing Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Academy of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Qingzhong Xiao
- Centre for Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Heart Centre, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK.
- Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.
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13
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Dhurbachandra Singh C, Morshed Alom K, Kumar Kannan D, Simander Singh T, Samantaray S, Siddappa Ravi Kumara G, Jun Seo Y. mRNA incorporation of C(5)-halogenated pyrimidine ribonucleotides and induced high expression of corresponding protein for the development of mRNA vaccine. Bioorg Chem 2023; 141:106897. [PMID: 37793265 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
In this report, we present our studies on mRNA, which was modified by introducing various halogen substituents at the C(5) position of the pyrimidine base. Specifically, we synthesized C(5)-halogenated (F, Cl, Br, I) pyrimidine ribonucleoside triphosphates and incorporated them into mRNA during in-vitro transcription. The efficiency of the in-vitro transcription reaction of halogenated pyrimidine was observed to decrease as the size of the halogen substituent increased and the electronegativity thereof decreased (F > Cl > Br) except for iodine. Interestingly, we found that, among the C(5)-halogenated pyrimidine ribonucleotides, mRNA incorporating C(5)-halogenated cytidine (5-F rCTP and 5-Cl rCTP) exhibited more prominent protein expression than mRNA modified with C(5)-halogenated uridine and unmodified mRNA. In particular, in the case of mRNA to which fluorine (5-F rCTP) and chlorine (5-Cl rCTP) were introduced, the protein was dramatically expressed about 4 to 5 times more efficiently than the unmodified mRNA, which was similar to pseudouridine (ψ). More interestingly, when pseudouridine(ψ) and fluorocytidine nucleotides (5-F rCTP), were simultaneously introduced into mRNA for dual incorporation, the protein expression efficiency dramatically increased as much as tenfold. The efficiency of cap-dependent protein expression is much higher than the IRES-dependent (internal ribosome entry site) expression with mRNA incorporating C(5)-halogenated pyrimidine ribonucleotide. We expect these results to contribute meaningfully to the development of therapeutics based on modified mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kazi Morshed Alom
- Department of Chemistry, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, South Korea
| | - Dinesh Kumar Kannan
- Department of Chemistry, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, South Korea
| | | | | | | | - Young Jun Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, South Korea.
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14
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Li CY, Liang Z, Liu L, Kuang Y. Intracellular Molecules Induced Extracellular Peptide Self-Assembly for Efficient and Effective In Situ Cell Purification. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202306533. [PMID: 37483172 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202306533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) switches are powerful tools for in situ cell purification, especially for cells derived from stem cells. However, the retention effectiveness of the target cells is limited by the leaky expression of toxic protein. The elimination efficiency of non-target cells is also constrained due to the lack of signal amplification. In this study, we designed a novel approach that uses synthetic mRNA switch to convey intracellular marker molecule information into spatially controlled extracellular toxic assembly formation. The approach bypasses the use of toxic protein to ensure high target cell recovery effectiveness. Meanwhile, the marker molecule information is amplified at multiple levels to ensure high non-target cell elimination effectiveness. Our approach can be tailored to meet various in situ cell purification needs, promising high-quality in situ cell purification for a wide range of biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheuk Yin Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Zhenghua Liang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lejian Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yi Kuang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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15
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Kasamoto M, Funakoshi S, Hatani T, Okubo C, Nishi Y, Tsujisaka Y, Nishikawa M, Narita M, Ohta A, Kimura T, Yoshida Y. Am80, a retinoic acid receptor agonist, activates the cardiomyocyte cell cycle and enhances engraftment in the heart. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:1672-1685. [PMID: 37451261 PMCID: PMC10444569 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived (hiPSC) cardiomyocytes are a promising source for regenerative therapy. To realize this therapy, however, their engraftment potential after their injection into the host heart should be improved. Here, we established an efficient method to analyze the cell cycle activity of hiPSC cardiomyocytes using a fluorescence ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) system. In vitro high-throughput screening using FUCCI identified a retinoic acid receptor (RAR) agonist, Am80, as an effective cell cycle activator in hiPSC cardiomyocytes. The transplantation of hiPSC cardiomyocytes treated with Am80 before the injection significantly enhanced the engraftment in damaged mouse heart for 6 months. Finally, we revealed that the activation of endogenous Wnt pathways through both RARA and RARB underlies the Am80-mediated cell cycle activation. Collectively, this study highlights an efficient method to activate cell cycle in hiPSC cardiomyocytes by Am80 as a means to increase the graft size after cell transplantation into a damaged heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manabu Kasamoto
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Funakoshi
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Hatani
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Chikako Okubo
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yohei Nishi
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuta Tsujisaka
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Misato Nishikawa
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Megumi Narita
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akira Ohta
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kimura
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Yoshida
- Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Takeda-CiRA Joint program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa, Japan.
