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Haideri T, Lin J, Bao X, Lian XL. MAGIK: A rapid and efficient method to create lineage-specific reporters in human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:744-757. [PMID: 38579711 PMCID: PMC11103783 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.03.005] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Precise insertion of fluorescent proteins into lineage-specific genes in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) presents challenges due to low knockin efficiency and difficulties in isolating targeted cells. To overcome these hurdles, we present the modified mRNA (ModRNA)-based Activation for Gene Insertion and Knockin (MAGIK) method. MAGIK operates in two steps: first, it uses a Cas9-2A-p53DD modRNA with a mini-donor plasmid (without a drug selection cassette) to significantly enhance efficiency. Second, a deactivated Cas9 activator modRNA and a 'dead' guide RNA are used to temporarily activate the targeted gene, allowing for live cell sorting of targeted cells. Consequently, MAGIK eliminates the need for drug selection cassettes or labor-intensive single-cell colony screening, expediting precise gene editing. We showed MAGIK can be utilized to insert fluorescent proteins into various genes, including SOX17, NKX6.1, NKX2.5, and PDX1, across multiple hPSC lines. This underscores its robust performance and offers a promising solution for achieving knockin in hPSCs within a significantly shortened time frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Haideri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Jirong Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Xiaoping Bao
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - Xiaojun Lance Lian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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2
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Ream MW, Randolph LN, Jiang Y, Chang Y, Bao X, Lian XL. Direct programming of human pluripotent stem cells into endothelial progenitors with SOX17 and FGF2. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:579-595. [PMID: 38518781 PMCID: PMC11096437 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) are pivotal in guiding stem cell behavior, including their maintenance and differentiation. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we investigated TFs expressed in endothelial progenitors (EPs) derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and identified upregulated expression of SOXF factors SOX7, SOX17, and SOX18 in the EP population. To test whether overexpression of these factors increases differentiation efficiency, we established inducible hPSC lines for each SOXF factor and found only SOX17 overexpression robustly increased the percentage of cells expressing CD34 and vascular endothelial cadherin (VEC). Conversely, SOX17 knockdown via CRISPR-Cas13d significantly compromised EP differentiation. Intriguingly, we discovered SOX17 overexpression alone was sufficient to generate CD34+VEC+CD31- cells, and, when combined with FGF2 treatment, more than 90% of CD34+VEC+CD31+ EP was produced. These cells are capable of further differentiating into endothelial cells. These findings underscore an undiscovered role of SOX17 in programming hPSCs toward an EP lineage, illuminating pivotal mechanisms in EP differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Ream
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Lauren N Randolph
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Yuqian Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Yun Chang
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Xiaoping Bao
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - Xiaojun Lance Lian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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3
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Wildey A, Harrington S, Stehno-Bittel L, Karanu F. Reduction of Activin A gives rise to comparable expression of key definitive endoderm and mature beta cell markers. Regen Med 2024; 19:47-63. [PMID: 38240144 DOI: 10.2217/rme-2023-0187] [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] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim: Cell therapies for diabetes rely on differentiation of stem cells into insulin-producing cells, which is complex and expensive. Our goal was to evaluate production costs and test ways to reduce it. Methods: Cost of Goods (COGs) analysis for differentiation was completed and the effects of replacement or reduction of the most expensive item was tested using qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry along with glucose-stimulated insulin release. Results: Activin A (AA) was responsible for significant cost. Replacement with small molecules failed to form definitive endoderm (DE). Reducing AA by 50% did not negatively affect expression of beta cell markers. Conclusion: Reduction of AA concentration is feasible without adversely affecting DE and islet-like cell differentiation, leading to significant cost savings in manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lisa Stehno-Bittel
- Likarda LLC, Kansas City, MO 64137, USA
- University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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4
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Novakovsky G, Sasaki S, Fornes O, Omur ME, Huang H, Bayly CL, Zhang D, Lim N, Cherkasov A, Pavlidis P, Mostafavi S, Lynn FC, Wasserman WW. In silico discovery of small molecules for efficient stem cell differentiation into definitive endoderm. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:765-781. [PMID: 36801003 PMCID: PMC10031281 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.01.008] [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: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Improving methods for human embryonic stem cell differentiation represents a challenge in modern regenerative medicine research. Using drug repurposing approaches, we discover small molecules that regulate the formation of definitive endoderm. Among them are inhibitors of known processes involved in endoderm differentiation (mTOR, PI3K, and JNK pathways) and a new compound, with an unknown mechanism of action, capable of inducing endoderm formation in the absence of growth factors in the media. Optimization of the classical protocol by inclusion of this compound achieves the same differentiation efficiency with a 90% cost reduction. The presented in silico procedure for candidate molecule selection has broad potential for improving stem cell differentiation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gherman Novakovsky
