Developmental regulation of TAC1 in peptidergic-induced human mesenchymal stem cells: implication for spinal cord injury in zebrafish

Optimized 3D Culture of Hepatic Cells for Liver Organoid Metabolic Assays

The liver is among the principal organs for glucose homeostasis and metabolism. Studies of liver metabolism are limited by the inability to expand primary hepatocytes in vitro while maintaining their metabolic functions. Human hepatic three-dimensional (3D) organoids have been established using defined factors, yet hepatic organoids from adult donors showed impaired expansion. We examined conditions to facilitate the expansion of adult donor-derived hepatic organoids (HepAOs) and HepG2 cells in organoid cultures (HepGOs) using combinations of growth factors and small molecules. The expansion dynamics, gluconeogenic and HNF4α expression, and albumin secretion are assessed. The conditions tested allow the generation of HepAOs and HepGOs in 3D cultures. Nevertheless, gluconeogenic gene expression varies greatly between conditions. The organoid expansion rates are limited when including the TGFβ inhibitor A8301, while are relatively higher with Forskolin (FSK) and Oncostatin M (OSM). Notably, expanded HepGOs grown in the optimized condition maintain detectable gluconeogenic expression in a spatiotemporal distribution at 8 weeks. We present optimized conditions by limiting A8301 and incorporating FSK and OSM to allow the expansion of HepAOs from adult donors and HepGOs with gluconeogenic competence. These models increase the repertoire of human hepatic cellular tools available for use in liver metabolic assays.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapies in brain disease

As treatments for diseases throughout the body progress, treatment for many brain diseases has been at a standstill due to difficulties in drug delivery. While new drugs are being discovered in vitro, these therapies are often hindered by inefficient tissue distribution and, more commonly, an inability to cross the blood brain barrier. Mesenchymal stem cells are thus being investigated as a delivery tool to directly target therapies to the brain to treat wide array of brain diseases. This review discusses the use of mesenchymal stem cells in hypoxic disease (hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy), an inflammatory neurodegenerative disease (multiple sclerosis), and a malignant condition (glioma).

Combination of RNA Interference and Stem Cells for Treatment of Central Nervous System Diseases

RNA interference (RNAi), including microRNAs, is an important player in the mediation of differentiation and migration of stem cells via target genes. It is used as a potential strategy for gene therapy for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Stem cells are considered vectors of RNAi due to their capacity to deliver RNAi to other cells. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in studies of RNAi pathways in controlling neuronal differentiation and migration of stem cells. We also highlight the utilization of a combination of RNAi and stem cells in treatment of CNS diseases.

The Power of Zebrafish in Personalised Medicine

The goal of personalised medicine is to develop tailor-made therapies for patients in whom currently available therapeutics fail. This approach requires correlating individual patient genotype data to specific disease phenotype data and using these stratified data sets to identify bespoke therapeutics. Applications for personalised medicine include common complex diseases which may have multiple targets, as well as rare monogenic disorders, for which the target may be unknown. In both cases, whole genome sequence analysis (WGS) is discovering large numbers of disease associated mutations in new candidate genes and potential modifier genes. Currently, the main limiting factor is the determination of which mutated genes are important for disease progression and therefore represent potential targets for drug discovery. Zebrafish have gained popularity as a model organism for understanding developmental processes, disease mechanisms and more recently for drug discovery and toxicity testing. In this chapter, we will examine the diverse roles that zebrafish can make in the expanding field of personalised medicine, from generating humanised disease models to xenograft screening of different cancer cell lines, through to finding new drugs via in vivo phenotypic screens. We will discuss the tools available for zebrafish research and recent advances in techniques, highlighting the advantages and potential of using zebrafish for high throughput disease modeling and precision drug discovery.

Constitutive Expression of Inducible Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Early Repressor (ICER) in Cycling Quiescent Hematopoietic Cells: Implications for Aging Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Despite extensive insights on the interaction between hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and the supporting bone marrow (BM) stroma in hematopoietic homeostasis there remains unanswered questions on HSC regulation. We report on the mechanism by which HSCs attain cycling quiescence by addressing a role for inducible cyclic AMP early repressor (ICER). ICER negatively transcriptional regulators of cAMP activators such as CREM and CREB. These activators can be induced by hematopoietic stimulators such as cytokines. We isolated subsets of hematopoietic cells from ten healthy donors: CD34⁺CD38^-/c-kit ⁺ (primitive progenitor), CD34⁺CD38⁺/c-kit^low (mature progenitor) and CD34^-CD38^+/-/c-kit^low/- (differentiated lineage-). The relative maturity of the progenitors were verified in long-term culture initiating assay. Immunoprecipitation indicated the highest level of ICER in the nuclear extracts of CD34⁺/CD38^- cells. Phospho (p)-CREM was also present suggesting a balance between ICER and p-CREM in HSC. ICER seems to be responsible for decrease in G1 transition, based on reduced Cdk4 protein, decreased proliferation and functional studies with propidium iodide. There were no marked changes in the cycling inhibitors, p15 and p-Rb, suggesting that ICER may act independently of other cycling inhibitors. The major effects of ICER were validated with BM mononuclear cells (BMNCs) in which ICER was ectopically expressed, and with BMNCs resistant to 5-fluorouracil- or cyclophosphamide. In total, this study ascribes a novel role for ICER in G1 checkpoint regulation in HSCs. These findings are relevant to gene therapy that require engineering of HSCs, age-related disorders that are associated with hematopoietic dysfunction and other hematological disorders.

