Specific knockdown of Oct4 and beta2-microglobulin expression by RNA interference in human embryonic stem cells and embryonic carcinoma cells

We have used RNA interference (RNAi) to downregulate beta2-microglobulin and Oct4 in human embryonal carcinoma (hEC) cells and embryonic stem (hES) cells, demonstrating that RNAi is an effective tool for regulating specific gene activity in these human stem cells. The knockdown of Oct4 but not beta2-microglobulin expression in both EC and ES cells resulted in their differentiation, as indicated by a marked change in morphology, growth rate, and surface antigen phenotype, with respect to SSEA1, SSEA3, and TRA-1-60 expression. Expression of hCG and Gcm1 was also induced following knockdown of Oct4 expression, in both 2102Ep hEC cells and in H7 and H14 hES cells, consistent with the conclusion that, as in the mouse, Oct4 is required to maintain the undifferentiated stem cell state, and that differentiation to trophectoderm occurs in its absence. NTERA2 hEC cells also differentiated, but not to trophectoderm, suggesting their equivalence to a later stage of embryogenesis than other hEC and hES cells.     

Oct4B1 在结直肠癌干细胞中的表达及意义

目的：探讨胚胎干细胞转录因子Oct4的亚型Oct4B1在结直肠癌干细胞中的表达及其可能的作用。方法：以结直肠癌细胞株SW480细胞采用悬浮培养法培养出的3D微球体及其亲本细胞SW480为研究对象,采用细胞分化实验、细胞软琼脂克隆实验、流式细胞技术检测干细胞标记物CD133、CD44的表达以验证3D微球体是否富集肿瘤干细胞（CSCs）,实时荧光定量PCR（RT qPCR）检测两种细胞Oct4B1 mRNA表达水平。结果:3D微球体具有分化为普通肿瘤细胞的能力,相对于亲本细胞,3D微球体体外克隆形成能力明显增强（P <0.01）,干细胞标记物CD133、CD44明显高表达（ P <0.01）,Oct4B1 mRNA表达水平明显增（P<0.01）。结论：干细胞调控因子Oct4的亚型Oct4B1在富集结直肠癌CSCs的3D微球体中表达明显增高,其可能参与结直肠癌CSCs的调控。     

Eset partners with Oct4 to restrict extraembryonic trophoblast lineage potential in embryonic stem cells

The histone H3 Lys 9 (H3K9) methyltransferase Eset is an epigenetic regulator critical for the development of the inner cell mass (ICM). Although ICM-derived embryonic stem (ES) cells are normally unable to contribute to the trophectoderm (TE) in blastocysts, we find that depletion of Eset by shRNAs leads to differentiation with the formation of trophoblast-like cells and induction of trophoblast-associated gene expression. Using chromatin immmunoprecipitation (ChIP) and sequencing (ChIP-seq) analyses, we identified Eset target genes with Eset-dependent H3K9 trimethylation. We confirmed that genes that are preferentially expressed in the TE (Tcfap2a and Cdx2) are bound and repressed by Eset. Single-cell PCR analysis shows that the expression of Cdx2 and Tcfap2a is also induced in Eset-depleted morula cells. Importantly, Eset-depleted cells can incorporate into the TE of a blastocyst and, subsequently, placental tissues. Coimmunoprecipitation and ChIP assays further demonstrate that Eset interacts with Oct4, which in turn recruits Eset to silence these trophoblast-associated genes. Our results suggest that Eset restricts the extraembryonic trophoblast lineage potential of pluripotent cells and links an epigenetic regulator to key cell fate decision through a pluripotency factor.     

Teratoma formation by human embryonic stem cells is site dependent and enhanced by the presence of Matrigel

When implanted into immunodeficient mice, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) give rise to teratoma, tumor-like formations containing tissues belonging to all three germ layers. The ability to form teratoma is a sine qua non characteristic of pluripotent stem cells. However, limited data are available regarding the effects of implantation site and the methods employed for implantation on the success rate of teratoma formation. In this study, the rate of teratoma formation in immunodeficient mice was site dependent: subcutaneous (25-100%), intratesticular (60%), intramuscular (12.5%), and under the kidney capsule (100%). Co-injecting the hESCs with Matrigel increased subcutaneous teratoma formation efficiency from 25-40% to 80-100%. We did not observe site-specific differences in the teratoma composition at the histological level. However, subcutaneous teratomas were quite distinct, easy to remove, and caused minimal discomfort to the mice. Also, subcutaneous teratomas displayed larger proportion of solid tissues as opposed to cyst formation that dominated the teratomas formed at the other sites. Interestingly, a chromosomally abnormal hESCs with trisomy 20 formed teratomas where the ratio of differentiated to undifferentiated tissues was significantly decreased suggesting defective pluripotency of the cells. In conclusion, subcutaneous implantation of hESCs in presence of Matrigel appears to be the most efficient, reproducible, and the easiest approach for teratoma formation by hESCs. Also, teratoma formation can be employed to study the development defects exhibited by the chromosomally abnormal hESC lines.     

