1
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Smith A. Propagating pluripotency - The conundrum of self-renewal. Bioessays 2024:e2400108. [PMID: 39180242 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400108] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
The discovery of mouse embryonic stem cells in 1981 transformed research in mammalian developmental biology and functional genomics. The subsequent generation of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and the development of molecular reprogramming have opened unheralded avenues for drug discovery and cell replacement therapy. Here, I review the history of PSCs from the perspective that long-term self-renewal is a product of the in vitro signaling environment, rather than an intrinsic feature of embryos. I discuss the relationship between pluripotent states captured in vitro to stages of epiblast in the embryo and suggest key considerations for evaluation of PSCs. A remaining fundamental challenge is to determine whether naïve pluripotency can be propagated from the broad range of mammals by exploiting common principles in gene regulatory architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Smith
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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2
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Pera MF. A brief chronicle of research on human pluripotent stem cells. Bioessays 2024:e2400092. [PMID: 39058898 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400092] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Today, human pluripotent stem cell technologies find widespread application across biomedical research, as models for early human development, as platforms for functional human genomics, as tools for the study of disease, drug screening and toxicology, and as a renewable source of cellular therapeutics for a range of intractable diseases. The foundations of this human pluripotent stem cell revolution rest on advances in a wide range of disciplines, including cancer biology, assisted reproduction, cell culture and organoid technology, somatic cell nuclear transfer, primate embryology, single-cell biology, and gene editing. This review surveys the slow emergence of the study of human pluripotency and the exponential growth of the field during the past several decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin F Pera
- JAX Mammalian Genetics, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
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3
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Katznelson A, Hernandez B, Fahning H, Zhang J, Burton A, Torres-Padilla ME, Plachta N, Zaret KS, McCarthy RL. Heterochromatin protein ERH represses alternative cell fates during early mammalian differentiation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.06.597604. [PMID: 38895478 PMCID: PMC11185749 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.06.597604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
During development, H3K9me3 heterochromatin is dynamically rearranged, silencing repeat elements and protein coding genes to restrict cell identity. Enhancer of Rudimentary Homolog (ERH) is an evolutionarily conserved protein originally characterized in fission yeast and recently shown to be required for H3K9me3 maintenance in human fibroblasts, but its function during development remains unknown. Here, we show that ERH is required for proper segregation of the inner cell mass and trophectoderm cell lineages during mouse development by repressing totipotent and alternative lineage programs. During human embryonic stem cell (hESC) differentiation into germ layer lineages, ERH is crucial for silencing naïve and pluripotency genes, transposable elements, and alternative lineage genes. Strikingly, ERH depletion in somatic cells reverts the H3K9me3 landscape to an hESC state and enables naïve and pluripotency gene and transposable element activation during iPSC reprogramming. Our findings reveal a role for ERH in initiation and maintenance of developmentally established gene repression.
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4
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Arthur TD, Joshua IN, Nguyen JP, D'Antonio-Chronowska A, Frazer KA, D'Antonio M. IFN-γ activates an immune-like regulatory network in the cardiac vascular endothelium. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.03.592380. [PMID: 38746472 PMCID: PMC11092750 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.03.592380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The regulatory mechanisms underlying the response to pro-inflammatory cytokines during myocarditis are poorly understood. Here, we use iPSC-derived cardiovascular progenitor cells (CVPCs) to model the response to interferon gamma (IFN-γ) during myocarditis. We generate RNA-seq and ATAC-seq for four CVPCs that were treated with IFN-γ and compare them with paired untreated controls. Transcriptional differences after treatment show that IFN-γ initiates an innate immune cell-like response in the vascular cardiac endothelium. IFN-γ treatment also shifts the CVPC transcriptome towards the adult coronary artery and aorta profiles and expands the relative endothelial cell population in all four CVPC lines. Analysis of the accessible chromatin shows that IFN-γ is a potent chromatin remodeler and establishes an IRF-STAT immune-cell like regulatory network. Our findings reveal insights into the endothelial-specific protective mechanisms during myocarditis.
