Induced pluripotency and direct reprogramming: a new window for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are pluripotent cells that have the ability of unlimited self-renewal and can be differentiated into different cell lineages, including neural stem (NS) cells. Diverse regulatory signaling pathways of neural stem cells differentiation have been discovered, and this will be of great benefit to uncover the mechanisms of neuronal differentiation in vivo and in vitro. However, the limitations of hESCs resource along with the religious and ethical concerns impede the progress of ESCs application. Therefore, the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) via somatic cell reprogramming have opened up another new territory for regenerative medicine. iPSCs now can be derived from a number of lineages of cells, and are able to differentiate into certain cell types, including neurons. Patient-specific iPSCs are being used in human neurodegenerative disease modeling and drug screening. Furthermore, with the development of somatic direct reprogramming or lineage reprogramming technique, a more effective approach for regenerative medicine could become a complement for iPSCs.     

诱导性多潜能干细胞重编程机制探讨

根据近些年的报道,干细胞作为生命科学领域的一大研究热点,一直备受关注,而诱导性多潜能干细胞(inducedpluripotent stem cell,iPSC)的发现更被誉为是具有里程碑意义的创新之举。在短短几年的时间内,世界各国在iPSC的研究中不断取得突破。然而,对iPSC重编程的机制认识仍处在一个初级阶段,尚不存在一个公认的重编程机制的理论模式。现根据一些已有的文献报道,对iPSC重编程的机制进行初步探讨。     

Mechanism and methods to induce pluripotency

Pluripotent stem cells are able to self-renew indefinitely and differentiate into all types of cells in the body. They can thus be an inexhaustible source for future cell transplantation therapy to treat degenerative diseases which currently have no cure. However, non-autologous cells will cause immune rejection. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology can convert somatic cells to the pluripotent state, and therefore offers a solution to this problem. Since the first generation of iPSCs, there has been an explosion of relevant research, from which we have learned much about the genetic networks and epigenetic landscape of pluripotency, as well as how to manipulate genes, epigenetics, and microRNAs to obtain iPSCs. In this review, we focus on the mechanism of cellular reprogramming and current methods to induce pluripotency. We also highlight new problems emerging from iPSCs. Better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying pluripotenty and refining the methodology of iPSC generation will have a significant impact on future development of regenerative medicine.     

细胞重编程与表观遗传学调控

细胞重编程是生命科学研究的热点之一,目前体细胞核移植、细胞融合和特定转录因子诱导等方法都可以实现体外细胞重编程,而在细胞重编程过程中表观遗传学发挥关键的调控作用,因此对重编程过程中表观遗传学调控机制开展深入研究具有重要的意义。本文简要综述细胞重编程的研究现状和表观遗传学调控细胞重编程机制的研究进展,并对小分子化合物和microRNA提高细胞重编程效率的最新进展进行了介绍。     

Induced pluripotent stem cells for modelling human diseases

Research into the pathophysiological mechanisms of human disease and the development of targeted therapies have been hindered by a lack of predictive disease models that can be experimentally manipulated in vitro. This review describes the current state of modelling human diseases with the use of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines. To date, a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, haematopoietic disorders, metabolic conditions and cardiovascular pathologies have been captured in a Petri dish through reprogramming of patient cells into iPS cells followed by directed differentiation of disease-relevant cells and tissues. However, realizing the true promise of iPS cells for advancing our basic understanding of disease and ultimately providing novel cell-based therapies will require more refined protocols for generating the highly specialized cells affected by disease, coupled with strategies for drug discovery and cell transplantation.     

诱导多能干细胞研究进展

人类诱导多能干细胞（induced pluripotent stem cells,iPS细胞）的建立被公认为目前最重要的科技进展之一。iPS细胞在动物疾病模型上的成功治疗,病患特异性iPS细胞的研究及iPS细胞的定向分化研究将有可能使人们避开治疗性克隆的伦理和技术障碍,给人类疾病的干细胞治疗带来光明的前景。本文从iPS细胞的诱导策略和方法,来源细胞及筛选、重编程机制的研究现状、应用前景以及研究中存在的问题等方面对其作一综述和讨论。     

细胞重编程的分子机制

细胞重编程,尤其是诱导多能性干细胞的出现,给再生医学带来极大的希望。近年来,这方面的研究吸引了众多科学家的参与,也取得了非常丰富的成果。本文主要从转录因子、表观遗传和信号转导等角度,介绍了细胞重编程分子机制研究方面的进展和未来的方向。     

