Intestinal stroma guides monocyte differentiation to macrophages through GM-CSF

Stromal cells support epithelial cell and immune cell homeostasis and play an important role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis. Here, we quantify the stromal response to inflammation in pediatric IBD and reveal subset-specific inflammatory responses across colon segments and intestinal layers. Using data from a murine dynamic gut injury model and human ex vivo transcriptomic, protein and spatial analyses, we report that PDGFRA+CD142-/low fibroblasts and monocytes/macrophages co-localize in the intestine. In primary human fibroblast-monocyte co-cultures, intestinal PDGFRA+CD142-/low fibroblasts foster monocyte transition to CCR2+CD206+ macrophages through granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Monocyte-derived CCR2+CD206+ cells from co-cultures have a phenotype similar to intestinal CCR2+CD206+ macrophages from newly diagnosed pediatric IBD patients, with high levels of PD-L1 and low levels of GM-CSF receptor. The study describes subset-specific changes in stromal responses to inflammation and suggests that the intestinal stroma guides intestinal macrophage differentiation.

RNA Polymerase III Subunit POLR3G Regulates Specific Subsets of PolyA+ and SmallRNA Transcriptomes and Splicing in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

POLR3G is expressed at high levels in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and is required for maintenance of stem cell state through mechanisms not known in detail. To explore how POLR3G regulates stem cell state, we carried out deep-sequencing analysis of polyA⁺ and smallRNA transcriptomes present in hPSCs and regulated in POLR3G-dependent manner. Our data reveal that POLR3G regulates a specific subset of the hPSC transcriptome, including multiple transcript types, such as protein-coding genes, long intervening non-coding RNAs, microRNAs and small nucleolar RNAs, and affects RNA splicing. The primary function of POLR3G is in the maintenance rather than repression of transcription. The majority of POLR3G polyA⁺ transcriptome is regulated during differentiation, and the key pluripotency factors bind to the promoters of at least 30% of the POLR3G-regulated transcripts. Among the direct targets of POLR3G, POLG is potentially important in sustaining stem cell status in a POLR3G-dependent manner.

Continuous hypoxic culturing of human embryonic stem cells enhances SSEA-3 and MYC levels

Low oxygen tension (hypoxia) contributes critically to pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) by preventing spontaneous differentiation and supporting self-renewal. However, it is not well understood how hESCs respond to reduced oxygen availability and what are the molecular mechanisms maintaining pluripotency in these conditions. In this study we characterized the transcriptional and molecular responses of three hESC lines (H9, HS401 and HS360) on short (2 hours), intermediate (24 hours) and prolonged (7 days) exposure to low oxygen conditions (4% O₂). In response to prolonged hypoxia the expression of pluripotency surface marker SSEA-3 was increased. Furthermore, the genome wide gene-expression analysis revealed that a substantial proportion (12%) of all hypoxia-regulated genes in hESCs, were directly linked to the mechanisms controlling pluripotency or differentiation. Moreover, transcription of MYC oncogene was induced in response to continuous hypoxia. At the protein level MYC was stabilized through phosphorylation already in response to a short hypoxic exposure. Total MYC protein levels remained elevated throughout all the time points studied. Further, MYC protein expression in hypoxia was affected by silencing HIF2α, but not HIF1α. Since MYC has a crucial role in regulating pluripotency we propose that induction of sustained MYC expression in hypoxia contributes to activation of transcriptional programs critical for hESC self-renewal and maintenance of enhanced pluripotent state.

High-throughput karyotyping of human pluripotent stem cells

Genomic integrity of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) lines requires routine monitoring. We report here that novel karyotyping assay, utilizing bead-bound bacterial artificial chromosome probes, provides a fast and easy tool for detection of chromosomal abnormalities in hPSC lines. The analysis can be performed from low amounts of DNA isolated from whole cell pools with simple data analysis interface. The method enables routine screening of stem cell lines in a cost-efficient high-throughput manner.

RNA-binding protein L1TD1 interacts with LIN28 via RNA and is required for human embryonic stem cell self-renewal and cancer cell proliferation

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have a unique capacity to self-renew and differentiate into all the cell types found in human body. Although the transcriptional regulators of pluripotency are well studied, the role of cytoplasmic regulators is still poorly characterized. Here, we report a new stem cell-specific RNA-binding protein L1TD1 (ECAT11, FLJ10884) required for hESC self-renewal and cancer cell proliferation. Depletion of L1TD1 results in immediate downregulation of OCT4 and NANOG. Furthermore, we demonstrate that OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG all bind to the promoter of L1TD1. Moreover, L1TD1 is highly expressed in seminomas, and depletion of L1TD1 in these cancer cells influences self-renewal and proliferation. We show that L1TD1 colocalizes and interacts with LIN28 via RNA and directly with RNA helicase A (RHA). LIN28 has been reported to regulate translation of OCT4 in complex with RHA. Thus, we hypothesize that L1TD1 is part of the L1TD1-RHA-LIN28 complex that could influence levels of OCT4. Our results strongly suggest that L1TD1 has an important role in the regulation of stemness.