Project description:Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from somatic cells of patients can be a good model for studying human diseases and for future therapeutic regenerative medicine. Current initiatives to establish iPSC banking face challenges in recruiting large numbers of donors with diverse diseased, genetic and phenotypic representations. Here, we describe the derivation of transgene-free iPSCs from human finger-prick blood. Fingerprick samples collection can be performed “DIY (Do-it-yourself)” by donors and sent to the iPSC facility for reprogramming. We show that single drop volumes of finger-prick samples are sufficient for performing cellular reprogramming, DNA sequencing and blood serotyping in parallel. Our novel strategy will facilitate the development of large scale iPSC banking world-wide. Total RNA from PBMC, hES cells, or iPS cells from PBMC was labeled with biotin. Samples were hybridized to HumanHT-12v4 Beadchip (Illumina) according to manufacturer’s protocol.
Project description:Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from somatic cells of patients can be a good model for studying human diseases and for future therapeutic regenerative medicine. Current initiatives to establish iPSC banking face challenges in recruiting large numbers of donors with diverse diseased, genetic and phenotypic representations. Here, we describe the derivation of transgene-free iPSCs from human finger-prick blood. Fingerprick samples collection can be performed “DIY (Do-it-yourself)” by donors and sent to the iPSC facility for reprogramming. We show that single drop volumes of finger-prick samples are sufficient for performing cellular reprogramming, DNA sequencing and blood serotyping in parallel. Our novel strategy will facilitate the development of large scale iPSC banking world-wide.
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs.
Project description:RNA-seq samples from 3 species across a differentiation from induced pluripotent stem cells to neural progenitor cells were generated to study gene expression evolution. Briefly, previously generated urinary stem cell derived iPSCs of 3 human (Homo sapiens) individuals (3 clones), 1 gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) individual and fibroblast derived cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) iPSCs of 2 individuals (4 clones) (Geuder et al. 2021) were differentiated to neural progenitor cells via dual-SMAD inhibition as three-dimensional aggregation culture (Chambers et al. 2009; Ohnuki et al. 2014). Bulk RNA-seq libraries of iPSCs and NPCs were generated using prime-seq protocol (Janjic et al. 2022).
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells comparing normoxic MSCs cells with hypoxic MSCs cells. Hypoxia may inhibit senescence of MSCs during expansion. Goal was to determine the effects of hypoxia on global MSCs gene expression.
Project description:We have sequenced miRNA libraries from human embryonic, neural and foetal mesenchymal stem cells. We report that the majority of miRNA genes encode mature isomers that vary in size by one or more bases at the 3’ and/or 5’ end of the miRNA. Northern blotting for individual miRNAs showed that the proportions of isomiRs expressed by a single miRNA gene often differ between cell and tissue types. IsomiRs were readily co-immunoprecipitated with Argonaute proteins in vivo and were active in luciferase assays, indicating that they are functional. Bioinformatics analysis predicts substantial differences in targeting between miRNAs with minor 5’ differences and in support of this we report that a 5’ isomiR-9-1 gained the ability to inhibit the expression of DNMT3B and NCAM2 but lost the ability to inhibit CDH1 in vitro. This result was confirmed by the use of isomiR-specific sponges. Our analysis of the miRGator database indicates that a small percentage of human miRNA genes express isomiRs as the dominant transcript in certain cell types and analysis of miRBase shows that 5’ isomiRs have replaced canonical miRNAs many times during evolution. This strongly indicates that isomiRs are of functional importance and have contributed to the evolution of miRNA genes
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs. One-condition experment, gene expression of 3A6
Project description:Gene methylation profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells comparing HPV E6/E7-transfected MSCs cells with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)- and HPV E6/E7-transfected MSCs. hTERT may increase gene methylation in MSCs. Goal was to determine the effects of different transfected genes on global gene methylation in MSCs.
Project description:Kynureninase is a member of a large family of catalytically diverse but structurally homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes known as the aspartate aminotransferase superfamily or alpha-family. The Homo sapiens and other eukaryotic constitutive kynureninases preferentially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine to produce 3-hydroxyanthranilate and l-alanine, while l-kynurenine is the substrate of many prokaryotic inducible kynureninases. The human enzyme was cloned with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag, expressed, and purified from a bacterial expression system using Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Kinetic characterization of the recombinant enzyme reveals classic Michaelis-Menten behavior, with a Km of 28.3 +/- 1.9 microM and a specific activity of 1.75 micromol min-1 mg-1 for 3-hydroxy-dl-kynurenine. Crystals of recombinant kynureninase that diffracted to 2.0 A were obtained, and the atomic structure of the PLP-bound holoenzyme was determined by molecular replacement using the Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase structure (PDB entry 1qz9) as the phasing model. A structural superposition with the P. fluorescens kynureninase revealed that these two structures resemble the "open" and "closed" conformations of aspartate aminotransferase. The comparison illustrates the dynamic nature of these proteins' small domains and reveals a role for Arg-434 similar to its role in other AAT alpha-family members. Docking of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine into the human kynureninase active site suggests that Asn-333 and His-102 are involved in substrate binding and molecular discrimination between inducible and constitutive kynureninase substrates.