Determinants of pluripotency: From avian,rodents, to primates

Since mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells was first derived in 1981, the ability of this unprecedented cell type to self‐renew and differentiate without limit has revolutionized the discovery tools that are used to study gene functions and development. Furthermore, they have inspired others to hunt for similar cells from other species. The derivation of human ES cells in 1998 has accelerated these discoveries and has also widely provoked public interest, due to both the scientific significance of these cells for human tissue regeneration and the ethical disputes over the use of donated early human embryos. However, this is no longer a barrier, with the recent discovery of methods that can convert differentiated somatic cells into ES‐like cells or induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, by using defined reprogramming factors. This review attempts to summarize the progresses in the derivation of ES cells (as well as other embryo‐derived pluripotent cells) and iPS cells from various species. We will focus on the molecular and biological features of the cells, as well as the different determinants identified thus far to sustain their pluripotency. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 16–25, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The Janus face of pluripotent stem cells--connection between pluripotency and tumourigenicity

Pluripotent stem cells have gained special attraction because of their almost unlimited proliferation and differentiation capacity in vitro. These properties substantiate the potential of pluripotent stem cells in basic research and regenerative medicine. Here three types of in vitro cultured pluripotent stem cells (embryonic carcinoma, embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cells) are compared in their historical context with respect to their different origin and properties. It became evident that tumourigenicity is an inherent property of pluripotent cells based on p53 down-regulation, expression of tumour-related genes and high telomerase activity that allow unlimited proliferation. In addition, culture-adapted genetic and epigenetic changes may induce tumourigenicity of pluripotent cells. The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine, however, requires non-malignant cell types and strategies that circumvent stages of malignancy.Reprogramming strategies of adult somatic cells that avoid the tumourigenic state of pluripotency may offer alternatives for future biomedical application.     

Using heterokaryons to understand pluripotency and reprogramming

Reprogramming differentiated cells towards pluripotency can be achieved by different experimental strategies including the forced expression of specific 'inducers' and nuclear transfer. While these offer unparalleled opportunities to generate stem cells and advance disease modelling, the relatively low levels of successful reprogramming achieved (1-2%) makes a direct analysis of the molecular events associated with productive reprogramming very challenging. The generation of transient heterokaryons between human differentiated cells (such as lymphocytes or fibroblasts) and mouse pluripotent stem cell lines results in a much higher frequency of successful conversion (15% SSEA4 expressing cells) and provides an alternative approach to study early events during reprogramming. Under these conditions, differentiated nuclei undergo a series of remodelling events before initiating human pluripotent gene expression and silencing differentiation-associated genes. When combined with genetic or RNAi-based approaches and high-throughput screens, heterokaryon studies can provide important new insights into the factors and mechanisms required to reprogramme unipotent cells towards pluripotency.     

中国细胞重编程和多能干细胞研究进展

近几十年是干细胞领域飞速发展的重要时期。随着中国经济实力的发展壮大,科研实力也在稳步增强,干细胞研究领域达到了国际并跑甚至领跑的水平。本文从体细胞核移植、诱导多能干细胞、单倍体多能干细胞和胚胎早期发育研究4个方面,对中国细胞重编程和干细胞领域的研究进展进行了历史性回顾,总结了中国科学家在相关领域所取得的重要科研成果。随着单细胞测序技术的发展,各种发育过程将实现更为深入的解读,干细胞的临床应用在中国也会大放异彩。     

Nudt21 Controls Cell Fate by Connecting Alternative Polyadenylation to Chromatin Signaling

1. Download high-res image (102KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Application of biomaterials to advance induced pluripotent stem cell research and therapy

Derived from any somatic cell type and possessing unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are poised to revolutionize stem cell biology and regenerative medicine research, bringing unprecedented opportunities for treating debilitating human diseases. To overcome the limitations associated with safety, efficiency, and scalability of traditional iPSC derivation, expansion, and differentiation protocols, biomaterials have recently been considered. Beyond addressing these limitations, the integration of biomaterials with existing iPSC culture platforms could offer additional opportunities to better probe the biology and control the behavior of iPSCs or their progeny in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we discuss the impact of biomaterials on the iPSC field, from derivation to tissue regeneration and modeling. Although still exploratory, we envision the emerging combination of biomaterials and iPSCs will be critical in the successful application of iPSCs and their progeny for research and clinical translation.     

The genomic stability of induced pluripotent stem cells

With their capability to undergo unlimited self-renewal and to differentiate into all cell types in the body, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), reprogrammed from somatic cells of human patients with defined factors, hold promise for regenerative medicine because they can provide a renewable source of autologous cells for cell therapy without the concern for immune rejection. In addition, iPSCs provide a unique opportunity to model human diseases with complex genetic traits, and a panel of human diseases have been successfully modeled in vitro by patient-specific iPSCs. Despite these progresses, recent studies have raised the concern for genetic and epigenetic abnormalities of iPSCs that could contribute to the immunogenicity of some cells differentiated from iPSCs. The oncogenic potential of iPSCs is further underscored by the findings that the critical tumor suppressor p53, known as the guardian of the genome, suppresses induced pluripotency. Therefore, the clinic application of iPSCs will require the optimization of the reprogramming technology to minimize the genetic and epigenetic abnormalities associated with induced pluripotency.