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16
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Vatanashevanopakorn C, Sartyoungkul T. iPSC-based approach for human hair follicle regeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1149050. [PMID: 37325563 PMCID: PMC10266356 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1149050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hair follicles (HFs) are a multifunctional structure involved in physical protection, thermoregulation, sensational detection, and wound healing. Formation and cycling of HFs require dynamic interaction between different cell types of the follicles. Although the processes have been well studied, the generation of human functional HFs with a normal cycling pattern for clinical utilization has yet to be achieved. Recently, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) serve as an unlimited cell source for generating various types of cells including cells of the HFs. In this review, HF morphogenesis and cycling, different cell sources used for HF regeneration, and potential strategies for HF bioengineering using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are depicted. Challenges and perspectives toward the therapeutic use of bioengineered HFs for hair loss disorder are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinnavuth Vatanashevanopakorn
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Siriraj Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thanutchaporn Sartyoungkul
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Siriraj Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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17
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Kameda S, Ohno H, Saito H. Synthetic circular RNA switches and circuits that control protein expression in mammalian cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e24. [PMID: 36642090 PMCID: PMC9976894 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) has been focused on as an emerging application for mRNA-based therapies and vaccinations. Recently, synthetic circular RNAs (circRNAs) have shown promise as a new class of synthetic mRNA that enables superior stability and persistent gene expression in cells. However, translational control of circRNA remained challenging. Here, we develop 'circRNA switches' capable of controlling protein expression from circRNA by sensing intracellular RNA or proteins. We designed microRNA (miRNA) and protein-responsive circRNA switches by inserting miRNA-binding or protein-binding sequences into untranslated regions (UTRs), or Coxsackievirus B3 Internal Ribosome Entry Site (CVB3 IRES), respectively. Engineered circRNAs efficiently expressed reporter proteins without inducing severe cell cytotoxicity and immunogenicity, and responded to target miRNAs or proteins, controlling translation levels from circRNA in a cell type-specific manner. Moreover, we constructed circRNA-based gene circuits that selectively activated translation by detecting endogenous miRNA, by connecting miRNA and protein-responsive circRNAs. The designed circRNA circuits performed better than the linear mRNA-based circuits in terms of persistent expression levels. Synthetic circRNA devices provide new insights into RNA engineering and have a potential for RNA synthetic biology and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigetoshi Kameda
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyoku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University,Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hirohisa Ohno
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyoku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyoku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
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18
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Ohno H, Akamine S, Mochizuki M, Hayashi K, Akichika S, Suzuki T, Saito H. Versatile strategy using vaccinia virus-capping enzyme to synthesize functional 5' cap-modified mRNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e34. [PMID: 36731515 PMCID: PMC10085709 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential of synthetic mRNA as a genetic carrier has increased its application in scientific fields. Because the 5' cap regulates the stability and translational activity of mRNAs, there are concerted efforts to search for and synthesize chemically-modified 5' caps that improve the functionality of mRNA. Here, we report an easy and efficient method to synthesize functional mRNAs by modifying multiple 5' cap analogs using a vaccinia virus-capping enzyme. We show that this enzyme can introduce a variety of GTP analogs to the 5' end of RNA to generate 5' cap-modified mRNAs that exhibit different translation levels. Notably, some of these modified mRNAs improve translation efficiency and can be conjugated to chemical structures, further increasing their functionality. Our versatile method to generate 5' cap-modified mRNAs will provide useful tools for RNA therapeutics and biological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirohisa Ohno
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Sae Akamine
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.,Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Megumi Mochizuki
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Karin Hayashi
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Akichika
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Suzuki
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
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19
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Free K, Nakanishi H, Itaka K. Development of Synthetic mRNAs Encoding Split Cytotoxic Proteins for Selective Cell Elimination Based on Specific Protein Detection. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15010213. [PMID: 36678842 PMCID: PMC9867180 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
For the selective elimination of deleterious cells (e.g., cancer cells and virus-infected cells), the use of a cytotoxic gene is a promising approach. DNA-based systems have achieved selective cell elimination but risk insertional mutagenesis. Here, we developed a synthetic mRNA-based system to selectively eliminate cells expressing a specific target protein. The synthetic mRNAs used in the system are designed to express an engineered protein pair that are based on a cytotoxic protein, Barnase. Each engineered protein is composed of an N- or C-terminal fragment of Barnase, a target protein binding domain, and an intein that aids in reconstituting full-length Barnase from the two fragments. When the mRNAs are transfected to cells expressing the target protein, both N- and C-terminal Barnase fragments bind to the target protein, causing the intein to excise itself and reconstitute cytotoxic full-length Barnase. In contrast, when the target protein is not present, the reconstitution of full-length Barnase is not induced. Four candidate constructs containing split Barnase were evaluated for the ability to selectively eliminate target protein-expressing cells. One of the candidate sets demonstrated highly selective cell death. This system will be a useful therapeutic tool to selectively eliminate deleterious cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hideyuki Nakanishi
- Correspondence: (H.N.); (K.I.); Tel.: +81-3-5280-8087 (H.N. & K.I.); Fax: +81-3-5280-8088 (H.N. & K.I.)
| | - Keiji Itaka
- Correspondence: (H.N.); (K.I.); Tel.: +81-3-5280-8087 (H.N. & K.I.); Fax: +81-3-5280-8088 (H.N. & K.I.)
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20
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Ono H, Saito H. Sensing intracellular signatures with synthetic mRNAs. RNA Biol 2023; 20:588-602. [PMID: 37582192 PMCID: PMC10431736 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2023.2244791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The bottom-up assembly of biological components in synthetic biology has contributed to a better understanding of natural phenomena and the development of new technologies for practical applications. Over the past few decades, basic RNA research has unveiled the regulatory roles of RNAs underlying gene regulatory networks; while advances in RNA biology, in turn, have highlighted the potential of a wide variety of RNA elements as building blocks to construct artificial systems. In particular, synthetic mRNA-based translational regulators, which respond to signals in cells and regulate the production of encoded output proteins, are gaining attention with the recent rise of mRNA therapeutics. In this Review, we discuss recent progress in RNA synthetic biology, mainly focusing on emerging technologies for sensing intracellular protein and RNA molecules and controlling translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Ono
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Sakyo-Ku, Japan
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Sakyo-Ku, Japan
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21
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Xeno-Free Integrated Platform for Robust Production of Cardiomyocyte Sheets from hiPSCs. Stem Cells Int 2022; 2022:4542719. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/4542719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can be efficiently differentiated into cardiomyocytes (CMs), which can be used for cardiac disease modeling, for drug screening, and to regenerate damaged myocardium. Implementation of xeno-free culture systems is essential to fully explore the potential of these cells. However, differentiation using xeno-free adhesion matrices often results in low CM yields and lack of functional CM sheets, capable of enduring additional maturation stages. Here, we established a xeno-free CM differentiation platform using TeSR/Synthemax, including a replating step and integrated with two versatile purification/enrichment metabolic approaches. Results showed that the replating step was essential to reestablish a fully integrated, closely-knit CM sheet. In addition, replating contributed to increase the cTnT expression from 65% to 75% and the output from 2.2 to 3.1 CM per hiPSC, comparable with the efficiency observed when using TeSR/Matrigel. In addition, supplementation with PluriSin1 and Glu-Lac+ medium allowed increasing the CM content over 80% without compromising CM sheet integrity or functionality. Thus, this xeno-free differentiation platform is a reliable and robust method to produce hiPSC-derived CMs, increasing the possibility of using these cells safely for a wide range of applications.
