A comparative approach to somatic cell nuclear transfer in the rhesus monkey

BACKGROUND: Despite the potential utility of primate somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) to biomedical research and to the production of autologous embryonic stem (ES) cells for cell- or tissue-based therapy, a reliable method for SCNT is not yet available. Employing the rhesus monkey as a clinically relevant animal model, we have compared a conventional electrofusion method for SCNT with a one-step micromanipulation (OSM) method. METHODS: A prospective, randomized trial was conducted using only oocytes that were mature [metaphase II (MII)] at collection and a fibroblast-like cell line as nuclear donor cells (fetal fibroblasts). The embryos produced were characterized for in vitro developmental potential, cell number, karyotype and expression of nuclear mitotic apparatus (NuMA) and OCT-4. RESULTS: An in vitro blastocyst development rate of 24.4% was achieved with the OSM method, significantly higher than the 12.2% obtained following electrofusion. SCNT-produced embryos expressed normal karyotypes, cell numbers and NuMA and OCT-4 proteins in most cases. SCNT with male nuclear donor cells resulted in the production of male, SCNT blastocysts, eliminating the possibility of a parthenogenetic origin. Of the four fibroblast cell lines tested as nuclear donor cells, two supported the routine production of blastocysts following SCNT. CONCLUSIONS: The application of a modified SCNT technique (OSM) followed by embryo culture in hamster embryo culture medium-10 (HECM-10) allows, for the first time, the routine production of SCNT blastocysts, most of which appear normal by immunochemical, cytochemical and in vitro developmental criteria. These embryos will provide a resource for isolating ES cells and for studies of nuclear reprogramming by monkey cytoplasts.     

Reprogramming following somatic cell nuclear transfer in primates is dependent upon nuclear remodeling

BACKGROUND: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) requires cytoplast-mediated reprogramming of the donor nucleus. Cytoplast factors such as maturation promoting factor are implicated based on their involvement in nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) and premature chromosome condensation (PCC). Given prior difficulties in SCNT in primates using conventional protocols, we hypothesized that the ability of cytoplasts to induce nuclear remodeling was instrumental in efficient reprogramming. METHODS: NEBD and PCC in monkey (Macaca mulatta) SCNT embryos were monitored by lamin A/C immunolabeling. RESULTS: Initially, a persistent lamin A/C signal from donor cell nuclei after fusion with cytoplasts was observed indicative of incomplete NEBD following SCNT and predictive of developmental arrest. We then identified fluorochrome-assisted enucleation and donor cell electrofusion as likely candidates for inducing premature cytoplast activation and a consequent lack of nuclear remodeling. Modified protocols designed to prevent premature cytoplast activation during SCNT showed robust NEBD and PCC. Coincidently, over 20% of SCNT embryos reconstructed with fetal fibroblasts progressed to blastocysts. Similar results were obtained with other somatic cells. Reconstructed blastocysts displayed patterns of Oct-4 expression similar to fertilized embryos reflecting successful reprogramming. CONCLUSIONS: Our results represent a significant breakthrough in elucidating the role of nuclear remodeling events in reprogramming following SCNT.     

Embryo development after successful somatic cell nuclear transfer to in vitro matured human germinal vesicle oocytes

BACKGROUND: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) involves the transfer of somatic cell nuclei into enucleated oocytes. Because human in vivo matured oocytes are scarcely available, we investigated whether in vitro matured (IVM) germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes could also support preimplantation development of human cloned embryos. METHODS: Three groups were used for SCNT: in vitro matured GV oocytes (IVM oocytes), 'in vivo' matured oocytes (in vivo oocytes) and 'failed fertilized' oocytes after routine-ICSI (FF oocytes). After removal of the chromosome-spindle complex, cumulus cell nuclei were injected, and oocytes were artificially activated and cultured. RESULTS: In total 61, 54 and 45 metaphase II oocytes were used for SCNT in the three groups, respectively. Survival and pronuclear rates were 59, 78 and 58% and 61, 64 and 50%, respectively. Of the 22 activated IVM oocytes, 13 cleaved to the 2-cell stage, whereby 2 morulae were formed. For the in vivo oocytes, 17 of 27 activated oocytes cleaved to the 2-cell stage and 1 morula was observed. Cleavage to the 2-cell stage in the group of FF oocytes was compromised. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report describing development of cloned human embryos using IVM oocytes and non-autologous transfer using a conventional method of SCNT.     

