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Zhou J, Sun J. A Revolution in Reprogramming: Small Molecules. Curr Mol Med 2019; 19:77-90. [DOI: 10.2174/1566524019666190325113945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Transplantation of reprogrammed cells from accessible sources and in vivo
reprogramming are potential therapies for regenerative medicine. During the last
decade, genetic approaches, which mostly involved transcription factors and
microRNAs, have been shown to affect cell fates. However, their potential
carcinogenicity and other unexpected effects limit their translation into clinical
applications. Recently, with the power of modern biology-oriented design and synthetic
chemistry, as well as high-throughput screening technology, small molecules have been
shown to enhance reprogramming efficiency, replace genetic factors, and help elucidate
the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular plasticity and degenerative diseases. As a
non-viral and non-integrating approach, small molecules not only show revolutionary
capacities in generating desired exogenous cell types but also have potential as drugs
that can restore tissues through repairing or reprogramming endogenous cells. Here, we
focus on the recent progress made to use small molecules in cell reprogramming along
with some related mechanisms to elucidate these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhou
- Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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2
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Abstract
The ability to repair damaged or lost tissues varies significantly among vertebrates. The regenerative ability of the heart is clinically very relevant, because adult teleost fish and amphibians can regenerate heart tissue, but we mammals cannot. Interestingly, heart regeneration is possible in neonatal mice, but this ability is lost within 7 days after birth. In zebrafish and neonatal mice, lost cardiomyocytes are regenerated via proliferation of spared, differentiated cardiomyocytes. While some cardiomyocyte turnover occurs in adult mammals, the cardiomyocyte production rate is too low in response to injury to regenerate the heart. Instead, mammalian hearts respond to injury by remodeling of spared tissue, which includes cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays important roles during vertebrate heart development, and it is re-activated in response to cardiac injury. In this review, we discuss the known functions of this signaling pathway in injured hearts, its involvement in cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy, and potential therapeutic approaches that might promote cardiac repair after injury by modifying Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Regulation of cardiac remodeling by this signaling pathway appears to vary depending on the injury model and the exact stages that have been studied. Thus, conflicting data have been published regarding a potential role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in promotion of fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In addition, the Wnt inhibitory secreted Frizzled-related proteins (sFrps) appear to have Wnt-dependent and Wnt-independent roles in the injured heart. Thus, while the exact functions of Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity in response to injury still need to be elucidated in the non-regenerating mammalian heart, but also in regenerating lower vertebrates, manipulation of the pathway is essential for creation of therapeutically useful cardiomyocytes from stem cells in culture. Hopefully, a detailed understanding of the in vivo role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in injured mammalian and non-mammalian hearts will also contribute to the success of current efforts towards developing regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunes Ozhan
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (iBG-izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, Inciralti-Balcova, 35340 Izmir, Turkey ; Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Dokuz Eylul University Medical School, Inciralti-Balcova, 35340 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gilbert Weidinger
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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3
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Talkhabi M, Pahlavan S, Aghdami N, Baharvand H. Ascorbic acid promotes the direct conversion of mouse fibroblasts into beating cardiomyocytes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 463:699-705. [PMID: 26047705 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.05.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in the direct conversion of fibroblasts to cardiomyocytes suggest this process as a novel promising approach for cardiac cell-based therapies. Here, by screening the effects of 10 candidate small molecules along with transient overexpression of Yamanaka factors, we show ascorbic acid (AA), also known as vitamin C, enhances reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts into beating cardiomyocytes. Immunostaining and gene expression analyses for pluripotency and cardiac lineage markers confirmed beating patches were derived from non-cardiac lineage cells without passing through a pluripotent intermediate. Further analysis revealed that AA also increased the size of the beating areas and the number of cardiac progenitors. Immunostaining for cardiac markers, as well as electrophysiological analysis confirmed the functionality of directly converted cardiomyocytes. These results illustrate the importance of AA in direct conversion of fibroblasts to cardiomyocytes and may open new insights into future biomedical applications for induced cardiomyocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmood Talkhabi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Pahlavan
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nasser Aghdami
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
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4
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Kim WH, Jung DW, Williams DR. Making cardiomyocytes with your chemistry set: Small molecule-induced cardiogenesis in somatic cells. World J Cardiol 2015; 7:125-133. [PMID: 25810812 PMCID: PMC4365307 DOI: 10.4330/wjc.v7.i3.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell transplantation is an attractive potential therapy for heart diseases. For example, myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of mortality in many countries. Numerous medical interventions have been developed to stabilize patients with MI and, although this has increased survival rates, there is currently no clinically approved method to reverse the loss of cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) that accompanies this disease. Cell transplantation has been proposed as a method to replace cardiomyocytes, but a safe and reliable source of cardiogenic cells is required. An ideal source would be the patients’ own somatic tissue cells, which could be converted into cardiogenic cells and transplanted into the site of MI. However, these are difficult to produce in large quantities and standardized protocols to produce cardiac cells would be advantageous for the research community. To achieve these research goals, small molecules represent attractive tools to control cell behavior. In this editorial, we introduce the use of small molecules in stem cell research and summarize their application to the induction of cardiogenesis in non-cardiac cells. Exciting new developments in this field are discussed, which we hope will encourage cardiac stem cell biologists to further consider employing small molecules in their culture protocols.