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22
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Prochazka L, Michaels YS, Lau C, Jones RD, Siu M, Yin T, Wu D, Jang E, Vázquez‐Cantú M, Gilbert PM, Kaul H, Benenson Y, Zandstra PW. Synthetic gene circuits for cell state detection and protein tuning in human pluripotent stem cells. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 18:e10886. [PMID: 36366891 PMCID: PMC9650275 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202110886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, cell state transitions are coordinated through changes in the identity of molecular regulators in a cell type‐ and dose‐specific manner. The ability to rationally engineer such transitions in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) will enable numerous applications in regenerative medicine. Herein, we report the generation of synthetic gene circuits that can detect a desired cell state using AND‐like logic integration of endogenous miRNAs (classifiers) and, upon detection, produce fine‐tuned levels of output proteins using an miRNA‐mediated output fine‐tuning technology (miSFITs). Specifically, we created an “hPSC ON” circuit using a model‐guided miRNA selection and circuit optimization approach. The circuit demonstrates robust PSC‐specific detection and graded output protein production. Next, we used an empirical approach to create an “hPSC‐Off” circuit. This circuit was applied to regulate the secretion of endogenous BMP4 in a state‐specific and fine‐tuned manner to control the composition of differentiating hPSCs. Our work provides a platform for customized cell state‐specific control of desired physiological factors in hPSC, laying the foundation for programming cell compositions in hPSC‐derived tissues and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Prochazka
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Yale S Michaels
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Charles Lau
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Ross D Jones
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Mona Siu
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Ting Yin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Diana Wu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Esther Jang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Mercedes Vázquez‐Cantú
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D‐BSSE) Basel Switzerland
| | - Penney M Gilbert
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Himanshu Kaul
- School of Engineering University of Leicester Leicester UK
- Department of Respiratory Sciences University of Leicester Leicester UK
| | - Yaakov Benenson
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D‐BSSE) Basel Switzerland
| | - Peter W Zandstra
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
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23
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Li CY, Liang Z, Hu Y, Zhang H, Setiasabda KD, Li J, Ma S, Xia X, Kuang Y. Cytidine-containing tails robustly enhance and prolong protein production of synthetic mRNA in cell and in vivo. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 30:300-310. [PMID: 36320322 PMCID: PMC9614650 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic mRNAs are rising rapidly as alternative therapeutic agents for delivery of proteins. However, the practical use of synthetic mRNAs has been restricted by their low cellular stability as well as poor protein production efficiency. The key roles of poly(A) tail on mRNA biology inspire us to explore the optimization of tail sequence to overcome the aforementioned limitations. Here, the systematic substitution of non-A nucleotides in the tails revealed that cytidine-containing tails can substantially enhance the protein production rate and duration of synthetic mRNAs both in vitro and in vivo. Such C-containing tails shield synthetic mRNAs from deadenylase CCR4-NOT transcription complex, as the catalytic CNOT proteins, especially CNOT6L and CNOT7, have lower efficiency in trimming of cytidine. Consistently, these enhancement effects of C-containing tails were observed on all synthetic mRNAs tested and were independent of transfection reagents and cell types. As the C-containing tails can be used along with other mRNA enhancement technologies to synergically boost protein production, we believe that these tails can be broadly used on synthetic mRNAs to directly promote their clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheuk Yin Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhenghua Liang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yaxin Hu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hongxia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Kharis Daniel Setiasabda
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
| | - Shaohua Ma
- Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
| | - Xiaojun Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Yi Kuang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China,HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China,Corresponding author Yi Kuang, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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24
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Rust R, Weber RZ, Generali M, Kehl D, Bodenmann C, Uhr D, Wanner D, Zürcher KJ, Saito H, Hoerstrup SP, Nitsch RM, Tackenberg C. Xeno-free induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells for in vivo applications. J Transl Med 2022; 20:421. [PMID: 36114512 PMCID: PMC9482172 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03610-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, there is no regenerative therapy for patients with neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Cell-therapies have emerged as a potential treatment for numerous brain diseases. Despite recent advances in stem cell technology, major concerns have been raised regarding the feasibility and safety of cell therapies for clinical applications. METHODS We generated good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compatible neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from transgene- and xeno-free induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that can be smoothly adapted for clinical applications. NPCs were characterized in vitro for their differentiation potential and in vivo after transplantation into wild type as well as genetically immunosuppressed mice. RESULTS Generated NPCs had a stable gene-expression over at least 15 passages and could be scaled for up to 1018 cells per initially seeded 106 cells. After withdrawal of growth factors in vitro, cells adapted a neural fate and mainly differentiated into active neurons. To ensure a pure NPC population for in vivo applications, we reduced the risk of iPSC contamination by applying micro RNA-switch technology as a safety checkpoint. Using lentiviral transduction with a fluorescent and bioluminescent dual-reporter construct, combined with non-invasive in vivo bioluminescent imaging, we longitudinally tracked the grafted cells in healthy wild-type and genetically immunosuppressed mice as well as in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. Long term in-depth characterization revealed that transplanted NPCs have the capability to survive and spontaneously differentiate into functional and mature neurons throughout a time course of a month, while no residual pluripotent cells were detectable. CONCLUSION We describe the generation of transgene- and xeno-free NPCs. This simple differentiation protocol combined with the ability of in vivo cell tracking presents a valuable tool to develop safe and effective cell therapies for various brain injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruslan Rust
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland.
| | - Rebecca Z Weber
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Generali
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Debora Kehl
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Bodenmann
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Uhr
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Debora Wanner
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin J Zürcher
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Simon P Hoerstrup
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
- Wyss Translational Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger M Nitsch
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Tackenberg
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland.
