Modulating glypican4 suppresses tumorigenicity of embryonic stem cells while preserving self-renewal and pluripotency

Self-renewal and differentiation of stem cell depend on a dynamic interplay of cell-extrinsic and -intrinsic regulators. However, how stem cells perceive the right amount of signal and at the right time to undergo a precise developmental program remains poorly understood. The cell surface proteins Glypicans act as gatekeepers of environmental signals to modulate their perception by target cells. Here, we show that one of these, Glypican4 (Gpc4), is specifically required to maintain the self-renewal potential of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and to fine tune cell lineage commitment. Notably, Gpc4-mutant ESCs contribute to all embryonic cell lineages when injected in blastocyts but lose their intrinsic tumorigenic properties after implantation into nude mice. Therefore, our molecular and functional studies reveal that Gpc4 maintains distinct stemness features. Moreover, we provide evidence that self-renewal and lineage commitment of different stem cell types is fine tuned by Gpc4 activity by showing that Gpc4 is required for the maintenance of adult neural stem cell fate in vivo. Mechanistically, Gpc4 regulates self-renewal of ESCs by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling activities. Thus, our findings establish that Gpc4 acts at the interface of extrinsic and intrinsic signal regulation to fine tune stem cell fate. Moreover, the ability to uncouple pluripotent stem cell differentiation from tumorigenic potential makes Gpc4 as a promising target for cell-based regenerative therapies. Stem Cells2012;30:1863-1874.     

Concise review: recent advances on the significance of stem cells in tissue regeneration and cancer therapies

In this study, we report on recent advances on the functions of embryonic, fetal, and adult stem cell progenitors for tissue regeneration and cancer therapies. We describe new procedures for derivation and maturation of these stem cells into the tissue-specific cell progenitors. The localization of the adult stem cells and their niches, as well as their implication in the tissue repair after injuries and during cancer progression, are also described. The emphasis is on the interactions among certain developmental signaling factors, such as hormones, epidermal growth factor, hedgehog, Wnt/beta-catenin, and Notch. These factors and their pathways are involved in the stringent regulation of the self-renewal and/or differentiation of adult stem cells. Novel strategies for the treatment of both diverse degenerating disorders, by cell replacement, and some metastatic cancer types, by molecular targeting multiple tumorigenic signaling elements in cancer progenitor cells, are also illustrated.     

Modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in human embryonic stem cells using a 3-D microwell array

Intercellular interactions in the cell microenvironment play a critical role in determining cell fate, but the effects of these interactions on pathways governing human embryonic stem cell (hESC) behavior have not been fully elucidated. We and others have previously reported that 3-D culture of hESCs affects cell fates, including self-renewal and differentiation to a variety of lineages. Here we have used a microwell culture system that produces 3-D colonies of uniform size and shape to provide insight into the effect of modulating cell-cell contact on canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling in hESCs. Canonical Wnt signaling has been implicated in both self-renewal and differentiation of hESCs, and competition for β-catenin between the Wnt pathway and cadherin-mediated cell-cell interactions impacts various developmental processes, including the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Our results showed that hESCs cultured in 3-D microwells exhibited higher E-cadherin expression than cells on 2-D substrates. The increase in E-cadherin expression in microwells was accompanied by a downregulation of Wnt signaling, as evidenced by the lack of nuclear β-catenin and downregulation of Wnt target genes. Despite this reduction in Wnt signaling in microwell cultures, embryoid bodies (EBs) formed from hESCs cultured in microwells exhibited higher levels of Wnt signaling than EBs from hESCs cultured on 2-D substrates. Furthermore, the Wnt-positive cells within EBs showed upregulation of genes associated with cardiogenesis. These results demonstrate that modulation of intercellular interactions impacts Wnt/β-catenin signaling in hESCs.     

