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Sample records for human myometrial cells

  1. Locostatin, a disrupter of Raf kinase inhibitor protein, inhibits extracellular matrix production, proliferation, and migration in human uterine leiomyoma and myometrial cells.

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    Janjusevic, Milijana; Greco, Stefania; Islam, Md Soriful; Castellucci, Clara; Ciavattini, Andrea; Toti, Paolo; Petraglia, Felice; Ciarmela, Pasquapina

    2016-11-01

    To investigate the presence of Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) in human myometrium and leiomyoma as well as to determine the effect of locostatin (RKIP inhibitor) on extracellular matrix (ECM) production, proliferation, and migration in human myometrial and leiomyoma cells. Laboratory study. Human myometrium and leiomyoma. Thirty premenopausal women who were admitted to the hospital for myomectomy or hysterectomy. Myometrial and leiomyoma tissues were used to investigate the localization and the expression level of RKIP through immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Myometrial and leiomyoma cells were treated with locostatin (10 μM) to measure ECM expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction, GSK3β expression by Western blotting, cell migration by wound-healing assay, and cell proliferation by MTT assay and immunocytochemistry. The expression of RKIP in human myometrial and leiomyoma tissue; ECM components and GSK3β expression, migration, and proliferation in myometrial and leiomyoma cells. RKIP is expressed in human myometrial and leiomyoma tissue. Locostatin treatment resulted in the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway (ERK phosphorylation), providing a powerful validation of our targeting protocol. Further, RKIP inhibition by locostatin reduces ECM components. Moreover, the inhibition of RKIP by locostatin impaired cell proliferation and migration in both leiomyoma and myometrial cells. Finally, locostatin treatment reduced GSK3β expression. Therefore, even if the activation of MAPK pathway should increase proliferation and migration, the destabilization of GSK3β leads to the reduction of proliferation and migration of myometrial and leiomyoma cells. Our results indicate that RKIP may be involved in leiomyoma pathophysiology. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Role of Activin-A and Myostatin and Their Signaling Pathway in Human Myometrial and Leiomyoma Cell Function

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    Islam, Md Soriful; Catherino, William H.; Protic, Olga; Janjusevic, Milijana; Gray, Peter Clarke; Giannubilo, Stefano Raffaele; Ciavattini, Andrea; Lamanna, Pasquale; Tranquilli, Andrea Luigi; Petraglia, Felice

    2014-01-01

    Context: Uterine leiomyomas are highly prevalent benign tumors of premenopausal women and the most common indication for hysterectomy. However, the exact etiology of this tumor is not fully understood. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the role of activin-A and myostatin and their signaling pathways in human myometrial and leiomyoma cells. Design: This was a laboratory study. Setting: Myometrial and leiomyoma cells (primary and cell lines) were cultured in vitro. Patients: The study included premenopausal women who were admitted to the hospital for myomectomy or hysterectomy. Interventions: Primary myometrial and leiomyoma cells and/or cell lines were treated with activin-A (4 nM) and myostatin (4 nM) for different days of interval (to measure proliferation rate) or 30 minutes (to measure signaling molecules) or 48 hours to measure proliferating markers, extracellular matrix mRNA, and/or protein expression by real-time PCR, Western blot, and/or immunocytochemistry. Results: We found that activin-A and myostatin significantly reduce cell proliferation in primary myometrial cells but not in leiomyoma cells as measured by a CyQUANT cell proliferation assay kit. Reduced expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and Ki-67 were also observed in myometrial cells in response to activin-A and myostatin treatment. Activin-A also significantly increased mRNA expression of fibronectin, collagen1A1, and versican in primary leiomyoma cells. Finally, we found that activin-A and myostatin activate Smad-2/3 signaling but do not affect ERK or p38 signaling in both myometrial and leiomyoma cells. Conclusions: This study results suggest that activin-A and myostatin can exert antiproliferative and/or fibrotic effects on these cell types via Smad-2/3 signaling. PMID:24606069

  3. Primary Human Uterine Leiomyoma Cell Culture Quality Control: Some Properties of Myometrial Cells Cultured under Serum Deprivation Conditions in the Presence of Ovarian Steroids.

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    Bonazza, Camila; Andrade, Sheila Siqueira; Sumikawa, Joana Tomomi; Batista, Fabrício Pereira; Paredes-Gamero, Edgar J; Girão, Manoel J B C; Oliva, Maria Luiza V; Castro, Rodrigo Aquino

    2016-01-01

    Cell culture is considered the standard media used in research to emulate the in vivo cell environment. Crucial in vivo experiments cannot be conducted in humans and depend on in vitro methodologies such as cell culture systems. However, some procedures involving the quality control of cells in culture have been gradually neglected by failing to acknowledge that primary cells and cell lines change over time in culture. Thus, we report methods based on our experience for monitoring primary cell culture of human myometrial cells derived from uterine leiomyoma. We standardized the best procedure of tissue dissociation required for the study of multiple genetic marker systems that include species-specific antigens, expression of myofibroblast or myoblast markers, growth curve, serum deprivation, starvation by cell cycle synchronization, culture on collagen coated plates, and 17 β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) effects. The results showed that primary myometrial cells from patients with uterine leiomyoma displayed myoblast phenotypes before and after in vitro cultivation, and leiomyoma cells differentiated into mature myocyte cells under the appropriate differentiation-inducing conditions (serum deprivation). These cells grew well on collagen coated plates and responded to E2 and P4, which may drive myometrial and leiomyoma cells to proliferate and adhere into a focal adhesion complex involvement in a paracrine manner. The establishment of these techniques as routine procedures will improve the understanding of the myometrial physiology and pathogenesis of myometrium-derived diseases such as leiomyoma. Mimicking the in vivo environment of fibrotic conditions can prevent false results and enhance results that are based on cell culture integrity.

  4. TRPC1, STIM1, and ORAI influence signal-regulated intracellular and endoplasmic reticulum calcium dynamics in human myometrial cells.

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    Murtazina, Dilyara A; Chung, Daesuk; Ulloa, Aida; Bryan, Emily; Galan, Henry L; Sanborn, Barbara M

    2011-08-01

    To explore the relationship between signal-stimulated increases in intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) and depletion and refilling of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+) stores ([Ca(2+)](L)) in human myometrial cells, we measured simultaneous changes in [Ca(2+)](i) and [Ca(2+)](L) using Fura-2 and Mag-fluo-4, respectively, in PHM1-41 immortalized and primary cells derived from pregnant myometrium and in primary cells derived from nonpregnant tissue. Signal- and extracellular Ca(2+)-dependent increases in [Ca(2+)](i) (SRCE) and ER refilling stimulated by oxytocin and cyclopiazonic acid were not inhibited by voltage-operated channel blocker nifedipine or mibefradil, inhibition of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange with KB-R7943, or zero extracellular Na(+) in PHM1-41 cells. Gadolinium-inhibited oxytocin- and cyclopiazonic acid-induced SRCE and slowed ER store refilling. TRPC1 mRNA knockdown specifically inhibited oxytocin-stimulated SRCE but had no statistically significant effect on ER store refilling and no effect on either parameter following cyclopiazonic acid treatment. Dominant negative STIMΔERM expression attenuated oxytocin- and thapsigargin-stimulated SRCE. Both STIM1 and ORAI1-ORAI3 mRNA knockdowns significantly attenuated oxytocin- and cyclopiazonic acid-stimulated SRCE. The data also suggest that reduction in STIM1 or ORAI1-ORAI3 mRNA can impede the rate of ER store refilling following removal of SERCA inhibition. These data provide evidence for both distinct and overlapping influences of TRPC1, STIM1, and ORAI1-ORAI3 on SRCE and ER store refilling in human myometrial cells that may contribute to the regulation of myometrial Ca(2+) dynamics. These findings have important implications for understanding the control of myometrial Ca(2+) dynamics in relation to myometrial contractile function.

  5. Primary Human Uterine Leiomyoma Cell Culture Quality Control: Some Properties of Myometrial Cells Cultured under Serum Deprivation Conditions in the Presence of Ovarian Steroids.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila Bonazza

    Full Text Available Cell culture is considered the standard media used in research to emulate the in vivo cell environment. Crucial in vivo experiments cannot be conducted in humans and depend on in vitro methodologies such as cell culture systems. However, some procedures involving the quality control of cells in culture have been gradually neglected by failing to acknowledge that primary cells and cell lines change over time in culture. Thus, we report methods based on our experience for monitoring primary cell culture of human myometrial cells derived from uterine leiomyoma. We standardized the best procedure of tissue dissociation required for the study of multiple genetic marker systems that include species-specific antigens, expression of myofibroblast or myoblast markers, growth curve, serum deprivation, starvation by cell cycle synchronization, culture on collagen coated plates, and 17 β-estradiol (E2 and progesterone (P4 effects. The results showed that primary myometrial cells from patients with uterine leiomyoma displayed myoblast phenotypes before and after in vitro cultivation, and leiomyoma cells differentiated into mature myocyte cells under the appropriate differentiation-inducing conditions (serum deprivation. These cells grew well on collagen coated plates and responded to E2 and P4, which may drive myometrial and leiomyoma cells to proliferate and adhere into a focal adhesion complex involvement in a paracrine manner. The establishment of these techniques as routine procedures will improve the understanding of the myometrial physiology and pathogenesis of myometrium-derived diseases such as leiomyoma. Mimicking the in vivo environment of fibrotic conditions can prevent false results and enhance results that are based on cell culture integrity.

  6. In vitro effects of phthalate esters in human myometrial and leiomyoma cells and increased urinary level of phthalate metabolite in women with uterine leiomyoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jin Hee; Kim, Sung Hoon; Oh, Young Sang; Ihm, Hyo Jin; Chae, Hee Dong; Kim, Chung-Hoon; Kang, Byung Moon

    2017-04-01

    To investigate the possible role of phthalate, a ubiquitous chemical used in consumer products, in the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyoma. Experimental and prospective case-control study using human samples. University hospital. Fifty-three women with histologic evidence of uterine leiomyoma and 33 surgical controls without leiomyoma. Human myometrial and leiomyoma cells were treated with di-(2-thylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP). Cell viability assay and Western blot analyses after in vitro DEHP treatment; high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in cases and controls. In vitro treatment with DEHP led to an increased viability and increased expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, B-cell lymphoma 2 protein, and type I collagen in myometrial and leiomyoma cells. The urinary concentration of mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate was higher in women with leiomyoma compared with controls. These findings suggest that exposure to phthalate may play a role in the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyoma by enhancing proliferative activity, exerting an antiapoptotic effect, and increasing collagen contents in myometrial and leiomyoma cells. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. DREAM Is Involved in the Genesis of Inflammation-Induced Prolabour Mediators in Human Myometrial and Amnion Cells

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    Priyanka Goradia

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Preterm birth is the primary cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Inflammation induces a cascade of events leading to preterm birth by activating nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB. In nongestational tissues, downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM regulates NF-κB activity. Our aims were to analyse DREAM expression in myometrium and fetal membranes obtained at term and preterm and to determine the effect of DREAM inhibition on prolabour mediators in primary myometrial and amnion cells. DREAM mRNA expression was significantly higher in fetal membranes obtained after spontaneous labour compared to nonlabour and in amnion from women with histological preterm chorioamnionitis when compared to amnion from women without chorioamnionitis. In primary myometrial and amnion cells, the effect of DREAM silencing by siRNA was a significant decrease in the expression of proinflammatory cytokine IL-6, the chemokines IL-8 and MCP-1, the adhesion molecule ICAM-1, MMP-9 mRNA expression and activity, and NF-κB transcriptional activity when stimulated with the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, the bacterial products fsl-1 or flagellin, or the viral dsRNA analogue poly(I:C. These data suggest that, in states of heightened inflammation, DREAM mRNA expression is increased and that, in myometrial and amnion cells, DREAM regulates proinflammatory and prolabour mediators which may be mediated via NF-κB.

  8. Retosiban Prevents Stretch-Induced Human Myometrial Contractility and Delays Labor in Cynomolgus Monkeys.

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    Aye, Irving L M H; Moraitis, Alexandros A; Stanislaus, Dinesh; Charnock-Jones, D Stephen; Smith, Gordon C S

    2018-03-01

    Stretch of the myometrium promotes its contractility and is believed to contribute to the control of parturition at term and to the increased risk of preterm birth in multiple pregnancies. To determine the effects of the putative oxytocin receptor (OTR) inverse agonist retosiban on (1) the contractility of human myometrial explants and (2) labor in nonhuman primates. Human myometrial biopsies were obtained at planned term cesarean, and explants were exposed to stretch in the presence and absence of a range of drugs, including retosiban. The in vivo effects of retosiban were determined in cynomolgus monkeys. Prolonged mechanical stretch promoted myometrial extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation. Moreover, stretch-induced stimulation of myometrial contractility was prevented by ERK1/2 inhibitors. Retosiban (10 nM) prevented stretch-induced stimulation of myometrial contractility and phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of retosiban on stretch-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation was prevented by coincubation with a 100-fold excess of a peptide OTR antagonist, atosiban. Compared with vehicle-treated cynomolgus monkeys, treatment with oral retosiban (100 to 150 days of gestational age) reduced the risk of spontaneous delivery (hazard ratio = 0.07, 95% confidence interval 0.01 to 0.60, P = 0.015). The OTR acts as a uterine mechanosensor, whereby stretch increases myometrial contractility through agonist-free activation of the OTR. Retosiban prevents this through inverse agonism of the OTR and, in vivo, reduced the likelihood of spontaneous labor in nonhuman primates. We hypothesize that retosiban may be an effective preventative treatment of preterm birth in high-risk multiple pregnancies, an area of unmet clinical need.

  9. Sodium leak channel, non-selective contributes to the leak current in human myometrial smooth muscle cells from pregnant women.

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    Reinl, Erin L; Cabeza, Rafael; Gregory, Ismail A; Cahill, Alison G; England, Sarah K

    2015-10-01

    Uterine contractions are tightly regulated by the electrical activity of myometrial smooth muscle cells (MSMCs). These cells require a depolarizing current to initiate Ca(2+) influx and induce contraction. Cationic leak channels, which permit a steady flow of cations into a cell, are known to cause membrane depolarization in many tissue types. Previously, a Gd(3+)-sensitive, Na(+)-dependent leak current was identified in the rat myometrium, but the presence of such a current in human MSMCs and the specific ion channel conducting this current was unknown. Here, we report the presence of a Na(+)-dependent leak current in human myometrium and demonstrate that the Na(+)-leak channel, NALCN, contributes to this current. We performed whole-cell voltage-clamp on fresh and cultured MSMCs from uterine biopsies of term, non-laboring women and isolated the leak currents by using Ca(2+) and K(+) channel blockers in the bath solution. Ohmic leak currents were identified in freshly isolated and cultured MSMCs with normalized conductances of 14.6 pS/pF and 10.0 pS/pF, respectively. The myometrial leak current was significantly reduced (P < 0.01) by treating cells with 10 μM Gd(3+) or by superfusing the cells with a Na(+)-free extracellular solution. Reverse transcriptase PCR and immunoblot analysis of uterine biopsies from term, non-laboring women revealed NALCN messenger RNA and protein expression in the myometrium. Notably, ∼90% knockdown of NALCN protein expression with lentivirus-delivered shRNA reduced the Gd(3+)-sensitive leak current density by 42% (P < 0.05). Our results reveal that NALCN, in part, generates the leak current in MSMCs and provide the basis for future research assessing NALCN as a potential molecular target for modulating uterine excitability. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Cell uptake mechanisms of PAMAM G4-FITC dendrimer in human myometrial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oddone, Natalia; Zambrana, Ana I.; Tassano, Marcos; Porcal, Williams; Cabral, Pablo; Benech, Juan C.

