1
|
Bragança J, Pinto R, Silva B, Marques N, Leitão HS, Fernandes MT. Charting the Path: Navigating Embryonic Development to Potentially Safeguard against Congenital Heart Defects. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1263. [PMID: 37623513 PMCID: PMC10455635 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13081263] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are structural or functional defects present at birth due to improper heart development. Current therapeutic approaches to treating severe CHDs are primarily palliative surgical interventions during the peri- or prenatal stages, when the heart has fully developed from faulty embryogenesis. However, earlier interventions during embryonic development have the potential for better outcomes, as demonstrated by fetal cardiac interventions performed in utero, which have shown improved neonatal and prenatal survival rates, as well as reduced lifelong morbidity. Extensive research on heart development has identified key steps, cellular players, and the intricate network of signaling pathways and transcription factors governing cardiogenesis. Additionally, some reports have indicated that certain adverse genetic and environmental conditions leading to heart malformations and embryonic death may be amendable through the activation of alternative mechanisms. This review first highlights key molecular and cellular processes involved in heart development. Subsequently, it explores the potential for future therapeutic strategies, targeting early embryonic stages, to prevent CHDs, through the delivery of biomolecules or exosomes to compensate for faulty cardiogenic mechanisms. Implementing such non-surgical interventions during early gestation may offer a prophylactic approach toward reducing the occurrence and severity of CHDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Bragança
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rute Pinto
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Bárbara Silva
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Nuno Marques
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Helena S. Leitão
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Mónica T. Fernandes
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- School of Health, University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Marini V, Marino F, Aliberti F, Giarratana N, Pozzo E, Duelen R, Cortés Calabuig Á, La Rovere R, Vervliet T, Torella D, Bultynck G, Sampaolesi M, Chai YC. Long-term culture of patient-derived cardiac organoids recapitulated Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyopathy and disease progression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:878311. [PMID: 36035984 PMCID: PMC9403515 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.878311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked neuromuscular disease which to date is incurable. The major cause of death is dilated cardiomyopathy however, its pathogenesis is unclear as existing cellular and animal models do not fully recapitulate the human disease phenotypes. In this study, we generated cardiac organoids from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (DMD-COs) and isogenic-corrected controls (DMD-Iso-COs) and studied if DMD-related cardiomyopathy and disease progression occur in the organoids upon long-term culture (up to 93 days). Histological analysis showed that DMD-COs lack initial proliferative capacity, displayed a progressive loss of sarcoglycan localization and high stress in endoplasmic reticulum. Additionally, cardiomyocyte deterioration, fibrosis and aberrant adipogenesis were observed in DMD-COs over time. RNA sequencing analysis confirmed a distinct transcriptomic profile in DMD-COs which was associated with functional enrichment in hypertrophy/dilated cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, adipogenesis and fibrosis pathways. Moreover, five miRNAs were identified to be crucial in this dysregulated gene network. In conclusion, we generated patient-derived cardiac organoid model that displayed DMD-related cardiomyopathy and disease progression phenotypes in long-term culture. We envision the feasibility to develop a more complex, realistic and reliable in vitro 3D human cardiac-mimics to study DMD-related cardiomyopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Marini
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fabiola Marino
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Flaminia Aliberti
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Transplant Research Area, Human Anatomy Unit, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Nefele Giarratana
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Enrico Pozzo
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Duelen
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Rita La Rovere
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Leuven Kanker Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tim Vervliet
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Leuven Kanker Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daniele Torella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Geert Bultynck
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Leuven Kanker Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maurilio Sampaolesi
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Histology and Medical Embryology Unit, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Maurilio Sampaolesi, ; Yoke Chin Chai,
| | - Yoke Chin Chai
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Maurilio Sampaolesi, ; Yoke Chin Chai,