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5
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Chen X, Fan K, Lu J, Zhang S, Dong J, Qin J, Fan W, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Peng H, Zhang Z, Sun Z, Yu C, Xiong Y, Song Y, Ye Q, Mai S, Wang Y, Wang Q, Zhang F, Wen X, Zhou T, Han L, Long M, Pan G, Burke JF, Zhang X. Selecting Monoclonal Cell Lineages from Somatic Reprogramming Using Robotic-Based Spatial-Restricting Structured Flow. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0338. [PMID: 38464498 PMCID: PMC10923610 DOI: 10.34133/research.0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Somatic cell reprogramming generates induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which serve as a crucial source of seed cells for personalized disease modeling and treatment in regenerative medicine. However, the process of reprogramming often causes substantial lineage manipulations, thereby increasing cellular heterogeneity. As a consequence, the process of harvesting monoclonal iPSCs is labor-intensive and leads to decreased reproducibility. Here, we report the first in-house developed robotic platform that uses a pin-tip-based micro-structure to manipulate radial shear flow for automated monoclonal iPSC colony selection (~1 s) in a non-invasive and label-free manner, which includes tasks for somatic cell reprogramming culturing, medium changes; time-lapse-based high-content imaging; and iPSCs monoclonal colony detection, selection, and expansion. Throughput-wise, this automated robotic system can perform approximately 24 somatic cell reprogramming tasks within 50 days in parallel via a scheduling program. Moreover, thanks to a dual flow-based iPSC selection process, the purity of iPSCs was enhanced, while simultaneously eliminating the need for single-cell subcloning. These iPSCs generated via the dual processing robotic approach demonstrated a purity 3.7 times greater than that of the conventional manual methods. In addition, the automatically produced human iPSCs exhibited typical pluripotent transcriptional profiles, differentiation potential, and karyotypes. In conclusion, this robotic method could offer a promising solution for the automated isolation or purification of lineage-specific cells derived from iPSCs, thereby accelerating the development of personalized medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueping Chen
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ke Fan
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jun Lu
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
- School of Light Industry and Engineering,
South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianhua Dong
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jisheng Qin
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weihua Fan
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Wang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yiyuan Zhang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huo Peng
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhizhong Zhang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyong Sun
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chunlai Yu
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yucui Xiong
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Song
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qingqing Ye
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shiwen Mai
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuanhua Wang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qizheng Wang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengxiang Zhang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Wen
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tiancheng Zhou
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Han
- Institute of Electrical Engineering,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mian Long
- Institute of Mechanics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guangjin Pan
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
| | - Julian F. Burke
- Biological Sciences,
University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, People’s Republic of China;
Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, People’s Republic of China
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6
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Du P, Wu J. Hallmarks of totipotent and pluripotent stem cell states. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:312-333. [PMID: 38382531 PMCID: PMC10939785 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.01.009] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Though totipotency and pluripotency are transient during early embryogenesis, they establish the foundation for the development of all mammals. Studying these in vivo has been challenging due to limited access and ethical constraints, particularly in humans. Recent progress has led to diverse culture adaptations of epiblast cells in vitro in the form of totipotent and pluripotent stem cells, which not only deepen our understanding of embryonic development but also serve as invaluable resources for animal reproduction and regenerative medicine. This review delves into the hallmarks of totipotent and pluripotent stem cells, shedding light on their key molecular and functional features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Du
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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7
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Arthur TD, Nguyen JP, D'Antonio-Chronowska A, Matsui H, Silva NS, Joshua IN, Luchessi AD, Greenwald WWY, D'Antonio M, Pera MF, Frazer KA. Complex regulatory networks influence pluripotent cell state transitions in human iPSCs. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1664. [PMID: 38395976 PMCID: PMC10891157 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45506-6] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Stem cells exist in vitro in a spectrum of interconvertible pluripotent states. Analyzing hundreds of hiPSCs derived from different individuals, we show the proportions of these pluripotent states vary considerably across lines. We discover 13 gene network modules (GNMs) and 13 regulatory network modules (RNMs), which are highly correlated with each other suggesting that the coordinated co-accessibility of regulatory elements in the RNMs likely underlie the coordinated expression of genes in the GNMs. Epigenetic analyses reveal that regulatory networks underlying self-renewal and pluripotency are more complex than previously realized. Genetic analyses identify thousands of regulatory variants that overlapped predicted transcription factor binding sites and are associated with chromatin accessibility in the hiPSCs. We show that the master regulator of pluripotency, the NANOG-OCT4 Complex, and its associated network are significantly enriched for regulatory variants with large effects, suggesting that they play a role in the varying cellular proportions of pluripotency states between hiPSCs. Our work bins tens of thousands of regulatory elements in hiPSCs into discrete regulatory networks, shows that pluripotency and self-renewal processes have a surprising level of regulatory complexity, and suggests that genetic factors may contribute to cell state transitions in human iPSC lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D Arthur
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jennifer P Nguyen
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | | | - Hiroko Matsui