    2013-01-01

    The high incidence and severity of diseases which involve smooth muscle dysfunction dictates the need of continued search for novel therapeutic strategies to treat these conditions. Dendrimers are branched macromolecules with multiple end-groups that can be functionalized for applications which include drug delivery. There is no data regarding the cellular uptake mechanisms used by dendrimers in smooth muscle human myometrial cells (HMC). Polyamidoamine G4 dendrimers were conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and the resulting conjugate (G4-FITC) was characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and atomic force microscopy. G4-FITC showed to have no significant effect on the primary culture HMC viability up to 48 h. HMC incubated with G4-FITC were analyzed by laser confocal microscopy. Peri-nuclear fluorescence distribution was observed at 5 h of incubation or more (24, 36, and 48 h). At 24 h, G4-FITC partially co-localized with lysotracker. Uptake of G4-FITC by HMC was slightly inhibited by filipin (8.0 ± 3.9 %) and significantly inhibited by chlorpromazine (63.5 ± 3.7 %). In non-electroporated HMC, G4-FITC was never observed inside the cell nucleus. Interestingly, we detected G4-FITC inside the nuclear domain of some electroporated cells. Thus, electroporation changed intracellular G4-FITC localization. Isolated nuclei of HMC incubated with G4-FITC showed fluorescence signal inside the nuclear domain. The results suggest that in HMC, G4-FITC is taken up by clathrin-mediated endocytosis with endosomal and lysosomal localization at 24 h. The combination of electroporation and dendrimers could be an interesting technology to electrotransfer drugs into smooth muscle cells cytosol and nuclei

  11. Cell uptake mechanisms of PAMAM G4-FITC dendrimer in human myometrial cells

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    Oddone, Natalia; Zambrana, Ana I.; Tassano, Marcos [Instituto de Investigaciones Biologicas Clemente Estable, Laboratorio de Senalizacion Celular y Nanobiologia (Uruguay); Porcal, Williams [Universidad de la Republica, Grupo de Quimica Medicinal, Instituto de Quimica Biologica, Facultad de Ciencias-Facultad de Quimica (Uruguay); Cabral, Pablo [Universidad de la Republica, Laboratorio de Radiofarmacia, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias (Uruguay); Benech, Juan C., E-mail: benech@iibce.edu.uy [Instituto de Investigaciones Biologicas Clemente Estable, Laboratorio de Senalizacion Celular y Nanobiologia (Uruguay)

    2013-07-15

    The high incidence and severity of diseases which involve smooth muscle dysfunction dictates the need of continued search for novel therapeutic strategies to treat these conditions. Dendrimers are branched macromolecules with multiple end-groups that can be functionalized for applications which include drug delivery. There is no data regarding the cellular uptake mechanisms used by dendrimers in smooth muscle human myometrial cells (HMC). Polyamidoamine G4 dendrimers were conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and the resulting conjugate (G4-FITC) was characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and atomic force microscopy. G4-FITC showed to have no significant effect on the primary culture HMC viability up to 48 h. HMC incubated with G4-FITC were analyzed by laser confocal microscopy. Peri-nuclear fluorescence distribution was observed at 5 h of incubation or more (24, 36, and 48 h). At 24 h, G4-FITC partially co-localized with lysotracker. Uptake of G4-FITC by HMC was slightly inhibited by filipin (8.0 {+-} 3.9 %) and significantly inhibited by chlorpromazine (63.5 {+-} 3.7 %). In non-electroporated HMC, G4-FITC was never observed inside the cell nucleus. Interestingly, we detected G4-FITC inside the nuclear domain of some electroporated cells. Thus, electroporation changed intracellular G4-FITC localization. Isolated nuclei of HMC incubated with G4-FITC showed fluorescence signal inside the nuclear domain. The results suggest that in HMC, G4-FITC is taken up by clathrin-mediated endocytosis with endosomal and lysosomal localization at 24 h. The combination of electroporation and dendrimers could be an interesting technology to electrotransfer drugs into smooth muscle cells cytosol and nuclei.

  12. A Preliminary Study: Human Fibroid Stro-1+/CD44+ Stem Cells Isolated From Uterine Fibroids Demonstrate Decreased DNA Repair and Genomic Integrity Compared to Adjacent Myometrial Stro-1+/CD44+ Cells.

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    Prusinski Fernung, Lauren E; Al-Hendy, Ayman; Yang, Qiwei

    2018-01-01

    Although uterine fibroids (UFs) continue to place a major burden on female reproductive health, the mechanisms behind their origin remain undetermined. Normal myometrial stem cells may be transformed into tumor-initiating stem cells, causing UFs, due to unknown causes of somatic mutations in MED12, found in up to 85% of sporadically formed UFs. It is well established in other tumor types that defective DNA repair increases the risk of such tumorigenic somatic mutations, mechanisms not yet studied in UFs. To examine the putative cause(s) of this stem cell transformation, we analyzed DNA repair within stem cells from human UFs compared to those from adjacent myometrium to determine whether DNA repair in fibroid stem cells is compromised. Human fibroid (F) and adjacent myometrial (Myo) stem cells were isolated from fresh tissues, and gene expression relating to DNA repair was analyzed. Fibroid stem cells differentially expressed DNA repair genes related to DNA double- (DSBs) and single-strand breaks. DNA damage was measured using alkaline comet assay. Additionally, DNA DSBs were induced in these stem cells and DNA DSB repair evaluated (1) by determining changes in phosphorylation of DNA DSB-related proteins and (2) by determining differences in γ-H2AX foci formation and relative DNA repair protein RAD50 expression. Overall, F stem cells demonstrated increased DNA damage and altered DNA repair gene expression and signaling, suggesting that human F stem cells demonstrate impaired DNA repair. Compromised F stem cell DNA repair may contribute to further mutagenesis and, consequently, further growth and propagation of UF tumors.

  13. Differential expression of caveolin-1 in human myometrial and uterine leiomyoma smooth muscle.

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    Zhou, Yu; Ren, Yuanyuan; Cui, Lihua; Li, Zongjin; Zhu, Yingjun; Lin, Wanjun; Wang, Yuebing

    2014-11-01

    Uterine leiomyomas, the most common neoplasms of the female genital tract, are benign tumors of the uterus arising from the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of the myometrium with an involvement of estrogen. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), a major protein component in caveolae membrane lipid rafts, is down-regulated in several estrogen-related cancer cells, and overexpression of Cav-1 inhibits proliferation of cancer cells and vascular SMCs as well. Therefore, we hypothesize that Cav-1 is down-regulated in human uterine leiomyoma. Western blot using tissues from clinical patients showed that Cav-1 expression was significantly lower or undetectable in uterine leiomyoma compared with their matched myometrium (P leiomyomas was also significantly lower as detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis (P = .001). To further study the underlying mechanism, we performed primary cell culture, and found that the expression of Cav-1 remained low in cultured leiomyoma SMCs (P = .009). Serum withdrawal did not change Cav-1 expression in leiomyoma SMCs, but increased expression in myometrial SMCs (P = .006). 17-β estradiol inhibited the expression of Cav-1 protein (P = .047) and mRNA (P = .007) in leiomyoma SMCs, whereas it stimulated expression in myometrial SMCs (P = .043). 17-β estradiol, although activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in both SMCs, did not stimulate their proliferation. We conclude that human uterine leiomyomas in vitro express low levels of Cav-1, which may result from estrogen inhibition. This effect of estrogen may contribute to the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyoma. Further studies in vivo are needed to verify these results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Secretory function of ovarian cells and myometrial contractions in cow are affected by chlorinated insecticides (chlordane, heptachlor, mirex) in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wrobel, Michael Hubert; Mlynarczuk, Jaroslaw

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of chlordane, heptachlor and mirex, on hormonal regulation of the force of myometrial contractions. Myometrial, endometrial, granulosa and luteal cells as well as strips of myometrium from non-pregnant cows were incubated with three insecticides at environmentally relevant doses (0.1, 1 or 10 ng/ml). None of the insecticides affected the viability of studied cells. Chlordane stimulated, while heptachlor and mirex inhibited, secretion of testosterone and estradiol from granulosa cells as well as secretion of progesterone from luteal cells, respectively. Secretion of oxytocin (OT) from granulosa cells was increased after incubation with all studied insecticides. Only mirex stimulated OT secretion from luteal cells, while heptachlor inhibited this effect. None of them affected synthesis of OT in luteal cells and prostaglandins (PGF2 and PGE2) secretion from uterine cells, except PGE2 secretion from endometrial cells was decreased when the cells were incubated with 0.1 ng/ml of chlordane. Basal and OT-stimulated myometrial contractions were increased by mirex and decreased by heptachlor. The data show that the insecticides altered secretory function of ovarian cells. Heptachlor and mirex affected also myometrial contractions in vitro, but uterine secretion of prostaglandins were not involved in the mechanism of that adverse effect of insecticides. The data indicate on potential of these insecticides to disturb fertilisation, blastocyst implantation or even the length of gestation. - Highlights: • The studied insecticides affected steroids and oxytocin secretion from ovaries. • Mirex stimulated bovine myometrial contractions. • Heptachlor inhibited bovine myometrial contractions. • Prostaglandins are not involved in adverse effect of the insecticides on uterine contractions.

  15. Sustained inhibition of rat myometrial gap junctions and contractions by lindane

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    Grindatti Carmen M

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Gap junctions increase in size and abundance coincident with parturition, forming an intercellular communication network that permits the uterus to develop the forceful, coordinated contractions necessary for delivery of the fetus. Lindane, a pesticide used in the human and veterinary treatment of scabies and lice as well as in agricultural applications, inhibits uterine contractions in vitro, inhibits myometrial gap junctions, and has been associated with prolonged gestation length in rats. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether brief exposures to lindane would elicit sustained inhibition of rat uterine contractile activity and myometrial gap junction intercellular communication. Methods To examine effects on uterine contraction, longitudinal uterine strips isolated from late gestation (day 20 rats were exposed to lindane in muscle baths and monitored for changes in spontaneous phasic contractions during and after exposure to lindane. Lucifer yellow dye transfer between myometrial cells in culture was used to monitor gap junction intercellular communication. Results During a 1-h exposure, 10 micro M and 100 micro M lindane decreased peak force and frequency of uterine contraction but 1 micro M lindane did not. After removal of the exposure buffer, contraction force remained significantly depressed in uterine strips exposed to 100 micro M lindane, returning to less than 50% basal levels 5 h after cessation of lindane exposure. In cultured myometrial myocytes, significant sustained inhibition of Lucifer yellow dye transfer was observed 24 h after lindane exposures as brief as 10 min and as low as 0.1 micro M lindane. Conclusion Brief in vitro exposures to lindane have long-term effects on myometrial functions that are necessary for parturition, inhibiting spontaneous phasic contractions in late gestation rat uterus and gap junction intercellular communication in myometrial cell cultures.

  16. Human myometrial adrenergic receptors: identification of the beta-adrenergic receptor by [3H]dihydroalprenolol binding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashida, D.N.; Leung, R.; Goldfien, A.; Roberts, J.M.

    1982-01-01

    The radioactive beta-adrenergic antagonist [ 3 H] dihydroalprenolol (DHA) binds to particulate preparations of human myometrium in a manner compatible with binding to the beta-adrenergic receptor. The binding of DHA is rapid (attaining equilibrium in 12 minutes), readily reversible (half time = 16 minutes), high affinity (K/sub D/ = 0.50 nM), low capacity (Bmax = 70 fmoles/mg of protein), and stereoselective ([-]-propranolol is 100 times as potent as [+] -propranolol in inhibiting DHA binding). Adrenergic agonists competed for DHA binding sites in a manner compatible with beta-adrenergic interactions and mirrored β 2 pharmacologic potencies: isoproterenol > epinephrine >> norepinephrine. Studies in which zinterol, a β 2 -adrenergic agonist, competed for DHA binding sites in human myometrial particulate indicated that at least 87% of the beta-adrenergic receptors present are β 2 -adrenergic receptors. Binding of DHA to human myometrial beta-adrenergic receptors provides a tool which may be used in the examination of gonadal hormonal modification of adrenergic response in human uterus as well as in the analysis of beta-adrenergic agents as potentially useful tocolytic agents

  17. The adverse effects of aldrin and dieldrin on both myometrial contractions and the secretory functions of bovine ovaries and uterus in vitro

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    Wrobel, Michał H., E-mail: m.wrobel@pan.olsztyn.pl; Grzeszczyk, Marlena; Mlynarczuk, Jaroslaw; Kotwica, Jan

    2015-05-15

    Aldrin and dieldrin are chloroorganic insecticides which are recognised as endocrine disruptors. The aim of the study was to investigate their effect on the secretory functions of the uterus and ovary and on myometrial contractions. Myometrial strips and uterine and ovarian cells from nonpregnant cows were incubated with the xenobiotics (0.1, 1 or 10 ng/ml) for 24 or 72 h. Next, their effect on viability of myometrial, endometrial, granulosa and luteal cells, myometrial strip contractions, the synthesis and secretion of prostaglandins (PGs: PGF2α and PGE2) from uterine cells, the secretion of oestradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and oxytocin (OT) from granulosa cells and the secretion of progesterone (P4) and OT from luteal cells were determined. Neither of the xenobiotics (10 ng/ml) affected (P > 0.05) the viability of the ovarian and uterine cells, while both (0.1–10 ng/ml) decreased (P < 0.05) the basal and OT-stimulated myometrial contractions. In spite of these effects, neither of the insecticides affected (P > 0.05) the synthesis and the secretion of PGs from the myometrial cells. Although they also did not impair the secretion of the PGs from the endometrial cells, they abolished (P < 0.05) the stimulatory effect of OT (P < 0.05) on the secretion of the PGs and stimulated (P < 0.05) the secretion of OT from the granulosa and luteal cells. Moreover, aldrin and dieldrin stimulated secretion of E2 and T from the granulosa cells, while only dieldrin increased (P < 0.05) the secretion of P4 from luteal cells. The data show that aldrin and dieldrin stimulated the secretory function of the cultured granulosa and luteal cells and inhibited the myometrial contractions of cows in vitro, which may affect on natural parturition. - Highlights: • Aldrin and dieldrin inhibited bovine myometrial contractions. • The studied xenobiotics stimulated steroids and oxytocin secretion from ovaries. • Prostaglandins are not involved in adverse effect of the xenobiotics on

  18. Differential effects of tumor necrosis factor-α on matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression in human myometrial and uterine leiomyoma smooth muscle cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yuebing; Feng, Guowei; Wang, Jiyuan; Zhou, Yu; Liu, Yixin; Shi, Yiquan; Zhu, Yingjun; Lin, Wanjun; Xu, Yang; Li, Zongjin

    2015-01-01

    Does tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) differentially regulate matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression in leiomyomas compared with normal myometrium? TNF-α up-regulates MMP-2 expression and stimulates cell migration through the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in leiomyoma smooth muscle cells (SMCs), but not in normal myometrial SMCs. Uterine leiomyoma, the benign smooth muscle cell tumor, is the single most common indication for hysterectomy. High expression of MMPs or TNF-α has been reported in uterine leiomyomas; however, the molecular mechanism underlying these observations remains unknown. Samples were obtained between 2009 and 2013 from 12 women of reproductive age at the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle by hysterectomy. Leiomyomas and matched normal myometrium from each woman were analyzed in vitro. Western blot, RT-qPCR and a wound-healing assay were used to investigate the effects of TNF-α on MMP-2 expression and intracellular signal transduction in cultured SMCs from leiomyomas and matched myometrium. Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses using tissues from clinical patients showed that the levels of MMP-2 protein (P = 0.008) and mRNA (P = 0.009) were significantly higher in uterine leiomyomas compared with their matched myometrium. Treatment with TNF-α significantly up-regulated the protein (P = 0.039) and mRNA (P = 0.037) levels of MMP-2 in cultured leiomyoma SMCs but not in matched myometrial SMCs. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathways were activated by TNF-α in leiomyoma SMCs. Specific inhibitors of the ERK or NF-κB pathway (PD98059 or Bay11-7082) suppressed TNF-α-induced MMP-2 expression in leiomyoma SMCs. The wound-healing assay revealed that TNF-α promoted the migration of cultured leiomyoma SMCs (P = 0.036); however, PD98059 compromised the cell migration triggered by TNF-α. This study is descriptive and although we observed clear

  19. Immune Aspects and Myometrial Actions of Progesterone and CRH in Labor

    OpenAIRE

    Vrachnis, Nikolaos; Malamas, Fotodotis M.; Sifakis, Stavros; Tsikouras, Panayiotis; Iliodromiti, Zoe

    2011-01-01

    Progesterone and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) have a critical role in pregnancy and labor, as changes related to these hormones are crucial for the transition from myometrial quiescence to contractility. The mechanisms related to their effect differ between humans and other species, thus, despite extensive research, many questions remain to be answered regarding their mediation in human labor. Immune responses to progesterone and CRH are important for labor. Progesterone acts as an i...