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5
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Skalova S, Svadlakova T, Shaikh Qureshi WM, Dev K, Mokry J. Induced pluripotent stem cells and their use in cardiac and neural regenerative medicine. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:4043-67. [PMID: 25689424 PMCID: PMC4346943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms16024043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells are unique pools of cells that are crucial for embryonic development and maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis. The landmark Nobel Prize winning research by Yamanaka and colleagues to induce pluripotency in somatic cells has reshaped the field of stem cell research. The complications related to the usage of pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in human medicine, particularly ESC isolation and histoincompatibility were bypassed with induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology. The human iPSCs can be used for studying embryogenesis, disease modeling, drug testing and regenerative medicine. iPSCs can be diverted to different cell lineages using small molecules and growth factors. In this review we have focused on iPSC differentiation towards cardiac and neuronal lineages. Moreover, we deal with the use of iPSCs in regenerative medicine and modeling diseases like myocardial infarction, Timothy syndrome, dilated cardiomyopathy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. Despite the promising potential of iPSCs, genome contamination and low efficacy of cell reprogramming remain significant challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stepanka Skalova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Simkova 870, Hradec Kralove 50038, Czech Republic.
| | - Tereza Svadlakova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Simkova 870, Hradec Kralove 50038, Czech Republic.
| | - Wasay Mohiuddin Shaikh Qureshi
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Simkova 870, Hradec Kralove 50038, Czech Republic.
| | - Kapil Dev
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Simkova 870, Hradec Kralove 50038, Czech Republic.
| | - Jaroslav Mokry
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Simkova 870, Hradec Kralove 50038, Czech Republic.
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Tang MK, Lo LM, Shi WT, Yao Y, Lee HSS, Lee KKH. Transient acid treatment cannot induce neonatal somatic cells to become pluripotent stem cells. F1000Res 2014; 3:102. [PMID: 25075303 PMCID: PMC4032108 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.4092.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, there are genetic- and chemical-based methods for producing pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells, but all of them are extremely inefficient. However, a simple and efficient technique has recently been reported by Obokata
et al (2014a, b) that creates pluripotent stem cells through acid-based treatment of somatic cells. These cells were named stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency (STAP) stem cells. This would be a major game changer in regenerative medicine if the results could be independently replicated. Hence, we isolated CD45
+ splenocytes from five-day-old Oct4-GFP mice and treated the cells with acidified (pH 5.7) Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) for 25 min, using the methods described by Obokata
et al 2014c. However, we found that this method did not induce the splenocytes to express the stem cell marker Oct4-GFP when observed under a confocal microscope three to six days after acid treatment. qPCR analysis also confirmed that acid treatment did not induce the splenocytes to express the stemness markers
Oct4,
Sox2 and
Nanog. In addition, we obtained similar results from acid-treated Oct4-GFP lung fibroblasts. In summary, we have not been able to produce STAP stem cells from neonatal splenocytes or lung fibroblasts using the acid-based treatment reported by Obokata
et al (2014a, b, c).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Kuen Tang
- Key Laboratory for Regeneration Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Lok Man Lo
- Key Laboratory for Regeneration Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Wen Ting Shi
- Key Laboratory for Regeneration Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Yao Yao
- Key Laboratory for Regeneration Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Henry Siu Sum Lee
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Kenneth Ka Ho Lee
- Key Laboratory for Regeneration Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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7
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A novel perfused rotary bioreactor for cardiomyogenesis of embryonic stem cells. Biotechnol Lett 2014; 36:947-60. [PMID: 24652542 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-014-1456-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Developments in bioprocessing technology play an important role for overcoming challenges in cardiac tissue engineering. To this end, our laboratory has developed a novel rotary perfused bioreactor for supporting three-dimensional cardiac tissue engineering. The dynamic culture environments provided by our novel perfused rotary bioreactor and/or the high-aspect rotating vessel produced constructs with higher viability and significantly higher cell numbers (up to 4 × 10(5) cells/bead) than static tissue culture flasks. Furthermore, cells in the perfused rotary bioreactor showed earlier gene expressions of cardiac troponin-T, α- and β-myosin heavy chains with higher percentages of cardiac troponin-I-positive cells and better uniformity of sacromeric α-actinin expression. A dynamic and perfused environment, as provided by this bioreactor, provides a superior culture performance in cardiac differentiation for embryonic stem cells particularly for larger 3D constructs.