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Nayara S Silva
- Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Isaac N Joshua
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - André D Luchessi
- Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - William W Young Greenwald
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Matteo D'Antonio
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | | | - Kelly A Frazer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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8
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Cao H, Naik SH, Amann-Zalcenstein D, Hickey P, Salim A, Cao B, Nilsson SK, Keightley MC, Lieschke GJ. Late fetal hematopoietic failure results from ZBTB11 deficiency despite abundant HSC specification. Blood Adv 2023; 7:6506-6519. [PMID: 37567157 PMCID: PMC10632610 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2022009580] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematopoiesis produces diverse blood cell lineages to meet the basal needs and sudden demands of injury or infection. A rapid response to such challenges requires the expansion of specific lineages and a prompt return to balanced steady-state levels, necessitating tightly coordinated regulation. Previously we identified a requirement for the zinc finger and broad complex, tramtrak, bric-a-brac domain-containing 11 (ZBTB11) transcription factor in definitive hematopoiesis using a forward genetic screen for zebrafish myeloid mutants. To understand its relevance to mammalian systems, we extended these studies to mice. When Zbtb11 was deleted in the hematopoietic compartment, embryos died at embryonic day (E) 18.5 with hematopoietic failure. Zbtb11 hematopoietic knockout (Zbtb11hKO) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were overabundantly specified from E14.5 to E17.5 compared with those in controls. Overspecification was accompanied by loss of stemness, inability to differentiate into committed progenitors and mature lineages in the fetal liver, failure to seed fetal bone marrow, and total hematopoietic failure. The Zbtb11hKO HSCs did not proliferate in vitro and were constrained in cell cycle progression, demonstrating the cell-intrinsic role of Zbtb11 in proliferation and cell cycle regulation in mammalian HSCs. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis identified that Zbtb11-deficient HSCs were underrepresented in an erythroid-primed subpopulation and showed downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation pathways and dysregulation of genes associated with the hematopoietic niche. We identified a cell-intrinsic requirement for Zbtb11-mediated gene regulatory networks in sustaining a pool of maturation-capable HSCs and progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Cao
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Biomedical Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Shalin H. Naik
- Department of Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Single Cell Open Research Endeavour, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniela Amann-Zalcenstein
- Single Cell Open Research Endeavour, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Advanced Genomics Facility, Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter Hickey
- Single Cell Open Research Endeavour, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Advanced Genomics Facility, Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Agus Salim
- Mathematics and Statistics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Benjamin Cao
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Biomedical Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Susan K. Nilsson
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Biomedical Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - M. Cristina Keightley
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Rural Clinical Sciences, La Trobe Rural Health School, Bendigo, VIC, Australia
| | - Graham J. Lieschke
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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9
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Arthur TD, Nguyen JP, D'Antonio-Chronowska A, Matsui H, Silva NS, Joshua IN, Luchessi AD, Young Greenwald WW, D'Antonio M, Pera MF, Frazer KA. Analysis of regulatory network modules in hundreds of human stem cell lines reveals complex epigenetic and genetic factors contribute to pluripotency state differences between subpopulations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.20.541447. [PMID: 37292794 PMCID: PMC10245835 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.20.541447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Stem cells exist in vitro in a spectrum of interconvertible pluripotent states. Analyzing hundreds of hiPSCs derived from different individuals, we show the proportions of these pluripotent states vary considerably across lines. We discovered 13 gene network modules (GNMs) and 13 regulatory network modules (RNMs), which were highly correlated with each other suggesting that the coordinated co-accessibility of regulatory elements in the RNMs likely underlied the coordinated expression of genes in the GNMs. Epigenetic analyses revealed that regulatory networks underlying self-renewal and pluripotency have a surprising level of complexity. Genetic analyses identified thousands of regulatory variants that overlapped predicted transcription factor binding sites and were associated with chromatin accessibility in the hiPSCs. We show that the master regulator of pluripotency, the NANOG-OCT4 Complex, and its associated network were significantly enriched for regulatory variants with large effects, suggesting that they may play a role in the varying cellular proportions of pluripotency states between hiPSCs. Our work captures the coordinated activity of tens of thousands of regulatory elements in hiPSCs and bins these elements into discrete functionally characterized regulatory networks, shows that regulatory elements in pluripotency networks harbor variants with large effects, and provides a rich resource for future pluripotent stem cell research.
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10
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Luo Y, Yin M, Mu C, Hu X, Xie H, Li J, Cao T, Chen N, Wu J, Fan C. Engineering Female Germline Stem Cells with Exocytotic Polymer Dots. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2210458. [PMID: 37046183 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202210458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Germline stem cells (GSCs) are the only cell population capable of passing genetic information to offspring, making them attractive targets in reproductive biology and fertility research. However, it is generally more difficult to introduce exogenous biomolecules into GSCs than other cell types, impeding the exploration and manipulation of these cells for biomedical purposes. Herein, semiconductor polymer dots (Pdots)-based nanocomplex Pdot-siRNA is developed and achieves effective knockdown of target genes in female germline stem cells (FGSCs). Advantage of high fluorescence brightness of Pdots is taken for comprehensive investigation of their cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, and exocytosis in FGSCs. Importantly, Pdots show excellent biocompatibility and minimally disturb the differentiation of FGSCs. Intracellular Pdots escape from the lysosomes and undergo active exocytosis, which makes them ideal nanocarriers for bioactive cargos. Moreover, Pdot-siRNA can penetrate into 3D ovarian organoids derived from FGSCs and down-regulate the expression levels of target genes. This study investigates the interface between a type of theranostic nanoparticles and FGSCs for the first time and sheds light on the manipulation and medical application of FGSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Luo