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Bioinformatics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Shugo Sasaki
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Oriol Fornes
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Meltem E Omur
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Bioinformatics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Helen Huang
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Carmen L Bayly
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Dahai Zhang
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nathaniel Lim
- Bioinformatics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Artem Cherkasov
- Department of Urological Sciences, Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Paul Pavlidis
- Department of Psychiatry, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sara Mostafavi
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Computer Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Francis C Lynn
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Wyeth W Wasserman
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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5
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p53 Inhibition in Pancreatic Progenitors Enhances the Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Pancreatic β-Cells. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:942-952. [PMID: 36707464 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10509-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The multipotent pancreatic progenitor cells (MPCs) co-expressing the transcription factors, PDX1 and NKX6.1, are the source of functional pancreatic β-cells. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of p53 inhibition in MPCs on the generation of PDX1+/NKX6.1+ MPCs and pancreatic β-cell generation. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) were differentiated into MPCs and β-cells. hESC-MPCs (stage 4) were treated with different concentrations of p53 inhibitors, and their effect was evaluated using different approaches. NKX6.1 was overexpressed during MPCs specification. Inhibition of p53 using pifithrin-μ (PFT-μ) at the MPC stage resulted in a significant increase in the number of PDX1+/NKX6.1+ cells and a reduction in the number of CHGA+/NKX6.1- cells. Further differentiation of MPCs treated with PFT-μ into pancreatic β-cells showed that PFT-μ treatment did not significantly change the number of C-Peptide+ cells; however, the number of C-PEP+ cells co-expressing glucagon (polyhormonal) was significantly reduced in the PFT-μ treated cells. Interestingly, overexpression of NKX6.1 in hESC-MPCs enhanced the expression of key MPC genes and dramatically suppressed p53 expression. Our findings demonstrated that the p53 inhibition during stage 4 of differentiation enhanced MPC generation, prevented premature endocrine induction and favored the differentiation into monohormonal β-cells. These findings suggest that adding a p53 inhibitor to the differentiation media can significantly enhance the generation of monohormonal β-cells.
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6
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Heaton ES, Hu M, Liu T, Hui H, Tan Y, Ye K, Jin S. Extracellular matrix-derived peptide stimulates the generation of endocrine progenitors and islet organoids from iPSCs. J Tissue Eng 2023; 14:20417314231185858. [PMID: 37435573 PMCID: PMC10331343 DOI: 10.1177/20417314231185858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have enormous potential in producing human tissues endlessly. We previously reported that type V collagen (COL5), a pancreatic extracellular matrix protein, promotes islet development and maturation from iPSCs. In this study, we identified a bioactive peptide domain of COL5, WWASKS, through bioinformatic analysis of decellularized pancreatic ECM (dpECM)-derived collagens. RNA-sequencing suggests that WWASKS induces the formation of pancreatic endocrine progenitors while suppressing the development of other types of organs. The expressions of hypoxic genes were significantly downregulated in the endocrine progenitors formed under peptide stimulation. Furthermore, we unveiled an enhancement of iPSC-derived islets' (i-islets) glucose sensitivity under peptide stimulation. These i-islets secrete insulin in a glucose responsive manner. They were comprised of α, β, δ, and γ cells and were assembled into a tissue architecture similar to that of human islets. Mechanistically, the peptide is able to activate the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, permitting the translocation of β-catenin from the cytoplasm to the nucleus for pancreatic progenitor development. Collectively, for the first time, we demonstrated that an ECM-derived peptide dictates iPSC fate toward the generation of endocrine progenitors and subsequent islet organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma S Heaton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Ming Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Tianzheng Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Huang Hui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Yinfei Tan
- Genomics Facility, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kaiming Ye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, USA
- Center of Biomanufacturing for Regenerative Medicine, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Sha Jin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, USA
- Center of Biomanufacturing for Regenerative Medicine, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, USA
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7
