Project description:Robust human-goat chimerism was achieved by transplanting human CD34+Lin- cord blood cells into fetal goats. We observed a broad distribution of GFP-marked human cells in non-hematopoietic organs including kidney, muscle, lung, and heart of transplant goats. Various marker techniques indicated that human genes were expressed in chimeric livers and blood. Keywords: other
Project description:Cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (CB-HSCs) are an outstanding source for transplantation approaches. However, the amount of cells per donor is limited and culture expansion of CB-HSCs is accompanied by a loss of engraftment potential. In order to analyze the molecular mechanisms leading to this impaired potential we profiled global and local epigenotypes during the expansion of human CB hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPSCs). Human CB-derived CD34+ cells were cultured in serum-free medium together with SCF, TPO, FGF, with or without Igfbp2 and Angptl5 (STF/STFIA cocktails). As compared to the STF cocktail, the STFIA cocktail maintains in vivo repopulation capacity of cultured CD34+ cells. Upon expansion, CD34+ cells genome-wide remodel their epigenotype and depending on the cytokine cocktail, cells show different H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 levels. Expanding cells without Igfbp2 and Angptl5 leads to higher global H3K27me3 levels. ChIPseq analyses reveal a cytokine cocktail-dependent redistribution of H3K27me3 profiles. Inhibition of the PRC2 component EZH2 counteracts the culture-associated loss of NOD scid gamma (NSG) engraftment potential. Collectively, our data reveal chromatin dynamics that underlie the culture-associated loss of engraftment potential. We identify PRC2 component EZH2 as being involved in the loss of engraftment potential during the in vitro expansion of HPSCs. 6 samples were hybridized GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST Arrays (Affymetrix)
Project description:Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) rely on a unique regulatory machinery that facilitates life-long blood production and enables reconstitution of the entire hematopoietic system upon transplantation. However, the biological processes governing human HSC self-renewal and engraftment ability are poorly understood and challenging to recapitulate ex vivo to facilitate robust human HSC expansion. We discovered a novel HSC regulatory protein, MYCT1 (MYCT target 1), that is selectively expressed in endothelial cells (EC) and undifferentiated human HSPCs but becomes drastically downregulated during HSC culture. Lentiviral knockdown of MYCT1 in human foetal liver and cord blood HSPCs revealed a critical role for MYCT1 in governing human HSPC expansion and engraftment ability. Single cell RNAseq of human CB HSPCs after MYCT1 knockdown and overexpression revealed that MYCT1 governs HSC functional competence and modulates cellular properties essential for HSC stemness, such as low mitochondrial metabolic activity. Indeed, restoring the compromised MYCT1 expression in cultured human CB HSPCs improved ex vivo expansion of the most undifferentiated human HSPCs and enhanced their engraftment ability. We found that MYCT1 is localized in the endosomal membrane and interacts with vesicle trafficking regulators and signalling machinery essential for HSC and EC function. Loss of MYCT1 led to excessive endocytosis and hyperactive signalling responses to cytokines, whereas restoring MYCT1 expression in cultured CB HSPCs balanced the abnormal endocytosis associated with prolonged culture and fine-tuned signalling responses. Our work identifies MYCT1-moderated endocytosis and environmental sensing as an essential regulatory mechanism required to preserve human HSC stemness, and pinpoints silencing of MYCT1 as a critical contributor to the dysfunction of cultured human HSCs that needs to be addressed to improve human HSC culture strategies.
Project description:Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell gene therapy (HSPC-GT) has shown clear neurological benefit in rare diseases, which is achieved through the engraftment of genetically modified microglia-like cells (MLCs) in the brain. Still, the engraftment dynamics and the nature of engineered MLCs, as well as their potential use in common neurogenerative diseases have remained largely unexplored. Here, we firstly comprehensively characterized how different routes of administration affect the biodistribution of genetically engineered MLCs and other HSPC-derivatives in mice. We then generated a high-resolution single cell transcriptional map of MLCs and discovered that they could clearly be distinguished from macrophages as well as from resident microglia by the expression of a specific gene signature which is reflective of their HSPC ontogeny and irrespective of their long-term engraftment history. Lastly, using murine models of Parkinson’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, we demonstrated that MLCs can deliver therapeutically relevant levels of protein to the brain, thereby opening avenues for the clinical translation of HSPC-GT to the treatment of major neurological diseases.
Project description:Cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (CB-HSCs) are an outstanding source for transplantation approaches. However, the amount of cells per donor is limited and culture expansion of CB-HSCs is accompanied by a loss of engraftment potential. In order to analyze the molecular mechanisms leading to this impaired potential we profiled global and local epigenotypes during the expansion of human CB hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPSCs). Human CB-derived CD34+ cells were cultured in serum-free medium together with SCF, TPO, FGF, with or without Igfbp2 and Angptl5 (STF/STFIA cocktails). As compared to the STF cocktail, the STFIA cocktail maintains in vivo repopulation capacity of cultured CD34+ cells. Upon expansion, CD34+ cells genome-wide remodel their epigenotype and depending on the cytokine cocktail, cells show different H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 levels. Expanding cells without Igfbp2 and Angptl5 leads to higher global H3K27me3 levels. ChIPseq analyses reveal a cytokine cocktail-dependent redistribution of H3K27me3 profiles. Inhibition of the PRC2 component EZH2 counteracts the culture-associated loss of NOD scid gamma (NSG) engraftment potential. Collectively, our data reveal chromatin dynamics that underlie the culture-associated loss of engraftment potential. We identify PRC2 component EZH2 as being involved in the loss of engraftment potential during the in vitro expansion of HPSCs.