Different responses between diploid and tetraploid H1 embryonic stem cells appeared during long-term culturing in L15F10 medium without leukemia inhibitory factor

To examine the alteration in cellular characteristics of polyploid embryonic stem (ES) cells during long-term culturing without leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), mouse diploid and tetraploid H-1 (ES) cells (2H1 and 4H1 cells, respectively) were cultured without LIF for approximately 5 months. 2H1 and 4H1 cells were adapted to the medium without LIF by decreasing the concentration for several passages, and they were denoted as 2H1(?) and 4H1(?) cells, respectively. DNA content of 4H1(?) cells decreased gradually in the early stage, increased abruptly in the second stage, and then was maintained for a long time. 4H1(?) cells exhibited longer doubling time and equivalent phase fraction compared with those of 2H1(?) cells. The G? phase fractions of 2H1(?) and 4H1(?) cells were increased compared with that of 2H1 cells. Cellular morphology and pluripotency were maintained in 4H1(?) cells but not in 2H1(?) cells. 2H1(?) cells showed a cell population consisting of several kinds of cells, and they lost alkaline phosphatase activity, suggesting that the cells had differentiated. 4H1(?) cells, however, exhibited alkaline phosphatase activity and formed teratocarcinoma in mouse abdomen, suggesting that the cells maintained their pluripotency in the medium without LIF.     

DNA-unstable decaploid mouse H1 (ES) cells established from DNA-stable pentaploid H1 (ES) cells polyploidized using demecolcine

Objectives: DNA content of diploid H1 (ES) cells (2H1 cells) has been shown to be stable in long‐term culture; however, tetraploid and octaploid H1 (ES) cells (4H1 and 8H1 cells, respectively) were DNA‐unstable. Pentaploid H1 (ES) cells (5H1 cells) established recently have been found to be DNA‐stable; how, then is cell DNA stability determined? To discuss ploidy stability, decaploid H1 (ES) cells (10H1 cells) were established from 5H1 cells and examined for DNA stability. Materials and methods: 5H1 cells were polyploidized using demecolcine (DC) and 10H1 cells were obtained by one‐cell cloning. Results: Number of chromosomes of 10H1 cells was 180 and durations of their G₁, S, and G₂/M phases were 3, 7 and 6 h respectively. Volume of 10H1 cells was double that of 5H1 cells and morphology of 10H1 cells was flagstone‐like in shape. 10H1 cells exhibited alkaline phosphatase activity and their DNA content decayed in 91 days of culture. 10H1 cells injected into mouse abdomen formed solid tumours that contained several kinds of differentiated cells with lower DNA content, suggesting that 10H1 cells were pluripotent and DNA‐unstable. Loss of DNA stability was explained using a hypothesis concerning DNA structure of polyploid cells as DNA reconstructed through ploidy doubling was arranged in mirror symmetry in a new configuration. Conclusion: In the pentaploid–decaploid transition of H1 cells, cell cycle parameters and pluripotency were retained, but morphology and DNA stability were altered.     

Cell cycle, morphology and pluripotency of octaploid embryonic stem cells in comparison with those of tetraploid and diploid cells

To examine the alteration of cellular characteristics on ploidy transition of embryonic stem (ES) cells, octaploid cells (8H1 cells) were established from tetraploid H-1 (ES) cells, and compared with tetraploid and diploid H-1 (ES) cells (4H1 and 2H1 cells, respectively). The duration of G₁, S, and G₂/M phases were essentially the same among 2H1, 4H1, and 8H1 cells, suggesting that cell cycle progression is conserved. The ratio of cell volume of 2H1, 4H1, and 8H1 cells was about 1 : 2 : 4, indicating that these polyploid cells were generated through cell cycle progression without cell division. The morphology of 8H1 cells was flagstone-like and flatter than that of 4H1 cells, and differed from the spindle-like shape of 2H1 cells, suggesting that transformation occurred during the ploidy transitions. Alkaline phosphatase activity was expressed equivalently in 2H1, 4H1, and 8H1 cells, and solid tumors that contained endodermal, mesodermal, and ectodermal cells were formed by 2H1, 4H1 or 8H1 cells after interperitoneal injection into the mouse abdomen, suggesting that pluripotency was preserved in the ploidy transition.     