  20. Human myometrial adrenergic receptors during pregnancy: identification of the alpha-adrenergic receptor by [3H] dihydroergocryptine binding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobs, M.M.; Hayashida, D.; Roberts, J.M.

    1985-01-01

    The radioactive alpha-adrenergic antagonist [ 3 H] dihydroergocryptine binds to particulate preparations of term pregnant human myometrium in a manner compatible with binding to the alpha-adrenergic receptor (alpha-receptor). [ 3 H] Dihydroergocryptine binds with high affinity (KD = 2 nmol/L and low capacity (receptor concentration = 100 fmol/mg of protein). Adrenergic agonists compete for [ 3 H] dihydroergocryptine binding sites stereo-selectively ([-]-norepinephrine is 100 times as potent as [+]-norepinephrine) and in a manner compatible with alpha-adrenergic potencies (epinephrine approximately equal to norepinephrine much greater than isoproterenol). Studies in which prazosin, an alpha 1-antagonist, and yohimbine, and alpha 2-antagonist, competed for [ 3 H] dihydroergocryptine binding sites in human myometrium indicated that approximately 70% are alpha 2-receptors and that 30% are alpha 1-receptors. [ 3 H] dihydroergocryptine binding to human myometrial membrane particulate provides an important tool with which to study the molecular mechanisms of uterine alpha-adrenergic response

  1. Diagnostic Accuracy of Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Detection of Myometrial Invasion in Endometrial Carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masroor, I.; Hussain, Z.; Taufiq, M.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DWMRI) in the detection of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer taking histopathology as gold standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional validation study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Radiology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January to December 2012. Methodology: DWMRI (b-value = 50,400 and 800 s/mm2) was performed in 85 patients of biopsy-proven endometrial carcinoma before hysterectomy using body and spine coil at 1.5 Tesla. DWI was evaluated for presence of myometrial invasion by tumor with histopathology as gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, the negative predictive value and positive predictive value and accuracy of DWI were assessed against the gold standard. Results: On DWI, superficial myometrial invasion was found in 42 patients and deep myometrial invasion in 43. On histopathology, superficial myometrial invasion was found in 53 patients and deep myometrial invasion in 32. Hence sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy for the assessment of myometrial invasion by endometrial tumor on DW images was 90 percentage, 73 percentage, 67 percentage, 92 percentage and 80 percentage, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in detection of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer was 80 percentage. Conclusion: DWI is highly accurate in assessing myometrial invasion and can be used as an adjunct to routine MRI for pre-operative evaluation of myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer. (author)

  2. The inhibition of myometrial contractions by chlorinated herbicides (atrazine and linuron), and their disruptive effect on the secretory functions of uterine and ovarian cells in cow, in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wrobel, Michał H; Mlynarczuk, Jaroslaw

    2017-10-01

    The effect of atrazine and linuron, the popular and widely used chlorinated herbicides, on both myometrial contractions and secretory functions of bovine uterus and ovaries in vitro, was investigated. The pesticides inhibited (Pherbicides affected PGs secretion from myometrium and PGF2α from endometrium. Only the lowest dose of both tested compounds decreased PGE2 secretion from endometrium. The pesticides increased (P<0.05) the OT secretion from granulosa. However, only linuron stimulated (P<0.05) the OT secretion from the luteal cells, and it increased (P<0.05) the expression of mRNA for the OT precursor. Both compounds stimulated (P<0.05) the secretion of testosterone and atrazine increased (P<0.05) also the secretion of estradiol from the granulosa cells. While atrazine and linuron reduced (P<0.05) the progesterone secretion from the luteal cells. The data show that atrazine and linuron altered the secretory functions of ovarian cells and inhibited the myometrial contractions in vitro. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Ultrasonographic evaluation of myometrial thickness and prediction of a successful external cephalic version.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buhimschi, Catalin S; Buhimschi, Irina A; Wehrum, Mark J; Molaskey-Jones, Sherry; Sfakianaki, Anna K; Pettker, Christian M; Thung, Stephen; Campbell, Katherine H; Dulay, Antonette T; Funai, Edmund F; Bahtiyar, Mert O

    2011-10-01

    To test the hypothesis that myometrial thickness predicts the success of external cephalic version. Abdominal ultrasonographic scans were performed in 114 consecutive pregnant women with breech singletons before an external cephalic version maneuver. Myometrial thickness was measured by a standardized protocol at three sites: the lower segment, midanterior wall, and the fundal uterine wall. Independent variables analyzed in conjunction with myometrial thickness were: maternal age, parity, body mass index, abdominal wall thickness, estimated fetal weight, amniotic fluid index, placental thickness and location, fetal spine position, breech type, and delivery outcomes such as final mode of delivery and birth weight. Successful version was associated with a thicker ultrasonographic fundal myometrium (unsuccessful: 6.7 [5.5-8.4] compared with successful: 7.4 [6.6-9.7] mm, P=.037). Multivariate regression analysis showed that increased fundal myometrial thickness, high amniotic fluid index, and nonfrank breech presentation were the strongest independent predictors of external cephalic version success (Pexternal cephalic versions (fundal myometrial thickness: odds ratio [OR] 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-5.2, P=.029; amniotic fluid index: OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-6.0, P=.008). Combining the two variables resulted in an absolute risk reduction for a failed version of 27.6% (95% CI 7.1-48.1) and a number needed to treat of four (95% CI 2.1-14.2). Fundal myometrial thickness and amniotic fluid index contribute to success of external cephalic version and their evaluation can be easily incorporated in algorithms before the procedure. III.

  4. Enhanced myometrial autophagy in postpartum uterine involution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keng-Fu Hsu

    2014-09-01

    Conclusion: Autophagy of myocytes may play an important role in uterine involution. These results have implications for our understanding of myometrial functional adaptations during pregnancy and the physiological role of autophagy in the uterine remodeling events in the postpartum period.

  5. How to differentiate benign from malignant myometrial tumours using MR imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomassin-Naggara, Isabelle [Hopital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris and Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Department of Radiology, Paris (France); Hopital Tenon, Service de Radiologie, Paris (France); Dechoux, Sophie; Morel, Audrey; Carette, Marie-France; Bazot, Marc [Hopital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris and Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Department of Radiology, Paris (France); Bonneau, Claire; Rouzier, Roman; Darai, Emile [Hopital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris and Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Department of Gynecology-Obstetrics, Paris (France)

    2013-08-15

    To retrospectively evaluate the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to differentiate malignant from benign myometrial tumours. Fifty-one women underwent MRI before surgery for evaluation of a solitary myometrial tumour. At histopathology, there were 25 uncertain or malignant mesenchymal tumours and 26 benign leiomyomas. Conventional morphological MRI criteria were recorded in addition to b{sub 1,000} signal intensity and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for each criterion. A multivariate analysis was performed to construct an interpretation model. The significant criteria for prediction of malignancy were high b{sub 1,000} signal intensity (OR = +{infinity}), intermediate T2-weighted signal intensity (OR = +{infinity}), mean ADC (OR = 25.1), patient age (OR = 20.1), intra-tumoral haemorrhage (OR = 21.35), endometrial thickening (OR = 11), T2-weighted signal heterogeneity (OR = 10.2), menopausal status (OR = 9.7), heterogeneous enhancement (OR = 8) and non-myometrial origin on MRI (OR = 4.9). In the recursive partitioning model, using b{sub 1,000} signal intensity, T2 signal intensity, mean ADC, and patient age, the model correctly classified benign and malignant tumours in 47 of the 51 cases (92.4 %). We have developed an interpretation model usable in routine practice for myometrial tumours discovered at MRI including T2 signal, b{sub 1,000} signal and ADC measurement. (orig.)

  6. Myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer: diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted MR imaging at 1.5-T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rechichi, Gilda; Sironi, Sandro; Galimberti, Stefania; Valsecchi, Maria Grazia; Signorelli, Mauro; Perego, Patrizia

    2010-01-01

    To determine the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the preoperative assessment of myometrial invasion by endometrial cancer. In this prospective study, 47 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial cancer underwent preoperative MR imaging and total hysterectomy. The MR protocol included spin-echo multishot T2-weighted, dynamic T1-weighted and DW images acquired with b-values of 0 and 500 s/mm 2 . Myometrial tumour spread was classified as superficial (<50%) or deep (≥50% myometrial thickness). Postoperative histopathological findings served as a reference standard. Indices of diagnostic performance were assessed for each sequence. At histopathological examination, superficial myometrial invasion was found in 34 patients and deep myometrial invasion in 13. In the assessment of tumour invasion, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of T2-weighted images were 92.3%, 76.5%, 60.0% and 96.3%, respectively. The corresponding values for dynamic images were 69.2%, 61.8%, 40.9% and 84.0%, and for DW images 84.6%, 70.6%, 52.4% and 92.3%. T2-weighted and DW imaging proved to be the most accurate techniques for tumour spread determination. DW imaging proved to be accurate in assessing myometrial invasion, and it could replace dynamic imaging as an adjunct to routine T2-weighted imaging for preoperative evaluation of endometrial cancer. (orig.)

  7. Ghrelin in the human myometrium

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Brien, Margaret

    2010-05-28

    Abstract Background Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid octanolyated peptide, synthesised primarily in the stomach. It stimulates growth hormone release, food intake and exhibits many other diverse effects. Our group have previously determined that ghrelin inhibited human contractility in vitro. The aim of this study therefore, was to investigate the expression of ghrelin, its receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1 (GHS-R1), ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) which catalyses ghrelin octanoylation, prohormone convertase 1\\/3 (PC1\\/3) responsible for pro-ghrelin processing, in human myometrium, during pregnancy prior to labour, during labour and in the non-pregnant state. Modulation of ghrelin and ghrelin receptor expression in cultured myometrial cells was also investigated. Methods mRNA and protein were isolated from human myometrium and the myometrial smooth muscle cell line hTERT-HM; and real-time fluorescence RT-PCR, western blotting and fluorescence microscopy performed. The effects of β-Estradiol and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on hTERT-HM gene expression were evaluated by western blotting. Results We have reported for the first time the expression and processing of ghrelin, GHS-R1, GOAT and PC1\\/3 expression in human myometrium, and also the down-regulation of ghrelin mRNA and protein expression during labour. Furthermore, GHS-R1 protein expression significantly decreased at labour. Myometrial GOAT expression significantly increased during term non-labouring pregnancy in comparison to both non-pregnant and labouring myometrium. Mature PC1\\/3 protein expression was significantly decreased at term pregnancy and labour in comparison to non-pregnant myometrium. Ghrelin, GHS-R1, GOAT and PC1\\/3 mRNA and protein expression was also detected in the hTERT-HM cells. Ghrelin protein expression decreased upon LPS treatment in these cells while β-Estradiol treatment increased GHS-R1 expression. Conclusions Ghrelin processing occurred in the human

  8. Ghrelin in the human myometrium.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Brien, Margaret

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid octanolyated peptide, synthesised primarily in the stomach. It stimulates growth hormone release, food intake and exhibits many other diverse effects. Our group have previously determined that ghrelin inhibited human contractility in vitro. The aim of this study therefore, was to investigate the expression of ghrelin, its receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1 (GHS-R1), ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) which catalyses ghrelin octanoylation, prohormone convertase 1\\/3 (PC1\\/3) responsible for pro-ghrelin processing, in human myometrium, during pregnancy prior to labour, during labour and in the non-pregnant state. Modulation of ghrelin and ghrelin receptor expression in cultured myometrial cells was also investigated. METHODS: mRNA and protein were isolated from human myometrium and the myometrial smooth muscle cell line hTERT-HM; and real-time fluorescence RT-PCR, western blotting and fluorescence microscopy performed. The effects of beta-Estradiol and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on hTERT-HM gene expression were evaluated by western blotting. RESULTS: We have reported for the first time the expression and processing of ghrelin, GHS-R1, GOAT and PC1\\/3 expression in human myometrium, and also the down-regulation of ghrelin mRNA and protein expression during labour. Furthermore, GHS-R1 protein expression significantly decreased at labour. Myometrial GOAT expression significantly increased during term non-labouring pregnancy in comparison to both non-pregnant and labouring myometrium. Mature PC1\\/3 protein expression was significantly decreased at term pregnancy and labour in comparison to non-pregnant myometrium. Ghrelin, GHS-R1, GOAT and PC1\\/3 mRNA and protein expression was also detected in the hTERT-HM cells. Ghrelin protein expression decreased upon LPS treatment in these cells while beta-Estradiol treatment increased GHS-R1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Ghrelin processing occurred in the human

  9. Pain after uterine fibroid embolisation is associated with the severity of myometrial ischaemia on magnetic resonance imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruuskanen, Anu; Sipola, Petri; Manninen, Hannu; Hippelaeinen, Maritta; Wuestefeld, Marion

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to evaluate uterine ischaemia after uterine artery embolisation (UAE) using magnetic resonance imaging and the role of myometrial and fibroid ischaemia in the pathogenesis of post-procedural pain. T1-weighted gradient echo imaging before and after contrast agent was performed on 62 women before and 24 h after UAE. We assessed the severity (mild, moderate, severe) of myometrial ischaemia, and the percentage and volume of ischaemic tissue in myometrium and fibroids. The Verbal Rating Scale was used to assess in-hospital post-procedural pain (1-3 mild, 4-6 moderate, 7-10 severe). Mean maximal pain was 7.7. Myometrial ischaemia was mild, moderate and severe in 29, 23 and 10 patients, respectively. Moderate or severe myometrial ischaemia (p = 0.041), the percentage (p = 0.037) and volume (p = 0.012) of ischaemic tissue in the myometrium, and a large volume of embolic material (p = 0.038) correlated with severe pain. In summary, pain following UAE is common and partly explained by myometrial ischaemia. (orig.)

  10. Identification of a myometrial molecular profile for dystocic labor.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Brennan, Donal J

    2011-01-01

    The most common indication for cesarean section (CS) in nulliparous women is dystocia secondary to ineffective myometrial contractility. The aim of this study was to identify a molecular profile in myometrium associated with dystocic labor.

  11. Reproducibility of measurement of myometrial invasion in endometrial carcinoma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Putten, L.J.M. van der; Vijver, K. van der; Bartosch, C.; Davidson, B.; Gatius, S.; Matias-Guiu, X.; McCluggage, W.G.; Toledo, G.; Wurff, A.A. van der; Pijnenborg, J.M.A.; Massuger, L.F.A.G.; Bulten, J.

