Showing papers by "Ludovic Vallier published in 2010"

Modeling inherited metabolic disorders of the liver using human induced pluripotent stem cells

Abstract: Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells hold great promise for advancements in developmental biology, cell-based therapy, and modeling of human disease. Here, we examined the use of human iPS cells for modeling inherited metabolic disorders of the liver. Dermal fibroblasts from patients with various inherited metabolic diseases of the liver were used to generate a library of patient-specific human iPS cell lines. Each line was differentiated into hepatocytes using what we believe to be a novel 3-step differentiation protocol in chemically defined conditions. The resulting cells exhibited properties of mature hepatocytes, such as albumin secretion and cytochrome P450 metabolism. Moreover, cells generated from patients with 3 of the inherited metabolic conditions studied in further detail (α1-antitrypsin deficiency, familial hypercholesterolemia, and glycogen storage disease type 1a) were found to recapitulate key pathological features of the diseases affecting the patients from which they were derived, such as aggregation of misfolded α1-antitrypsin in the endoplasmic reticulum, deficient LDL receptor–mediated cholesterol uptake, and elevated lipid and glycogen accumulation. Therefore, we report a simple and effective platform for hepatocyte generation from patient-specific human iPS cells. These patient-derived hepatocytes demonstrate that it is possible to model diseases whose phenotypes are caused by pathological dysregulation of key processes within adult cells.

Emerging use of stem cells in regenerative medicine

Abstract: Stem cells represent a unique opportunity for regenerative medicine to cure a broad number of diseases for which current treatment only alleviates symptoms or retards further disease progression. However, the number of stem cells available has speedily increased these past 10 years and their diversity presents new challenges to clinicians and basic scientists who intend to use them in clinics or to study their unique properties. In addition, the recent possibility to derive pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells using epigenetic reprogramming has further increased the clinical interest of stem cells since induced pluripotent stem cells could render personalized cell-based therapy possible. The present review will attempt to summarize the advantages and challenges of each type of stem cell for current and future clinical applications using specific examples.

Nuclear transfer-derived epiblast stem cells are transcriptionally and epigenetically distinguishable from their fertilized-derived counterparts.

Abstract: Mouse embryonic pluripotent stem cells can be obtained from the inner cell mass at the blastocyst stage (embryonic stem cells, ESCs) or from the late epiblast of postimplantation embryos (epiblast stem cells, EpiSCs). During normal development, the transition between these two stages is marked by major epigenetic and transcriptional changes including DNA de novo methylation. These modifications represent an epigenetic mark conserved in ESCs and EpiSCs. Pluripotent ESCs derived from blastocysts generated by nuclear transfer (NT) have been shown to be correctly reprogrammed. However, NT embryos frequently undergo abnormal development. In the present study, we have examined whether pluripotent cells could be derived from the epiblast of postimplantation NT embryos and whether the reprogramming process would affect the epigenetic changes occurring at this stage, which could explain abnormal development of NT embryos. We showed that EpiSCs could be derived with the same efficiency from NT embryos and from their fertilized counterparts. However, gene expression profile analyses showed divergence between fertilized- and nuclear transfer-EpiSCs with a surprising bias in the distribution of the differentially expressed genes, 30% of them being localized on chromosome 11. A majority of these genes were downregulated in NT-EpiSCs and imprinted genes represented a significant fraction of them. Notably, analysis of the epigenetic status of a downregulated imprinted gene in NT-EpiSCs revealed complete methylation of the two alleles. Therefore, EpiSCs derived from NT embryos appear to be incorrectly reprogrammed, indicating that abnormal epigenetic marks are imposed on cells in NT embryos during the transition from early to late epiblast.

Induced pluripotent stem cells- alchemist's tale or clinical reality?

Abstract: Following Shinya Yamanaka's first report describing the reprogramming of fibroblasts into stem cells over three years ago, some sceptics initially drew analogies between this new field of research and the quasi-mystical practice of 'alchemy'. Unlike the alchemist, however, stem cell researchers have rigorously tested and repeated experiments, proving their very own brand of cellular 'alchemy' to be a reality, with potentially massive implications for the study of human biology and clinical medicine. These investigations have resulted in an explosion of related publications and initiated the field of stem cell research known as 'induced pluripotency'. In this review, we give an account of the historical development, current technologies and potential clinical applications of induced pluripotency and conclude with a perspective on the possible future directions for this dynamic field.

Cellules souches embryonnaires humaines et iPS - Une source fiable d’hépatocytes fœtaux

Abstract: Hepatocyte transplantation is considered as an alternative to organ transplantation in particular for the treatment of liver metabolic diseases. However, due to the difficulties to obtain a large number of hepatocytes, new sources of cells are needed. These cells could be either of hepatic origin (hepatic stem cells) or extrahepatic such as mesenchymal stem cells or pluripotent stem cells (human embryonic stem cells [hESC] or iPS). We developed a new method to differentiate hESCs into fetal hepatocytes. These conditions recapitulate the main liver developmental stages, using fully defined medium devoid of animal products or unknown factors. The differentiated cells express many fetal hepatocytes markers (cytochrome P450 3A7, albumin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, etc.). The cells display specific hepatic functions (ammonia metabolism, excretion of indocyanin green) and are capable to engraft and express hepatic proteins two months after transplantation into newborn uPAxrag2gc-/- mouse liver. We have also showed that this approach is transposable to human iPS, and further studies on animal models will allow us to compare the in vivo potential of these two sources of pluripotent cells. Finally, only studies on large animals such as nonhuman primates will validate an eventual clinical application.

Method for hepatic differentiation of definitive endoderm cells

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a population of hepatic progenitor cells, said method comprising a step of culturing definitive endoderm cells with a culture medium stimulating hepatic specification. In a particular embodiment, such culture medium stimulating hepatic specification comprises a retinoic acid receptor (RAR) agonist, an FGF family growth factor and an inhibitor of the activin signaling pathway.

Procédé de différenciation hépatique de cellules endodermiques définitives

Abstract: La presente invention concerne un procede d'obtention d'une population de cellules progenitrices hepatiques, ledit procede comprenant une etape consistant a cultiver des cellules endodermiques definitives avec un milieu de culture stimulant la specification hepatique. Dans un mode de realisation particulier, un tel milieu de culture stimulant la specification hepatique comprend un agoniste du recepteur de l'acide retinoique (RAR), un facteur de croissance de la famille du FGF et un inhibiteur de la voie de signalisation de l'activine.