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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25
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Lu Q, Hu Y, Yin Li C, Kuang Y. Aptamer‐Array‐Guided Protein Assembly Enhances Synthetic mRNA Switch Performance. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202207319. [PMID: 35703374 PMCID: PMC9544043 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202207319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) switches are powerful synthetic biological tools that can sense cellular molecules to manipulate cell fate. However, their performances are limited by high output signal noise due to leaky output protein expression. Here, we designed a readout control module that disables protein leakage from generating signal. Aptamer array on the switch guides the inactive output protein to self‐assemble into functional assemblies that generate output signal. Leaky protein expression fails to saturate the array, thus produces marginal signal. In this study, we demonstrated that switches with this module exhibit substantially lower signal noise and, consequently, higher input sensitivity and wider output range. Such switches are applicable for different types of input molecules and output proteins. The work here demonstrates a new type of spatially guided protein self‐assembly, affording novel synthetic mRNA switches that promise accurate cell manipulation for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Lu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hong Kong
| | - Yaxin Hu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hong Kong
| | - Cheuk Yin Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hong Kong
| | - Yi Kuang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hong Kong
- HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute Shenzhen Guangdong China
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26
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Sasaki R, Kurebayashi N, Eguchi H, Horimoto Y, Shiga T, Miyazaki S, Kashiyama T, Akamatsu W, Saito M. Involvement of kallikrein-PAR2-proinflammatory pathway in severe trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:3449-3462. [PMID: 35879248 PMCID: PMC9530879 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Trastuzumab‐induced cardiotoxicity interferes with continued treatment in approximately 10% of patients with ErbB2‐positive breast cancer, but its mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we recruited trastuzumab‐treated patients with ≥30% reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (SP) and noncardiotoxic patients (NP). From each of these patients, we established three cases of induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes (pt‐iPSC‐CMs). Reduced contraction and relaxation velocities following trastuzumab treatment were more evident in SP pt‐iPSC‐CMs than NP pt‐iPSC‐CMs, indicating the cardiotoxicity phenotype could be replicated. Differences in ATP production, reactive oxygen species, and autophagy activity were observed between the two groups. Analysis of transcripts revealed enhanced kallikrein5 expression and pro‐inflammatory signaling pathways, such as interleukin‐1β, in SP pt‐iPSC‐CMs after trastuzumab treatment. The kallilkrein5‐protease‐activated receptor 2 (PAR2)‐MAPK signaling pathway was more activated in SP pt‐iPSC‐CMs, and treatment with a PAR2‐antagonist suppressed interleukin‐1β expression. Our data indicate enhanced pro‐inflammatory responses through kallikrein5‐PAR2 signaling and vulnerability to external stresses appear to be the cause of trastuzumab‐induced cardiotoxicity in SP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritsuko Sasaki
- Department of Breast Oncology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Nagomi Kurebayashi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Hidetaka Eguchi
- Intractable Disease Research Center, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Yoshiya Horimoto
- Department of Breast Oncology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Takahiro Shiga
- Center for Genomic and Regenerative Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Sakiko Miyazaki
- Department of Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Taku Kashiyama
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Wado Akamatsu
- Center for Genomic and Regenerative Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Mitsue Saito
- Department of Breast Oncology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
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27
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Lu Q, Hu Y, Li CY, Kuang Y. Aptamer‐Array‐Guided Protein Assembly Enhances Synthetic mRNA Switch Performance. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202207319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Lu
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology School of Engineering Chemical and Biological Engineering HONG KONG
| | - Yaxin Hu
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology School of Engineering Chemical and Biological Engineering HONG KONG
| | - Cheuk Yin Li
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology School of Engineering Chemical and Biological Engineering HONG KONG
| | - Yi Kuang
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Chemical and Biological Engineering Room 5578, Academic Bldg,Clear Water Bay 000000 Kowloon HONG KONG
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28
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Yasui R, Matsui A, Sekine K, Okamoto S, Taniguchi H. Highly Sensitive Detection of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022; 18:2995-3007. [PMID: 35661077 PMCID: PMC9622575 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-022-10402-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
For safe regenerative medicines, contaminated or remaining tumorigenic undifferentiated cells in cell-derived products must be rigorously assessed through sensitive assays. Although in vitro nucleic acid tests offer particularly sensitive tumorigenicity-associated assays, the human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) detectability is partly constrained by the small input amount of RNA per test. To overcome this limitation, we developed reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assays that are highly gene specific and robust against interfering materials. LAMP could readily assay microgram order of input sample per test and detected an equivalent model of 0.00002% hiPSC contamination in a simple one-pot reaction. For the evaluation of cell-derived total RNA, RT-LAMP detected spiked-in hPSCs among hPSC-derived trilineage cells utilizing multiple pluripotency RNAs. We also developed multiplex RT-LAMP assays and further applied for in situ cell imaging, achieving specific co-staining of pluripotency proteins and RNAs. Our attempts uncovered the utility of RT-LAMP approaches for tumorigenicity-associated assays, supporting practical applications of regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Yasui
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
- Fundamental Research Laboratory, Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd., Nogi, Tochigi, 329-0114, Japan
| | - Atsuka Matsui
- Biochemical Research Laboratory, Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd., Ohtawara, Tochigi, 324-0036, Japan
| | - Keisuke Sekine
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan.
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Systems, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Okamoto
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan
| | - Hideki Taniguchi
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan.
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan.
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29
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Tsujisaka Y, Hatani T, Okubo C, Ito R, Kimura A, Narita M, Chonabayashi K, Funakoshi S, Lucena-Cacace A, Toyoda T, Osafune K, Kimura T, Saito H, Yoshida Y. Purification of human iPSC-derived cells at large scale using microRNA switch and magnetic-activated cell sorting. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:1772-1785. [PMID: 35688152 PMCID: PMC9287667 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
For regenerative cell therapies using pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived cells, large quantities of purified cells are required. Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) is a powerful approach to collect target antigen-positive cells; however, it remains a challenge to purify various cell types efficiently at large scale without using antibodies specific to the desired cell type. Here we develop a technology that combines microRNA (miRNA)-responsive mRNA switch (miR-switch) with MACS (miR-switch-MACS) to purify large amounts of PSC-derived cells rapidly and effectively. We designed miR-switches that detect specific miRNAs expressed in target cells and controlled the translation of a CD4-coding transgene as a selection marker for MACS. For the large-scale purification of induced PSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs), we transferred miR-208a-CD4 switch-MACS and obtained purified iPSC-CMs efficiently. Moreover, miR-375-CD4 switch-MACS highly purified pancreatic insulin-producing cells and their progenitors expressing Chromogranin A. Overall, the miR-switch-MACS method can efficiently purify target PSC-derived cells for cell replacement therapy. MiR-208a-CD4 switch-MACS can purify a large amount of iPSC-CMs in a short time MiR-208a switch can purify iPSC-CMs in each subtype-specific protocol MiR-375-CD4 switch-MACS can be applied to pancreatic endocrine precursor cells MiR-switch-MACS method can be efficient for large-scale target cell purification
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Tsujisaka
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hatani
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Chikako Okubo
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Ryo Ito
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Azuma Kimura
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Megumi Narita
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Chonabayashi
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Funakoshi
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Takeda-CiRA Joint Program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa 251-0012, Japan
| | - Antonio Lucena-Cacace
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Taro Toyoda
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kenji Osafune
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kimura
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Yoshinori Yoshida
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Takeda-CiRA Joint Program (T-CiRA), Fujisawa 251-0012, Japan.