    2017-01-01

    Myometrial invasion (MI) as a percentage (%MI), categorized into <50 or >/=50 %, is an important predictor of prognosis in endometrial carcinoma. Recent studies suggest that tumor-free distance (TFD) to serosa and the absolute depth of invasion (DOI) might be stronger predictors of prognosis.

  12. STIM and Orai isoform expression in pregnant human myometrium: a potential role in calcium signaling during pregnancy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evonne eChin-Smith

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Store-operated calcium (Ca2+ entry (SOCE can be mediated by two novel proteins, STIM/Orai. We have previously demonstrated that members of the TRPC family, putative basal and store operated calcium entry channels, are present in human myometrium and regulated by labor associated stimuli IL-1β and mechanical stretch. Although STIM and Orai isoforms (1-3 have been reported in other smooth muscle cell types, there is little known about the expression or gestational regulation of STIM and Orai expression in human myometrium. Total RNA was isolated from lower segment human myometrial biopsies obtained at caesarean section from women at the time of preterm no labor (PTNL, preterm labor (PTL, term non-labor (TNL and term with labor (TL; primary cultured human uterine smooth muscle cells, and a human myometrial cell line (hTERT-HM. STIM1-2, and Orai1-3 mRNA expression was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. All five genes were expressed in myometrial tissue and cultured cells. Orai2 was the most abundant Orai isoform in human myometrium. Expression of STIM1-2/Orai1-3 did not alter with the onset of labor. Orai1 mRNA expression in cultured cells was enhanced by IL-1β treatment. This novel report of STIM1-2 and Orai1-3 mRNA expression in pregnant human myometrium and Orai1 regulation by IL-1β indicates a potential role for these proteins in calcium signaling in human myometrium during pregnancy.

  13. An anthocyanin rich strawberry extract induces apoptosis and ROS while decreases glycolysis and fibrosis in human uterine leiomyoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Md Soriful; Giampieri, Francesca; Janjusevic, Milijana; Gasparrini, Massimiliano; Forbes-Hernandez, Tamara Y; Mazzoni, Luca; Greco, Stefania; Giannubilo, Stefano Raffaele; Ciavattini, Andrea; Mezzetti, Bruno; Capocasa, Franco; Castellucci, Mario; Battino, Maurizio; Ciarmela, Pasquapina

    2017-04-04

    Uterine leiomyomas are highly prevalent benign tumors in reproductive aged women. Unfortunately, medical treatments are still limited and no preventive therapies have been developed. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of strawberry extract on uterine leiomyoma cells. Leiomyoma and myometrial cells were treated with strawberry (cultivar Alba) extract (250 μg/ml) for 48 h to measure apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative phosphorylation (OCR, oxygen consumption rate) and glycolysis (ECAR, extracellular acidification rate) as well as fibrosis associated gene and/or protein expression. In leiomyoma cells, strawberry increased the percentage of apoptotic and dead cells. Strawberry significantly increased ROS concentration in leiomyoma cells, while decreased it in myometrial cells. After strawberry treatment, leiomyoma cells showed a significant decreased rate of ECAR, while OCR was unchanged in both myometrial and leiomyoma cells. Strawberry significantly decreased collagen1A1, fibronectin and versican mRNA expression in leiomyoma cells. The reduced protein expression of fibronectin was observed by strawberry extract in leiomyoma cells as well. Furthermore, strawberry was able to reduce activin A induced fibronectin, collagen1A1, and versican as well as activin A and PAI-1 mRNA expression in leiomyoma cells. This study suggests that strawberry can be developed as therapeutic and/or preventive agent for uterine leiomyomas.

  14. Absolute depth of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer is superior to the currently used cut-off value of 50%

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geels, Y.P.; Pijnenborg, J.M.A.; Berg-van Erp, S.H. van den; Snijders, M.P.; Bulten, J.; Massuger, L.F.A.G.

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: In endometrial carcinoma, myometrial invasion is a well known predictor of recurrence, and important in the decision making for adjuvant treatment. According to the FIGO staging system, myometrial invasion is expressed as invasion of <50%> of the myometrium (50%MI). It has been suggested

  15. [THE PECULIARITIES OF UTERINE STRUCTURE AFTER DELIVERY IN RATS WITH THE MYOMETRIAL SCAR].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maiborodin, I V; Pekarev, O G; Yakimova, N V; Pekareva, Ye O; Maiborodina, V I; Perminova, Ye I

    2015-01-01

    The uterine tissues of female rats (n=30) with a scarred myometrium were examined by methods of light microscopy after the delivery. 1.5-2 months after the delivery no significant differences in the parameters of blood and lymph flow in the deep layers of the endometrium, myometrium and the myometrial scar tissue were found between the intact rats, nulliparous rats with a scarred uterus, rats that gave birth after laparotomy only and those that gave birth under the conditions of myometrial scar. In the course of pregnancy and labor activity, the damage of the tissues was observed not in the uterine scar proper, but at its borders with the myometrium. This is supported by the old hemorrhages and lymphostasis phenomena, greater number of lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages and erythrocytes. In determining the indications and contraindications to vaginal childbirth in women with scarred uterus it is necessary to examine not only the scar proper, but also its border with the myometrium. The myometrial scar by itself, is not an absolute contraindication to vaginal delivery, the natural delivery is feasible in the absence of cavities with liquid and hemorrhages in the tissues of the uterine scar and at its border with myometrium.

  16. [3H]rauwolscine binding to myometrial α2-adrenoceptors in pregnant guinea pig

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arkinstall, S.J.; Jones, C.T.

    1988-01-01

    Uterine sympathetic nerves can exert an excitatory influence in late pregnancy and during parturition. Neuronal norepinephrine release is increased at these times and a diminished α 2 -adrenoceptor-mediated prejunctional inhibition could account for this. To assess whether an altered receptor population may contribute, [ 3 H]rauwolscine was used to measure α 2 -adrenoceptors in myometrial membranes at time intervals throughout pregnancy. High affinity [ 3 H]rauwolscine binding yielded linear Scatchard plots that in nonpregnant myometrium indicated a maximum binding density B max of 217 ± 42.4 fmol/mg protein. α 2 -Adrenoceptor density was increased twofold at midpregnancy (31 days) and thereafter fell sharply by up to 90% toward term (67 ± 2 days). When uterine growth is accounted for and data are expressed in terms of total myometrial population, α 2 -adrenoceptor number was eightfold (midpregnancy) and fourfold (term) greater than the nonpregnant value of 804 ± 322.4 fmol/uterus. α 2 -Adrenoceptors were also found to bind dopamine with high affinity. These observations could indicate a pregnancy-related change in uterine sympathetic autoinhibitory capacity and, since α 2 -adrenoceptors appear also to be located postjunctionally, explain in part reports of altered myometrial responsiveness to norepinephrine infusion and also the uterotonic actions of dopamine

  17. Crosstalk between monocytes and myometrial smooth muscle in culture generates synergistic pro-inflammatory cytokine production and enhances myocyte contraction, with effects opposed by progesterone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajagopal, S P; Hutchinson, J L; Dorward, D A; Rossi, A G; Norman, J E

    2015-08-01

    Both term and preterm parturition are characterized by an influx of macrophages and neutrophils into the myometrium and cervix, with co-incident increased peripheral blood monocyte activation. Infection and inflammation are strongly implicated in the pathology of preterm labour (PTL), with progesterone considered a promising candidate for its prevention or treatment. In this study, we investigated the effect of monocytes on myometrial smooth muscle cell inflammatory cytokine production both alone and in response to LPS, a TLR4 agonist used to trigger PTL in vivo. We also investigated the effect of monocytes on myocyte contraction. Monocytes, isolated from peripheral blood samples from term pregnant women, were cultured alone, or co-cultured with PHM1-41 myometrial smooth muscle cells, for 24 h. In a third set of experiments, PHM1-41 myocytes were cultured for 24 h in isolation. Cytokine secretion was determined by ELISA or multiplex assays. Co-culture of monocytes and myocytes led to synergistic secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines including IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1, with the secretion being further enhanced by LPS (100 ng/ml). The synergistic secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 from co-cultures was mediated in part by direct cell-cell contact, and by TNF. Conditioned media from co-cultures stimulated contraction of PHM1-41 myocytes, and the effect was inhibited by progesterone. Both progesterone and IL-10 inhibited LPS-stimulated IL-6 and IL-8 secretion from co-cultures, while progesterone also inhibited chemokine secretion. These data suggest that monocytes infiltrating the myometrium at labour participate in crosstalk that potentiates pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, an effect that is enhanced by LPS, and can augment myocyte contraction. These effects are all partially inhibited by progesterone. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

  18. Assessment of the depth and extent of myometrial invasion in uterine adenomyosis using MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yi, Mi Gyung; Cho, Jae Ho; Chang, Jay Chun; Park, Bok Hwan

    2000-01-01

    To determine the detection rate of MRI in the diagnosis of adenomyosis and ascertain the accuracy of MRI in assessing the extent and depth of the myometrial invasion. By retrospective analysis of MR images of the pelvis in 65 pathologically proven cases of uterine adenomyosis, we investigated the detection rate and differences of in the detection rate when this was based on (a) the extent, and (b) the depth of myometrial invasion. The condition was classified as diffuse or focal according to the extent of invasion, and mild, moderate, or severe according to its depth. Pathologically, there were 35 cases of focal adenomyosis (53.8%), and 30 of diffuse adenomyosis (46.2%). Among patients with the focal variety of this condition, 12 cases were mild, 14 were mild, 14 were moderate, and nine were severe, while among those with the diffuse variety, two were mild, ten were moderate and 18 were severe. A total of 48 cases (73.8%) were detected on MR images; the detection rate of focal adenomyosis was 60.0% (21/35) and that of diffuse adenomyosis was 90.0% (27/30). The detection rates of mild, moderate, and severe adenomyosis were 42.9% (6/14), 79.2% (19/24), and 85.2% (23/27), respectively. Among the 48 cases detected on MR images, the pathologic and MR findings were consistent with regard to both the extent and depth of myometrial invasion in 26 (54.2%). For diffuse adenomyosis, the consistency rate was higher than for the focal variety (81.5%, 22/27; compared with 19%, 4/21). The extent of myometrial invasion was correctly evaluated in 32 cases (66.7%); the consistency rate for the diffuse form was higher than for the focal form (96.3%(26/27), compared with 28.6% (6/21)). In 42 cases (87.5%), the depth of invasion was correctly evaluated, though differences in this depth were not significant. MR imaging was a useful imaging modality in the diagnosis of uterine adenomyosis. With regard to the extent of myometrial invasion, the detection rate was higher among cases of the

  19. Assessment of deep myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer on MRI: added value of second-opinion interpretations by radiologists subspecialized in gynaecologic oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woo, Sungmin; Kim, Sang Youn; Cho, Jeong Yeon; Kim, Seung Hyup

    2017-05-01

    To investigate the added value of secondary reports issued by radiologists subspecializing in gynaecologic imaging for determining deep myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer on MRI. Initial (from referring institutions) and secondary (by subspecialized radiologists) interpretations of MRI of 55 patients with endometrial cancer were retrospectively reviewed. A radiologist blinded to clinicopathological information assessed both reports for the presence of deep myometrial invasion. Reference standard was based on hysterectomy specimens. Kappa coefficients (k) were used to measure their concordance. McNemar testing and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to compare sensitivities, specificities and areas under the curves (AUCs). Deep myometrial invasion was present in 25 (45.5 %) patients. Among 27.3 % (15/55; k = 0.458) patients with discrepant results, secondary interpretations were correct in 10 (66.7 %) cases. Sensitivity was higher in secondary than in initial reports (76.0 % vs. 48.0 %, p = 0.039) while no significant difference was seen in specificity (70.0 % vs. 76.7 %, p = 0.668). At ROC analysis, there was a tendency for higher AUCs in secondary reports (0.785 vs 0.669, p = 0.096). Secondary readings of MRI by subspecialized gynaecologic oncologic radiologists may provide incremental value in determining deep myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer. • Deep myometrial invasion is an important prognostic factor in endometrial cancer. • Assessment of deep myometrial invasion is often discrepant between initial and secondary reports. • Secondary reports showed higher sensitivity and accuracy. • Secondary review of MRI may provide incremental value in endometrial cancer patients.

  20. Sprouting angiogenesis in human midterm uterus and fallopian tube is guided by endothelial tip cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rusu, M C; Motoc, A G M; Pop, F; Folescu, R

    2013-01-01

    Five samples of human midterm fetal uterus and fallopian tube (four donor bodies) were used to assess whether or not processes of angiogenesis are guided by endothelial tip cells (ETCs), and if cytokine-receptors, such as CD117/c-kit and PDGFR-α, are expressed in the microenvironment of the endothelial tubes. CD34 labeled microvessels in the uterine wall (myometrium and endometrium) and in the wall of the uterine (fallopian) tube, and accurately identified ETCs in both organs. We conclude that sprouting angiogenesis in the developing human female tract is guided by ETCs. Moreover, CD117/c-kit antibodies labeled mural networks of pericytes, α-SMA-positive and desmin-negative, related to the endometrial (but not myometrial) microvessels, and similar labeling was identified in the wall of the uterine tube. PDGFR-α positive labeling, stromal and pericytary, was also found. Thus, sprouting angiogenesis in human fetal genital organs appears to be guided by tip cells and is influenced by tyrosine kinase receptor signaling.

  1. Calcium Channels, Rho-Kinase, Protein Kinase-C, and Phospholipase-C Pathways Mediate Mercury Chloride-Induced Myometrial Contractions in Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koli, Swati; Prakash, Atul; Choudhury, Soumen; Mandil, Rajesh; Garg, Satish K

    2018-05-21

    Adverse effects of mercury on female reproduction are reported; however, its effect on myogenic activity of uterus and mechanism thereof is obscure. Present study was undertaken to unravel the mechanistic pathways of mercuric chloride (HgCl 2 )-induced myometrial contraction in rats. Isometric tension in myometrial strips of rats following in vitro exposure to HgCl 2 was recorded using data acquisition system-based physiograph. HgCl 2 produced concentration-dependent (10 nM-100 μM) uterotonic effect which was significantly (p Graphical Abstract Graphical abstract depicting the mechanism of mercury-induced myometrial contraction in rats. M receptor: Muscarinic receptor; PIP2: phospho-inositol bisphosphate; PLC: phospholipase-C; DAG: diacyl glycerol; IP3: inositol triphosphate; IP3R: inositol triphosphate receptor; PKC; protein kinase-C; MLCP: myosin light chain phosphatise; MYPT: myosin phosphatase; SR: sarco-endoplasmic reticulum.

  2. Transvaginal ultrasound assessment of myometrial and cervical stroma invasion in women with endometrial cancer -interobserver reproducibility among ultrasound experts and gynaecologists

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksson, LS; Lindqvist, PG; Flöter Rådestad, A

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To assess interobserver reproducibility among ultrasound experts and gynaecologists in the prediction of deep myometrial- and cervical stroma invasion by transvaginal ultrasound in women with endometrial cancer. METHODS: Video-clips of the corpus- and cervix uteri of 53 women...... with endometrial cancer, examined preoperatively by the same ultrasound expert, were integrated in a digitalized survey. Nine ultrasound experts and 9 gynaecologists evaluated presence or absence of deep myometrial- and cervical stroma invasion. Histopathology from hysterectomy specimen was used as gold standard.......001). CONCLUSION: Preoperative ultrasound assessment of deep myometrial- and cervical stroma invasion in endometrial cancer is best performed by ultrasound experts, as they show a higher degree of agreement to histopathology and higher interobserver reproducibility in the assessment of cervical stromal invasion....