人脐带间充质干细胞表达胚胎干细胞相关转录因子

背景：Nanog、Oct4和Sox2通过调节胚胎干细胞的基因转录,对其多潜能性和自我更新的能力具有关键性的调控作用,脐带间充质干细胞中这些胚胎干细胞相关转录因子的表达情况如何还不太清楚。 目的：研究脐带间充质干细胞中Nanog、Oct4和Sox2等这些胚胎干细胞相关转录因子的表达情况。 方法：胶原酶和胰酶消化法培养脐带间充质干细胞;mTeSRTM1体系进行无滋养层培养人胚胎干细胞,定量PCR比较上述两种细胞中Nanog、Oct4和Sox2 mRNA表达量的差异;免疫荧光检测上述两种细胞中Nanog、Oct4和Sox2的表达情况。 结果与结论：间充质干细胞表达胚胎干细胞标记Nanog、Oct4和Sox2,但Oct4主要表达在胞浆,且以Oct4B为主。脐带间充质干细胞Nanog、Oct4A和Sox2的表达量明显低于胚胎干细胞,其mRNA表达量分别为胚胎干细胞的20%,0.3%,10%左右。通过了解两种细胞Nanog、Oct4和Sox2的表达差异,可为优化脐带间充质干细胞重编程提供依据,也为进一步研究胚胎干细胞相关转录因子在成体干细胞表达起何种作用提供参考。     

Notch signaling is inactive but inducible in human embryonic stem cells

The NOTCH signaling pathway performs a wide range of critical functions in a number of different cell types during development and differentiation. The role of NOTCH signals in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has not been tested. We measured the activity of canonical NOTCH signaling in undifferentiated embryonic stem (ES) cells and tested the requirement for NOTCH activity in hESC self-renewal or differentiation by growing hESCs in the presence of gamma-secretase inhibitors. Our results suggest that NOTCH signaling is not required for the propagation of undifferentiated human ES cells but instead is required for the maintenance of the differentiating cell types that accumulate in human ES cell cultures. Our studies suggest that NOTCH signaling is not required in human embryonic differentiation until the formation of extraembryonic, germ layer, or tissue-specific stem cells and progenitors.     

Nucleofection of human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells provide an important tool for the study of human development, disease, and tissue regeneration. Technologies for efficient genetic modification are required to exploit hES cells fully for these applications. Here we present a customized protocol for the transfection of hES cells with the Nucleofector technology and compare its efficiency with conventional electroporation and lipofection. Cell survival and transfection efficiency were quantified using an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter construct. Our optimized nucleofection parameters yielded survival rates >70%. Under these conditions, 66% of the surviving cells showed transgene expression 24 h after nucleofection. Transfected cells maintained expression of the pluripotency- associated markers Tra-1-60, Tra-1-81, and Oct4 and could be expanded to stably transgene-expressing clones. The low quantities of hES cells and DNA required for nucleofection could make this method an attractive tool for miniaturized high throughput screening (HTS) applications.     

Induction of cardiomyogenesis in human embryonic stem cells by human embryonic stem cell-derived definitive endoderm

We previously reported that chick anterolateral endoderm (AL endoderm) induces cardiomyogenesis in mouse embryoid bodies. However, the requirement to micro-dissect AL endoderm from gastrulation-stage embryos precludes its use to identify novel cardiomyogenic factors, or to scale up cardiomyocyte numbers for therapeutic experiments. To circumvent this problem we have addressed whether human definitive endoderm (hDE) cells, which can be efficiently generated in large numbers from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), can mimic the ability of AL endoderm to induce cardiac myogenesis. Results demonstrate that both hDE cells and medium conditioned by them induce cardiac myogenesis in pluripotent hESCs, as indicated by rhythmic beating and immunohistochemical/quantitative polymerase chain reaction monitoring of marker gene expression. The cardiomyogenic effect of hDE is enhanced when pluripotent hESCs are preinduced to the mes-endoderm state. Because this approach is tractable and scalable, it may facilitate identification of novel hDE-secreted factors for inclusion in defined cardiomyogenic cocktails.     

人胚胎成纤维细胞对人胚胎干细胞生长的作用

目的：比较人和小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞对人胚胎干细胞生长的作用,为胚胎干细胞定向诱导各系统细胞应用于临床,消除异种蛋白污染打下基础。方法：分别采用人胚胎成纤维细胞和小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞为饲养层细胞,支持人受精卵的培养,观察其增殖和分化情况。结果：人和小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞分别加入白血病抑制因子（hLIF）均能很好支持人胚胎干细胞生长增殖,并保持未分化状态。结论：完全可以使用人胚胎成纤维细胞支持人胚胎干细胞增殖,消除异种蛋白污染的可能性,为胚胎干细胞定向诱导分化发育应用于临床打下坚实基础。     

Mesenchymal-like stem cells derived from human parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells

Human parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells (hpESCs) established from artificially activated oocytes have a wider immune-matching ability because of their homozygosity in the major histocompatibility complex alleles. Whether these cells possess the differentiation capacity similar to regular human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) derived from fertilized eggs is unclear. The aims of this study were to determine whether hpESCs could be differentiated into multipotent mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-like cells in vitro and then compare these cells with those derived from hESCs. MSC-like cells were obtained from both hpESCs and hESCs, which exhibited similar cell surface marker expression profiles. Further analyses revealed that cells derived from hpESCs possessed stronger osteogenic but weaker adipogenic potentials compared with cells derived from hESCs. This is the first work that demonstrates the differentiation of hpESCs into multipotent MSC-like cells. These hpESCs could be a potential source for cell-based therapies.