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30
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Wolf KJ, Weiss JD, Uzel SGM, Skylar-Scott MA, Lewis JA. Biomanufacturing human tissues via organ building blocks. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:667-677. [PMID: 35523137 PMCID: PMC9617289 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The construction of human organs on demand remains a tantalizing vision to solve the organ donor shortage. Yet, engineering tissues that recapitulate the cellular and architectural complexity of native organs is a grand challenge. The use of organ building blocks (OBBs) composed of multicellular spheroids, organoids, and assembloids offers an important pathway for creating organ-specific tissues with the desired cellular-to-tissue-level organization. Here, we review the differentiation, maturation, and 3D assembly of OBBs into functional human tissues and, ultimately, organs for therapeutic repair and replacement. We also highlight future challenges and areas of opportunity for this nascent field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla J Wolf
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering & John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Jonathan D Weiss
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, 240 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Sebastien G M Uzel
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering & John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Mark A Skylar-Scott
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, 240 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94304, USA; BASE Initiative, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA.
| | - Jennifer A Lewis
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering & John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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31
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Synthetic RNA-based post-transcriptional expression control methods and genetic circuits. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 184:114196. [PMID: 35288218 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
RNA-based synthetic genetic circuits provide an alternative for traditional transcription-based circuits in applications where genomic integration is to be avoided. Incorporating various post-transcriptional control methods into such circuits allows for controlling the behaviour of the circuit through the detection of certain biomolecular inputs or reconstituting defined circuit behaviours, thus manipulating cellular functions. In this review, recent developments of various types of post-transcriptional control methods in mammalian cells are discussed as well as auxiliary components that allow for the creation and development of mRNA-based switches. How such post-transcriptional switches are combined into synthetic circuits as well as their applications in biomedical and preclinical settings are also described. Finally, we examine the challenges that need to be surmounted before RNA-based synthetic circuits can be reliably deployed into clinical settings.
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32
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Floy ME, Shabnam F, Simmons AD, Bhute VJ, Jin G, Friedrich WA, Steinberg AB, Palecek SP. Advances in Manufacturing Cardiomyocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2022; 13:255-278. [PMID: 35320695 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-092120-033922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) technology over the past two decades has provided a source of normal and diseased human cells for a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo applications. Notably, hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) are widely used to model human heart development and disease and are in clinical trials for treating heart disease. The success of hPSC-CMs in these applications requires robust, scalable approaches to manufacture large numbers of safe and potent cells. Although significant advances have been made over the past decade in improving the purity and yield of hPSC-CMs and scaling the differentiation process from 2D to 3D, efforts to induce maturation phenotypes during manufacturing have been slow. Process monitoring and closed-loop manufacturing strategies are just being developed. We discuss recent advances in hPSC-CM manufacturing, including differentiation process development and scaling and downstream processes as well as separation and stabilization. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Volume 13 is October 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha E Floy
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; , , , , ,
| | - Fathima Shabnam
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; , , , , ,
| | - Aaron D Simmons
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; , , , , ,
| | - Vijesh J Bhute
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; , .,Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gyuhyung Jin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA;
| | - Will A Friedrich
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; , , , , ,
| | - Alexandra B Steinberg
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; , , , , ,
| | - Sean P Palecek
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; , , , , ,
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33
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Fujita Y, Hirosawa M, Hayashi K, Hatani T, Yoshida Y, Yamamoto T, Saito H. A versatile and robust cell purification system with an RNA-only circuit composed of microRNA-responsive ON and OFF switches. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabj1793. [PMID: 34985961 PMCID: PMC8730616 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj1793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are promising cell resources for cell therapy and drug discovery. However, iPSC-derived differentiated cells are often heterogenous and need purification using a flow cytometer, which has high cost and time consumption for large-scale purification. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as cell selection markers, because their activity differs between cell types. Here, we show miRNA-responsive ON and OFF switch mRNAs for robust cell purification. The ON switch contains a miRNA-target sequence after the polyadenylate tail, triggering translational activation by sensing the target miRNA. By designing RNA-only circuits with miRNA-ON and -OFF switch mRNAs that encode a lethal ribonuclease, Barnase, and its inhibitor, Barstar, we efficiently purified specific cell types, including human iPSCs and differentiated cardiomyocytes, without flow cytometry. Synthetic mRNA circuits composed of ON and OFF switches provide a safe, versatile, and time-saving method to purify various cell types for biological and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiko Fujita
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Corresponding author. (H.S.); (Y.F.)
| | - Moe Hirosawa
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Karin Hayashi
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hatani
- Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Yoshida
- Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
- Medical-risk Avoidance based on iPS Cells Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Corresponding author. (H.S.); (Y.F.)
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Woogeng IN, Kaczkowski B, Abugessaisa I, Hu H, Tachibana A, Sahara Y, Hon CC, Hasegawa A, Sakai N, Nishida M, Sanyal H, Sho J, Kajita K, Kasukawa T, Takasato M, Carninci P, Maeda A, Mandai M, Arner E, Takahashi M, Kime C. Inducing human retinal pigment epithelium-like cells from somatic tissue. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:289-306. [PMID: 35030321 PMCID: PMC8828536 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Regenerative medicine relies on basic research outcomes that are only practical when cost effective. The human eyeball requires the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to interface the neural retina and the choroid at large. Millions of people suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a blinding multifactor genetic disease among RPE degradation pathologies. Recently, autologous pluripotent stem-cell-derived RPE cells were prohibitively expensive due to time; therefore, we developed a faster reprogramming system. We stably induced RPE-like cells (iRPE) from human fibroblasts (Fibs) by conditional overexpression of both broad plasticity and lineage-specific transcription factors (TFs). iRPE cells displayed critical RPE benchmarks and significant in vivo integration in transplanted retinas. Herein, we detail the iRPE system with comprehensive single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) profiling to interpret and characterize its best cells. We anticipate that our system may enable robust retinal cell induction for basic research and affordable autologous human RPE tissue for regenerative cell therapy. Human Fibs reprogrammed to stable RPE-like cells Reprogramming factors selected for pioneering, plasticity, lineage, and target cell Nicotinamide (NIC) and Chetomin (CTM) improved the reprogramming outcomes scRNA-seq analysis identifies high-quality subpopulation resembling model cells
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Imad Abugessaisa
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Haiming Hu
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | | | - Yoshiki Sahara
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology and Development, Department of Animal Development and Physiology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Renal and Cardiovascular Research, New Drug Research Division, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Tokushima 771-0192, Japan
| | - Chung-Chau Hon
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Akira Hasegawa
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Noriko Sakai
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | | | - Hashimita Sanyal
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Junki Sho
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Keisuke Kajita
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Takeya Kasukawa
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Minoru Takasato
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology and Development, Department of Animal Development and Physiology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Piero Carninci
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan; Human Technopole, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 1, Milan, Italy
| | - Akiko Maeda
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Michiko Mandai
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Erik Arner
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Masayo Takahashi
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Cody Kime
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.