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Haideri T, Howells A, Jiang Y, Yang J, Bao X, Lian XL. Robust genome editing via modRNA-based Cas9 or base editor in human pluripotent stem cells. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2022; 2:100290. [PMID: 36160051 PMCID: PMC9499999 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR systems have revolutionized biomedical research because they offer an unprecedented opportunity for genome editing. However, a bottleneck of applying CRISPR systems in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is how to deliver CRISPR effectors easily and efficiently. Here, we developed modified mRNA (modRNA)-based CRIPSR systems that utilized Cas9 and p53DD or a base editor (ABE8e) modRNA for the purposes of knocking out genes in hPSCs via simple lipid-based transfection. ABE8e modRNA was employed to disrupt the splice donor site, resulting in defective splicing of the target transcript and ultimately leading to gene knockout. Using our modRNA CRISPR systems, we achieved 73.3% ± 11.2% and 69.6 ± 3.8% knockout efficiency with Cas9 plus p53DD modRNA and ABE8e modRNA, respectively, which was significantly higher than the plasmid-based systems. In summary, we demonstrate that our non-integrating modRNA-based CRISPR methods hold great promise as more efficient and accessible techniques for genome editing of hPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Haideri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Alessandro Howells
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Yuqian Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Xiaoping Bao
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Xiaojun Lance Lian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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8
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Jiang Y, Hoenisch RC, Chang Y, Bao X, Cameron CE, Lian XL. Robust genome and RNA editing via CRISPR nucleases in PiggyBac systems. Bioact Mater 2022; 14:313-320. [PMID: 35386818 PMCID: PMC8964983 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.01.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) offers unprecedented opportunities for developing in vitro disease modeling, drug screening and cell-based therapies. To efficiently deliver the CRISPR components, here we developed two all-in-one vectors containing Cas9/gRNA and inducible Cas13d/gRNA cassettes for robust genome editing and RNA interference respectively. These vectors utilized the PiggyBac transposon system, which allows stable expression of CRISPR components in hPSCs. The Cas9 vector PB-CRISPR exhibited high efficiency (up to 99%) of inducing gene knockout in both protein-coding genes and long non-coding RNAs. The other inducible Cas13d vector achieved extremely high efficiency in RNA knockdown (98% knockdown for CD90) with optimized gRNA designs. Taken together, our PiggyBac CRISPR vectors can serve as powerful toolkits for studying gene functions in hPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqian Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Rachel Catherine Hoenisch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Yun Chang
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Xiaoping Bao
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Craig E. Cameron
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Xiaojun Lance Lian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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9
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Chang Y, Syahirah R, Oprescu SN, Wang X, Jung J, Cooper SH, Torregrosa-Allen S, Elzey BD, Hsu AY, Randolph LN, Sun Y, Kuang S, Broxmeyer HE, Deng Q, Lian X, Bao X. Chemically-defined generation of human hemogenic endothelium and definitive hematopoietic progenitor cells. Biomaterials 2022; 285:121569. [PMID: 35567999 PMCID: PMC10065832 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which arise from aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM), are widely used to treat blood diseases and cancers. However, a technique for their robust generation in vitro is still missing. Here we show temporal manipulation of Wnt signaling is sufficient and essential to induce AGM-like hematopoiesis from human pluripotent stem cells. TGFβ inhibition at the stage of aorta-like SOX17+CD235a- hemogenic endothelium yielded AGM-like hematopoietic progenitors, which closely resembled primary cord blood HSCs at the transcriptional level and contained diverse lineage-primed progenitor populations via single cell RNA-sequencing analysis. Notably, the resulting definitive cells presented lymphoid and myeloid potential in vitro; and could home to a definitive hematopoietic site in zebrafish and rescue bloodless zebrafish after transplantation. Engraftment and multilineage repopulating activities were also observed in mouse recipients. Together, our work provided a chemically-defined and feeder-free culture platform for scalable generation of AGM-like hematopoietic progenitor cells, leading to enhanced production of functional blood and immune cells for various therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Chang
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Ramizah Syahirah
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Stephanie N Oprescu
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Xuepeng Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Juhyung Jung
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Scott H Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | | | - Bennett D Elzey
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Alan Y Hsu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Lauren N Randolph
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Biology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Yufei Sun
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Shihuan Kuang
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Hal E Broxmeyer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Qing Deng
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - Xiaojun Lian
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Biology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Xiaoping Bao
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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10