  3. Clinical significance of melatonin receptors in the human myometrium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olcese, James; Beesley, Stephen

    2014-08-01

    To review and update the research on melatonin receptor expression in the human myometrium, in particular as it pertains to uterine contractility at labor. Summary of previous studies with the addition of new data on the transcriptional regulation of melatonin receptor expression in human myometrial cells. Not applicable. Late-term pregnant volunteers. Biopsy collection for in vitro analyses provided the original data. More recently, uterine contractions in late-term pregnant volunteers were assessed before, during, and after acute white-light exposure. Melatonin receptor signaling in myometrial cells and uterine contractions in late-term pregnant volunteers. Melatonin acts through the MTNR1B melatonin receptor that is expressed in the myometrium at late term to synergistically enhance oxytocin-dependent signaling and contractions. Acute inhibition of endogenous melatonin levels with light reversibly suppresses uterine contractions. These results point to a significant role for circulating melatonin in the timing and degree of uterine contractions in late-term pregnancy. Understanding the regulation of melatonin receptors remains a future objective. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Assessment of deep myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer on MRI: added value of second-opinion interpretations by radiologists subspecialized in gynaecologic oncology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Woo, Sungmin [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sang Youn [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jeong Yeon; Kim, Seung Hyup [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Institute of Radiation Medicine and Kidney Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-05-15

    To investigate the added value of secondary reports issued by radiologists subspecializing in gynaecologic imaging for determining deep myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer on MRI. Initial (from referring institutions) and secondary (by subspecialized radiologists) interpretations of MRI of 55 patients with endometrial cancer were retrospectively reviewed. A radiologist blinded to clinicopathological information assessed both reports for the presence of deep myometrial invasion. Reference standard was based on hysterectomy specimens. Kappa coefficients (k) were used to measure their concordance. McNemar testing and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to compare sensitivities, specificities and areas under the curves (AUCs). Deep myometrial invasion was present in 25 (45.5 %) patients. Among 27.3 % (15/55; k = 0.458) patients with discrepant results, secondary interpretations were correct in 10 (66.7 %) cases. Sensitivity was higher in secondary than in initial reports (76.0 % vs. 48.0 %, p = 0.039) while no significant difference was seen in specificity (70.0 % vs. 76.7 %, p = 0.668). At ROC analysis, there was a tendency for higher AUCs in secondary reports (0.785 vs 0.669, p = 0.096). Secondary readings of MRI by subspecialized gynaecologic oncologic radiologists may provide incremental value in determining deep myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer. (orig.)

  5. Oxidative stress: a key regulator of leiomyoma cell survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fletcher, Nicole M; Abusamaan, Mohammed S; Memaj, Ira; Saed, Mohammed G; Al-Hendy, Ayman; Diamond, Michael P; Saed, Ghassan M

    2017-06-01

    To determine the effects of attenuating oxidative stress with the use of dichloroacetate (DCA) on the expression of key redox enzymes myeloperoxidase (MPO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) as well as on apoptosis. Prospective experimental study. University medical center. Cells established from myometrium and uterine fibroid from the same patients. Cells were exposed to normal (20% O 2 ) or hypoxic (2% O 2 ) conditions for 24 hours with or without DCA (20 μg/mL), a metabolic modulator that shifts anaerobic to aerobic metabolism. Nitrate/nitrite (iNOS activity indicator), iNOS, Bcl-2/Bax ratio, MPO, and caspase-3 activities and levels were determined by means of Greiss assay, real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and ELISA. Data were analyzed with the use of SPSS by means of one-way analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc analysis and independent t tests. MPO, iNOS, and nitrate/nitrite expression were higher in leiomyoma than in myometrial cells, and they were further enhanced by hypoxia in myometrial cells. Treatment with the use of DCA decreased MPO, iNOS, and nitrate/nitrite levels and negated the effect of hypoxia in both types of cells. Leiomyoma cells showed less apoptosis, as indicated by both caspase-3 activity and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, than myometrial cells. Hypoxia further decreased apoptosis in myometrial cells with no further effect on leiomyoma cells. Treatment with DCA resulted in increased apoptosis in both types of cells, even in the presence of hypoxia. Shifting anaerobic to aerobic metabolism with the use of DCA resulted in an increase in apoptosis in leiomyoma cells and protected myometrial cells from the acquisition of the leiomyoma-like phenotype. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Stretch activates human myometrium via ERK, caldesmon and focal adhesion signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunping Li

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available An incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for myometrial activation from the quiescent pregnant state to the active contractile state during labor has hindered the development of effective therapies for preterm labor. Myometrial stretch has been implicated clinically in the initiation of labor and the etiology of preterm labor, but the molecular mechanisms involved in the human have not been determined. We investigated the mechanisms by which gestation-dependent stretch contributes to myometrial activation, by using human uterine samples from gynecologic hysterectomies and Cesarean sections. Here we demonstrate that the Ca requirement for activation of the contractile filaments in human myometrium increases with caldesmon protein content during gestation and that an increase in caldesmon phosphorylation can reverse this inhibitory effect during labor. By using phosphotyrosine screening and mass spectrometry of stretched human myometrial samples, we identify 3 stretch-activated focal adhesion proteins, FAK, p130Cas, and alpha actinin. FAK-Y397, which signals integrin engagement, is constitutively phosphorylated in term human myometrium whereas FAK-Y925, which signals downstream ERK activation, is phosphorylated during stretch. We have recently identified smooth muscle Archvillin (SmAV as an ERK regulator. A newly produced SmAV-specific antibody demonstrates gestation-specific increases in SmAV protein levels and stretch-specific increases in SmAV association with focal adhesion proteins. Thus, whereas increases in caldesmon levels suppress human myometrium contractility during pregnancy, stretch-dependent focal adhesion signaling, facilitated by the ERK activator SmAV, can contribute to myometrial activation. These results suggest that focal adhesion proteins may present new targets for drug discovery programs aimed at regulation of uterine contractility.

  7. Identification of a Myometrial Molecular Profile for Dystocic Labor

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Brennan, Donal J

    2011-10-16

    Abstract Background The most common indication for cesarean section (CS) in nulliparous women is dystocia secondary to ineffective myometrial contractility. The aim of this study was to identify a molecular profile in myometrium associated with dystocic labor. Methods Myometrial biopsies were obtained from the upper incisional margins of nulliparous women undergoing lower segment CS for dystocia (n = 4) and control women undergoing CS in the second stage who had demonstrated efficient uterine action during the first stage of labor (n = 4). All patients were in spontaneous (non-induced) labor and had received intrapartum oxytocin to accelerate labor. RNA was extracted from biopsies and hybridized to Affymetrix HuGene U133A Plus 2 microarrays. Internal validation was performed using quantitative SYBR Green Real-Time PCR. Results Seventy genes were differentially expressed between the two groups. 58 genes were down-regulated in the dystocia group. Gene ontology analysis revealed 12 of the 58 down-regulated genes were involved in the immune response. These included (ERAP2, (8.67 fold change (FC)) HLA-DQB1 (7.88 FC) CD28 (2.60 FC), LILRA3 (2.87 FC) and TGFBR3 (2.1 FC)) Hierarchical clustering demonstrated a difference in global gene expression patterns between the samples from dystocic and non-dystocic labours. RT-PCR validation was performed on 4 genes ERAP2, CD28, LILRA3 and TGFBR3 Conclusion These findings suggest an underlying molecular basis for dystocia in nulliparous women in spontaneous labor. Differentially expressed genes suggest an important role for the immune response in dystocic labor and may provide important indicators for new diagnostic assays and potential intrapartum therapeutic targets.

  8. Identification of a myometrial molecular profile for dystocic labor

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background The most common indication for cesarean section (CS) in nulliparous women is dystocia secondary to ineffective myometrial contractility. The aim of this study was to identify a molecular profile in myometrium associated with dystocic labor. Methods Myometrial biopsies were obtained from the upper incisional margins of nulliparous women undergoing lower segment CS for dystocia (n = 4) and control women undergoing CS in the second stage who had demonstrated efficient uterine action during the first stage of labor (n = 4). All patients were in spontaneous (non-induced) labor and had received intrapartum oxytocin to accelerate labor. RNA was extracted from biopsies and hybridized to Affymetrix HuGene U133A Plus 2 microarrays. Internal validation was performed using quantitative SYBR Green Real-Time PCR. Results Seventy genes were differentially expressed between the two groups. 58 genes were down-regulated in the dystocia group. Gene ontology analysis revealed 12 of the 58 down-regulated genes were involved in the immune response. These included (ERAP2, (8.67 fold change (FC)) HLA-DQB1 (7.88 FC) CD28 (2.60 FC), LILRA3 (2.87 FC) and TGFBR3 (2.1 FC)) Hierarchical clustering demonstrated a difference in global gene expression patterns between the samples from dystocic and non-dystocic labours. RT-PCR validation was performed on 4 genes ERAP2, CD28, LILRA3 and TGFBR3 Conclusion These findings suggest an underlying molecular basis for dystocia in nulliparous women in spontaneous labor. Differentially expressed genes suggest an important role for the immune response in dystocic labor and may provide important indicators for new diagnostic assays and potential intrapartum therapeutic targets. PMID:21999197

  9. Assessment of Myometrial Invasion in Premenopausal Grade 1 Endometrial Carcinoma: Is Magnetic Resonance Imaging a Reliable Tool in Selecting Patients for Fertility-Preserving Therapy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakane, Makoto; Hori, Masatoshi; Onishi, Hiromitsu; Tsuboyama, Takahiro; Ota, Takashi; Tatsumi, Mitsuaki; Ueda, Yutaka; Kimura, Toshihiro; Kimura, Tadashi; Tomiyama, Noriyuki

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in premenopausal women with G1 endometrial carcinoma. Twenty-six patients underwent T2W, diffusion weighted, and dynamic contrast-enhanced 3-T MRI. The degree of myometrial invasion was pathologically classified into no invasion, shallow (3 mm or less), and more. Two radiologists assessed myometrial invasion on MRI. Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, AUC, and interobserver agreement were analyzed. For assessing myometrial invasion, mean accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, negative predictive values, and AUC, respectively, were as follows: 63%, 42%, 85%, 79%, 47%, and 0.75. Mean interobserver agreement was fair (k = 0.36). Shallow invasions were underestimated as no invasion on MRI in all 6 cases. Magnetic resonance imaging produced false-negative result on half of patients. The misjudgments tended to happen in patients with shallow invasion.

  10. MRI evaluation of myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma. Comparison between fast-spin-echo T2W and coronal FMPSPGR Gadolinium-Dota-Enhanced Sequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nasi, Francesca; Fiocchi, Federica; Pecchi, Annarita; Torricelli, Pietro; Rivasi, Francesco

    2005-01-01

    Purpose. The depth of myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma strongly affects the incidence of metastasis to regional nodes and influences the surgical strategies. The aim of this paper is to compare the results of FSE T2-w and Gadolinium-enhanced FMPSGR MR sequences in assessing the depth of myometrial invasion by endometrial cancer. Materials and methods. Forty-five women with histopathologically-proven endometrial carcinoma underwent preoperative MRI. Axial SE TI w, axial, sagittal and para-coronal FSE T2w and para-coronal Gadolinium enhanced FMPSGR sequences were performed using a high field strength magnet (1.5T). Within one month of MR all patients underwent hysterectomy, and anatomical evaluation of the surgical specimen was done sectioning the uterus along the short axis. Based upon the results of the histological evaluation the results of the FSE T2w and Gadolinium-enhanced sequences were compared and the statistical difference between the results obtained was statistically evaluated. Results. The histological evaluation showed intra mucosal neoplasm in 11 patients, myometrial infiltration less than 50% in 31 patients, myometrial infiltration more than 50% in 12 patients and transmural cancer 1 patient. Statistical evaluation showed that the FSE T2w sequence had a global sensitivity and specificity of 80.6% and 87.6%, respectively, with a mean Negative Predictive Value of 92.6% and a mean Positive Predictive Value of 86%. Gadolinium-enhanced FMPSPGR sequence had a global sensitivity and specificity of 90.6% and 93.3%, respectively, with a mean Negative Predictive Value of 96,3% and a mean Positive Predictive Value of 88%. The staging accuracy (χ 2 test) on FMPSPGR images (95%) was higher than that on FSE T2w images (78%). Conclusions. In our experience Gadolinium-enhanced dynamic sequences increase the accuracy of MR imaging in diagnosing the depth of myometrial invasion. In particular they improve the visualisation of the inner myometrium, the so

  11. Endometrial Cancer: Combined MR Volumetry and Diffusion-weighted Imaging for Assessment of Myometrial and Lymphovascular Invasion and Tumor Grade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reinhold, Caroline; Alsharif, Shaza S.; Addley, Helen; Arceneau, Jocelyne; Molinari, Nicolas; Guiu, Boris; Sala, Evis

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To investigate magnetic resonance (MR) volumetry of endometrial tumors and its association with deep myometrial invasion, tumor grade, and lymphovascular invasion and to assess the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histographic analysis of the whole tumor volume for prediction of tumor grade and lymphovascular invasion. Materials and Methods The institutional review board approved this retrospective study; patient consent was not required. Between May 2010 and May 2012, 70 women (mean age, 64 years; range, 24–91 years) with endometrial cancer underwent preoperative MR imaging, including axial oblique and sagittal T2-weighted, dynamic contrast material–enhanced, and diffusion-weighted imaging. Volumetry of the tumor and uterus was performed during the six sequences, with manual tracing of each section, and the tumor volume ratio (TVR) was calculated. ADC histograms were generated from pixel ADCs from the whole tumor volume. The threshold of TVR associated with myometrial invasion was assessed by using receiver operating characteristic curves. An independent sample Mann Whitney U test was used to compare differences in ADCs, skewness, and kurtosis between tumor grade and the presence of lymphovascular invasion. Results No significant difference in tumor volume and TVR was found among the six MR imaging sequences (P = .95 and .86, respectively). A TVR greater than or equal to 25% allowed prediction of deep myometrial invasion with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 93% (area under the curve, 0.96; 95% confidence interval: 0.86, 0.99) at axial oblique diffusion-weighted imaging. A TVR of greater than or equal to 25% was associated with grade 3 tumors (P = .0007) and with lymphovascular invasion (P .05). The minimum, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile ADCs were significantly lower in grade 3 tumors than in grades 1 and 2 tumors (P < .02). Conclusion The combination of whole tumor volume and ADC can be used for prediction of tumor

  12. 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Promotes Proliferation of Human Uterine Leiomyoma: A Biological Link to a New Epigenetic Modification in Benign Tumors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navarro, Antonia; Yin, Ping; Ono, Masanori; Monsivais, Diana; Moravek, Molly B.; Coon, John S.; Dyson, Matthew T.; Wei, Jian-Jun

    2014-01-01

    Context: Uterine leiomyoma, or fibroids, represent the most common benign tumors of the female reproductive tract. A newly discovered epigenetic modification, 5-hydroxymethylation (5-hmC), and its regulators, the TET (Ten Eleven Translocation) enzymes, were implicated in the pathology of malignant tumors; however, their roles in benign tumors, including uterine fibroids, remain unknown. Objective: To determine the role of 5-hmC and TET proteins in the pathogenesis of leiomyoma using human uterine leiomyoma and normal matched myometrial tissues and primary cells. Design: 5-hmC levels were determined by ELISA and immunofluorescent staining in matched myometrial and leiomyoma tissues. TET expression was analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting. TET1 or TET3 were silenced or inhibited by small interfering RNA or 2-hydroxyglutarate to study their effects on 5-hmC content and cell proliferation. Results: We demonstrated significantly higher 5-hmC levels in the genomic DNA of leiomyoma tissue compared to normal myometrial tissue. The increase in 5-hmC levels was associated with the up-regulation of TET1 or TET3 mRNA and protein expression in leiomyoma tissue. TET1 or TET3 knockdown significantly reduced 5-hmC levels in leiomyoma cells and decreased cell proliferation. Treatment with 2-hydroxyglutarate, a competitive TET enzyme inhibitor, significantly decreased both 5-hmC content and cell proliferation of leiomyoma cells. Conclusion: An epigenetic imbalance in the 5-hmC content of leiomyoma tissue, caused by up-regulation of the TET1 and TET3 enzymes, might lead to discovery of new therapeutic targets in leiomyoma. PMID:25057885