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35
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Nakanishi H, Itaka K. Synthetic mRNA for ex vivo therapeutic applications. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2022; 44:100447. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dmpk.2022.100447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Sano M, Morishita K, Oikawa S, Akimoto T, Sumaru K, Kato Y. Live-cell imaging of microRNA expression with post-transcriptional feedback control. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 26:547-556. [PMID: 34631284 PMCID: PMC8479275 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate complex gene expression networks in eukaryotic cells. Because of their unique expression patterns, miRNAs are potential molecular markers for specific cell states. Although a system capable of imaging miRNA in living cells is needed to visually detect miRNA expression, very few fluorescence signal-on sensors that respond to expression of target miRNA (miR-ON sensors) are available. Here we report an miR-ON sensor containing a bidirectional promoter-driven Csy4 endoribonuclease and green fluorescent protein, ZsGreen1, for live-cell imaging of miRNAs with post-transcriptional feedback control. Csy4-assisted miR-ON (Csy4-miR-ON) sensors generate negligible background but respond sensitively to target miRNAs, allowing high-contrast fluorescence detection of miRNAs in various human cells. We show that Csy4-miR-ON sensors enabled imaging of various miRNAs, including miR-21, miR-302a, and miR-133, in vitro as well as in vivo. This robust tool can be used to evaluate miRNA expression in diverse biological and medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Sano
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Kana Morishita
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Satoshi Oikawa
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-1192, Japan
| | - Takayuki Akimoto
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-1192, Japan
| | - Kimio Sumaru
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Yoshio Kato
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
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37
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Nakanishi H. Protein-Based Systems for Translational Regulation of Synthetic mRNAs in Mammalian Cells. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11111192. [PMID: 34833067 PMCID: PMC8621430 DOI: 10.3390/life11111192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic mRNAs, which are produced by in vitro transcription, have been recently attracting attention because they can express any transgenes without the risk of insertional mutagenesis. Although current synthetic mRNA medicine is not designed for spatiotemporal or cell-selective regulation, many preclinical studies have developed the systems for the translational regulation of synthetic mRNAs. Such translational regulation systems will cope with high efficacy and low adverse effects by producing the appropriate amount of therapeutic proteins, depending on the context. Protein-based regulation is one of the most promising approaches for the translational regulation of synthetic mRNAs. As synthetic mRNAs can encode not only output proteins but also regulator proteins, all components of protein-based regulation systems can be delivered as synthetic mRNAs. In addition, in the protein-based regulation systems, the output protein can be utilized as the input for the subsequent regulation to construct multi-layered gene circuits, which enable complex and sophisticated regulation. In this review, I introduce what types of proteins have been used for translational regulation, how to combine them, and how to design effective gene circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideyuki Nakanishi
- Department of Biofunction Research, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
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Hunkler HJ, Groß S, Thum T, Bär C. Non-coding RNAs: key regulators of reprogramming, pluripotency, and cardiac cell specification with therapeutic perspective for heart regeneration. Cardiovasc Res 2021; 118:3071-3084. [PMID: 34718448 PMCID: PMC9732524 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Myocardial infarction causes a massive loss of cardiomyocytes (CMs), which can lead to heart failure accompanied by fibrosis, stiffening of the heart, and loss of function. Heart failure causes high mortality rates and is a huge socioeconomic burden, which, based on diets and lifestyle in the developed world, is expected to increase further in the next years. At present, the only curative treatment for heart failure is heart transplantation associated with a number of limitations such as donor organ availability and transplant rejection among others. Thus, the development of cellular reprogramming and defined differentiation protocols provide exciting new possibilities for cell therapy approaches and which opened up a new era in regenerative medicine. Consequently, tremendous research efforts were undertaken to gain a detailed molecular understanding of the reprogramming processes and the in vitro differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into functional CMs for transplantation into the patient's injured heart. In the last decade, non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs emerged as critical regulators of gene expression that were shown to fine-tune cellular processes both on the transcriptional and the post-transcriptional level. Unsurprisingly, also cellular reprogramming, pluripotency, and cardiac differentiation and maturation are regulated by non-coding RNAs. In here, we review the current knowledge on non-coding RNAs in these processes and highlight how their modulation may enhance the quality and quantity of stem cells and their derivatives for safe and efficient clinical application in patients with heart failure. In addition, we summarize the clinical cell therapy efforts undertaken thus far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J Hunkler
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Sonja Groß
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Thum
- Corresponding authors. Tel: +49 511 532 5272; fax: +49 511 532 5274, E-mail: (T.T.); Tel: +49 511 532 2883; fax: +49 511 532 5274, E-mail: (C.B.)
| | - Christian Bär
- Corresponding authors. Tel: +49 511 532 5272; fax: +49 511 532 5274, E-mail: (T.T.); Tel: +49 511 532 2883; fax: +49 511 532 5274, E-mail: (C.B.)
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Abstract
It has been nearly 15 years since the discovery of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). During this time, differentiation methods to targeted cells have dramatically improved, and many types of cells in the human body can be currently generated at high efficiency. In the cardiovascular field, the ability to generate human cardiomyocytes in vitro with the same genetic background as patients has provided a great opportunity to investigate human cardiovascular diseases at the cellular level to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the diseases and discover potential therapeutics. Additionally, iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes have provided a powerful platform to study drug-induced cardiotoxicity and identify patients at high risk for the cardiotoxicity; thus, accelerating personalized precision medicine. Moreover, iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes can be sources for cardiac cell therapy. Here, we review these achievements and discuss potential improvements for the future application of iPSC technology in cardiovascular diseases.