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Knowles H, Santucci N, Studdert J, Goh HN, Kaufman-Francis K, Salehin N, Tam PPL, Osteil P. Differential impact of TGFβ/SMAD signaling activity elicited by Activin A and Nodal on endoderm differentiation of epiblast stem cells. Genesis 2022; 60:e23466. [PMID: 35104045 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Allocation of cells to an endodermal fate in the gastrulating embryo is driven by Nodal signaling and consequent activation of TGFβ pathway. In vitro methodologies striving to recapitulate the process of endoderm differentiation, however, use TGFβ family member Activin in place of Nodal. This is despite Activin not known to have an in vivo role in endoderm differentiation. In this study, five epiblast stem cell lines were subjected to directed differentiation using both Activin A and Nodal to induce endodermal fate. A reporter line harboring endoderm markers FoxA2 and Sox17 was further analyzed for TGFβ pathway activation and WNT response. We demonstrated that Activin A-treated cells remain more primitive streak-like when compared to Nodal-treated cells that have a molecular profile suggestive of more advanced differentiation. Activin A elicited a robust TGFβ/SMAD activity, enhanced WNT signaling activity and promoted the generation of DE precursors. Nodal treatment resulted in lower TGFβ/SMAD activity, and a weaker, sustained WNT response, and ultimately failed to upregulate endoderm markers. This is despite signaling response resembling more closely the activity seen in vivo. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the downstream activities of Activin A and Nodal signaling in directing in vitro endoderm differentiation of primed-state epiblast stem cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hilary Knowles
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicole Santucci
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Joshua Studdert
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hwee Ngee Goh
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Keren Kaufman-Francis
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nazmus Salehin
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patrick P L Tam
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Pierre Osteil
- Embryology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Swiss Cancer Research Institute (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wei Y, Jiang J, Wang C, Zou H, Shen X, Jia W, Jin S, Zhang L, Hu J, Yang L, Pang L. Prognostic value of cripto-1 expression in non-small-cell lung cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biomark Med 2020; 14:317-329. [PMID: 32134335 DOI: 10.2217/bmm-2019-0159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the association between cripto-1 expression and prognosis as well as clinicopathological features of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: The electronic databases for all articles about NSCLC and cripto-1 expression were searched. Results: Twelve articles were enrolled in this meta-analysis (3130 samples). In NSCLC patients, cripto-1 was expressed higher than in normal tissues. Cripto-1 expression was closely correlated with lymph node metastasis, histological differentiation and advanced clinical stage of NSCLC patients, but not related to smoking, age and gender. Pooled hazard ratios found that high cripto-1 expression had poor overall survival and progression-free survival. Conclusion: Cripto-1 could serve as a novel biomarker for predicting poor prognosis in NSCLC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanfeng Wei
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jinfang Jiang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Chengyan Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Hong Zou
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xihua Shen
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Wei Jia
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Shan Jin
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jianming Hu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Lan Yang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| | - Lijuan Pang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shihezi University School of Medicine, North 2nd Road, Shihezi 832002, Xinjiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sung TC, Liu CH, Huang WL, Lee YC, Kumar SS, Chang Y, Ling QD, Hsu ST, Higuchi A. Efficient differentiation of human ES and iPS cells into cardiomyocytes on biomaterials under xeno-free conditions. Biomater Sci 2019; 7:5467-5481. [PMID: 31656967 DOI: 10.1039/c9bm00817a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Current xeno-free and chemically defined methods for the differentiation of hPSCs (human pluripotent stem cells) into cardiomyocytes are not efficient and are sometimes not reproducible. Therefore, it is necessary to develop reliable and efficient methods for the differentiation of hPSCs into cardiomyocytes for future use in cardiovascular research related to drug discovery, cardiotoxicity screening, and disease modeling. We evaluated two representative differentiation methods that were reported previously, and we further developed original, more efficient methods for the differentiation of hPSCs into cardiomyocytes under xeno-free, chemically defined conditions. The developed protocol successively differentiated hPSCs into cardiomyocytes, approximately 90-97% of which expressed the cardiac marker cTnT, with beating speeds and sarcomere lengths that were similar to those of a healthy adult human heart. The optimal cell culture biomaterials for the cardiac differentiation of hPSCs were also evaluated using extracellular matrix-mimetic material-coated dishes. Synthemax II-coated and Laminin-521-coated dishes were found to be the most effective and efficient biomaterials for the cardiac differentiation of hPSCs according to the observation of hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes with high survival ratios, high beating colony numbers, a similar beating frequency to that of a healthy adult human heart, high purity levels (high cTnT expression) and longer sarcomere lengths similar to those of a healthy adult human heart.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Cheng Sung