  13. Clinical Outcomes in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Stage IA Endometrial Cancer With Myometrial Invasion Treated With or Without Postoperative Vaginal Brachytherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diavolitsis, V. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Rademaker, A. [Department of Preventive Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Lurain, J.; Hoekstra, A. [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Strauss, J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Small, W., E-mail: wsmall@nmff.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States)

    2012-10-01

    Purpose: To assess the clinical outcomes of patients with Stage IA endometrial cancer with myometrial invasion treated with postoperative vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) with those who received no adjuvant therapy (NAT). Methods and Materials: All patients treated with hysterectomy for endometrial cancer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital between 1978 and 2005 were identified. Those patients with Stage IA disease with myometrial invasion who were treated with VBT alone or NAT were identified and included in the present analysis. Results: Of 252 patients with Stage IA endometrial cancer with superficial (<50%) myometrial invasion who met the inclusion criteria, 169 underwent VBT and 83 received NAT. The median follow-up in the VBT and NAT groups was 103 and 61 months, respectively. In the VBT group, 56.8% had Grade 1, 37.9% had Grade 2, and 5.3% had Grade 3 tumors. In the NAT group, 75.9%, 20.5%, and 3.6% had Grade 1, 2, and 3 tumors, respectively. Lymphatic or vascular space invasion was noted in 12.4% of the VBT patients and 5.6% of the NAT patients. The 5-year overall survival rate was 95.5%. The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 92.4% for all patients, 94.4% for the VBT group, and 87.4% for the NAT group (p = NS). Of the 169 VBT patients and 83 NAT patients, 8 (4.7%) and 6 (7.2%) developed recurrent disease. One vaginal recurrence occurred in the VBT group (0.6%) and three in the NAT group (3.8%). Recurrences developed 2-102 months after surgical treatment. Two of the four vaginal recurrences were salvaged. No Grade 3 or higher acute or late radiation toxicity was noted. Conclusions: The use of postoperative VBT in patients with Stage I endometrial cancer with <50% myometrial invasion yielded excellent vaginal disease control and disease-free survival, with minimal toxicity.

  14. Subcellular localization and regulation of type-1C and type-5 phosphodiesterases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dolci, Susanna; Belmonte, Alessia; Santone, Rocco; Giorgi, Mauro; Pellegrini, Manuela; Carosa, Eleonora; Piccione, Emilio; Lenzi, Andrea; Jannini, Emmanuele A.

    2006-01-01

    We investigated the subcellular localization of PDE5 in in vitro human myometrial cells. We demonstrated for First time that PDE5 is localized in discrete cytoplasmic foci and vesicular compartments corresponding to centrosomes. We also found that PDE5 intracellular localization is not cell- or species-specific, as it is conserved in different animal and human cells. PDE5 protein levels are strongly regulated by the mitotic activity of the smooth muscle cells (SMCs), as they were increased in quiescent, contractile myometrial cultures, and conditions in which proliferation was inhibited. In contrast, PDE1C levels decreased in all conditions that inhibited proliferation. This mirrored the enzymatic activity of both PDE5 and PDE1C. Increasing cGMP intracellular levels by dbcGMP or sildenafil treatments did not block proliferation, while dbcAMP inhibited myometrial cell proliferation. Together, these results suggest that PDE5 regulation of cGMP intracellular levels is not involved in the control of SMC cycle progression, but may represent one of the markers of the contractile phenotype

  15. Epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 expression and regulation in uterine leiomyoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsh, Erica E; Chibber, Shani; Wu, Ju; Siegersma, Kendra; Kim, Julie; Bulun, Serdar

    2016-04-01

    To determine the presence, differential expression, and regulation of epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) in uterine leiomyomas. Laboratory in vivo and in vitro study with the use of human leiomyoma and myometrial tissue and primary cells. Academic medical center. Leiomyoma and myometrial tissue samples and cultured cells. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) treatment. Fold-change difference between EFEMP1 and fibulin-3 expression in leiomyoma tissue and cells compared with matched myometrial samples, and fold-change difference in EFEMP1 expression with 5-Aza-dC treatment. In vivo, EFEMP1 expression was 3.19-fold higher in myometrial tissue than in leiomyoma tissue. EFEMP1 expression in vitro was 5.03-fold higher in myometrial cells than in leiomyoma cells. Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining of tissue and cells confirmed similar findings in protein expression. Treatment of leiomyoma cells with 5-Aza-dC resulted in increased expression of EFEMP1 in vitro. The EFEMP1 gene and its protein product, fibulin-3, are both significantly down-regulated in leiomyoma compared with myometrium when studied both in vivo and in vitro. The increase in EFEMP1 expression in leiomyoma cells with 5-Aza-dC treatment suggest that differential methylation is responsible, in part, for the differences seen in gene expression. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Estrogen biosynthesis in human uterine adenomyosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Urabe, Mamoru; Yamamoto, Takara; Kitawaki, Jo; Honjo, Hideo; Okada, Hiroji

    1989-01-01

    Estrogen biosynthesis (aromatiase activity) was investigated in human adenomyosis tissue and compared with that of the normal myometrium, endometrium, and endometrical cancer tissues. Homogenates were incubated with [1,2,6,7- 3 H]androstenedione and NADPH at 37 deg. C for 1 h. After stopping the enzymatic reaction with ethyl acetate, [4- 14 C]estrone and [4- 14 C]estradiol-17β were added to the incubated sample. Estrone and estradiol were purified and identified by Bio-Rad AG1-X2 column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography and co-crystallization. Estrogen formed in the incubated sample was calculated from the 3 H/ 14 C ratio of the final crystal. The value for estrone formed from androstenedione was 52-132 fmol . h -1. g -1 wet weight. Aromatase activity in the adenomyosis tissues was higher than that in normal endometrial or myometrial tissues, but lower than that found in myometrial or endometrial tumour tissue. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of danazol, progresterone, and medroxyprogesterone acetate on adenomyosis cells in primary cultures. Aromatase activity in adenomyosis was blocked by danazol, but stimulated by progesterone and MPA. These results indicate that aromatase activity in adenomyosis may contribute to the growth of the ectopic endometrial tissue which occurs in this disease. (author)

  17. Dietary Flavonoids as Therapeutics for Preterm Birth: Luteolin and Kaempferol Suppress Inflammation in Human Gestational Tissues In Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wall, Courtney; Lim, Ratana; Poljak, Marin; Lappas, Martha

    2013-01-01

    Infection/inflammation is commonly associated with preterm birth (PTB), initiating uterine contractions and rupture of fetal membranes. Proinflammatory cytokines induce matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM) and prostaglandins which initiate uterine contractions. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator-protein- (AP-)1 have key roles in the formation of these prolabour mediators. In nongestational tissues, dietary flavonoids such as luteolin and kaempferol inhibit NF-κB, AP-1, and their downstream targets. The aim of this study was to determine if luteolin and kaempferol reduce infection-induced prolabour mediators in human gestational tissues. Fetal membranes were incubated with LPS, and primary amnion cells and myometrial cells were incubated with IL-1β in the absence or presence of luteolin or kaempferol. Luteolin and kaempferol significantly reduced LPS-induced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8) and prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGF2α) in fetal membranes, IL-1β-induced COX-2 gene expression and prostaglandin production in myometrium, and IL-1β-induced MMP-9 activity in amnion and myometrial cells. Luteolin and kaempferol decreased IL-1β-induced NF-κB p65 DNA binding activity and nuclear c-Jun expression. In conclusion, luteolin and kaempferol inhibit prolabour mediators in human gestational tissues. Given the central role of inflammation in provoking preterm labour, phytophenols may be a therapeutic approach to reduce the incidence of PTB. PMID:23840918

  18. MicroRNA-15b regulates reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) expression in human uterine leiomyoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Yichun; Guo, Lankai; Zukerberg, Lawrence; Rueda, Bo R; Styer, Aaron K

    2016-08-17

    Human uterine leiomyoma (fibroids; LYO) are the most common benign neoplasms in reproductive-aged women. Dysregulated extracellular matrix and irregular LYO reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) expression are thought to be mediated by aberrant microRNA (miR) expression. The relationship of miR-15b and RECK expression in LYO has not been studied. The expression levels of miR-15b and RECK were determined by quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry in cultures derived from commercial primary leiomyoma (cpLYO) and myometrial (cpMYO) cell lines and leiomyoma (pLYO) and myometrium (pMYO) tissue from surgical samples respectively. The relationship between miR-15b and RECK expression in cpLYO and pLYO (compared to their respective myometrial controls) was evaluated following transfection of cell cultures with either miR-15b mimic or inhibitor. Elevated levels of miR-15b were observed in cpLYO (2.82-fold; p = 0.04) and pLYO cell (1.30-fold; p = 0.0001) cultures respectively compared to corresponding MYO cell controls. Following transfection with miR-15b mimic, cpLYO cells (0.62-fold; p < 0.0001) and pLYO cells (0.68-fold; p < 0.0001) demonstrated reduced RECK protein expression. Following transfection with miR-15b inhibitor, cpLYO cells (1.20-fold; p < 0.0001) and pLYO cells (1.31-fold; p = 0.0007) demonstrated elevated RECK protein expression. RECK protein expression was reduced in pLYO tissues (0.73-fold; p < 0.0001) and pLYO (0.47-fold; p = 0.047) cells when compared to the corresponding MYO tissue controls. Our findings suggest that miR-15b negatively regulates RECK expression in LYO, and increased miR-15b and decreased RECK expression may contribute to the pathobiology of LYO. The functional significance of miR-15b and RECK expression warrants further investigation as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of human LYO.

  19. A dynamical systems model of progesterone receptor interactions with inflammation in human parturition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brubaker, Douglas; Barbaro, Alethea; R Chance, Mark; Mesiano, Sam

    2016-08-19

    Progesterone promotes uterine relaxation and is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy. Withdrawal of progesterone activity and increased inflammation within the uterine tissues are key triggers for parturition. Progesterone actions in myometrial cells are mediated by two progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms, PR-A and PR-B, that function as ligand-activated transcription factors. PR-B mediates relaxatory actions of progesterone, in part, by decreasing myometrial cell responsiveness to pro-inflammatory stimuli. These same pro-inflammatory stimuli promote the expression of PR-A which inhibits the anti-inflammatory activity of PR-B. Competitive interaction between the progesterone receptors then augments myometrial responsiveness to pro-inflammatory stimuli. The interaction between PR-B transcriptional activity and inflammation in the pregnancy myometrium is examined using a dynamical systems model in which quiescence and labor are represented as phase-space equilibrium points. Our model shows that PR-B transcriptional activity and the inflammatory load determine the stability of the quiescent and laboring phenotypes. The model is tested using published transcriptome datasets describing the mRNA abundances in the myometrium before and after the onset of labor at term. Surrogate transcripts were selected to reflect PR-B transcriptional activity and inflammation status. The model coupling PR-B activity and inflammation predicts contractile status (i.e., laboring or quiescent) with high precision and recall and outperforms uncoupled single and two-gene classifiers. Linear stability analysis shows that phase space bifurcations exist in our model that may reflect the phenotypic states of the pregnancy uterus. The model describes a possible tipping point for the transition of the quiescent to the contractile laboring phenotype. Our model describes the functional interaction between the PR-A:PR-B hypothesis and tissue level inflammation in the pregnancy uterus and is a

  20. Bitter taste receptors as targets for tocolytics in preterm labor therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Kaizhi; Lu, Ping; Delpapa, Ellen; Bellve, Karl; Deng, Ruitang; Condon, Jennifer C; Fogarty, Kevin; Lifshitz, Lawrence M; Simas, Tiffany A Moore; Shi, Fangxiong; ZhuGe, Ronghua

    2017-09-01

    Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity, with few prevention and treatment options. Uterine contraction is a central feature of PTB, so gaining new insights into the mechanisms of this contraction and consequently identifying novel targets for tocolytics are essential for more successful management of PTB. Here we report that myometrial cells from human and mouse express bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) and their canonical signaling components ( i.e., G-protein gustducin and phospholipase C β2). Bitter tastants can completely relax myometrium precontracted by different uterotonics. In isolated single mouse myometrial cells, a phenotypical bitter tastant (chloroquine, ChQ) reverses the rise in intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) and cell shortening induced by uterotonics, and this reversal effect is inhibited by pertussis toxin and by genetic deletion of α-gustducin. In human myometrial cells, knockdown of TAS2R14 but not TAS2R10 inhibits ChQ's reversal effect on an oxytocin-induced rise in [Ca 2+ ] i Finally, ChQ prevents mouse PTBs induced by bacterial endotoxin LPS or progesterone receptor antagonist mifepristone more often than current commonly used tocolytics, and this prevention is largely lost in α-gustducin-knockout mice. Collectively, our results reveal that activation of the canonical TAS2R signaling system in myometrial cells produces profound relaxation of myometrium precontracted by a broad spectrum of contractile agonists, and that targeting TAS2Rs is an attractive approach to developing effective tocolytics for PTB management.-Zheng, K., Lu, P., Delpapa, E., Bellve, K., Deng, R., Condon, J. C., Fogarty, K., Lifshitz, L. M., Simas, T. A. M., Shi, F., ZhuGe, R. Bitter taste receptors as targets for tocolytics in preterm labor therapy. © FASEB.

  1. The retardation of myometrial infiltration, reduction of uterine contractility, and alleviation of generalized hyperalgesia in mice with induced adenomyosis by levo-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) and andrographolide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Xiaoyan; Wang, Yuedong; Carter, Andrew V; Zhen, Xuechu; Guo, Sun-Wei

    2011-10-01

    Adenomyosis is a tough disease to manage nonsurgically. Levo-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP), a known analgesic, and andrographolide, a nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) inhibitor, are both active ingredients extracted from Chinese medicinal herbs. We sought to determine whether treatment of l-THP, andrographolide, and valproic acid (VPA) would suppress the myometrial infiltration, improve pain behavior, and reduce uterine contractility in a mice model of adenomyosis. Adenomyosis was induced in 55 female ICR mice neonatally dosed with tamoxifen, while another 8 (group C) were dosed with solvent only. Starting from 4 weeks after birth, hotplate test was administrated to all mice every 4 weeks. At the 16th week, all mice with induced adenomyosis were randomly divided into 6 groups, each receiving different treatment for 3 weeks: low- or high-dose l-THP, andrographolide, low-dose l-THP and andrographolide jointly, VPA, and untreated. Group C received no treatment. After treatment, the hotplate test was administered and all mice were killed. The depth of myometrial infiltration of ectopic endometrium and uterine contractility were measured and compared across groups. We found that induction of adenomyosis resulted in progressive generalized hyperalgesia, along with elevated amplitude and irregularity of uterine contractions. Treatment with either l-THP, andrographolide, VPA, or l-THP and andrographolide jointly suppressed myometrial infiltration, improved generalized hyperalgesia, and reduced the amplitude and irregularity of uterine contractions. These results suggest that increased uterine contractility, in the form of increased contractile amplitude and irregularity, may contribute to dysmenorrhea in women with adenomyosis. More importantly, l-THP, andrographolide, and VPA all seem to be promising compounds for treating adenomyosis.