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, and Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Green Energy Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Min Yin
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, and Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Green Energy Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
| | - Chunlan Mu
- Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Bio-X Institutes, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Xingjie Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Hui Xie
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, and Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Green Energy Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
| | - Jingyi Li
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, and Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Green Energy Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
| | - Tingting Cao
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, and Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Green Energy Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
| | - Nan Chen
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, The Education Ministry Key Lab of Resource Chemistry, Joint International Research Laboratory of Resource Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, and Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Biomimetic Catalysis, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Green Energy Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
| | - Ji Wu
- Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Bio-X Institutes, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
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11
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Amar K, Saha S, Debnath A, Weng CH, Roy A, Han KY, Chowdhury F. Reduced Cell-ECM Interactions in the EpiSC Colony Center Cause Heterogeneous Differentiation. Cells 2023; 12:cells12020326. [PMID: 36672261 PMCID: PMC9857087 DOI: 10.3390/cells12020326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanoregulation of cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions are crucial for dictating pluripotent stem cell differentiation. However, not all pluripotent cells respond homogeneously which results in heterogeneous cell populations. When cells, such as mouse epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs), are cultured in clusters, the heterogeneity effect during differentiation is even more pronounced. While past studies implicated variations in signaling pathways to be the root cause of heterogeneity, the biophysical aspects of differentiation have not been thoroughly considered. Here, we demonstrate that the heterogeneity of EpiSC differentiation arises from differences in the colony size and varying degrees of interactions between cells within the colonies and the ECM. Confocal imaging demonstrates that cells in the colony periphery established good contact with the surface while the cells in the colony center were separated by an average of 1-2 µm from the surface. Traction force measurements of the cells within the EpiSC colonies show that peripheral cells generate large tractions while the colony center cells do not. A finite element modeling of EpiSC colonies shows that tractions generated by the cells at the colony periphery lift off the colony center preventing the colony center from undergoing differentiation. Together, our results demonstrate a biophysical regulation of heterogeneous EpiSC colony differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kshitij Amar
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Sanjoy Saha
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Avishek Debnath
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Chun Hung Weng
- CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Arpan Roy
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Kyu Young Han
- CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Farhan Chowdhury
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program, School of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
- Materials Technology Center, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
- Correspondence:
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12
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Recurrent RNA edits in human preimplantation potentially enhance maternal mRNA clearance. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1400. [PMID: 36543858 PMCID: PMC9772385 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04338-0] [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: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttranscriptional modification plays an important role in key embryonic processes. Adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing, a common example of such modifications, is widespread in human adult tissues and has various functional impacts and clinical consequences. However, whether it persists in a consistent pattern in most human embryos, and whether it supports embryonic development, are poorly understood. To address this problem, we compiled the largest human embryonic editome from 2,071 transcriptomes and identified thousands of recurrent embryonic edits (>=50% chances of occurring in a given stage) for each early developmental stage. We found that these recurrent edits prefer exons consistently across stages, tend to target genes related to DNA replication, and undergo organized loss in abnormal embryos and embryos from elder mothers. In particular, these recurrent edits are likely to enhance maternal mRNA clearance, a possible mechanism of which could be introducing more microRNA binding sites to the 3'-untranslated regions of clearance targets. This study suggests a potentially important, if not indispensable, role of RNA editing in key human embryonic processes such as maternal mRNA clearance; the identified editome can aid further investigations.
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13
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Gropp M, Waldhorn I, Gil Y, Steiner D, Turetsky TT, Smith Y, Sabag O, Falick-Michaeli T, Ram SE, Reubinoff BE. Laminin111-based defined culture promoting self-renewing human pluripotent stem cells with properties of the early post-implantation epiblast. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:2643-2660. [PMID: 36368331 PMCID: PMC9768580 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In the mammalian embryo, a formative pluripotent phase is proposed to exist at the early post-implantation period, during the transition from the pre-implantation naive-to the post-implantation primed-epiblast. By recapitulating a laminin component of the extracellular matrix niche during embryonic formative transition, and defined culture conditions, we generated cultures highly enriched for self-renewing human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), exhibiting properties of early post-implantation epiblast cells. These hPSCs display post-implantation-epiblast gene expression profiles. FGF and TGF-β signaling maintain their self-renewal for multiple passages. They have inactive canonical Wnt signaling, do not express primitive streak markers, and are competent to initiate differentiation toward germline and somatic fates. hPSCs exhibiting early post-implantation epiblast properties may shed light on human embryonic PSCs development and may serve for initiating somatic and germ cell specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Gropp