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40
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Liu S, Zhang Q, Shy AN, Yi M, He H, Lu S, Xu B. Enzymatically Forming Intranuclear Peptide Assemblies for Selectively Killing Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:15852-15862. [PMID: 34528792 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c07923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Tumorigenic risk of undifferentiated human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), being a major obstacle for clinical application of iPSCs, requires novel approaches for selectively eliminating undifferentiated iPSCs. Here, we show that an l-phosphopentapeptide, upon the dephosphorylation catalyzed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) overexpressed by iPSCs, rapidly forms intranuclear peptide assemblies made of α-helices to selectively kill iPSCs. The phosphopentapeptide, consisting of four l-leucine residues and a C-terminal l-phosphotyrosine, self-assembles to form micelles/nanoparticles, which transform into peptide nanofibers/nanoribbons after enzymatic dephosphorylation removes the phosphate group from the l-phosphotyrosine. The concentration of ALP and incubation time dictates the morphology of the peptide assemblies. Circular dichroism and FTIR indicate that the l-pentapeptide in the assemblies contains a mixture of an α-helix and aggregated strands. Incubating the l-phosphopentapeptide with human iPSCs results in rapid killing of the iPSCs (=<2 h) due to the significant accumulation of the peptide assemblies in the nuclei of iPSCs. The phosphopentapeptide is innocuous to normal cells (e.g., HEK293 and hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC)) because normal cells hardly overexpress ALP. Inhibiting ALP, mutating the l-phosphotyrosine from the C-terminal to the middle of the phosphopentapeptides, or replacing l-leucine to d-leucine in the phosphopentapeptide abolishes the intranuclear assemblies of the pentapeptides. Treating the l-phosphopentapeptide with cell lysate of normal cells (e.g., HS-5) confirms the proteolysis of the l-pentapeptide. This work, as the first case of intranuclear assemblies of peptides, not only illustrates the application of enzymatic noncovalent synthesis for selectively targeting nuclei of cells but also may lead to a new way to eliminate other pathological cells that express a high level of certain enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States.,School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Qiuxin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Adrianna N Shy
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Meihui Yi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Hongjian He
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Shijiang Lu
- HebeCell, 21 Strathmore Road, Natick, Massachusetts 01760, United States
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
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41
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Tadano K, Miyagawa S, Takeda M, Tsukamoto Y, Kazusa K, Takamatsu K, Akashi M, Sawa Y. Cardiotoxicity assessment using 3D vascularized cardiac tissue consisting of human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 22:338-349. [PMID: 34514026 PMCID: PMC8408525 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are used for cardiac safety assessment but have limitations for the evaluation of drug-induced contractility. Three-dimensional (3D) cardiac tissues are similar to native tissue and valuable for the assessment of contractility. However, a longer time and specialized equipment are required to generate 3D tissues. We previously developed a simple method to generate 3D tissue in a short period by coating the cell surfaces with extracellular matrix proteins. We hypothesized that this 3D cardiac tissue could be used for simultaneous evaluation of drug-induced repolarization and contractility. In the present work, we examined the effects of several compounds with different mechanisms of action by cell motion imaging. Consequently, human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) channel blockers with high arrhythmogenic risk caused prolongation of contraction-relaxation duration and arrhythmia-like waveforms. Positive inotropic drugs, which increase intracellular Ca2+ levels or myocardial Ca2+ sensitivity, caused an increase in maximum contraction speed (MCS) or average deformation distance (ADD) (ouabain, 138% for MCS at 300 nM; pimobendane, 132% for ADD at 3 μM). For negative inotropic drugs, verapamil reduced both MCS and ADD (61% at 100 nM). Thus, this 3D cardiac tissue detected the expected effects of various cardiovascular drugs, suggesting its usefulness for cardiotoxicity evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyoshi Tadano
- Drug Safety Research Labs, Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
- Corresponding author: Kiyoshi Tadano, Drug Safety Research Labs, Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan.
| | - Shigeru Miyagawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Maki Takeda
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshinari Tsukamoto
- Building Block Science Joint Research Chair, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Kazusa
- Drug Safety Research Labs, Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Takamatsu
- Drug Safety Research Labs, Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Akashi
- Building Block Science Joint Research Chair, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Sawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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42
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Sart S, Liu C, Zeng EZ, Xu C, Li Y. Downstream bioprocessing of human pluripotent stem cell‐derived therapeutics. Eng Life Sci 2021; 22:667-680. [PMID: 36348655 PMCID: PMC9635003 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.202100042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advancement in lineage‐specific differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), downstream cell separation has now become a critical step to produce hPSC‐derived products. Since differentiation procedures usually result in a heterogeneous cell population, cell separation needs to be performed either to enrich the desired cell population or remove the undesired cell population. This article summarizes recent advances in separation processes for hPSC‐derived cells, including the standard separation technologies, such as magnetic‐activated cell sorting, as well as the novel separation strategies, such as those based on adhesion strength and metabolic flux. Specifically, the downstream bioprocessing flow and the identification of surface markers for various cell lineages are discussed. While challenges remain for large‐scale downstream bioprocessing of hPSC‐derived cells, the rational quality‐by‐design approach should be implemented to enhance the understanding of the relationship between process and the product and to ensure the safety of the produced cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastien Sart
- Laboratory of Physical Microfluidics and Bioengineering Department of Genome and Genetics Institut Pasteur Paris France
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering FAMU‐FSU College of Engineering Florida State University Tallahassee FL USA
| | - Eric Z. Zeng
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering FAMU‐FSU College of Engineering Florida State University Tallahassee FL USA
| | - Chunhui Xu
- Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA USA
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering FAMU‐FSU College of Engineering Florida State University Tallahassee FL USA
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43
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Wei L, Li S, Zhang P, Hu T, Zhang MQ, Xie Z, Wang X. Characterizing microRNA-mediated modulation of gene expression noise and its effect on synthetic gene circuits. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109573. [PMID: 34433047 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to modulate gene expression noise, but less is known about how miRNAs with different properties may regulate noise differently. Here, we investigate the role of competing RNAs and the composition of miRNA response elements (MREs) in modulating noise. We find that weak competing RNAs could introduce lower noise than strong competing RNAs. In comparison with a single MRE, both repetitive and composite MREs can reduce the noise at low expression, but repetitive MREs can elevate the noise remarkably at high expression. We further observed the behavior of a synthetic cell-type classifier with miRNAs as inputs and find that miRNAs and MREs that could introduce higher noise tend to enhance cell state transition. These results provide a systematic and quantitative understanding of the function of miRNAs in controlling gene expression noise and the utilization of miRNAs to modulate the behavior of synthetic gene circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wei
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shuailin Li
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Pengcheng Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Tao Hu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Michael Q Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Center for Systems Biology, The University of Texas, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, USA
| | - Zhen Xie
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaowo Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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44
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Stem cells characterization: OMICS reinforcing analytics. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 71:175-181. [PMID: 34425321 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells hold outstanding potential to model and treat disease and are valuable tools in pharmacology and toxicology. Characterization of stem cells and derivatives still poses many challenges to ensure safe, efficacious, and reliable therapies. Regulatory agencies have defined key mandatory attributes related to identity, purity, sterility, and genomic integrity, however robust analytics to determine cell's potency are still a major challenge, in most cases assessed case-by-case. Importantly, the application of high-throughput 'omic tools is opening new perspectives on stem cell's research and development. Here, analytical methodologies currently employed to characterize stem cells' quality attributes are discussed, with special focus on 'omics as relevant tools for definition of cell's mechanism of action, and for potency assay development and assessment.