  2. Analysis of Maxi-K alpha subunit splice variants in human myometrium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morrison John J

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Large-conductance, calcium-activated potassium (Maxi-K channels are implicated in the modulation of human uterine contractions and myometrial Ca2+ homeostasis. However, the regulatory mechanism(s governing the expression of Maxi-K channels with decreased calcium sensitivity at parturition are unclear. The objectives of this study were to investigate mRNA expression of the Maxi-K alpha subunit, and that of its splice variants, in human non-pregnant and pregnant myometrium, prior to and after labour onset, to determine whether altered expression of these splice variants is associated with decreased calcium sensitivity observed at labour onset. Methods Myometrial biopsies were obtained at hysterectomy (non-pregnant, NP, and at Caesarean section, at elective (pregnant not-in-labour, PNL and intrapartum (pregnant in-labour, PL procedures. RNA was extracted from all biopsies and quantitative real-time RT-PCR was used to investigate for possible differential expression of the Maxi-K alpha subunit, and that of its splice variants, between these functionally-distinct myometrial tissue sets. Results RT-PCR analysis identified the presence of a 132 bp and an 87 bp spliced exon of the Maxi-K alpha subunit in all three myometrial tissue sets. Quantitative real-time PCR indicated a decrease in the expression of the Maxi-K alpha subunit with labour onset. While there was no change in the proportion of Maxi-K alpha subunits expressing the 87 bp spliced exon, the proportion of alpha subunits expressing the 132 bp spliced exon was significantly increased with labour onset, compared to both non-pregnant and pregnant not-in-labour tissues. An increased proportion of 132 bp exon-containing alpha subunit variants with labour onset is of interest, as channels expressing this spliced exon have decreased calcium and voltage sensitivities. Conclusions Our findings suggest that decreased Maxi-K alpha subunit mRNA expression in human myometrium at

  3. Opioid mediated activity and expression of mu and delta opioid receptors in isolated human term non-labouring myometrium.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Fanning, Rebecca A

    2013-01-05

    The existence of opioid receptors in mammalian myometrial tissue is now widely accepted. Previously enkephalin degrading enzymes have been shown to be elevated in pregnant rat uterus and a met-enkephalin analogue has been shown to alter spontaneous contractility of rat myometrium. Here we have undertaken studies to determine the effects of met-enkephalin on in vitro human myometrial contractility and investigate the expression of opioid receptors in pregnant myometrium. Myometrial biopsies were taken from women undergoing elective caesarean delivery at term. Organ bath experiments were used to investigate the effect of the met-enkephalin analogue [d-Ala 2, d-met 5] enkephalin (DAMEA) on spontaneous contractility. A confocal immunofluorescent technique and real time PCR were used to determine the expression of protein and mRNA, respectively for two opioid receptor subtypes, mu and delta. DAMEA had a concentration dependent inhibitory effect on contractile activity (1 × 10(-7)M-1 × 10(-4)M; 54% reduction in contractile activity, P<0.001 at 1 × 10(-4)M concentration). Mu and delta opioid receptor protein sub-types and their respective mRNA were identified in all tissues sampled. This is the first report of opioid receptor expression and of an opioid mediated uterorelaxant action in term human non-labouring myometrium in vitro.

  4. Decreased expression of microRNA-29 family in leiomyoma contributes to increased major fibrillar collagen production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsh, Erica E; Steinberg, Marissa L; Parker, J Brandon; Wu, Ju; Chakravarti, Debabrata; Bulun, Serdar E

    2016-09-01

    To determine the expression and function of the microRNA-29 family (miRNA-29a, miRNA-29b, miRNA-29c) in human leiomyoma and myometrium. Basic science experimental design. Academic medical center. Women undergoing surgery for symptomatic uterine fibroids. Overexpression and knockdown of miRNA-29a, miRNA-29b, and miRNA-29c in primary leiomyoma and myometrial cells. [1] Expression of the miRNA-29 family members in vivo in leiomyoma versus myometrium; [2] Major fibrillar collagen (I, II, III) expression in leiomyoma and myometrial cells with manipulation of miRNA-29 species. Members of the miRNA-29 family (29a, 29b, 29c) are all down-regulated in leiomyoma versus myometrium in vivo. The expression of the miRNA-29 family can be successfully modulated in primary leiomyoma and myometrial cells. Overexpression of the miRNA-29 family in leiomyoma cells results in down-regulation of the major fibrillar collagens. Down-regulation of the miRNA-29 species in myometrium results in an increase in collagen type III deposition. The miRNA-29 family is consistently down-regulated in leiomyoma compared to matched myometrial tissue. This down-regulation contributes to the increased collagen seen in leiomyomas versus myometrium. When miRNA-29 members are overexpressed in leiomyoma cells, protein levels of all of the major fibrillar collagens decrease. The miRNA-29 members are potential therapeutic targets in this highly prevalent condition. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Bisphenol A Concentrates Preferentially in Human Uterine Leiomyoma and Induces Proliferation in Rat Myometrium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othman, Essam R; Al-Adly, Dina M M; Elgamal, Dalia A; Ghandour, Nagwa; El-Sharkawy, Sawsan

    2016-04-01

    To measure tissue levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in uterine leiomyoma (ULM), adjacent myometrium (Myo-F), and normal myometrium (Myo-N). Also, we tested the effect of BPA treatment on rat myometrium. Uterine leiomyomas and Myo-F tissues were isolated from hysterectomy specimens done to treat symptomatic ULMs (N = 30). Normal myometrium is isolated from hysterectomies done on ULM-free uteri for other benign indications (N = 25). Bisphenol A was measured in 1 g of tissue using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography, with fluorescence detectors. Experimentally, adult female rats were fed BPA orally at a dose of 50 mg/kg/d for 90 days. Animals were killed, and their myometrial thickness and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining were evaluated. Tissue concentration of BPA in each of ULM (12.3 ± 2.8 µg/g) and Myo-F (10.1 ± 0.2 µg/g) was significantly higher than that of Myo-N (0.58 ± 0.2 µg/g). There was no statistically significant difference in BPA level between ULM and Myo-F within submucous or interstitial/subserous fibroid groups. Compared to control rats, BPA-treated animals showed significantly higher myometrial thickness (168.67 ± 5.7 µm and 281.6 ± 20.32 µm, respectively, P = .003) and increased myometrial PCNA immunoscores (1.5 ± 0.37 and 10.38 ± 0.67, respectively, P ≤ .001). Bisphenol A concentrates in human ULM tissue and its adjacent Myo-F compared to Myo-N. No significant difference is detected in BPA content of ULM tissue of different subtypes. Bisphenol A increases thickness and induces cellular proliferation in rat myometrium. Taken together, our results support a role of BPA in ULM development/growth. © The Author(s) 2015.

  6. Inflammatory aetiology of human myometrial activation tested using directed graphs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available THERE ARE THREE MAIN HYPOTHESES FOR THE ACTIVATION OF THE HUMAN UTERUS AT LABOUR: functional progesterone withdrawal, inflammatory stimulation, and oxytocin receptor activation. To test these alternatives we have taken information and data from the literature to develop causal pathway models for the activation of human myometrium. The data provided quantitative RT-PCR results on key genes from samples taken before and during labour. Principal component analysis showed that pre-labour samples form a homogenous group compared to those during labour. We therefore modelled the alternative causal pathways in non-labouring samples using directed graphs and statistically compared the likelihood of the different models using structural equations and D-separation approaches. Using the computer program LISREL, inflammatory activation as a primary event was highly consistent with the data (p = 0.925, progesterone withdrawal, as a primary event, is plausible (p = 0.499, yet comparatively unlikely, oxytocin receptor mediated initiation is less compatible with the data (p = 0.091. DGraph, a software program that creates directed graphs, produced similar results (p= 0.684, p= 0.280, and p = 0.04, respectively. This outcome supports an inflammatory aetiology for human labour. Our results demonstrate the value of directed graphs in determining the likelihood of causal relationships in biology in situations where experiments are not possible.

  7. The Human Cell Atlas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Regev, Aviv; Teichmann, Sarah A; Lander, Eric S; Amit, Ido; Benoist, Christophe; Birney, Ewan; Bodenmiller, Bernd; Campbell, Peter; Carninci, Piero; Clatworthy, Menna; Clevers, Hans; Deplancke, Bart; Dunham, Ian; Eberwine, James; Eils, Roland; Enard, Wolfgang; Farmer, Andrew; Fugger, Lars; Göttgens, Berthold; Hacohen, Nir; Haniffa, Muzlifah; Hemberg, Martin; Kim, Seung; Klenerman, Paul; Kriegstein, Arnold; Lein, Ed; Linnarsson, Sten; Lundberg, Emma; Lundeberg, Joakim; Majumder, Partha; Marioni, John C; Merad, Miriam; Mhlanga, Musa; Nawijn, Martijn; Netea, Mihai; Nolan, Garry; Pe'er, Dana; Phillipakis, Anthony; Ponting, Chris P; Quake, Stephen; Reik, Wolf; Rozenblatt-Rosen, Orit; Sanes, Joshua; Satija, Rahul; Schumacher, Ton N; Shalek, Alex; Shapiro, Ehud; Sharma, Padmanee; Shin, Jay W; Stegle, Oliver; Stratton, Michael; Stubbington, Michael J T; Theis, Fabian J; Uhlen, Matthias; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; Wagner, Allon; Watt, Fiona; Weissman, Jonathan; Wold, Barbara; Xavier, Ramnik; Yosef, Nir

    2017-12-05

    The recent advent of methods for high-throughput single-cell molecular profiling has catalyzed a growing sense in the scientific community that the time is ripe to complete the 150-year-old effort to identify all cell types in the human body. The Human Cell Atlas Project is an international collaborative effort that aims to define all human cell types in terms of distinctive molecular profiles (such as gene expression profiles) and to connect this information with classical cellular descriptions (such as location and morphology). An open comprehensive reference map of the molecular state of cells in healthy human tissues would propel the systematic study of physiological states, developmental trajectories, regulatory circuitry and interactions of cells, and also provide a framework for understanding cellular dysregulation in human disease. Here we describe the idea, its potential utility, early proofs-of-concept, and some design considerations for the Human Cell Atlas, including a commitment to open data, code, and community.

  8. Adjustment of Serum HE4 to reduced Glomerular filtration and its use in Biomarker-based prediction of deep Myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chovanec, Josef; Selingerova, Iveta; Greplova, Kristina

    2017-01-01

    Background: We investigated the efficacy of circulating biomarkers together with histological grade and age to predict deep myometrial invasion (dMI) in endometrial cancer patients. Methods: HE4ren was developed adjusting HE4 serum levels towards decreased glomerular filtration rate as quantified...... levels to reduced eGFR that enables quantification of time-dependent changes in HE4 production and elimination irrespective of age and renal function in women. Utilizing HE4ren improves performance of biomarker-based models for prediction of dMI in endometrial cancer patients....

  9. The human cell atlas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Regev, Aviv; Teichmann, Sarah A.; Lander, Eric S.

    2017-01-01

    The recent advent of methods for high-throughput single-cell molecular profiling has catalyzed a growing sense in the scientific community that the time is ripe to complete the 150-year-old effort to identify all cell types in the human body. The Human Cell Atlas Project is an international...... collaborative effort that aims to define all human cell types in terms of distinctive molecular profiles (such as gene expression profiles) and to connect this information with classical cellular descriptions (such as location and morphology). An open comprehensive reference map of the molecular state of cells...... in healthy human tissues would propel the systematic study of physiological states, developmental trajectories, regulatory circuitry and interactions of cells, and also provide a framework for understanding cellular dysregulation in human disease. Here we describe the idea, its potential utility, early...

  10. Prolonged labour associated with lower expression of syndecan 3 and connexin 43 in human uterine tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malmström Anders

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prolonged labour is associated with greater morbidity and mortality for mother and child. Connexin 43 is a major myometrial gap junction protein found in human myometrium. Syndecan 3 seems to prevail in the human uterus among heparan sulphate proteoglycans, showing the most significant increase during labour. The aims of the present study were to investigate syndecan 3 and connexin 43 mRNA expressions and protein distributions in human uterine tissue during normal and prolonged labour. Methods Uterine isthmic biopsies were collected from non-pregnant (n = 7, term pregnant women not in labour (n = 14, in normal labour (n = 7 and in prolonged labour (n = 7. mRNA levels of syndecan 3 and connexin 43 were determined by real time RT-PCR. The localization and expression were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Results In women with prolonged labour, the mRNA expressions of syndecan 3 and Connexin 43 were considerably lower than the expression level at normal labour (p Conclusion The high expression of syndecan 3 and connexin 43 and their co-localization to the smooth muscle bundles during normal labour, together with the significant reduction in prolonged labour, may indicate a role for these proteins in the co-ordination of myometrial contractility.

  11. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging to assess physiologic variations of myometrial perfusion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomassin-Naggara, Isabelle [Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Department of Radiology, Hopital Tenon, Paris (France); Universite Rene Descartes, Laboratoire de Recherche en Imagerie-INSERM U970, Paris (France); Hopital Tenon, Service de Radiologie, Paris (France); Balvay, Daniel [Universite Rene Descartes, Laboratoire de Recherche en Imagerie-INSERM U970, Paris (France); Cuenod, Charles A. [Universite Rene Descartes, Laboratoire de Recherche en Imagerie-INSERM U970, Paris (France); Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), Department of Radiology, Paris (France); Darai, Emile [Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Department of Gynaecology-Obstetrics, Hopital Tenon, Paris (France); Marsault, Claude; Bazot, Marc [Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Department of Radiology, Hopital Tenon, Paris (France)

    2010-04-15

    To prospectively evaluate the ability of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to assess physiological microvascular states in normal myometrium. Eighty-five women (62 women of reproductive age, 23 postmenopausal) undergoing DCE-MRI of the pelvis were included. Microvascular parameters for the inner and outer myometrium were analysed using a pharmacokinetic model. These parameters were tissue blood flow (F), blood volume fraction (V{sub b}), permeability-surface area product (PS), interstitial volume fraction (V{sub e}) and lag time (Dt). In the women of reproductive age, the inner myometrium displayed higher F and PS, lower V{sub b} and V{sub e}, and longer Dt than the outer myometrium (p = 0.02, p = 0.01, p = 0.005, p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively). The inner myometrium presented microvascular variations during the menstrual cycle with a pre-ovulatory peak followed by a fall reaching a nadir of F and V{sub b} about 4 days after ovulation. Compared with women of reproductive age, in the postmenopausal state, F and V{sub b} decreased in the outer myometrium, while PS, V{sub e} and Dt increased (p < 0.0001, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.03 and p = 0.0004, respectively). DCE-MRI is a non-invasive technique that can measure variations of myometrial microcirculation, and thereby be potentially useful to help characterize the role and states of the myometrium in assisted reproductive therapy. (orig.)

  12. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging to assess physiologic variations of myometrial perfusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomassin-Naggara, Isabelle; Balvay, Daniel; Cuenod, Charles A.; Darai, Emile; Marsault, Claude; Bazot, Marc

    2010-01-01

    To prospectively evaluate the ability of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to assess physiological microvascular states in normal myometrium. Eighty-five women (62 women of reproductive age, 23 postmenopausal) undergoing DCE-MRI of the pelvis were included. Microvascular parameters for the inner and outer myometrium were analysed using a pharmacokinetic model. These parameters were tissue blood flow (F), blood volume fraction (V b ), permeability-surface area product (PS), interstitial volume fraction (V e ) and lag time (Dt). In the women of reproductive age, the inner myometrium displayed higher F and PS, lower V b and V e , and longer Dt than the outer myometrium (p = 0.02, p = 0.01, p = 0.005, p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively). The inner myometrium presented microvascular variations during the menstrual cycle with a pre-ovulatory peak followed by a fall reaching a nadir of F and V b about 4 days after ovulation. Compared with women of reproductive age, in the postmenopausal state, F and V b decreased in the outer myometrium, while PS, V e and Dt increased (p < 0.0001, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.03 and p = 0.0004, respectively). DCE-MRI is a non-invasive technique that can measure variations of myometrial microcirculation, and thereby be potentially useful to help characterize the role and states of the myometrium in assisted reproductive therapy. (orig.)

