https://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/49782/1/Yamanaka_Cell_131_5.pdf

Induction of Pluripotent Stem Cells from Adult Human Fibroblasts by Defined Factors

Somatic cell nuclear transfer allows trans-acting factors present in the mammalian oocyte to reprogram somatic cell nuclei to an undifferentiated state. We show that four factors (OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and LIN28) are sufficient to reprogram human somatic cells to pluripotent stem cells that exhibit the essential characteristics of embryonic stem (ES) cells. These induced pluripotent human stem cells have normal karyotypes, express telomerase activity, express cell surface markers and genes that characterize human ES cells, and maintain the developmental potential to differentiate into advanced derivatives of all three primary germ layers. Such induced pluripotent human cell lines should be useful in the production of new disease models and in drug development, as well as for applications in transplantation medicine, once technical limitations (for example, mutation through viral integration) are eliminated.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/318/5858/1917.full.pdf

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines Derived from Human Somatic Cells

The transcription factor NF-kappaB has been the focus of intense investigation for nearly two decades. Over this period, considerable progress has been made in determining the function and regulation of NF-kappaB, although there are nuances in this important signaling pathway that still remain to be understood. The challenge now is to reconcile the regulatory complexity in this pathway with the complexity of responses in which NF-kappaB family members play important roles. In this review, we provide an overview of established NF-kappaB signaling pathways with focus on the current state of research into the mechanisms that regulate IKK activation and NF-kappaB transcriptional activity.

/pdf/signaling-to-nf-kappab-1zyb7vgt7s.pdf

Signaling to NF-kappaB.

The complexity of the human brain has made it difficult to study many brain disorders in model organisms, highlighting the need for an in vitro model of human brain development Here we have developed a human pluripotent stem cell-derived three-dimensional organoid culture system, termed cerebral organoids, that develop various discrete, although interdependent, brain regions These include a cerebral cortex containing progenitor populations that organize and produce mature cortical neuron subtypes Furthermore, cerebral organoids are shown to recapitulate features of human cortical development, namely characteristic progenitor zone organization with abundant outer radial glial stem cells Finally, we use RNA interference and patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells to model microcephaly, a disorder that has been difficult to recapitulate in mice We demonstrate premature neuronal differentiation in patient organoids, a defect that could help to explain the disease phenotype Together, these data show that three-dimensional organoids can recapitulate development and disease even in this most complex human tissue

/pdf/cerebral-organoids-model-human-brain-development-and-3wt90buxu3.pdf

Cerebral organoids model human brain development and microcephaly

Pluripotency pertains to the cells of early embryos that can generate all of the tissues in the organism. Embryonic stem cells are embryo-derived cell lines that retain pluripotency and represent invaluable tools for research into the mechanisms of tissue formation. Recently, murine fibroblasts have been reprogrammed directly to pluripotency by ectopic expression of four transcription factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and Myc) to yield induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Using these same factors, we have derived iPS cells from fetal, neonatal and adult human primary cells, including dermal fibroblasts isolated from a skin biopsy of a healthy research subject. Human iPS cells resemble embryonic stem cells in morphology and gene expression and in the capacity to form teratomas in immune-deficient mice. These data demonstrate that defined factors can reprogramme human cells to pluripotency, and establish a method whereby patient-specific cells might be established in culture.

/pdf/reprogramming-of-human-somatic-cells-to-pluripotency-with-4lycgkg8te.pdf

Reprogramming of human somatic cells to pluripotency with defined factors

We have previously shown that pluripotent stem cells can be induced from mouse fibroblasts by retroviral introduction of Oct3/4 (also called Pou5f1), Sox2, c-Myc and Klf4, and subsequent selection for Fbx15 (also called Fbxo15) expression These induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (hereafter called Fbx15 iPS cells) are similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells in morphology, proliferation and teratoma formation; however, they are different with regards to gene expression and DNA methylation patterns, and fail to produce adult chimaeras Here we show that selection for Nanog expression results in germline-competent iPS cells with increased ES-cell-like gene expression and DNA methylation patterns compared with Fbx15 iPS cells The four transgenes (Oct3/4, Sox2, c-myc and Klf4) were strongly silenced in Nanog iPS cells We obtained adult chimaeras from seven Nanog iPS cell clones, with one clone being transmitted through the germ line to the next generation Approximately 20% of the offspring developed tumours attributable to reactivation of the c-myc transgene Thus, iPS cells competent for germline chimaeras can be obtained from fibroblasts, but retroviral introduction of c-Myc should be avoided for clinical application

http://www.westlaboratory.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Okita-2007-Generation-of-germline-competent-induced-pluripotent-stem-cells.pdf