不同类型的转基因细胞核供体对生产小鼠转基因克隆胚胎的影响

目的 利用体细胞核移植(SCNT)技术生产小鼠转基因克隆胚胎. 方法 利用所构建的含新霉素抗性(Neor)基因和增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)基因的双标记选择载体, 通过电穿孔的方法, 分别转染小鼠胎儿成纤维细胞和小鼠胚胎干细胞,经G418筛选14d后用于核移植.同时以未转基因小鼠卵丘细胞和成纤维细胞为核供体,进行体细胞核移植. 结果 转基因与未转基因胎鼠成纤维细胞的重构胚的囊胚(154/160)发育率为19.23%和22.91%,差异不显著(P＞0.05);转基因胚胎干细胞与胎鼠成纤维细胞的重构胚的囊胚(152/154)发育率为41.54%和19.23%,差异显著(P＜0.05);未转基因卵丘细胞与成纤维细胞的重构胚的囊胚(171/160)发育率为41.17%和22.91%,差异显著(P＜0.05). 结论 利用体细胞核移植技术,小鼠胎儿成纤维细胞和胚胎干细胞可以有效地生产小鼠转基因囊胚.     

Developmental arrest of scNT‐derived fetuses by disruption of the developing endometrial gland as a result of impaired trophoblast migration and invasiveness

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (scNT)‐derived pig placenta tissues of gestational day 30 displayed avascularization and hypovascularization. Most of the cytotrophoblast‐like cells of the developing scNT‐derived placenta villi were improperly localized or exhibited impaired migration to their targeting loci. Id‐2, Met, MMP‐9, and MCM‐7 were barely detectable in the cytotrophoblast cells of the scNT‐derived placenta villi. Active MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 expression was significantly down‐regulated in the scNT‐embryo transferred recipient uteri. scNT clones exhibited a hypermethylated pattern within the pig MMP‐9 promoter region and the significance of GC box in the regulation of MMP‐9 promoter activity. Marked apoptosis was observed in the developing endometrial gland of scNT‐embryo transferred recipient uteri. Collectively, our data strongly indicated that early gestational death of scNT clones is caused, at least in part, by disruption of the developing endometrial gland as a result of impaired trophoblast migration and invasiveness due to the down‐regulation of active MMP‐9 expression. Developmental Dynamics 240:627–639, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Cloning adult farm animals: a review of the possibilities and problems associated with somatic cell nuclear transfer

In 1997, Wilmut et al. announced the birth of Dolly, the first ever clone of an adult animal. To date, adult sheep, goats, cattle, mice, pigs, cats and rabbits have been cloned using somatic cell nuclear transfer. The ultimate challenge of cloning procedures is to reprogram the somatic cell nucleus for development of the early embryo. The cell type of choice for reprogramming the somatic nucleus is an enucleated oocyte. Given that somatic cells are easily obtained from adult animals, cultured in the laboratory and then genetically modified, cloning procedures are ideal for introducing specific genetic modifications in farm animals. Genetic modification of farm animals provides a means of studying genes involved in a variety of biological systems and disease processes. Moreover, genetically modified farm animals have created a new form of 'pharming' whereby farm animals serve as bioreactors for production of pharmaceuticals or organ donors. A major limitation of cloning procedures is the extreme inefficiency for producing live offspring. Dolly was the only live offspring produced after 277 attempts. Similar inefficiencies for cloning adult animals of other species have been described by others. Many factors related to cloning procedures and culture environment contribute to the death of clones, both in the embryonic and fetal periods as well as during neonatal life. Extreme inefficiencies of this magnitude, along with the fact that death of the surrogate may occur, continue to raise great concerns with cloning humans.     