Dodecaploid H1 embryonic stem cells abolished pluripotency in L15F10 medium both with and without leukemia inhibitory factor

Two lines of dodecaploid H1 embryonic stem cells, 12H1 and 12H1(?) cells (mouse-originated cells), were established through polyploidization of two hexaploid H1 cells, 6H1 and 6H1(?) cells, which were cultured in L15F10 (7:3) medium with and without leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), respectively. The G₁, S, and G₂/M phase fractions of 12H1 and 12H1(?) cells were almost the same as those of 6H1 and 6H1(?) cells, respectively, but the doubling time of cell proliferation was prolonged, suggesting that cell death occurred in 12H1 and 12H1(?)cells. The cell volumes of 12H1 and 12H1(?) cells were about double those of 6H1 and 6H1(?) cells, respectively. 12H1 and 12H1(?) cells showed near-negative activity of alkaline phosphatase and no ability to form teratocarcinomas in mouse abdomen, suggesting that 12H1 and 12H1(?) cells lost pluripotency. The DNA contents of 12H1 and 12H1(?) cells decayed in long-term culturing, suggesting that 12H1 and 12H1(?) cells were DNA-unstable. Possible explanations for the lost pluripotency and for the DNA decay in 12H1 and 12H1(?) cells are presented.     

DNA stable pentaploid H1 (ES) cells obtained from an octaploid cell induced from tetraploid cells polyploidized using demecolcine

Pentaploid H1 (ES) cells (5H1 cells) were accidentally obtained through one‐cell cloning of octaploid H1 (ES) cells (8H1 cells) that were established from tetraploid H1 (ES) cells (4H1 cells) polyploidized using demecolcine. The number of chromosomes of 5H1 cells was 100, unlike the 40 of diploid H1 (ES) cells (2H1 cells), 80 of 4H1, and 160 of 8H1 cells. The durations of G₁, S, and G₂/M phases of 5H1 cells were 3, 7, and 6 h, respectively, almost the same as those of 2H1, 4H1, and 8H1 cells. The cell volume of 5H1 cells was half of that of 8H1 cells, suggesting that 5H1 cells were created through abnormal cell divisions of 8H1 cells. The morphology of growing 5H1 cells was a spherical cluster similar to that of 2H1 cells and differing from the flagstone‐like shape of 4H1 and 8H1 cells. Pentaploid solid tumors were formed from 5H1 cells after interperitoneal injection into the mouse abdomen, and they contained endodermal, mesodermal, and ectodermal cells as well as undifferentiated cells, suggesting both that the DNA content of 5H1 cells was retained during tumor formation and that the 5H1 cells were pluripotent. The DNA content of 5H1 cells was stable in long‐term culturing as 2H1 cells, meaning that 5H1 and 2H1 cells shared similarities in DNA structure. The excellent stability of the DNA content of 5H1 cells was explained using a hypothesis for the DNA structure of polyploid cells because the pairing of homologous chromosomes in 5H1 cells is spatially forbidden. J. Cell. Physiol. 223: 369–375, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Haploid unit-ploidy transition of tetraploid and octaploid H1 (ES) cells in long-term culturing

Haploid unit-ploidy transition in tetraploid and octaploid mouse H1 (ES) cells (4H1 and 8H1 cells, respectively) during long-term culturing was observed using flow cytometry. The DNA content of 4H1 cells was elevated from 3.5C to 4.5C, and that of 8H1 cells was degraded from 6.5C to 5.5C, in addition to gradual DNA loss (C: complement). The timing of the transition was not predetermined. Cell cycle parameters, doubling time and phase durations, were essentially the same before and after the transition, suggesting that most cells in a cell population were induced to undergo the ploidy transition at the same time. Cellular morphology was altered before and after the transition, suggesting that the ploidy shift changed cellular characteristics; however, pluripotency was maintained irrespective of DNA content. Cell volume correlated with DNA content during the final stage of culturing. Diploid and hexaploid H1 (ES) cells--2H1 and 6H1 cells, respectively--were used as control cells in which the ploidy was maintained for about 300 days of culturing. The haploid unit-ploidy transition was explained using a hypothesis concerning the DNA structure of polyploid cells: closing homologous chromosomes causes inhomogeneous cell division accompanying a haploid DNA set, suggesting the existence of a coupling apparatus connecting DNA fibers with a single haploid DNA set.     