Role of Cripto-1 in Stem Cell Maintenance and Malignant Progression

Cripto-1 is critical for early embryonic development and, together with its ligand Nodal, has been found to be associated with the undifferentiated status of mouse and human embryonic stem cells. Like other embryonic genes, Cripto-1 performs important roles in the formation and progression of several types of human tumors, stimulating cell proliferation, migration, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and tumor angiogenesis. Several studies have demonstrated that cell fate regulation during embryonic development and cell transformation during oncogenesis share common signaling pathways, suggesting that uncontrolled activation of embryonic signaling pathways might drive cell transformation and tumor progression in adult tissues. Here we review our current understanding of how Cripto-1 controls stem cell biology and how it integrates with other major embryonic signaling pathways. Because many cancers are thought to derive from a subpopulation of cancer stem-like cells, which may re-express embryonic genes, Cripto-1 signaling may drive tumor growth through the generation or expansion of tumor initiating cells bearing stem-like characteristics. Therefore, the Cripto-1/Nodal signaling may represent an attractive target for treatment in cancer, leading to the elimination of undifferentiated stem-like tumor initiating cells.Embryonic development involves coordinated processes of proliferation of progenitor stem cells that carry the potential of self-renewal and subsequent differentiation into distinct cell lineages.¹ After fertilization, totipotent stem cells of the blastocyst give rise to all tissues. With subsequent cell divisions, stem cells retain their self-renewal capacity, but they become more restricted in their differentiation potential, becoming progenitor cells (adult or somatic stem cells) that give rise to differentiated somatic cells in specific tissues.¹Therefore, two fundamental properties characterize stem cells: self-renewal, the ability to maintain their identity through a long period of time, and multipotency, the ability to generate all differentiated cell types of a specific tissue. A stem cell that asymmetrically divides can generate a new stem cell and a committed daughter cell. In the adult, a pool of stem cells resides within specific microenvironments or niches in adult tissues and functions as an internal repair system, dividing to replenish specialized cells and also maintaining the normal turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin, or intestinal epithelium.² Stem cells, therefore, are of interest for their potential use in regenerative medicine.Recent progress has identified potential molecular signatures of embryonic stem (ES) cells that delineate pathways that are used by somatic stem cells in the maintenance of self-renewal and in cell fate decisions.³ Among these markers of stemness, Cripto-1 represents an important component of a critical core pathway that is used by ES cells. In this review we highlight the role of Cripto-1 in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation with particular emphasis on the cross talk with other ES cell genes. Finally, re-expression of Cripto-1 in human cancers and its contribution to malignant progression is discussed.     

The Wnt Signal Transduction Pathway in Stem Cells and Cancer Cells: Influence on Cellular Invasion

The regulative network conducting adult stem cells in endogenous tissue repair is of prime interest for understanding organ regeneration as well as preventing degenerative and malignant diseases. One major signal transduction pathway which is involved in the control of these (patho)physiological processes is the Wnt pathway. Recent results obtained in our laboratories showed for the first time that canonical Wnt signaling is critically involved in the control of the migration/invasion behaviour of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC). In the first part of this review, we describe that the regenerative state is closely linked to the activation of the Wnt pathway. Central hallmarks of activated stem cells are recapitulated in a similar way also in cancer metastasis, where the acquisition of an invasive cancer stem cell phenotype is associated with the induction of Wnt-mediated epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). In the second part, the influence of proinflammatory cytokines such as transforming growth factor (TGF-)β1, interleukin (Il-)1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-)α is discussed with regard to the invasive characteristics of hMSC. In this context, special attention has been paid on the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), such as MMP-2, MMP-9 and membrane type 1 (MT1)-MMP, as well as on the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. Putative cross-talks between different signal transduction pathways that may amplify the invasive capacity of this stem cell population are also discussed. Finally, the consequences towards future drug-mediated therapeutical modifications of Wnt signaling in stem cells and tumor cells are highlighted. P. Neth and C. Ries contributed equally to this work.     

表皮修复过程中Wnt信号途径的研究进展

Wnt信号通路是一个复杂的蛋白质作用网络,其功能最常见于胚胎发育和癌症,但也参与成年动物的正常生理过程。随着皮肤组织工程的快速发展,关于皮肤创后愈合过程中的Wnt信号的研究也越来越多。目前已知Wnt信号途径在表皮干细胞、表皮生长因子以及毛囊发育等重要表皮修复的相关因素中发挥重要作用,系统地研究Wnt信号途径在皮肤组织中的表达及作用过程具有重要临床意义。本文就近年来Wnt信号途径在表皮修复过程中的研究进展做以下综述。     

Aberrant activation of the hedgehog signaling pathway in malignant hematological neoplasms

The hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway is a highly regulated signaling pathway that is important not only for embryonic development, tissue patterning, and organogenesis but also for tissue repair and the maintenance of stem cells in adult tissues. In the adult hematopoietic system, HH signaling regulates intrathymic T-cell development, and it is one of the survival signals provided by follicular dendritic cells to prevent apoptosis in germinal center B cells. HH signaling is required for primitive hematopoiesis; however, conflicting data have been reported regarding the role of the HH pathway in adult hematopoiesis. Inappropriate activation of the HH signaling pathway occurs in several human cancers, including hematological neoplasms. Emerging data demonstrate abnormal HH pathway activation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, plasma cell myeloma, mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and acute leukemias. In these neoplasms, HH signaling promotes proliferation and survival, contributes to the maintenance of cancer stem cells, and enhances tolerance or resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Here, we review current understanding of HH signaling, its role in the pathobiology of hematological malignancies, and its potential as a therapeutic target to treat malignant hematological neoplasms.     

A molecular basis for human embryonic stem cell pluripotency

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are able to generate a wide array of differentiated cell fates while maintaining self-renewal. Understanding the biology of these choices may be central to the use of human embryonic stem cells (HESCs), both as a model for early human development as well as a resource for cell based therapies. Efforts to dissect the molecular mechanisms that mediate stem cell identity are underway, and in this review we summarize recent progress in defining the markers and pathways involved in these decisions. We discuss recent efforts to assess the molecular signature of pluripotent HESCs and highlight work demonstrating a set of genes, including representatives from the FGF, TGFβ, and Wnt signaling pathways, that consistently mark the undifferentiated state. In addition, we describe experiments in which signaling of HESCs is augmented by chemical probing with small molecule compounds. Using these compounds, we have demonstrated an important role for Wnt signaling in HESC pluripotency and shown a requirement for TGFβ signaling in the maintenance of the undifferentiated state. These experiments have revealed some molecular aspects of the pluripotent state and demonstrated clear differences between mouse and human ESCs in the maintenance of this identity.     