- The Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ithai Waldhorn
- The Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yaniv Gil
- The Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Debora Steiner
- The Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tikva Tako Turetsky
- The Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yoav Smith
- The Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ofra Sabag
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tal Falick-Michaeli
- Rubin Chair in Medical Science, Department of Developmental Biology & Cancer Research, IMRIC, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Sharona Even Ram
- The Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Benjamin E. Reubinoff
- The Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel,Corresponding author
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14
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Hasaart KA, Manders F, Ubels J, Verheul M, van Roosmalen MJ, Groenen NM, Oka R, Kuijk E, Lopes SMCDS, Boxtel RV. Human induced pluripotent stem cells display a similar mutation burden as embryonic pluripotent cells in vivo. iScience 2022; 25:103736. [PMID: 35118356 PMCID: PMC8792070 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold great promise for regenerative medicine, but genetic instability is a major concern. Embryonic pluripotent cells also accumulate mutations during early development, but how this relates to the mutation burden in iPSCs remains unknown. Here, we directly compared the mutation burden of cultured iPSCs with their isogenic embryonic cells during human embryogenesis. We generated developmental lineage trees of human fetuses by phylogenetic inference from somatic mutations in the genomes of multiple stem cells, which were derived from different germ layers. Using this approach, we characterized the mutations acquired pre-gastrulation and found a rate of 1.65 mutations per cell division. When cultured in hypoxic conditions, iPSCs generated from fetal stem cells of the assessed fetuses displayed a similar mutation rate and spectrum. Our results show that iPSCs maintain a genomic integrity during culture at a similar degree as their pluripotent counterparts do in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlijn A.L. Hasaart
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Freek Manders
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Joske Ubels
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Mark Verheul
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Markus J. van Roosmalen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Niels M. Groenen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rurika Oka
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ewart Kuijk
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ruben van Boxtel
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
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15
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The spatial self-organization within pluripotent stem cell colonies is continued in detaching aggregates. Biomaterials 2022; 282:121389. [PMID: 35121357 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Colonies of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) reveal aspects of self-organization even under culture conditions that maintain pluripotency. To investigate the dynamics of this process under spatial confinement, we used either polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pillars or micro-contact printing of vitronectin. There was a progressive upregulation of OCT4, E-cadherin, and NANOG within 70 μm from the outer rim of iPSC colonies. Single-cell RNA-sequencing and spatial reconstruction of gene expression demonstrated that OCT4high subsets, residing at the edge of the colony, have pronounced up-regulation of the TGF-β pathway, particularly of NODAL and its inhibitor LEFTY. Interestingly, after 5-7 days, iPSC colonies detached spontaneously from micro-contact printed substrates to form 3D aggregates. This new method allowed generation of embryoid bodies (EBs) of controlled size without enzymatic or mechanical treatment. Within the early 3D aggregates, radial organization and differential gene expression continued in analogy to the changes observed during self-organization of iPSC colonies. Early self-detached aggregates revealed up-regulated germline-specific gene expression patterns as compared to conventional EBs. However, there were no marked differences after further directed differentiation toward hematopoietic, mesenchymal, and neuronal lineages. Our results provide further insight into the gradual self-organization within iPSC colonies and at their transition into EBs.
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16
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Yeh CY, Huang WH, Chen HC, Meir YJJ. Capturing Pluripotency and Beyond. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123558. [PMID: 34944066 PMCID: PMC8700150 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
During the development of a multicellular organism, the specification of different cell lineages originates in a small group of pluripotent cells, the epiblasts, formed in the preimplantation embryo. The pluripotent epiblast is protected from premature differentiation until exposure to inductive cues in strictly controlled spatially and temporally organized patterns guiding fetus formation. Epiblasts cultured in vitro are embryonic stem cells (ESCs), which recapitulate the self-renewal and lineage specification properties of their endogenous counterparts. The characteristics of totipotency, although less understood than pluripotency, are becoming clearer. Recent studies have shown that a minor ESC subpopulation exhibits expanded developmental potential beyond pluripotency, displaying a characteristic reminiscent of two-cell embryo blastomeres (2CLCs). In addition, reprogramming both mouse and human ESCs in defined media can produce expanded/extended pluripotent stem cells (EPSCs) similar to but different from 2CLCs. Further, the molecular roadmaps driving the transition of various potency states have been clarified. These recent key findings will allow us to understand eutherian mammalian development by comparing the underlying differences between potency network components during development. Using the mouse as a paradigm and recent progress in human PSCs, we review the epiblast's identity acquisition during embryogenesis and their ESC counterparts regarding their pluripotent fates and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Yu Yeh
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (C.-Y.Y.); (W.-H.H.)
| | - Wei-Han Huang
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (C.-Y.Y.); (W.-H.H.)
| | - Hung-Chi Chen
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (C.-Y.Y.); (W.-H.H.)
- Limbal Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou 333, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (H.-C.C.); (Y.-J.J.M.)
| | - Yaa-Jyuhn James Meir
- Limbal Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou 333, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (H.-C.C.); (Y.-J.J.M.)