DYNAMICS OF POLYPLOID FORMATION IN TRAGOPOGON (ASTERACEAE): RECURRENT FORMATION,GENE FLOW,AND POPULATION STRUCTURE

Polyploidy is a major feature of angiosperm evolution and diversification. Most polyploid species have formed multiple times, yet we know little about the genetic consequences of recurrent formations. Among the clearest examples of recurrent polyploidy are Tragopogon mirus and T. miscellus (Asteraceae), each of which has formed repeatedly in the last ～80 years from known diploid progenitors in western North America. Here, we apply progenitor‐specific microsatellite markers to examine the genetic contributions to each tetraploid species and to assess gene flow among populations of independent formation. These data provide fine‐scale resolution of independent origins for both polyploid species. Importantly, multiple origins have resulted in considerable genetic variation within both polyploid species; however, the patterns of variation detected in the polyploids contrast with those observed in extant populations of the diploid progenitors. The genotypes detected in the two polyploid species appear to represent a snapshot of historical population structure in the diploid progenitors, rather than modern diploid genotypes. Our data also indicate a lack of gene flow among polyploid plants of independent origin, even when they co‐occur, suggesting potential reproductive barriers among separate lineages in both polyploid species.     

Exogenous Nanog alleviates but is insufficient to reverse embryonic stem cells differentiation induced by PI3K signaling inhibition

PI3K signaling pathway plays a significant role in embryonic stem cells (ES cells) self‐renewal. Overexpression of Nanog maintains mouse ES cells pluripotency independent of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). However, little is known about the effect of PI3K signaling pathway on ES cells with Nanog overexpression. Our experiments aimed to explore the relationship between PI3K signaling pathway and Nanog expression in ES cells. We observed the effect of LY294002, a specific inhibitor of PI3K pathway, on wild‐type J1 cells and Nanog overexpressing (Ex‐Nanog) J1 cells in the presence or absence of LIF. With LY294002 treatment, both of them lost their ES features even in the presence of LIF. But the differentiation induced by LY294002 on Ex‐Nanog J1 cells was slighter lower than that on wild‐type J1 cells. These results indicate that inhibition of PI3K pathway induces mouse ES cells differentiation. Exogenous Nanog sustains mouse ES cells pluripotency independent of LIF, and alleviates the differentiation induced by LY294002. But it is insufficient to totally reverse the differentiation. J. Cell. Biochem. 106: 1041–1047, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

慢病毒介导Nanog基因在小鼠ES细胞的表达

试验尝试构建小鼠Nanog基因慢病毒表达载体,培养表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞。结果显示通过RT-PCR扩增出918bp的小鼠Nanog基因,测序正确的小鼠Nanog基因通过慢病毒介导在小鼠ES细胞表达后,表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞生长状态同普通ES细胞无明显差异,在无LIF的ES细胞培养液培养条件下,表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞保持正常的ES细胞集落,碱性磷酸酶、Oct4和SSEA-1免疫细胞化学检测为阳性,相同情况下未表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞集落退化消失。试验证实了通过慢病毒载体介导培养了表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞。试验尝试构建小鼠Nanog基因慢病毒表达载体,培养表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞。根据小鼠Nanog基因m RNA序列设计Nanog基因引物,引物两端带有Nhe I和Xho I酶切位点。Trizol试剂处理小鼠ES细胞,通过RT-PCR扩增出小鼠Nanog基因,小鼠Nanog基因用Nhe I和Xho I酶切后连入pcDNA3.1载体中,PCR检测阳性的细菌克隆进行测序,测序正确的Nanog基因片段连接入PLL-IRES-Neo慢病毒表达载体中,包装含有Nanog基因的慢病毒感染小鼠ES细胞,在SNL细胞饲养层上G418筛选2周后,添加普通ES细胞培养液在普通小鼠胎儿成纤维细胞饲养层上培养。结果显示通过RT-PCR扩增出918 bp的小鼠Nanog基因,测序正确的小鼠Nanog基因通过慢病毒介导在小鼠ES细胞表达后,表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞生长状态同普通ES细胞无明显差异,在无LIF的ES细胞培养液培养条件下,表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞保持正常的ES细胞集落,碱性磷酸酶、Oct4和SSEA-1免疫细胞化学检测为阳性,相同情况下未表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞集落退化消失。试验证实了通过慢病毒载体介导培养了表达外源Nanog基因的小鼠ES细胞。     

The homeoprotein Nanog is required for maintenance of pluripotency in mouse epiblast and ES cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocysts grow infinitely while maintaining pluripotency. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) can maintain self-renewal of mouse ES cells through activation of Stat3. However, LIF/Stat3 is dispensable for maintenance of ICM and human ES cells, suggesting that the pathway is not fundamental for pluripotency. In search of a critical factor(s) that underlies pluripotency in both ICM and ES cells, we performed in silico differential display and identified several genes specifically expressed in mouse ES cells and preimplantation embryos. We found that one of them, encoding the homeoprotein Nanog, was capable of maintaining ES cell self-renewal independently of LIF/Stat3. nanog-deficient ICM failed to generate epiblast and only produced parietal endoderm-like cells. nanog-deficient ES cells lost pluripotency and differentiated into extraembryonic endoderm lineage. These data demonstrate that Nanog is a critical factor underlying pluripotency in both ICM and ES cells.     