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8
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Mike AK, Koenig X, Koley M, Heher P, Wahl G, Rubi L, Schnürch M, Mihovilovic MD, Weitzer G, Hilber K. Small molecule cardiogenol C upregulates cardiac markers and induces cardiac functional properties in lineage-committed progenitor cells. Cell Physiol Biochem 2014; 33:205-21. [PMID: 24481283 PMCID: PMC4389081 DOI: 10.1159/000356663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Cell transplantation into the heart is a new therapy after myocardial infarction. Its success, however, is impeded by poor donor cell survival and by limited transdifferentiation of the transplanted cells into functional cardiomyocytes. A promising strategy to overcome these problems is the induction of cardiomyogenic properties in donor cells by small molecules. METHODS Here we studied cardiomyogenic effects of the small molecule compound cardiogenol C (CgC), and structural derivatives thereof, on lineage-committed progenitor cells by various molecular biological, biochemical, and functional assays. RESULTS Treatment with CgC up-regulated cardiac marker expression in skeletal myoblasts. Importantly, the compound also induced cardiac functional properties: first, cardiac-like sodium currents in skeletal myoblasts, and secondly, spontaneous contractions in cardiovascular progenitor cell-derived cardiac bodies. CONCLUSION CgC induces cardiomyogenic function in lineage-committed progenitor cells, and can thus be considered a promising tool to improve cardiac repair by cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes K. Mike
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and –Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna
| | - Xaver Koenig
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and –Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna
| | - Moumita Koley
- Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology
| | - Philipp Heher
- Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerald Wahl
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and –Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna
| | - Lena Rubi
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and –Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna
| | - Michael Schnürch
- Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology
| | | | - Georg Weitzer
- Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karlheinz Hilber
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and –Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna
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9
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Agarwal P, Zhao S, Bielecki P, Rao W, Choi JK, Zhao Y, Yu J, Zhang W, He X. One-step microfluidic generation of pre-hatching embryo-like core-shell microcapsules for miniaturized 3D culture of pluripotent stem cells. LAB ON A CHIP 2013; 13:4525-33. [PMID: 24113543 PMCID: PMC3848340 DOI: 10.1039/c3lc50678a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
A novel core-shell microcapsule system is developed in this study to mimic the miniaturized 3D architecture of pre-hatching embryos with an aqueous liquid-like core of embryonic cells and a hydrogel-shell of zona pellucida. This is done by microfabricating a non-planar microfluidic flow-focusing device that enables one-step generation of microcapsules with an alginate hydrogel shell and an aqueous liquid core of cells from two aqueous fluids. Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells encapsulated in the liquid core are found to survive well (>92%). Moreover, ~20 ES cells in the core can proliferate to form a single ES cell aggregate in each microcapsule within 7 days while at least a few hundred cells are usually needed by the commonly used hanging-drop method to form an embryoid body (EB) in each hanging drop. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses show significantly higher expression of pluripotency marker genes in the 3D aggregated ES cells compared to the cells under 2D culture. The aggregated ES cells can be efficiently differentiated into beating cardiomyocytes using a small molecule (cardiogenol C) without complex combination of multiple growth factors. Taken together, the novel 3D microfluidic and pre-hatching embryo-like microcapsule systems are of importance to facilitate in vitro culture of pluripotent stem cells for their ever-increasing use in modern cell-based medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranay Agarwal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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10
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Chen E, Tang MK, Yao Y, Yau WWY, Lo LM, Yang X, Chui YL, Chan J, Lee KKH. Silencing BRE expression in human umbilical cord perivascular (HUCPV) progenitor cells accelerates osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67896. [PMID: 23935848 PMCID: PMC3720665 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BRE is a multifunctional adapter protein involved in DNA repair, cell survival and stress response. To date, most studies of this protein have been focused in the tumor model. The role of BRE in stem cell biology has never been investigated. Therefore, we have used HUCPV progenitor cells to elucidate the function of BRE. HUCPV cells are multipotent fetal progenitor cells which possess the ability to differentiate into a multitude of mesenchymal cell lineages when chemically induced and can be more easily amplified in culture. In this study, we have established that BRE expression was normally expressed in HUCPV cells but become down-regulated when the cells were induced to differentiate. In addition, silencing BRE expression, using BRE-siRNAs, in HUCPV cells could accelerate induced chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation. Hence, we postulated that BRE played an important role in maintaining the stemness of HUCPV cells. We used microarray analysis to examine the transcriptome of BRE-silenced cells. BRE-silencing negatively regulated OCT4, FGF5 and FOXO1A. BRE-silencing also altered the expression of epigenetic genes and components of the TGF-β/BMP and FGF signaling pathways which are crucially involved in maintaining stem cell self-renewal. Comparative proteomic profiling also revealed that BRE-silencing resulted in decreased expressions of actin-binding proteins. In sum, we propose that BRE acts like an adaptor protein that promotes stemness and at the same time inhibits the differentiation of HUCPV cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elve Chen