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17
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Cell position within human pluripotent stem cell colonies determines apical specialization via an actin cytoskeleton-based mechanism. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 17:68-81. [PMID: 34919810 PMCID: PMC8758941 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) grow as colonies with epithelial-like features including cell polarity and position-dependent features that contribute to symmetry breaking during development. Our study provides evidence that hPSC colonies exhibit position-dependent differences in apical structures and functions. With this apical difference, edge cells were preferentially labeled with amphipathic dyes, which enabled separation of edge and center cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Transcriptome comparison between center and edge cells showed differential expression of genes related to apicobasal polarization, cell migration, and endocytosis. Accordingly, different kinematics and mechanical dynamics were found between center and edge cells, and perturbed actin dynamics disrupted the position-dependent apical polarity. In addition, our dye-labeling approach could be utilized to sort out a certain cell population in differentiated micropatterned colonies. In summary, hPSC colonies have position-dependent differences in apical structures and properties, and actin dynamics appear to play an important role in the establishment of this position-dependent cell polarity. Apical structure and properties are position dependent in hPSC colonies Center and edge cells in hPSC colonies were separated by FACS for RNA-seq analysis DEGs are involved in cell polarization, migration, actin dynamics Perturbed actin dynamics disrupt position-dependent cell polarity
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18
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Pera MF, Rossant J. The exploration of pluripotency space: Charting cell state transitions in peri-implantation development. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 28:1896-1906. [PMID: 34672948 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pluripotent cells in the mammalian embryo undergo state transitions marked by changes in patterns of gene expression and developmental potential as they progress from pre-implantation through post-implantation stages of development. Recent studies of cultured mouse and human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have identified cells representative of an intermediate stage (referred to as the formative state) between naive pluripotency (equivalent to pre-implantation epiblast) and primed pluripotency (equivalent to late post-implantation epiblast). We examine these recent findings in light of our knowledge of peri-implantation mouse and human development, and we consider the implications of this work for deriving human embryo models from pluripotent cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet Rossant
- The Hospital for Sick Children and the Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; The Gairdner Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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19
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Babarinde IA, Ma G, Li Y, Deng B, Luo Z, Liu H, Abdul MM, Ward C, Chen M, Fu X, Shi L, Duttlinger M, He J, Sun L, Li W, Zhuang Q, Tong G, Frampton J, Cazier JB, Chen J, Jauch R, Esteban MA, Hutchins AP. Transposable element sequence fragments incorporated into coding and noncoding transcripts modulate the transcriptome of human pluripotent stem cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:9132-9153. [PMID: 34390351 PMCID: PMC8450112 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) occupy nearly 40% of mammalian genomes and, whilst most are fragmentary and no longer capable of transposition, they can nevertheless contribute to cell function. TEs within genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II can be copied as parts of primary transcripts; however, their full contribution to mature transcript sequences remains unresolved. Here, using long and short read (LR and SR) RNA sequencing data, we show that 26% of coding and 65% of noncoding transcripts in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) contain TE-derived sequences. Different TE families are incorporated into RNAs in unique patterns, with consequences to transcript structure and function. The presence of TE sequences within a transcript is correlated with TE-type specific changes in its subcellular distribution, alterations in steady-state levels and half-life, and differential association with RNA Binding Proteins (RBPs). We identify hPSC-specific incorporation of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) and LINE:L1 into protein-coding mRNAs, which generate TE sequence-derived peptides. Finally, single cell RNA-seq reveals that hPSCs express ERV-containing transcripts, whilst differentiating subpopulations lack ERVs and express SINE and LINE-containing transcripts. Overall, our comprehensive analysis demonstrates that the incorporation of TE sequences into the RNAs of hPSCs is more widespread and has a greater impact than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac A Babarinde
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Gang Ma
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuhao Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Boping Deng
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Zhiwei Luo
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Mazid Md Abdul
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Carl Ward
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Minchun Chen
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiuling Fu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Liyang Shi
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Martha Duttlinger
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jiangping He
- Center for Cell Lineage and Atlas (CCLA), Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Li Sun
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wenjuan Li
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Qiang Zhuang
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Guoqing Tong
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Jon Frampton
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Jean-Baptiste Cazier
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.,Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jiekai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Center for Cell Lineage and Atlas (CCLA), Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China.,Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ralf Jauch
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Miguel A Esteban
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Andrew P Hutchins
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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20
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Bansal P, Ahern DT, Kondaveeti Y, Qiu CW, Pinter SF. Contiguous erosion of the inactive X in human pluripotency concludes with global DNA hypomethylation. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109215. [PMID: 34107261 PMCID: PMC8267460 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Female human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) routinely undergo inactive X (Xi) erosion. This progressive loss of key repressive features follows the loss of XIST expression, the long non-coding RNA driving X inactivation, and causes reactivation of silenced genes across the eroding X (Xe). To date, the sporadic and progressive nature of erosion has obscured its scale, dynamics, and key transition events. To address this problem, we perform an integrated analysis of DNA methylation (DNAme), chromatin accessibility, and gene expression across hundreds of hPSC samples. Differential DNAme orders female hPSCs across a trajectory from initiation to terminal Xi erosion. Our results identify a cis-regulatory element crucial for XIST expression, trace contiguously growing reactivated domains to a few euchromatic origins, and indicate that the late-stage Xe impairs DNAme genome-wide. Surprisingly, from this altered regulatory landscape emerge select features of naive pluripotency, suggesting that its link to X dosage may be partially conserved in human embryonic development. Reactivation of the silenced X in human female iPSC/ESCs compromises their utility. Bansal et al. perform an integrated genomics analysis to reveal a prevalent X erosion trajectory that they validate in long-term culture. Starting with XIST loss, this trajectory indicates that reactivation may spread contiguously from escapees to silenced genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakhar Bansal
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Developmental Biology, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Darcy T Ahern
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Developmental Biology, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Yuvabharath Kondaveeti
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Catherine W Qiu
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Stefan F Pinter
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Developmental Biology, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA.