Stable generation of serum‐ and feeder‐free embryonic stem cell‐derived mice with full germline‐competency by using a GSK3 specific inhibitor

C57BL/6 (B6)‐derived embryonic stem (ES) cells are not widely used to generate knockout mice despite the advantage of a well‐defined genetic background because of poor developmental potential. We newly established serum‐ and feeder‐free B6 ES cells with full developmental potential by using leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and 6‐bromoindirubin‐3′‐oxime (BIO), a glycogen synthase kinase‐3 (GSK3) inhibitor. BIO treatment significantly increased the expression levels of 364 genes including pluripotency markers such as Nanog and Klf family. Unexpectedly, by aggregating or microinjecting those ES cells to each eight‐cell‐stage diploid embryo, we stably generated germline‐competent ES‐derived mice. Furthermore, founder mice completely derived from female XO, heterozygous, or homozygous mutant B6 ES cells were directly available for intercross breeding and phenotypic analysis. We hereby propose that serum‐ and feeder‐free B6 ES cells stimulated with LIF plus GSK3 inhibitor are valuable for generating mouse models on B6 background. genesis 47:414–422, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Alteration and preservation of cellular characteristics in long-term culture of tetraploid H-1 (ES) cells

To examine the alteration in cellular characteristics of polyploid ES cells during long-term culturing, tetraploid H-1 (ES) cells were continuously cultured for 180 days. Cellular DNA content of the tetraploid cells decreased and reached a plateau of 3.3 C, where C represents the complement of haploid chromosomes. The chromosome number also decreased, indicating that the DNA loss was induced by chromosome loss. Cell volume was maintained, suggesting that the DNA loss did not involve cytoplasmic loss. The cell cycle parameters were almost the same during the DNA decay process, indicating that cell cycle progression was independent of the quantity of homologous chromosomes. Hypotetraploid cells showed alkaline phosphatase activity and formed teratocarcinomas in mouse abdomens, suggesting that the pluripotent potential was maintained. Cellular morphology was also retained, suggesting that the gene expression specifying morphological characteristics was conserved. We conclude that these initial cellular characteristics of tetraploid H1 (ES) cells were preserved in long-term culture, irrespective of chromosome loss.     

Origins of polyploids: an example from peonies (Paeonia) and a model for angiosperms

The majority of tetraploid peonies are allopolyploids derived from crosses between phylogenetically distinct diploid lineages. Tetraploid Paeonia obovata was previously considered to be an autopolyploid because it is morphologically indistinguishable from the diploid of the same species. The presence of the Adh2 gene in tetraploid P. obovata but the inability to amplify the Adh2 gene from Chinese diploids of P. obovata, however, suggests that the tetraploid was not an autotetraploid derivative of the geographically adjacent diploid populations in China. The Adh gene phylogenies rather suggest that the tetraploid originated from crosses between two geographical races of diploid P. obovata distributed in China and Japan. The intermediate status of tetraploid P. obovata between auto‐ and allopolyploidy highlights the need for population genetic analyses of polyploid origins along the continuous range of genomic divergence. Here we present a model that describes the probabilities of polyploid formation and establishment as a function of genomic divergence between diploid progenitors. The probability of polyploid formation (P_f) is obtained from the multiplication of the probability of production of unreduced gametes (P_g) and the probability of ‘hybridization’ (P_h). P_f stays relatively stable when the genomic divergence is low, and then decreases progressively rapidly with the increase of genomic divergence between diploid progenitors. The probability of polyploid establishment (P_e), which depends on the rate of appearance of stable beneficial gene combinations and the rate of fertility restoration, is positively correlated with the genomic divergence of diploid parents. Multiplication of P_f and P_e gives an overall probability of polyploid origins (P_o) that varies continuously along the genomic divergence between diploid progenitors. © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2004, 82 , 561–571.     