- The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No. 270, Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang Z, Huang J. Apela Promotes Cardiomyocyte Differentiation from Transgenic Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2019; 189:396-410. [PMID: 31025171 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-019-03012-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Although embryonic stem (ES) cells (ESCs) may be a promising donor source for the repair of infarcted or ischemic heart tissues, their successful application in regenerative medicine has been hampered by difficulties in enriching, identifying, and selecting cardiomyocytes from the differentiating cells. We established transgenic human ES cell lines by transcriptional control of the α-cardiac myosin heavy chain (α-MHC) promoter driving green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression. Differentiated GFP-expressing cells display the characteristics of cardiomyocytes (CMs). Apela, a recently identified short peptide, up-regulated the expression of the cardiac-restricted transcription factors Tbx5 and GATA4 as well as differentiated the cardiomyocyte markers α-MHC and β-MHC. Flow cytometric analysis showed that apela increased the percentage of GFP-expressing cells in the beating foci of the embryoid bodies. The percentage of cardiac troponin T (TNT)-positive cells and the protein expression of TNT were increased in the ES cell-derived CMs with apela treatment. Functionally, the contractile frequency of the ES-derived CMs responded appropriately to the vasoactive drugs isoprenaline and carbachol. Our work presented a protocol for specially labelling and enriching CMs by combining transgenic human ES cell lines and exogenous growth factor treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nanjing Chest Hospital, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Cardiology, Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, No. 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jin Huang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nanjing Chest Hospital, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sampaolesi M, Pozzo E, Duelen R. In the heart of the in vivo reprogramming. Stem Cell Investig 2018; 5:38. [PMID: 30498749 DOI: 10.21037/sci.2018.10.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Maurilio Sampaolesi
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Human Anatomy Unit, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Enrico Pozzo
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Duelen
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Stroma-derived IL-6, G-CSF and Activin-A mediated dedifferentiation of lung carcinoma cells into cancer stem cells. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11573. [PMID: 30069023 PMCID: PMC6070555 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29947-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small population of resistant cells inhabiting the tumors. Although comprising only nearly 3% of the tumor mass, these cells were demonstrated to orchestrate tumorigenesis and differentiation, underlie tumors’ heterogeneity and mediate therapy resistance and tumor relapse. Here we show that CSCs may be formed by dedifferentiation of terminally differentiated tumor cells under stress conditions. Using a elegant co-culture cellular system, we were able to prove that nutrients and oxygen deprivation activated non-malignant stromal fibroblasts, which in turn established with tumor cells a paracrine loop mediated by Interleukine-6 (IL-6), Activin-A and Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), that drove subsequent tumor formation and cellular dedifferentiation. However, by scavenging these cytokines from the media and/or blocking exosomes’ mediated communication it was possible to abrogate dedifferentiation thus turning these mechanisms into potential therapeutic targets against cancer progression.
Collapse
|
9
|
Stem Cell Technology in Cardiac Regeneration: A Pluripotent Stem Cell Promise. EBioMedicine 2017; 16:30-40. [PMID: 28169191 PMCID: PMC5474503 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in cardiovascular biology and medical therapy, heart disorders are the leading cause of death worldwide. Cell-based regenerative therapies become a promising treatment for patients affected by heart failure, but also underline the need for reproducible results in preclinical and clinical studies for safety and efficacy. Enthusiasm has been tempered by poor engraftment, survival and differentiation of the injected adult stem cells. The crucial challenge is identification and selection of the most suitable stem cell type for cardiac regenerative medicine. Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have emerged as attractive cell source to obtain cardiomyocytes (CMs), with potential applications, including drug discovery and toxicity screening, disease modelling and innovative cell therapies. Lessons from embryology offered important insights into the development of stem cell-derived CMs. However, the generation of a CM population, uniform in cardiac subtype, adult maturation and functional properties, is highly recommended. Moreover, hurdles regarding tumorigenesis, graft cell death, immune rejection and arrhythmogenesis need to be overcome in clinical practice. Here we highlight the recent progression in PSC technologies for the regeneration of injured heart. We review novel strategies that might overcome current obstacles in heart regenerative medicine, aiming at improving cell survival and functional integration after cell transplantation. Human pluripotent stem cells emerge as attractive tool for cardiac regeneration approaches. Plasticity of human pluripotent stem cells towards cardiac-related cell types guarantees repopulation of injured heart. Combination of stem cell and gene editing therapies has potential to become next generation treatment for cardiac diseases.
Data for this Review were identified by searches of MEDLINE and PubMed, and references from relevant articles using the search terms “cardiomyogenesis”, “adult stem cells”, “pluripotent stem cells” and “cardiac regeneration”. Only articles published in English between 1976 and 2017 were included. The majority of the articles reported were published after 2000.
Collapse
|