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21
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Khan SA, Park KM, Fischer LA, Dong C, Lungjangwa T, Jimenez M, Casalena D, Chew B, Dietmann S, Auld DS, Jaenisch R, Theunissen TW. Probing the signaling requirements for naive human pluripotency by high-throughput chemical screening. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109233. [PMID: 34133938 PMCID: PMC8272458 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Naive human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been isolated that more closely resemble the pre-implantation epiblast compared to conventional “primed” hESCs, but the signaling principles underlying these discrete stem cell states remain incompletely understood. Here, we describe the results from a high-throughput screen using ~3,000 well-annotated compounds to identify essential signaling requirements for naive human pluripotency. We report that MEK1/2 inhibitors can be replaced during maintenance of naive human pluripotency by inhibitors targeting either upstream (FGFR, RAF) or downstream (ERK1/2) kinases. Naive hESCs maintained under these alternative conditions display elevated levels of ERK phosphorylation but retain genome-wide DNA hypomethylation and a transcriptional identity of the pre-implantation epiblast. In contrast, dual inhibition of MEK and ERK promotes efficient primed-to-naive resetting in combination with PKC, ROCK, and TNKS inhibitors and activin A. This work demonstrates that induction and maintenance of naive human pluripotency are governed by distinct signaling requirements. Khan et al. describe a high-throughput chemical screen to identify essential signaling requirements for naive human pluripotency in minimal conditions. They report that naive hESCs can be maintained by blocking distinct nodes in the FGF signaling pathway and that dual MEK/ERK inhibition promotes efficient primed-to-naive resetting in combination with activin A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shafqat A Khan
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kyoung-Mi Park
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Laura A Fischer
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Chen Dong
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tenzin Lungjangwa
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Marta Jimenez
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dominick Casalena
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Brian Chew
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sabine Dietmann
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Douglas S Auld
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Rudolf Jaenisch
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Thorold W Theunissen
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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22
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Hayes K, Kim YK, Pera MF. A case for revisiting Nodal signaling in human pluripotent stem cells. STEM CELLS (DAYTON, OHIO) 2021; 39:1137-1144. [PMID: 33932319 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Nodal is a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily member that plays a number of critical roles in mammalian embryonic development. Nodal is essential for the support of the peri-implantation epiblast in the mouse embryo and subsequently acts to specify mesendodermal fate at the time of gastrulation and, later, left-right asymmetry. Maintenance of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in vitro is dependent on Nodal signaling. Because it has proven difficult to prepare a biologically active form of recombinant Nodal protein, Activin or TGFB1 are widely used as surrogates for NODAL in hPSC culture. Nonetheless, the expression of the components of an endogenous Nodal signaling pathway in hPSC provides a potential autocrine pathway for the regulation of self-renewal in this system. Here we review recent studies that have clarified the role of Nodal signaling in pluripotent stem cell populations, highlighted spatial restrictions on Nodal signaling, and shown that Nodal functions in vivo as a heterodimer with GDF3, another TGF-β superfamily member expressed by hPSC. We discuss the role of this pathway in the maintenance of the epiblast and hPSC in light of these new advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Hayes
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
| | - Yun-Kyo Kim
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
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23
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Alajem A, Roth H, Ratgauzer S, Bavli D, Motzik A, Lahav S, Peled I, Ram O. DNA methylation patterns expose variations in enhancer-chromatin modifications during embryonic stem cell differentiation. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009498. [PMID: 33844685 PMCID: PMC8062104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, cellular identity is defined through strict regulation of chromatin modifications and DNA methylation that control gene expression. Methylation of cytosines at CpG sites in the genome is mainly associated with suppression; however, the reason for enhancer-specific methylation is not fully understood. We used sequential ChIP-bisulfite-sequencing for H3K4me1 and H3K27ac histone marks. By collecting data from the same genomic region, we identified enhancers differentially methylated between these two marks. We observed a global gain of CpG methylation primarily in H3K4me1-marked nucleosomes during mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation. This gain occurred largely in enhancer regions that regulate genes critical for differentiation. The higher levels of DNA methylation in H3K4me1- versus H3K27ac-marked enhancers, despite it being the same genomic region, indicates cellular heterogeneity of enhancer states. Analysis of single-cell RNA-seq profiles demonstrated that this heterogeneity correlates with gene expression during differentiation. Furthermore, heterogeneity of enhancer methylation correlates with transcription start site methylation. Our results provide insights into enhancer-based functional variation in complex biological systems. Cellular dynamics are underlined by numerous regulatory layers. The regulatory mechanism of interest in this work are enhancers. Enhancers are regulatory regions responsible, mainly, for increasing the possibility of transcription of a certain gene. Enhancers are marked by two distinct chemical groups-H3K4me1 and H3K27ac on the tail of histones. Histones are the proteins responsible for DNA packaging into condensed chromatin structure. In contrast, DNA methylation is a chemical modification often found on enhancers, and is traditionally associated with repression. A long-debated question revolves around the functional relevance of DNA methylation in the context of enhancers. Here, we combined the two regulatory layers, histone marks and DNA methylation, to a single measurement that can highlight DNA methylation separately on each histone mark but at the same genomic region. When isolated with H3K4me1, enhancers showed higher levels of methylation compared to H3K27ac. As we measured the same genomic locations, we show that differences of DNA methylation between these marks can only be explained by cellular heterogeneity. We also demonstrated that these enhancers tend to play roles in stem cell differentiation and expression levels of the genes they control correlate with cell-to-cell variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Alajem