Experimental murine thyroiditis induced by porcine thyroid peroxidase and its transfer by the antigen-specific T cell line.

Thyroid peroxidase purified from porcine thyroid (pTPO) was found to induce an experimental murine thyroiditis with genetic restriction which was very different from that induced by mouse thyroglobulin (mTg). C57BL/6 and C57BL/10 (both H-2b) were good responders for thyroiditis, whereas A/J (H-2a), BALB/c (H-2d), DBA/2 (H-2d), CBA (H-2k), C3H/He (H-2k), and SJL/J (H-2s) were poor responders. Genetic analyses using congenic or recombinant strains revealed the following results: The H-2-linked gene (probably the I-A subregion) had a weak association with the induction of thyroiditis, and at least one non-H-2-linked gene controlled the development of thyroid lesions; antibody production to pTPO, porcine thyroglobulin (pTg) and mTg did not correlate with the incidence of thyroiditis in any strain. None of the murine thyroid microsome-specific antibodies tested by the indirect immunofluorescent technique was detected. The T cell line specific for pTPO was successfully transferred to produce thyroid lesions in C57BL/6 mice. Thyroiditis appeared 3 days after the transfer of T cell blasts, and a low concentration of anti-pTPO antibodies was detected concurrently. Thyroid lesions remained up to 48 days with almost the same extent of thyroiditis, but anti-pTPO antibodies gradually increased. In the vaccination experiments using either 0.645 C/kg (2500 rad)-irradiated or 0.3% glutaraldehyde-fixed T cell blasts, the induction of thyroid lesions by transfer was strongly suppressed. Glutaraldehyde fixation was more effective than X-irradiation in preventing thyroiditis after the transfer of T cell blasts. Vaccination also suppressed significantly the development of thyroid lesions after pTPO administration.     

Accuracy in the quantification of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) and relayed nuclear Overhauser enhancement (rNOE) saturation transfer effects

Accurate quantification of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) effects, including dipole–dipole mediated relayed nuclear Overhauser enhancement (rNOE) saturation transfer, is important for applications and studies of molecular concentration and transfer rate (and thereby pH or temperature). Although several quantification methods, such as Lorentzian difference (LD) analysis, multiple‐pool Lorentzian fits, and the three‐point method, have been extensively used in several preclinical and clinical applications, the accuracy of these methods has not been evaluated. Here we simulated multiple‐pool Z spectra containing the pools that contribute to the main CEST and rNOE saturation transfer signals in the brain, numerically fit them using the different methods, and then compared their derived CEST metrics with the known solute concentrations and exchange rates. Our results show that the LD analysis overestimates contributions from amide proton transfer (APT) and intermediate exchanging amine protons; the three‐point method significantly underestimates both APT and rNOE saturation transfer at ?3.5 ppm (NOE(?3.5)). The multiple‐pool Lorentzian fit is more accurate than the other two methods, but only at lower irradiation powers (≤1 μT at 9.4 T) within the range of our simulations. At higher irradiation powers, this method is also inaccurate because of the presence of a fast exchanging CEST signal that has a non‐Lorentzian lineshape. Quantitative parameters derived from in vivo images of rodent brain tumor obtained using an irradiation power of 1 μT were also compared. Our results demonstrate that all three quantification methods show similar contrasts between tumor and contralateral normal tissue for both APT and the NOE(?3.5). However, the quantified values of the three methods are significantly different. Our work provides insight into the fitting accuracy obtainable in a complex tissue model and provides guidelines for evaluating other newly developed quantification methods.     

