Project description:Establishing robust models of human myelinating Schwann cells is critical for studying peripheral nerve injury and disease. Stem cell differentiation has emerged as a key model of human cells and disease motivating development of Schwann cell differentiation protocols. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are considered the ideal pluripotent cell but ethical concerns regarding their use have propelled the popularity of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Given that the equivalence of hESCs and hiPSCs remains controversial, we sought to compare the molecular and functional equivalence of hESC- and hiPSC-derived Schwann cells generated with our previously reported protocol. We identified only modest transcriptome differences by RNA sequencing and insignificant proteome differences by antibody array. Additionally, both cell types comparably improved nerve regeneration and function in a chronic denervation and regeneration animal model. Our findings demonstrate that Schwann cells derived from hESCs and hiPSCs with our protocol are molecularly comparable and functionally equivalent.
Project description:We obtained skin fibroblasts from CMT1A and control patients, and generated hiPSCs which were subsequently differentiated into cd49d+ human Schwann cells. We utilized microarray technology to explore the gene expression profiles of cd49d+ Schwann cells CMT1A hiPSCs, control hiPSCs, and control human embryonic stem cells in order to identify potentially disregulated pathways contributing to CMT1A pathogenesis. Patient-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) hold great promise for disease modeling of genetic disorders. Often the findings from hiPSC-based studies are validated with genetically-corrected hiPSCs generated by precise genome editing technologies, however, alternatives that have not yet been employed are validation with embryonic stem cells harboring the same disease mutation or utilizing another reprogramming approach from somatic cells of same patients. Here we report that disease-relevant phenotypes found in Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A (CMT1A)-hiPSC-derived Schwann cells were further confirmed by two additional congruent CMT1A models as an alternative to gene correction. We have devised a defined and relatively fast protocol for the direct derivation and prospective isolation of Schwann cells from hiPSCs, leading us to uncover a phenotype of dysregulated immune signaling in CMT1A-hiPSCs-Schwann cells. Our study illustrates the promise of applying hiPSC technology to one of the most common hereditary neuropathies for gaining new insights into human disease pathogenesis and treatment, and these results demonstrate the feasibility of verifying disease phenotypes by utilizing the malleability of cellular fates.
Project description:Three CMT1A patient Schwann cell populations which were derived from hESC, hiPSC, or direct converted hiNC share the disease relevant phenotypes. From comparing deep sequencing results of these populations, potential therapeutic targets were newly identified.
Project description:The effects of Schwann cells on the neuro-stroma niche in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain to be explored. Here, single-cell RNA-sequencing and spatial transcriptome analysis of PDAC tissues reveals that Schwann cells induce malignant subtypes of tumour cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Mass Spectrometry (MS) were performed to detected the potential functional factors secreted by Schwann cells.
Project description:RNA sequencing of sorted mouse Schwann cells expressing YFP due to P0Cre-mediated recombination. The plotting of side scatter versus eYFP fluorescence generates 2 semi-detached eYFP+ clouds of cells, which further enables the enriched selection of myelinating Schwann cells, and of not-myelinating Schwann cells.
Project description:The objective of this study was to compare the transcriptomes of uninfected and canine distemper virus-infected Schwann cells, olfactory ensheating cells, central nervous system Schwann cell-like glia, and fibroblasts cultured under identical conditions in vitro.
Project description:A protocol was established for the derivation of Schwann cell-like cells from human BMSCs. The commitment to the Schwann cell fate was acquired by Schwann cell-like cells in co-culture with rat DRG neurons. Microarray analysis provided evidence that the human BMSC-derived Schwann cells were functionally mature.