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Kuen Tang
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yao Yao
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Winifred Wing Yiu Yau
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Lok Man Lo
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuesong Yang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiu Loon Chui
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - John Chan
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Kenneth Ka Ho Lee
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Christ GJ, Saul JM, Furth ME, Andersson KE. The pharmacology of regenerative medicine. Pharmacol Rev 2013; 65:1091-133. [PMID: 23818131 DOI: 10.1124/pr.112.007393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Regenerative medicine is a rapidly evolving multidisciplinary, translational research enterprise whose explicit purpose is to advance technologies for the repair and replacement of damaged cells, tissues, and organs. Scientific progress in the field has been steady and expectations for its robust clinical application continue to rise. The major thesis of this review is that the pharmacological sciences will contribute critically to the accelerated translational progress and clinical utility of regenerative medicine technologies. In 2007, we coined the phrase "regenerative pharmacology" to describe the enormous possibilities that could occur at the interface between pharmacology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. The operational definition of regenerative pharmacology is "the application of pharmacological sciences to accelerate, optimize, and characterize (either in vitro or in vivo) the development, maturation, and function of bioengineered and regenerating tissues." As such, regenerative pharmacology seeks to cure disease through restoration of tissue/organ function. This strategy is distinct from standard pharmacotherapy, which is often limited to the amelioration of symptoms. Our goal here is to get pharmacologists more involved in this field of research by exposing them to the tools, opportunities, challenges, and interdisciplinary expertise that will be required to ensure awareness and galvanize involvement. To this end, we illustrate ways in which the pharmacological sciences can drive future innovations in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering and thus help to revolutionize the discovery of curative therapeutics. Hopefully, the broad foundational knowledge provided herein will spark sustained conversations among experts in diverse fields of scientific research to the benefit of all.
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Affiliation(s)
- George J Christ
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA.
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12
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Tang MK, Liang YJ, Chan JYH, Wong SW, Chen E, Yao Y, Gan J, Xiao L, Leung HC, Kung HF, Wang H, Lee KKH. Promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein plays important roles in regulating cell adhesion, morphology, proliferation and migration. PLoS One 2013; 8:e59477. [PMID: 23555679 PMCID: PMC3605454 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 02/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
PML protein plays important roles in regulating cellular homeostasis. It forms PML nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) that act like nuclear relay stations and participate in many cellular functions. In this study, we have examined the proteome of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from normal (PML+/+) and PML knockout (PML−/−) mice. The aim was to identify proteins that were differentially expressed when MEFs were incapable of producing PML. Using comparative proteomics, total protein were extracted from PML−/− and PML+/+ MEFs, resolved by two dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) gels and the differentially expressed proteins identified by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Nine proteins (PML, NDRG1, CACYBP, CFL1, RSU1, TRIO, CTRO, ANXA4 and UBE2M) were determined to be down-regulated in PML−/− MEFs. In contrast, ten proteins (CIAPIN1, FAM50A, SUMO2 HSPB1 NSFL1C, PCBP2, YWHAG, STMN1, TPD52L2 and PDAP1) were found up-regulated. Many of these differentially expressed proteins play crucial roles in cell adhesion, migration, morphology and cytokinesis. The protein profiles explain why PML−/− and PML+/+ MEFs were morphologically different. In addition, we demonstrated PML−/− MEFs were less adhesive, proliferated more extensively and migrated significantly slower than PML+/+ MEFs. NDRG1, a protein that was down-regulated in PML−/− MEFs, was selected for further investigation. We determined that silencing NDRG1expression in PML+/+ MEFs increased cell proliferation and inhibited PML expression. Since NDRG expression was suppressed in PML−/− MEFs, this may explain why these cells proliferate more extensively than PML+/+ MEFs. Furthermore, silencing NDRG1expression also impaired TGF-β1 signaling by inhibiting SMAD3 phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Kuen Tang
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
- * E-mail: (MKT); (KKHL)
| | - Yong Jia Liang
- Joint JNU-CUHK Key Laboratories for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, JiNan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - John Yeuk Hon Chan
- Joint JNU-CUHK Key Laboratories for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, JiNan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sing Wan Wong
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Elve Chen
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Yao Yao