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45
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Transplantation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes in a Mouse Myocardial Infarction Model. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34302665 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1484-6_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Myocardial infarction is caused by a lack of oxygen due to blockage of a coronary artery and is a common cause of heart failure. Despite therapeutic advances, the prognosis of patients with heart failure is poor. One of the reasons is that present therapeutic approaches do not restore the loss of cardiac tissue. Stem cell-based therapies have the potential to regenerate the myocardium, and numerous studies using stem cells have shown improved cardiac function and reduced infarct size. In this chapter, we describe our methodology for transplanting human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes into immunodeficient mouse hearts with myocardial infarction.
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46
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Isolation of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Using miRNA Switches. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34302646 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1484-6_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The most common method for isolating cells of interest is an antibody method that recognizes cell surface antigens. However, specific surface antigens for many cell types have not been identified. We have developed the microRNA (miRNA)-responsive synthetic mRNA systems (miRNA switches), which isolate target cells based on endogenous miRNA activity. In this chapter, we describe protocols for isolating human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes using miRNA switches with or without cell sorting.
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47
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Purification of Specific Cell Populations Differentiated from Stem Cells Using MicroRNA-Responsive Synthetic Messenger RNAs. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2312:73-86. [PMID: 34228285 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1441-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells have the potential to differentiate into various cell types that can be used for basic biological studies, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine. To obtain reliable results using the differentiated cells, the contamination of nontarget cells should be avoided. microRNAs (miRNAs) can serve as indicators to distinguish target and nontarget cells, because the activities of miRNAs are different among cell types.In this chapter, we introduce a method to purify target cells using synthetic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that respond to cell-specific miRNAs. The method is composed of five steps: mRNA sequence design, template DNA preparation by PCR, in vitro mRNA transcription, mRNA transfection into cells, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. This synthetic mRNA-based cell purification method will advance various applications of pluripotent stem cells.
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48
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Application of FluoVolt Membrane Potential Dye for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiac Single Cells and Monolayers Differentiated via Embryoid Bodies. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34302652 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1484-6_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
FluoVolt, a membrane potential dye, has been used to depict the action potentials of cardiomyocytes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) in order to classify the cardiac cell subtype, evaluate long QT syndrome, and conduct cardiotoxic drug-responsive tests. To apply FluoVolt, users must prepare the hiPSC-CMs, assess the dye loadings, and apply the excitation light. Here we describe the steps to measure action potentials from single hiPSC-CMs and hiPSC-CM monolayers using this dye.
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Beitz AM, Oakes CG, Galloway KE. Synthetic gene circuits as tools for drug discovery. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 40:210-225. [PMID: 34364685 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Within mammalian systems, there exists enormous opportunity to use synthetic gene circuits to enhance phenotype-based drug discovery, to map the molecular origins of disease, and to validate therapeutics in complex cellular systems. While drug discovery has relied on marker staining and high-content imaging in cell-based assays, synthetic gene circuits expand the potential for precision and speed. Here we present a vision of how circuits can improve the speed and accuracy of drug discovery by enhancing the efficiency of hit triage, capturing disease-relevant dynamics in cell-based assays, and simplifying validation and readouts from organoids and microphysiological systems (MPS). By tracking events and cellular states across multiple length and time scales, circuits will transform how we decipher the causal link between molecular events and phenotypes to improve the selectivity and sensitivity of cell-based assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam M Beitz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Conrad G Oakes
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Kate E Galloway
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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ERRγ enhances cardiac maturation with T-tubule formation in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3596. [PMID: 34155205 PMCID: PMC8217550 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23816-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the earliest maturation steps in cardiomyocytes (CMs) is the sarcomere protein isoform switch between TNNI1 and TNNI3 (fetal and neonatal/adult troponin I). Here, we generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) carrying a TNNI1EmGFP and TNNI3mCherry double reporter to monitor and isolate mature sub-populations during cardiac differentiation. Extensive drug screening identifies two compounds, an estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) agonist and an S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 inhibitor, that enhances cardiac maturation and a significant change to TNNI3 expression. Expression, morphological, functional, and molecular analyses indicate that hiPSC-CMs treated with the ERRγ agonist show a larger cell size, longer sarcomere length, the presence of transverse tubules, and enhanced metabolic function and contractile and electrical properties. Here, we show that ERRγ-treated hiPSC-CMs have a mature cellular property consistent with neonatal CMs and are useful for disease modeling and regenerative medicine. Cardiomyocytes (CMs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) suffer from limited maturation. Here the authors identify ERRγ agonist as a factor that enhances cardiac morphological, metabolic, contractile and electrical maturation of hiPSC-derived CMs with T-tubule formation.
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