Generation of germline-competent induced pluripotent stem cells

Direct reprogramming of somatic cells provides an opportunity to generate patient- or disease-specific pluripotent stem cells. Such induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were generated from mouse fibroblasts by retroviral transduction of four transcription factors: Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc. Mouse iPS cells are indistinguishable from embryonic stem (ES) cells in many respects and produce germline-competent chimeras. Reactivation of the c-Myc retrovirus, however, increases tumorigenicity in the chimeras and progeny mice, hindering clinical applications. Here we describe a modified protocol for the generation of iPS cells that does not require the Myc retrovirus. With this protocol, we obtained significantly fewer non-iPS background cells, and the iPS cells generated were consistently of high quality. Mice derived from Myc(-) iPS cells did not develop tumors during the study period. The protocol also enabled efficient isolation of iPS cells without drug selection. Furthermore, we generated human iPS cells from adult dermal fibroblasts without MYC.

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells without Myc from mouse and human fibroblasts

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have been generated from mouse and human somatic cells by introducing Oct3/4 and Sox2 with either Klf4 and c-Myc or Nanog and Lin28 using retroviruses or lentiviruses. Patient-specific iPS cells could be useful in drug discovery and regenerative medicine. However, viral integration into the host genome increases the risk of tumorigenicity. Here, we report the generation of mouse iPS cells without viral vectors. Repeated transfection of two expression plasmids, one containing the complementary DNAs (cDNAs) of Oct3/4, Sox2, and Klf4 and the other containing the c-Myc cDNA, into mouse embryonic fibroblasts resulted in iPS cells without evidence of plasmid integration, which produced teratomas when transplanted into mice and contributed to adult chimeras. The production of virus-free iPS cells, albeit from embryonic fibroblasts, addresses a critical safety concern for potential use of iPS cells in regenerative medicine.

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/322/5903/949.full.pdf

Generation of Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Without Viral Vectors

Human induced pluripotent stem cells are generated with episomal plasmid vectors at increased efficiency using non-transforming L-Myc and knockdown of p53 Also in this issue, Chen et al report defined conditions for human cell reprogramming and culture

/pdf/a-more-efficient-method-to-generate-integration-free-human-44b5zly2v6.pdf

A more efficient method to generate integration-free human iPS cells

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be generated from somatic cells by the introduction of Oct3/4 (also known as Pou5f1), Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc, in mouse and in human. The efficiency of this process, however, is low. Pluripotency can be induced without c-Myc, but with even lower efficiency. A p53 (also known as TP53 in humans and Trp53 in mice) short-interfering RNA (siRNA) was recently shown to promote human iPS cell generation, but the specificity and mechanisms remain to be determined. Here we report that up to 10% of transduced mouse embryonic fibroblasts lacking p53 became iPS cells, even without the Myc retrovirus. The p53 deletion also promoted the induction of integration-free mouse iPS cells with plasmid transfection. Furthermore, in the p53-null background, iPS cells were generated from terminally differentiated T lymphocytes. The suppression of p53 also increased the efficiency of human iPS cell generation. DNA microarray analyses identified 34 p53-regulated genes that are common in mouse and human fibroblasts. Functional analyses of these genes demonstrate that the p53-p21 pathway serves as a barrier not only in tumorigenicity, but also in iPS cell generation.

/pdf/suppression-of-induced-pluripotent-stem-cell-generation-by-40xn460ab6.pdf

Keisuke Okita

Papers

Generation of germline-competent induced pluripotent stem cells

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells without Myc from mouse and human fibroblasts

Generation of Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Without Viral Vectors

A more efficient method to generate integration-free human iPS cells

Suppression of induced pluripotent stem cell generation by the p53–p21 pathway