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Jingyi Gan
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Lihai Xiao
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Hin Cheung Leung
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Hsiang Fu Kung
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Hua Wang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Kenneth Ka Ho Lee
- Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
- Joint JNU-CUHK Key Laboratories for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, JiNan University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (MKT); (KKHL)
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13
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Franco C, Soares R, Pires E, Koci K, Almeida AM, Santos R, Coelho AV. Understanding regeneration through proteomics. Proteomics 2013; 13:686-709. [DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201200397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2012] [Revised: 10/31/2012] [Accepted: 11/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Franco
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica; Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Oeiras Portugal
| | - Renata Soares
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica; Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Oeiras Portugal
| | - Elisabete Pires
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica; Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Oeiras Portugal
| | - Kamila Koci
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica; Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Oeiras Portugal
| | - André M. Almeida
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica; Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Oeiras Portugal
- Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical; Lisboa Portugal
| | - Romana Santos
- Unidade de Investigação em Ciências Orais e Biomédicas, Faculdade de Medicina Dentária; Universidade de Lisboa; Portugal
| | - Ana Varela Coelho
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica; Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Oeiras Portugal
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Zhang Y, Li W, Laurent T, Ding S. Small molecules, big roles -- the chemical manipulation of stem cell fate and somatic cell reprogramming. J Cell Sci 2012; 125:5609-20. [PMID: 23420199 PMCID: PMC4067267 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.096032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the great potential of stem cells for basic research and clinical applications, obstacles - such as their scarce availability and difficulty in controlling their fate - need to be addressed to fully realize their potential. Recent achievements of cellular reprogramming have enabled the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) or other lineage-committed cells from more accessible and abundant somatic cell types by defined genetic factors. However, serious concerns remain about the efficiency and safety of current genetic approaches to cell reprogramming and traditional culture systems that are used for stem cell maintenance. As a complementary approach, small molecules that target specific signaling pathways, epigenetic processes and other cellular processes offer powerful tools for manipulating cell fate to a desired outcome. A growing number of small molecules have been identified to maintain the self-renewal potential of stem cells, to induce lineage differentiation and to facilitate reprogramming by increasing the efficiency of reprogramming or by replacing genetic reprogramming factors. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations of the effects of these chemicals also provide new biological insights. Here, we examine recent achievements in the maintenance of stem cells, including pluripotent and lineage-specific stem cells, and in the control of cell fate conversions, including iPSC reprogramming, conversion of primed to naïve pluripotency, and transdifferentiation, with an emphasis on manipulation with small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sheng Ding
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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Jung DW, Williams DR. Reawakening atlas: chemical approaches to repair or replace dysfunctional musculature. ACS Chem Biol 2012; 7:1773-90. [PMID: 23043623 DOI: 10.1021/cb3003368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Muscle diseases are major health concerns. For example, ischemic heart disease is the third most common cause of death. Cell therapy is an attractive approach for treating muscle diseases, although this is hampered by the need to generate large numbers of functional muscle cells. Small molecules have become established as attractive tools for modulating cell behavior and, in this review, we discuss the recent, rapid research advances made in the development of small molecule methods to facilitate the production of functional cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle cells. We also describe how new developments in small molecule strategies for muscle disease aim to induce repair and remodelling of the damaged tissues in situ. Recent progress has been made in developing small molecule cocktails that induce skeletal muscle regeneration, and these are discussed in a broader context, because a similar phenomenon occurs in the early stages of salamander appendage regeneration. Although formidable technical hurdles still remain, these new advances in small molecule-based methodologies should provide hope that cell therapies for patients suffering from muscle disease can be developed in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da-Woon Jung
- New Drug Targets Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 1 Oryong-Dong,
Buk-Gu, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Darren R. Williams
- New Drug Targets Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 1 Oryong-Dong,
Buk-Gu, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea
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