Gene transfer by protoplast fusion: Expression cloning of rare gene products in mammalian cells

Summary A method is described that facilitates performing a large number of protoplast fusions to mammalian cells simultaneously and successfully. This method makes it possible to circumvent typical hurdles to the use of transient expression in mammalian cells, facilitating expression cloning of DNA enoding the newly detected gene product of interest. The original in vitro assay used to define the new activity is of interest, adapted to microtiter plates, combined with protoplast fusion, extends the reach of expression cloning to such cases as products of a rare message, or activities involving a multisubunit or unstable protein or both.     

增殖细胞核抗原阳性细胞在幼年大鼠前脑的分布

目的　探讨幼年大鼠前脑内是否存在增殖细胞。方法　用增殖细胞核抗原 (PCNA)单克隆抗体PC10免疫组化研究。结果　PCNA阳性反应部位分两类 :一类为圆形或卵圆形深染颗粒 ,具有核的形态和大小 ,主要分布于吻侧迁移流、室管膜下带和部分血管壁 ;散在分布于尾壳核、运动皮质、隔区和斜角带 ;有时见“镜影核” ,主要存在于尾壳核 ;另一类为整胞体染色 ,见于室管膜、室管膜下带和吻侧迁移流。结论　幼年大鼠前脑内存在增殖细胞     

Imaging of amide proton transfer and nuclear Overhauser enhancement in ischemic stroke with corrections for competing effects

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) potentially provides the ability to detect small solute pools through indirect measurements of attenuated water signals. However, CEST effects may be diluted by various competing effects, such as non‐specific magnetization transfer (MT) and asymmetric MT effects, water longitudinal relaxation (T₁) and direct water saturation (radiofrequency spillover). In the current study, CEST images were acquired in rats following ischemic stroke and analyzed by comparing the reciprocals of the CEST signals at three different saturation offsets. This combined approach corrects the above competing effects and provides a more robust signal metric sensitive specifically to the proton exchange rate constant. The corrected amide proton transfer (APT) data show greater differences between the ischemic and contralateral (non‐ischemic) hemispheres. By contrast, corrected nuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOEs) around ?3.5 ppm from water change over time in both hemispheres, indicating whole‐brain changes that have not been reported previously. This study may help us to better understand the contrast mechanisms of APT and NOE imaging in ischemic stroke, and may also establish a framework for future stroke measurements using CEST imaging with spillover, MT and T₁ corrections. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in dysplasia of the bronchial epithelium

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is expressed in cells in the cell cycle and has been studied as a marker of proliferation in lung and other tumours. We have noted immunocytochemical differences in PCNA expression between normal and neoplastic bronchial cells. As bronchial dysplasia is considered preneoplastic, we have examined PCNA expression in this condition. PCNA staining in 47 cases of bronchial dysplasia and 32 samples of normal bronchial epithelium was compared. Of the dysplasias, three were mild, 11 moderate, and 33 severe. A significant increase in PCNA counts over normal epithelium was seen only in moderate and severe dysplasias. In dysplasia, mitotic indices showed a significant positive correlation with the percentage of PCNA-positive cells. We conclude that in moderate and severe dysplasias there is an increase in the number of cells expressing PCNA and undergoing division, indicating abnormal growth control.     