Molecular characterization of vernalization loci VRN1 in wild and cultivated wheats

Background  

Variability of the VRN1 promoter region of the unique collection of spring polyploid and wild diploid wheat species together with diploid goatgrasses (donor of B and D genomes of polyploid wheats) were investigated. Accessions of wild diploid (T. boeoticum, T. urartu) and tetraploid (T. araraticum, T. timopheevii) species were studied for the first time.     

Establishment and growth responses of Nile tilapia embryonic stem‐like cell lines under feeder‐free condition

Embryonic stem (ES) cells provide an invaluable tool for molecular analysis of vertebrate development and a bridge linking genomic manipulations in vitro and functional analysis of target genes in vivo. Work towards fish ES cells so far has focused on zebrafish (Danio renio) and medaka (Oryzias latipes). Here we describe the derivation, pluripotency, differentiation and growth responses of ES cell lines from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), a world‐wide commercial farmed fish. These cell lines, designated as TES1‐3, were initiated from blastomeres of Nile tilapia middle blastula embryos (MBE). One representative line, TES1, showed stable growth and phenotypic characteristics of ES cells over 200 days of culture with more than 59 passages under feeder‐free conditions. They exhibited high alkaline phosphatase activity and expression of pluripotency genes including pou5f3 (the pou5f1/oct4 homologue), sox2, myc and klf4. In suspension culture together with retinoic acid treatment, TES1 cells formed embryoid bodies, which exhibited expression profile of differentiation genes characteristics of all three germ cell layers. Notably, PKH26‐labeled TES1 cells introduced into Nile tilapia MBE could contribute to body compartment development and led to hatched chimera formation with an efficacy of 13%. These results suggest that TES1 cells have pluripotency and differentiation potential in vitro and in vivo. In the conditioned DMEM, all of the supplements including the fetal bovine serum, fish embryonic extract, fish serum, basic fibroblast growth factor and non‐protein supplement combination 5N were mitogenic for TES1 cell growth. This study will promote ES‐based biotechnology in commercial fish.     

Efficient generation of chimaeric mice using embryonic stem cells after long-term culture in the presence of ciliary neurotrophic factor

The aim of our study was to evaluate whether ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) can substitute for leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in maintaining pluripotential embryonic stem (ES) cells in culture. Two subclones of D3 ES cells were used to assess cell proliferation and differentiation in the presence of CNTF, LIF or Buffalo rat liver (BRL) cell-conditioned medium, or in the absence of exogenous differentiation inhibiting factors. ES cells maintained in medium supplemented with CNTF for up to four weeks were injected into blastocysts to investigate theirin vivo pluripotency in terms of chimaera formation. CNTF inhibited ES cell differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. The most effective concentration was 10 ng CNTF per ml of medium. The effects of CNTF on ES cell differentiation and proliferation were comparable to those of LIF at the same concentration. BRL cell-conditioned medium was less effective at preventing ES cell differentiation but induced their proliferation very markedly. Both ES cell clones efficiently formed chimaeras after long-term culture with CNTF as the only differentiation inhibiting agent. The ability of these ES cells to colonize the germ-line is the ultimate proof that CNTF can preserve the pluripotency of ES cells.     

Establishment of a tetraploid cell line from mouse H-1 (ES) cells highly polyploidized with demecolcine

OBJECTIVE: Establishment of tetraploid ES cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mouse H-1 (ES) cells were polyploidized by demecolcine and released from the drug. RESULTS: A tetraploid cell line (4nH1 cells) was established from mouse H-1 (ES) cells (2nH1 cells) highly polyploidized by treatment with demecolcine. Cell cycle parameters of 4nH1 cells were almost the same as those of 2nH1 cells, suggesting that the rate of DNA synthesis was about twice that of the diploid cells. Mode of chromosome number of 4nH1 cells was 76, about twice that of 2nH1 cells. Cell volume of 4nH1 cells was about twice of that of diploid cells, indicating that 4nH1 cells contained about twice as much total intracellular material as 2nH1 cells. Morphology of the 4nH1 cells was flagstone-like, thus differing from that of the spindle-shaped 2nH1 cells, suggesting that the transformation had occurred during the diploid-tetraploid transition. 4nH1 cells exhibited alkaline phosphatase activity and formed teratocarcinomas, implying that they would be pluripotent. CONCLUSION: A pluripotent tetraploid cell line (4nH1 cells) was established.