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hava Roth
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Sofia Ratgauzer
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Danny Bavli
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Alex Motzik
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shlomtzion Lahav
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Itay Peled
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Oren Ram
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
- * E-mail:
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24
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Kinoshita M, Barber M, Mansfield W, Cui Y, Spindlow D, Stirparo GG, Dietmann S, Nichols J, Smith A. Capture of Mouse and Human Stem Cells with Features of Formative Pluripotency. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 28:453-471.e8. [PMID: 33271069 PMCID: PMC7939546 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pluripotent cells emerge as a naive founder population in the blastocyst, acquire capacity for germline and soma formation, and then undergo lineage priming. Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and epiblast-derived stem cells (EpiSCs) represent the initial naive and final primed phases of pluripotency, respectively. Here, we investigate the intermediate formative stage. Using minimal exposure to specification cues, we derive stem cells from formative mouse epiblast. Unlike ESCs or EpiSCs, formative stem (FS) cells respond directly to germ cell induction. They colonize somatic tissues and germline in chimeras. Whole-transcriptome analyses show similarity to pre-gastrulation formative epiblast. Signal responsiveness and chromatin accessibility features reflect lineage capacitation. Furthermore, FS cells show distinct transcription factor dependencies, relying critically on Otx2. Finally, FS cell culture conditions applied to human naive cells or embryos support expansion of similar stem cells, consistent with a conserved staging post on the trajectory of mammalian pluripotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Kinoshita
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK.
| | - Michael Barber
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - William Mansfield
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Yingzhi Cui
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Daniel Spindlow
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Giuliano Giuseppe Stirparo
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Sabine Dietmann
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Jennifer Nichols
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Austin Smith
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK; Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
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25
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Abstract
In the past several decades, the establishment of in vitro models of pluripotency has ushered in a golden era for developmental and stem cell biology. Research in this arena has led to profound insights into the regulatory features that shape early embryonic development. Nevertheless, an integrative theory of the epigenetic principles that govern the pluripotent nucleus remains elusive. Here, we summarize the epigenetic characteristics that define the pluripotent state. We cover what is currently known about the epigenome of pluripotent stem cells and reflect on the use of embryonic stem cells as an experimental system. In addition, we highlight insights from super-resolution microscopy, which have advanced our understanding of the form and function of chromatin, particularly its role in establishing the characteristically "open chromatin" of pluripotent nuclei. Further, we discuss the rapid improvements in 3C-based methods, which have given us a means to investigate the 3D spatial organization of the pluripotent genome. This has aided the adaptation of prior notions of a "pluripotent molecular circuitry" into a more holistic model, where hotspots of co-interacting domains correspond with the accumulation of pluripotency-associated factors. Finally, we relate these earlier hypotheses to an emerging model of phase separation, which posits that a biophysical mechanism may presuppose the formation of a pluripotent-state-defining transcriptional program.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eran Meshorer
- Department of Genetics, the Institute of Life Sciences
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC), The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel 9190400
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26
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Ghimire S, Mantziou V, Moris N, Martinez Arias A. Human gastrulation: The embryo and its models. Dev Biol 2021; 474:100-108. [PMID: 33484705 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Technical and ethical limitations create a challenge to study early human development, especially following the first 3 weeks of development after fertilization, when the fundamental aspects of the body plan are established through the process called gastrulation. As a consequence, our current understanding of human development is mostly based on the anatomical and histological studies on Carnegie Collection of human embryos, which were carried out more than half a century ago. Due to the 14-day rule on human embryo research, there have been no experimental studies beyond the fourteenth day of human development. Mutagenesis studies on animal models, mostly in mouse, are often extrapolated to human embryos to understand the transcriptional regulation of human development. However, due to the existence of significant differences in their morphological and molecular features as well as the time scale of their development, it is obvious that complete knowledge of human development can be achieved only by studying the human embryo. These studies require a cellular framework. Here we summarize the cellular, molecular, and temporal aspects associated with human gastrulation and discuss how they relate to existing human PSCs based models of early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabitri Ghimire
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK.
| | - Veronika Mantziou
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Naomi Moris
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
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