髓样细胞核分化抗原在强直性脊柱炎病人的表达

目的 通过比较强直性脊柱炎(AS)患者和健康志愿者的基因表达谱，寻找与AS相关的新基因并探讨其在病因和发病机制中的意义。方法 用含588个基因的cDNA微阵列，检测AS和健康志愿者的外周血单个核细胞的基因表达语，初步筛选出在AS中差异表达的基因，为了进一步验证cDNA微阵列差异表达基因结果，扩大各组病例数，再用RT-PCR技术同时检测、对比健康志愿者和AS患者外周血单个核细胞(PBMC)、关节液单个核细胞(SFMC)和关节滑膜细胞这些差异表达基因的变化。结果 和健康志愿者组的PBMC比较，AS病人骨髓样细胞核分化抗原(MNDA)、迁移抑制因子相关蛋白8(MRP8)和MRP14、粘附分子ICAM-1和integrin β1表达明显增高，其中MNDA和MRP8的变化相关系数为0．793。在AS的SFMC和关节滑膜细胞中，MNDA表达也显著增高(与健康志愿者组PBMC比较，P值分别为0．038和0．027)；MNDA区别AS和健康志愿者的统计学鉴别准确率达1。AS病人在接受抗TNF-α单克隆抗体治疗3个月后，MNDA在关节滑膜细胞的表达水平显著下降(P＝0．018)。结论 MNDA是AS发病过程中一个重要的并与单核／巨噬细胞致炎密切相关的免疫因子，其可能成为一种用于AS的诊断、治疗监控指标。     

Activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells detected by murine monoclonal antibodies to proliferating cell nuclear antigen in active lupus patients

Hybridoma producing monoclonal antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA/cyclin) (TOB7, IgG1 ) was newly established. Using TOB7, PCNA was detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Forty-four of 58 patients with SLE had PBMC expressing PCNA. The percentage of PCNA-positive PBMC in patients with SLE was 0–20% (mean: 2.63%) which was significantly higher (P<0.01) compared with normal controls (mean: 0.18%), patients with rheumatoid arthritis (mean: 0.83%), and patients with mixed connective tissue disease (mean: 0.38%). Patients with high numbers of PCNA positive PBMC tended to complicate pulmonary disorders (P<0.005), especially pulmonary fibrosis (P<0.005). In addition, the percentage of PCNA-positive cells in SLE patients correlated with the disease activity (r=0.45,P<0.01). The lymphocyte subsets of PCNA-positive PBMC were examined, and most of those cells belonged to CD4- or CD8-positive T-cell populations in three lupus patients. Our findings indicate that PCNA-positive activated PBMC are present in SLE patients and the percentage of PCNA-positive PBMC may be used as an indicator of disease activity.     

Haemangiopericytomas: the prognostic value of immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)

Forty-two cases of haemangiopericytoma were studied retrospectively using immunohistochemical staining with PC10, a monoclonal antibody to PCNA. The percentage of tumour cells with positive staining for PCNA was found to correlate well with histological grading. Clinical follow-up data were available in 25 adults and showed no known deaths in 11 cases with a low proportion (less than 14%) of positive cells. Out of 14 cases with a high number (greater than or equal to 14%) of positive cells, seven patients are known to have died, two had metastases, and in a further two there have been multiple recurrences of tumour. DNA flow cytometry was performed on 26 cases but this showed no correlation with PC10 staining or clinical outcome. Staining with PC10 may be of particular value in the identification of patients at greatest risk of rapid tumour metastasis and early death.     

Retinal ganglion cell death during regeneration of the frog optic nerve is not accompanied by appreciable cell loss from the inner nuclear layer

Summary We estimated cell numbers in the ganglion cell and inner nuclear layers of adult frog (Hyla moorei) retinae, examining normal animals and those with regenerated optic nerves. Analysis of sections stained with cresyl violet showed that cell numbers in a nasotemporal strip, which included the area centralis and visual streak, were comparable between sides for both these cellular layers in normal animals. In line with our previous observations, after optic nerve regeneration cell numbers in the ganglion cell layer had fallen by 35–43% compared to the unoperated sides. By contrast cell numbers remained similar for the inner nuclear layers on the two sides. We conclude that retrograde transneuronal degeneration had not taken place in the inner nuclear layer in response to ganglion cell death.     