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells in drug therapy: New perspective

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) have emerged as a class of cells suitable for cellular delivery of nanoparticles, drugs and micro-RNA cargo for targeted treatments such as tumor and other protective mechanisms. The special properties of MSC underscore the current use for various clinical applications. Examples of applications include but are not limited to regenerative medicine, immune disorders and anti-cancer therapies. In recent years, there has been intense research in modifying MSC to achieve targeted and efficient clinical outcomes. This review discusses effects of MSC in an inflammatory microenvironment and then explains how these properties could be important to the overall application of MSC in cell therapy. The article also advises caution in the application of these cells because of their role in tumorigenesis. The review stresses the use of MSC as vehicles for drug delivery and discusses the accompanying challenges, based on the influence of the microenvironment on MSC.

A discussion on adult mesenchymal stem cells for drug delivery: pros and cons

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are emerging as candidates for drug delivery to treat numerous diseases. Their ease of isolation, expansion and reduced ethical concern, coupled with their ‘plastic’ immune functions and homing abilities make MSCs an appealing choice as cellular vehicle for drug delivery, including the delivery of RNA. However, while MSCs are currently listed for thousands of clinical trials, there are many confounding factors that have yet to be elucidated. In this review, we address many of the benefits of MSCs as therapeutic agents, and discuss confounding factors that require further scientific exploration.

Intrathecal Transplantation of Autologous Adherent Bone Marrow Cells Induces Functional Neurological Recovery in a Canine Model of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in demyelination of surviving axons, loss of oligodendrocytes, and impairment of motor and sensory functions. We have developed a clinical strategy of cell therapy for SCI through the use of autologous bone marrow cells for transplantation to augment remyelination and enhance neurological repair. In a preclinical large mammalian model of SCI, experimental dogs were subjected to a clipping contusion of the spinal cord. Two weeks after the injury, GFP-labeled autologous minimally manipulated adherent bone marrow cells (ABMCs) were transplanted intrathecally to investigate the safety and efficacy of autologous ABMC therapy. The effects of ABMC transplantation in dogs with SCI were determined using functional neurological scoring, and the integration of ABMCs into the injured cords was determined using histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations and electron microscopic analyses of sections from control and transplanted spinal cords. Our data demonstrate the presence of GFP-labeled cells in the injured spinal cord for up to 16 weeks after transplantation in the subacute SCI stage. GFP-labeled cells homed to the site of injury and were detected around white matter tracts and surviving axons. ABMC therapy in the canine SCI model enhanced remyelination and augmented neural regeneration, resulting in improved neurological functions. Therefore, autologous ABMC therapy appears to be a safe and promising therapy for spinal cord injuries.

Temozolomide resistance in glioblastoma cells occurs partly through epidermal growth factor receptor-mediated induction of connexin 43

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive adult primary brain tumor with poor prognosis. GBM patients develop resistance to the frontline chemotherapy, temozolomide (TMZ). As the connexins (Cx) have been shown to have a complex role in GBM, we investigated the role of Cx43 in TMZ resistance. Cx43 was increased in the TMZ-resistant low passage and cell lines. This correlated with the data in The Cancer Genome Atlas. Cx43 knockdown, reporter gene assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, real-time PCR and western blots verified a role for Cx43 in TMZ resistance. This occurred by TMZ-resistant GBM cells being able to activate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In turn, EGFR activated the JNK-ERK1/2-AP-1 axis to induce Cx43. The increased Cx43 was functional as indicated by gap junctional intercellular communication among the resistant GBM cells. Cell therapy could be a potential method to deliver drugs, such as anti-EGF to tumor cells. Similar strategies could be used to reverse the expression of Cx43 to sensitize GBM cells to TMZ. The studies showed the potential for targeting EGF in immune therapy. These agents can be used in conjunction with stem cell therapy to treat GBM.

Autologous bone marrow-derived cell therapy combined with physical therapy induces functional improvement in chronic spinal cord injury patients

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) cause sensory loss and motor paralysis. They are normally treated with physical therapy, but most patients fail to recover due to limited neural regeneration. Here we describe a strategy in which treatment with autologous adherent bone marrow cells is combined with physical therapy to improve motor and sensory functions in early stage chronic SCI patients. In a phase I/II controlled single-blind clinical trial (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00816803), 70 chronic cervical and thoracic SCI patients with injury durations of at least 12 months were treated with either intrathecal injection(s) of autologous adherent bone marrow cells combined with physical therapy or with physical therapy alone. Patients were evaluated with clinical and neurological examinations using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS), electrophysiological somatosensory-evoked potential, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and functional independence measurements. Chronic cervical and thoracic SCI patients (15 AIS A and 35 AIS B) treated with autologous adherent bone marrow cells combined with physical therapy showed functional improvements over patients in the control group (10 AIS A and 10 AIS B) treated with physical therapy alone, and there were no long-term cell therapy-related side effects. At 18 months posttreatment, 23 of the 50 cell therapy-treated cases (46%) showed sustained functional improvement. Compared to those patients with cervical injuries, a higher rate of functional improvement was achieved in thoracic SCI patients with shorter durations of injury and smaller cord lesions. Therefore, when combined with physical therapy, autologous adherent bone marrow cell therapy appears to be a safe and promising therapy for patients with chronic SCI of traumatic origin. Randomized controlled multicenter trials are warranted.