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Mitochondrial homeostasis regulates definitive endoderm differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:69. [PMID: 35177589 PMCID: PMC8854419 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-00867-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Cellular organelles play fundamental roles in almost all cell behaviors. Mitochondria have been reported to be functionally linked to various biological processes, including reprogramming and pluripotency maintenance. However, very little about the role of mitochondria has been revealed in human early development and lineage specification. Here, we reported the characteristics and function of mitochondria during human definitive endoderm differentiation. Using a well-established differentiation system, we first investigated the change of mitochondrial morphology by comparing undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells, the intermediate mesendoderm cells, and differentiated endoderm cells, and found that mitochondria were gradually elongated and matured along differentiation. We further analyzed the expression pattern of mitochondria-related genes by RNA-seq, indicating that mitochondria became active during differentiation. Supporting this notion, the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was increased as well. Functionally, we utilized chemicals and genome editing techniques, which could interfere with mitochondrial homeostasis, to determine the role of mitochondria in human endoderm differentiation. Treatment with mitochondrial inhibitors, or genetic depletion of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), significantly reduced the differentiation efficiency of definitive endoderm. In addition, the defect in endoderm differentiation due to dysfunctional mitochondria could be restored to some extent by the addition of ATP. Moreover, the clearance of excessive ROS due to dysfunctional mitochondria by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) improved the differentiation as well. We further found that ATP and NAC could partially replace the growth factor activin A for definitive endoderm differentiation. Our study illustrates the essential role of mitochondria during human endoderm differentiation through providing ATP and regulating ROS levels, which may provide new insight for metabolic regulation of cell fate determination.
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11
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Knowles H, Santucci N, Studdert J, Goh HN, Kaufman-Francis K, Salehin N, Tam PPL, Osteil P. Differential impact of TGFβ/SMAD signaling activity elicited by Activin A and Nodal on endoderm differentiation of epiblast stem cells. Genesis 2022; 60:e23466. [PMID: 35104045 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Allocation of cells to an endodermal fate in the gastrulating embryo is driven by Nodal signaling and consequent activation of TGFβ pathway. In vitro methodologies striving to recapitulate the process of endoderm differentiation, however, use TGFβ family member Activin in place of Nodal. This is despite Activin not known to have an in vivo role in endoderm differentiation. In this study, five epiblast stem cell lines were subjected to directed differentiation using both Activin A and Nodal to induce endodermal fate. A reporter line harboring endoderm markers FoxA2 and Sox17 was further analyzed for TGFβ pathway activation and WNT response. We demonstrated that Activin A-treated cells remain more primitive streak-like when compared to Nodal-treated cells that have a molecular profile suggestive of more advanced differentiation. Activin A elicited a robust TGFβ/SMAD activity, enhanced WNT signaling activity and promoted the generation of DE precursors. Nodal treatment resulted in lower TGFβ/SMAD activity, and a weaker, sustained WNT response, and ultimately failed to upregulate endoderm markers. This is despite signaling response resembling more closely the activity seen in vivo. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the downstream activities of Activin A and Nodal signaling in directing in vitro endoderm differentiation of primed-state epiblast stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary Knowles
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicole Santucci
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Joshua Studdert
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hwee Ngee Goh
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Keren Kaufman-Francis
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nazmus Salehin
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patrick P L Tam
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Pierre Osteil
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Swiss Cancer Research Institute (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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Wang X, Gao M, Wang Y, Zhang Y. The progress of pluripotent stem cell-derived pancreatic β-cells regeneration for diabetic therapy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:927324. [PMID: 35966093 PMCID: PMC9365963 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.927324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetes is a complex metabolic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, characterized by high blood glucose levels either due to an absolute deficiency of insulin secretion or an ineffective response of cells to insulin, a hormone synthetized by β-cells in the pancreas. Despite the current substantial progress of new drugs and strategies to prevent and treat diabetes, we do not understand precisely the exact cause of the failure and impairment of β-cells. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new methods to restore β-cells. In recent years, pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can serve as an ideal alternative source for the pancreatic β-cells. In this review, we systematically summarize the current progress and protocols of generating pancreatic β-cells from human PSCs. Meanwhile, we also discuss some challenges and future perspectives of human PSCs treatments for diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- The Third Norman Bethune Clinical College of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mengxi Gao
- China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- The Third Norman Bethune Clinical College of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yali Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, China–Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Yucheng Zhang, ; Yali Wang,
| | - Yucheng Zhang
- Scientific Research Center, China–Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Yucheng Zhang, ; Yali Wang,
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