Thymic epithelial tumours: Evaluation of malignant grade by quantification of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and nucleolar organizer regions

Cellular proliferation was studied by quantification of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) of cells in 29 thymic epithelial tumours: 8 noninvasive (7 cortical and 1 mixed) thymomas, 11 invasive/metastatic (all cortical) thymomas, and 10 thymic carcinomas. Thymic carcinoma showed the highest percentage of cells positive for PCNA (14.73±5.419%) and the largest mean number of AgNORs per nucleus (4.89±0.756). The mean percentage of PCNA-positive cells and number of AgNORs in thymoma groups were as follows: in noninvasive thymoma 2.96±1.256% and 2.73±0.647, respectively, and in invasive/metastatic thymoma 4.41±1.823% and 3.68±1.148, respectively. The differences in PCNA and AgNORs were statistically significant between thymic carcinoma and each of thymoma groups. The overlap of the values between these tumours was minimal in the PCNA stains, although it was considerable in AgNOR counts as previously noted. However, there was no statistically significant difference in these markers between noninvasive and invasive/metastatic thymomas. These results indicate that thymoma in general is a slow-growing tumour compared with thymic carcinoma and that noninvasive thymoma is similar to invasive/metastatic thymoma with regard to proliferative activity; these latter two tumours may represent an essentially identical type in different stages of progression.Part of this work was presented at the 80th General Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pathology held in Osaka, April 1991     

Assessment of cellular responses in three-dimensional cell cultures through chemical exchange saturation transfer and 1H MRS

Metabolic responses to physiological changes have been detected using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging in clinical settings. Similarly to other MRI techniques, the CEST technique was based originally on phantoms from buffer solutions and was then further developed through animal experiments. However, CEST imaging can capture certain dynamics of metabolism that solution phantoms cannot model. Cell culture phantoms can fill the gap between buffer phantoms and animal models. In this study, we used ¹H NMR and CEST in a B₀ field of 9.4 T to investigate HEK293T cells from two-dimensional (2D) cultures, three-dimensional (3D) cultures, and 3D cultures seeded with cell spheroids. Two CEST dips were observed: the magnitude of the amine dip at 2.8 ppm increased during the incubation period, whereas the hydroxyl dip at 1.2 ppm remained approximately the same or modestly increased. We also observed a CEST dip at 2.8 ppm from the 2D culture responding dramatically to doxorubicin treatment. By cross-validating with pH values and the concentrations of amine and hydroxyl protons extracted through ¹H NMR, we observed that they did not correspond to an increase in the amine pool. We believe that the denaturation or degradation of proteins from the fetal bovine serum increased the size of the amine pool. Although 3D culture conditions can be further improved, our study suggests that 3D cultures have the potential to bridge studies of solution phantoms and those on animals.     

Miscarriage induced by adoptive transfer of dendritic cells and invariant natural killer T cells into mice

Unexpected fetal loss is one of the common complications of pregnancy; however, the pathogenesis of many miscarriages, particularly those not associated with infections, is unknown. We previously found that activated DEC‐205⁺ dendritic cells (DCs) and NK1.1⁺ invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are recruited into the myometrium of mice when miscarriage is induced by the intraperitoneal administration of α‐galactosylceramide (α‐GalCer). Here we demonstrate that the adoptive transfer of DEC‐205⁺ bone marrow‐derived DCs cocultured with α‐GalCer (DEC‐205⁺ BMDCs‐c/w‐α‐GalCer) directly induced marked fetal loss by syngeneic pregnant C57BL/6 (B6) mice and allogeneic mice (B6 (♀) × BALB/c (♂)), which was accompanied by the accumulation of activated iNKT cells in the myometrium. Further, the adoptive transfer of NK1.1⁺ iNKT cells obtained from B6 mice injected with α‐GalCer facilitated miscarriages in syngeneic Jα18^(?/?) (iNKT cell‐deficient) mice. These results suggest that DEC‐205⁺ DCs and NK1.1⁺ iNKT cells play crucial roles required for the initiation of fetal loss associated with stimulation by glycolipid antigens and sterile inflammation.