Wnt signalling in murine postnatal mammary gland development

The mammary gland undergoes numerous developmental processes postnatally, from the elongation of the ductal tree-like structure to pregnancy-induced lobulo-alveolar development. Mammary epithelial stem cells have been suggested to be central to the control of enormous tissue expansion and remodelling during phases of mammary development. The Wnt signalling pathway plays a critical role in these biological steps and is suggested to be involved in the maintenance of the stem cell population. This review provides insight into recent findings on the activity of Wnt signalling during ductal and lobular mammary development and discusses the potential interplay between Wnt signals and mammary stem cells in mice.     

Signaling Pathways in Cancer and Embryonic Stem Cells

Cancer cells have the ability to divide indefinitely and spread to different parts of the body during metastasis. Embryonic stem cells can self-renew and, through differentiation to somatic cells, provide the building blocks of the human body. Embryonic stem cells offer tremendous opportunities for regenerative medicine and serve as an excellent model system to study early human development. Many of the molecular mechanism underlying tumorigenesis in cancer and self-renewal in stem cells have been elucidated in the past decade. Here we present a systematic analysis of seven major signaling pathways implicated in both cancer and stem cells. We present on overview of the JAK/STAT, Notch, MAPK/ERK, PI3K/AKT, NF-kB, Wnt and TGF-β pathways and analyze their activation status in the context of cancer and stem cells. We focus on their role in stem cell self-renewal and development and identify key molecules, whose aberrant expression has been associated with malignant phenotypes. We conclude by presenting a map of the signaling networks involved in cancer and embryonic stem cells.     

不同氧体积分数对人胚胎干细胞基因表达谱的影响

背景：低氧培养人胚胎干细胞的相关研究主要集中在干细胞多能性的维持及分化方面,而低氧对人胚胎干细胞基因表达水平的影响研究甚少。 目的：观察不同氧体积分数对人胚胎干细胞基因表达谱的影响。 方法：分别在低氧(体积分数5%O2)和常氧(体积分数21%O2)的条件下持续培养FY-hES-7细胞,收集晚期(第52代)细胞,运用全基因组表达谱芯片技术检测不同氧体积分数组FY-hES-7细胞的基因表达谱,并进行差异基因的功能富集分析及通路分析。 结果与结论：与常氧组相比,低氧组表达上调(>2倍)的基因1 840个,表达下调(>2倍)的基因1 676个。利用基因本体分析发现低氧组表达上调基因与细胞表面受体信号转导、免疫反应、离子转运、生物代谢及细胞活动等功能相关,而表达下调基因则与转录调控,依赖DNA的转录调控、神经分化、细胞形态、胚胎形态、胚胎器官及各系统发育等功能相关。通路分析发现低氧组表达上调的基因与细胞因子受体的相互作用、免疫反应以及造血系统等通路的改变相关,而表达下调的基因则多与胚胎发育及肿瘤通路改变相关。不同氧体积分数下长期培养的人胚胎干细胞基因表达谱存在明显的差异,低氧组出现差异表达基因的功能分析表明低氧有助于人胚胎干细胞的自我更新,防止分化及降低成瘤性。     

Three-dimensional nanofibrillar surfaces promote self-renewal in mouse embryonic stem cells

The regulation of mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) fate is controlled by the interplay of signaling networks that either promote self-renewal or induce differentiation. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a cytokine that is required for stem cell renewal in mouse but not in human embryonic stem cells. However, feeder layers of embryonic fibroblasts are capable of inducing stem cell renewal in both cell types, suggesting that the self-renewal signaling pathways may also be promoted by other triggers, such as alternative cytokines and/or chemical or physical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) secreted by feeder fibroblasts. We have recently used a synthetic polyamide matrix (Ultra-Web) whose three-dimensional (3D) nanofibrillar organization resembles the ECM/basement membrane. Growth of mESCs on this nanofibrillar surface greatly enhanced proliferation and self-renewal in comparison with growth on tissue culture surfaces without nanofibers, despite the presence of LIF in both systems. Enhanced proliferation and self-renewal of the stem cells on nanofibrillar surfaces were correlated with the activation of the small GTPase Rac, the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, and the enhanced expression of Nanog, a homeoprotein required for maintenance of pluripotency. Inhibitors of PI3K reduced the expression level of Nanog in mESCs cultured on 3D nanofibrillar surfaces. These results provide support for the view that the three-dimensionality of the culture surface may function as a cue for the activation of Rac and PI3K signaling pathways, resulting in stem cell proliferation and self-renewal.