Project description:It is widely accepted that adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) can differentiate into mesodermal lineage cells. However, reprogramming adult ADRCs into mature cardiomyocytes is challenging. We investigated the induction of myocardial differentiation in ADRCs via direct reprogramming using lentiviral gene transfer. We ultimately confirmed that the combination of six unique factors (Baf60c, Gata4, Gata6, Klf15, Mef2a, and Myocd) could efficiently express enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) in ADRCs isolated from adult alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter-driven GFP transgenic mice.
Project description:It is widely accepted that adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) can differentiate into mesodermal lineage cells. However, reprogramming adult ADRCs into mature cardiomyocytes is challenging. We investigated the induction of myocardial differentiation in ADRCs via direct reprogramming using lentiviral gene transfer. We ultimately confirmed that the combination of six unique factors (Baf60c, Gata4, Gata6, Klf15, Mef2a, and Myocd) could efficiently express enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) in ADRCs isolated from adult alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter-driven GFP transgenic mice.
Project description:It is widely accepted that adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) can differentiate into mesodermal lineage cells. However, reprogramming adult ADRCs into mature cardiomyocytes is challenging. We investigated the induction of myocardial differentiation in ADRCs via direct reprogramming using lentiviral gene transfer. We compared gene expression profiling from RNA sequencing of culture ADRCs and embryonic heart organ, and examined candidate transcriptional factors.
Project description:Human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (hESCs/iPSCs) are promising cell sources for cardiac regenerative medicine. To realize hESC/iPSC-based cardiac cell therapy, efficient induction, purification, and transplantation methods for cardiomyocytes should be required. Though marker gene transduction or fluorescent-based purification methods were reported, fast, efficient and scalable purification methods with no genetic modification are essential for clinical purposes but have not been established yet. In this study, we used microarrays to detail the global gene program during cardiac differentiation and to identify cardiac-specific cell surface markers. hiPSCs (201B6) were differentiated toward cardiomyocytes using a modified-directed differentiation protocol (high density culture in RPMI+B27-insulin, sequential administration of Activin A 100ng/mL 1 day, BMP4 10ng/mL+bFGF 10ng/mL 4 days, and Dkk1 100ng/mL 2 days). Beating clusters were first observed at day 8-9 and spread by day 11 after Activin A administration. Cardiac troponin-T (cTnT)-positive cells appeared at day 7-8 after induction and were observed in 30-70% of cells at day 11. qPCR and genome-wide analysis reflected differentiation processes from the undifferentiated state to cardiomyocytes. Rapid downregulation of pluripotent stem cell markers such as NANOG and POU5F1 was observed within 2 days of differentiation. Early and cardiac mesodermal genes (T, MESP1, KDR, ISL1) were expressed during day 2-5, and cardiac genes (NKX2-5, MYH6, MYH7, MYL2, and MYL7) were expressed after day 7. We identified VCAM1 as a cardiac-specific cell surface marker by microarray and flow cytometry. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs; 201B6) were differentiated toward cardiomyocytes (RPMI+B27 medium supplemented d0-1 Activin A, d1-5 BMP4+bFGF, d5-7 Dkk1). RNA was extracted from cells at day 0, day 2, day 5, day 7, day 9, and day 11. Cardiomyocytes appeared after day 7 and reached about 50% of total cells at day 11.
Project description:It is widely accepted that adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) can differentiate into mesodermal lineage cells. However, reprogramming adult ADRCs into mature cardiomyocytes is challenging. We investigated the induction of myocardial differentiation in ADRCs via direct reprogramming using lentiviral gene transfer. First, we identified candidate transcriptional factors by performing RNA sequencing and ultimately confirmed that the combination of six unique factors (Baf60c, Gata4, Gata6, Klf15, Mef2a, and Myocd) could efficiently express enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) in ADRCs isolated from adult alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter-driven GFP transgenic mice. The GFP-positive ADRCs induced by six factors (6F-ADRCs) expressed multiple cardiac genes and revealed cardiac differentiation in bioinformatic analysis. Moreover, injection of 6F-ADRCs into acute myocardial infarcted tissues in vivo resulted in the improvement of survival rate, fractional shortening, and reduction of infarction scar area. This study provides an alternative method for direct reprogramming of adult ADRCs into cardiomyocytes.
Project description:Human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (hESCs/iPSCs) are promising cell sources for cardiac regenerative medicine. To realize hESC/iPSC-based cardiac cell therapy, efficient induction, purification, and transplantation methods for cardiomyocytes should be required. Though marker gene transduction or fluorescent-based purification methods were reported, fast, efficient and scalable purification methods with no genetic modification are essential for clinical purposes but have not been established yet. In this study, we used microarrays to detail the global gene program during cardiac differentiation and to identify cardiac-specific cell surface markers. hiPSCs (201B6) were differentiated toward cardiomyocytes using a modified-directed differentiation protocol (high density culture in RPMI+B27-insulin, sequential administration of Activin A 100ng/mL 1 day, BMP4 10ng/mL+bFGF 10ng/mL 4 days, and Dkk1 100ng/mL 2 days). Beating clusters were first observed at day 8-9 and spread by day 11 after Activin A administration. Cardiac troponin-T (cTnT)-positive cells appeared at day 7-8 after induction and were observed in 30-70% of cells at day 11. qPCR and genome-wide analysis reflected differentiation processes from the undifferentiated state to cardiomyocytes. Rapid downregulation of pluripotent stem cell markers such as NANOG and POU5F1 was observed within 2 days of differentiation. Early and cardiac mesodermal genes (T, MESP1, KDR, ISL1) were expressed during day 2-5, and cardiac genes (NKX2-5, MYH6, MYH7, MYL2, and MYL7) were expressed after day 7. We identified VCAM1 as a cardiac-specific cell surface marker by microarray and flow cytometry.
Project description:Dynamic transcriptional responses to injury of regenerative and non-regenerative cardiomyocytes revealed by single-nucleus RNA sequencing
Project description:DNA methylation mediated epigenetic regulation plays a critical role in regulating cardiomyocytes (CM) differentiation. Tet protein mediated DNA methylation oxidation have been reported to play an important role in regulating embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation toward different lineages. In our study, we utilized CRISPR/Cas9 based genome editing method to generated Tet single, double and triple deficient mouse ESC (mESC) expressing emGFP under NKX2.5 promoter and differentiated these cells toward CM progenitors. By modulating emGFP population as cardiac progenitor cells, we found that deletion of Tet1 and Tet2 significantly impairs mESC differentiation toward CM progenitors. Further single-cell RNA-seq analysis in differentiated control and Tet-triple knockout (TKO) mESC reveals that Tet deletion resulted in accumulation of mesoderm progenitors and impairs CM differentiation. Overexpression the catalytic domain of Tet1 could rescue the development defects in Tet-TKO mESC and restore NKX2.5 gene expression. In addition, loci-specific dCas9-Tet1CD mediated epigenome editing at Hand1 loci confirmed its directly transcriptional regulation during CM differentiation. Overall, out studies suggested that Tet protein mediated epigenomic remodeling is a genome-wide event and is essential to maintain proper transcription network during mESC differentiation toward CM progenitors.