  13. Defective repair of UV-damaged DNA in human tumor and SV40-transformed human cells but not in adenovirus-transformed human cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rainbow, A.J.

    1989-01-01

    The DNA repair capacities of five human tumor cell lines, one SV40-transformed human cell line and one adenovirus-transformed human cell line were compared with that of normal human fibroblasts using a sensitive host cell reactivation (HCR) technique. Unirradiated and UV-irradiated suspensions of adenovirus type 2 (Ad 2) were assayed for their ability to form viral structural antigens (Vag) in the various cell types using immunofluorescent staining. The survival of Vag formation for UV-irradiated Ad 2 was significantly reduced in all the human tumor cell lines and the SV40-transformed human line compared to the normal human fibroblasts, but was apparently normal in the adenovirus-transformed human cells. D 0 values for the UV survival of Ad 2 Vag synthesis in the tumor and virally transformed lines expressed as a percentage of that obtained on normal fibroblast strains were used as a measure of DNA repair capacity. Percent HCR values ranged from 26 to 53% in the tumor cells. These results indicate a deficiency in the repair of UV-induced DNA damage associated with human tumorigenesis and the transformation of human cells by SV40 but not the transformation of human cells by adenovirus. (author)

  14. Myometrial invasion and overall staging of endometrial carcinoma: assessment using fusion of T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo Y

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Yu Guo,1,2 Ping Wang,2 Penghui Wang,2 Wei Gao,1 Fenge Li,3 Xueling Yang,1 Hongyan Ni,2 Wen Shen,2 Zhi Guo1 1Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 2Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, The First Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 3Department of Gynecology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China Background: The age of onset of endometrial carcinoma has been decreasing in recent years. In endometrial carcinoma, it is important to accurately assess invasion depth and preoperative staging. Fusion of T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2WI and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI may contribute to the improvement of anatomical localization of lesions.Materials and methods: In our study, a total of 58 endometrial carcinoma cases were included. Based on the revised 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system, a fusion of T2WI and DWI was utilized for the evaluation of invasion depth and determination of the overall stage. Postoperative pathologic assessment was considered as the reference standard. The consistency of T2WI image staging and pathologic staging, and the consistency of fused T2WI and DWI and pathologic staging were all analyzed using Kappa statistics.Results: Compared with the T2WI group, a significantly higher diagnostic accuracy was observed for myometrial invasion with fusion of T2WI and DWI (77.6% for T2WI; 94.8% for T2WI-DWI. For the identification of deep invasion, we calculated values for diagnostic sensitivity (69.2% for T2WI; 92.3% for T2WI-DWI, specificity (80% for T2WI; 95.6% for T2WI-DWI, positive predictive value (50% for T2WI; 85.7% for T2WI-DWI, and negative predictive value (90% for

  15. Genome engineering in human cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Minjung; Kim, Young-Hoon; Kim, Jin-Soo; Kim, Hyongbum

    2014-01-01

    Genome editing in human cells is of great value in research, medicine, and biotechnology. Programmable nucleases including zinc-finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and RNA-guided engineered nucleases recognize a specific target sequence and make a double-strand break at that site, which can result in gene disruption, gene insertion, gene correction, or chromosomal rearrangements. The target sequence complexities of these programmable nucleases are higher than 3.2 mega base pairs, the size of the haploid human genome. Here, we briefly introduce the structure of the human genome and the characteristics of each programmable nuclease, and review their applications in human cells including pluripotent stem cells. In addition, we discuss various delivery methods for nucleases, programmable nickases, and enrichment of gene-edited human cells, all of which facilitate efficient and precise genome editing in human cells.

  16. Plasma membrane proteomics of human embryonic stem cells and human embryonal carcinoma cells.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dormeyer, W.; van Hoof, D.; Braam, S.R.; Heck, A.J.R.; Mummery, C.L.; Krijgsveld, J.

    2008-01-01

    Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are of immense interest in regenerative medicine as they can self-renew indefinitely and can give rise to any adult cell type. Human embryonal carcinoma cells (hECCs) are the malignant counterparts of hESCs found in testis tumors. hESCs that have acquired

  17. Role of stress peptides during human pregnancy and labour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hillhouse, Edward W; Grammatopoulos, Dimitris K

    2002-09-01

    Premature birth is the major source of perinatal death and disability. Furthermore, the intrauterine health of the baby is important for preventing certain adult diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms driving the onset of human labour remain uncertain, although several key players have been identified. It is becoming clear that there are many pathways to parturition in humans. Stress peptides, in particular placental corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and possibly the related peptide urocortin, appear to play important roles throughout pregnancy. Plasma CRH is a predictor of the duration of human gestation. During most of pregnancy, CRH, acting via specific CRH receptor subtypes, plays a 'protective' role by promoting myometrial quiescence via the generation of cAMP and cGMP, and upregulation of nitric oxide synthase expression. At term, myometrial contractility is enhanced by a complex series of molecular switches, involving the upregulation of oxytocin receptor expression and crosstalk between the oxytocin and CRH receptors. This results in protein kinase C-induced phosphorylation of specific CRH receptor subtypes, with subsequent desensitization and a shift in the intracellular microenvironment to enhance contractility. CRH/urocortin, via specific receptor isoforms, is now able to activate Gq and potentially enhance the oxytocin-driven generation of inositol triphosphate. In addition, CRH/urocortin, via specific CRH receptor subtypes, may generate prostaglandins from the fetal membranes and decidua, play a role in placental vasodilatation and participate in fetal adrenal function and organ maturation. These peptides and receptors are phylogenetically ancient and well preserved across species. They may have evolved as a mechanism to protect against the 'stress' of premature birth.

  18. Levothyroxine treatment generates an abnormal uterine contractility patterns in an in vitro animal model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stéphanie Corriveau, MSc

    2015-12-01

    Conclusion: Our data suggest that changes in myometrial reactivity are induced by T4 treatment. Thus, in conjunction with our previous observations on human myometrial strips, management of hypothyroidism should be improved to reduce the rate of C-sections in this group of patients.

  19. Myometrial Cystic Formation after Local Methotrexate Application into Cornual Gestational Sac: A Case Report of an Unexpected Complication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zehra Sema Ozkan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Cornual pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy, and diverse therapeutic options exist for the management. Medical treatment despite high initial beta HCG values is not thought to be safe. We reported a 39-year-old woman with an initial beta HCG value of 22000 mIU/mL and diagnosed of a cornual pregnancy. Patient was managed successfully with the administration of combined systemic and ultrasonographically guided local injection of methotrexate into the gestational sac. During followup with serial beta hcg measurements, 27×20 mm cystic area in myometrium has been detected. Beta hcg <1 mIU/mL value was reached three months later, and this cystic area resolved spontaneously. Systemic methotrexate administration combined with ultrasound-guided local methotrexate injection into the gestational sac might be considered as the first-line treatment in the management of hemodynamically stable patients having cornual pregnancy even with high beta HCG values and risk of myometrial cystic formation.

  20. Immunosuppressive Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Induce Human Regulatory T Cells In Vitro and In Vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roux, Clémence; Saviane, Gaëlle; Pini, Jonathan; Belaïd, Nourhène; Dhib, Gihen; Voha, Christine; Ibáñez, Lidia; Boutin, Antoine; Mazure, Nathalie M; Wakkach, Abdelilah; Blin-Wakkach, Claudine; Rouleau, Matthieu

    2017-01-01

    Despite mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are considered as a promising source of cells to modulate immune functions on cells from innate and adaptive immune systems, their clinical use remains restricted (few number, limited in vitro expansion, absence of a full phenotypic characterization, few insights on their in vivo fate). Standardized MSCs derived in vitro from human-induced pluripotent stem (huIPS) cells, remediating part of these issues, are considered as well as a valuable tool for therapeutic approaches, but their functions remained to be fully characterized. We generated multipotent MSCs derived from huiPS cells (huiPS-MSCs), and focusing on their immunosuppressive activity, we showed that human T-cell activation in coculture with huiPS-MSCs was significantly reduced. We also observed the generation of functional CD4 + FoxP3 + regulatory T (Treg) cells. Further tested in vivo in a model of human T-cell expansion in immune-deficient NSG mice, huiPS-MSCs immunosuppressive activity prevented the circulation and the accumulation of activated human T cells. Intracytoplasmic labeling of cytokines produced by the recovered T cells showed reduced percentages of human-differentiated T cells producing Th1 inflammatory cytokines. By contrast, T cells producing IL-10 and FoxP3 + -Treg cells, absent in non-treated animals, were detected in huiPS-MSCs treated mice. For the first time, these results highlight the immunosuppressive activity of the huiPS-MSCs on human T-cell stimulation with a concomitant generation of human Treg cells in vivo . They may favor the development of new tools and strategies based on the use of huiPS cells and their derivatives for the induction of immune tolerance.

  1. Immunosuppressive Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Induce Human Regulatory T Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clémence Roux

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs are considered as a promising source of cells to modulate immune functions on cells from innate and adaptive immune systems, their clinical use remains restricted (few number, limited in vitro expansion, absence of a full phenotypic characterization, few insights on their in vivo fate. Standardized MSCs derived in vitro from human-induced pluripotent stem (huIPS cells, remediating part of these issues, are considered as well as a valuable tool for therapeutic approaches, but their functions remained to be fully characterized. We generated multipotent MSCs derived from huiPS cells (huiPS-MSCs, and focusing on their immunosuppressive activity, we showed that human T-cell activation in coculture with huiPS-MSCs was significantly reduced. We also observed the generation of functional CD4+ FoxP3+ regulatory T (Treg cells. Further tested in vivo in a model of human T-cell expansion in immune-deficient NSG mice, huiPS-MSCs immunosuppressive activity prevented the circulation and the accumulation of activated human T cells. Intracytoplasmic labeling of cytokines produced by the recovered T cells showed reduced percentages of human-differentiated T cells producing Th1 inflammatory cytokines. By contrast, T cells producing IL-10 and FoxP3+-Treg cells, absent in non-treated animals, were detected in huiPS-MSCs treated mice. For the first time, these results highlight the immunosuppressive activity of the huiPS-MSCs on human T-cell stimulation with a concomitant generation of human Treg cells in vivo. They may favor the development of new tools and strategies based on the use of huiPS cells and their derivatives for the induction of immune tolerance.

  2. Alloimmune Responses of Humanized Mice to Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapeutics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nigel G. Kooreman

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available There is growing interest in using embryonic stem cell (ESC and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC derivatives for tissue regeneration. However, an increased understanding of human immune responses to stem cell-derived allografts is necessary for maintaining long-term graft persistence. To model this alloimmunity, humanized mice engrafted with human hematopoietic and immune cells could prove to be useful. In this study, an in-depth analysis of graft-infiltrating human lymphocytes and splenocytes revealed that humanized mice incompletely model human immune responses toward allogeneic stem cells and their derivatives. Furthermore, using an “allogenized” mouse model, we show the feasibility of reconstituting immunodeficient mice with a functional mouse immune system and describe a key role of innate immune cells in the rejection of mouse stem cell allografts.

  3. Trophoblast lineage cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Ying; Wang, Kai; Chandramouli, Gadisetti V.R.; Knott, Jason G.; Leach, Richard

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Epithelial-like phenotype of trophoblast lineage cells derived from human iPS cells. •Trophoblast lineage cells derived from human iPS cells exhibit trophoblast function. •Trophoblasts from iPS cells provides a proof-of-concept in regenerative medicine. -- Abstract: Background: During implantation, the blastocyst trophectoderm attaches to the endometrial epithelium and continues to differentiate into all trophoblast subtypes, which are the major components of a placenta. Aberrant trophoblast proliferation and differentiation are associated with placental diseases. However, due to ethical and practical issues, there is almost no available cell or tissue source to study the molecular mechanism of human trophoblast differentiation, which further becomes a barrier to the study of the pathogenesis of trophoblast-associated diseases of pregnancy. In this study, our goal was to generate a proof-of-concept model for deriving trophoblast lineage cells from induced pluripotency stem (iPS) cells from human fibroblasts. In future studies the generation of trophoblast lineage cells from iPS cells established from patient’s placenta will be extremely useful for studying the pathogenesis of individual trophoblast-associated diseases and for drug testing. Methods and results: Combining iPS cell technology with BMP4 induction, we derived trophoblast lineage cells from human iPS cells. The gene expression profile of these trophoblast lineage cells was distinct from fibroblasts and iPS cells. These cells expressed markers of human trophoblasts. Furthermore, when these cells were differentiated they exhibited invasive capacity and placental hormone secretive capacity, suggesting extravillous trophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts. Conclusion: Trophoblast lineage cells can be successfully derived from human iPS cells, which provide a proof-of-concept tool to recapitulate pathogenesis of patient placental trophoblasts in vitro

  4. Trophoblast lineage cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Ying, E-mail: ying.chen@hc.msu.edu [Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, 333 Bostwick NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (United States); Wang, Kai; Chandramouli, Gadisetti V.R. [Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, 333 Bostwick NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (United States); Knott, Jason G. [Developmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University (United States); Leach, Richard, E-mail: Richard.leach@hc.msu.edu [Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, 333 Bostwick NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (United States); Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, Spectrum Health Medical Group (United States)

    2013-07-12

    Highlights: •Epithelial-like phenotype of trophoblast lineage cells derived from human iPS cells. •Trophoblast lineage cells derived from human iPS cells exhibit trophoblast function. •Trophoblasts from iPS cells provides a proof-of-concept in regenerative medicine. -- Abstract: Background: During implantation, the blastocyst trophectoderm attaches to the endometrial epithelium and continues to differentiate into all trophoblast subtypes, which are the major components of a placenta. Aberrant trophoblast proliferation and differentiation are associated with placental diseases. However, due to ethical and practical issues, there is almost no available cell or tissue source to study the molecular mechanism of human trophoblast differentiation, which further becomes a barrier to the study of the pathogenesis of trophoblast-associated diseases of pregnancy. In this study, our goal was to generate a proof-of-concept model for deriving trophoblast lineage cells from induced pluripotency stem (iPS) cells from human fibroblasts. In future studies the generation of trophoblast lineage cells from iPS cells established from patient’s placenta will be extremely useful for studying the pathogenesis of individual trophoblast-associated diseases and for drug testing. Methods and results: Combining iPS cell technology with BMP4 induction, we derived trophoblast lineage cells from human iPS cells. The gene expression profile of these trophoblast lineage cells was distinct from fibroblasts and iPS cells. These cells expressed markers of human trophoblasts. Furthermore, when these cells were differentiated they exhibited invasive capacity and placental hormone secretive capacity, suggesting extravillous trophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts. Conclusion: Trophoblast lineage cells can be successfully derived from human iPS cells, which provide a proof-of-concept tool to recapitulate pathogenesis of patient placental trophoblasts in vitro.

  5. Formation of human hepatocyte-like cells with different cellular phenotypes by human umbilical cord blood-derived cells in the human-rat chimeras

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Yan; Xiao, Dong; Zhang, Ruo-Shuang; Cui, Guang-Hui; Wang, Xin-Hua; Chen, Xi-Gu

    2007-01-01

    We took advantage of the proliferative and permissive environment of the developing pre-immune fetus to develop a noninjury human-rat xenograft small animal model, in which the in utero transplantation of low-density mononuclear cells (MNCs) from human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) into fetal rats at 9-11 days of gestation led to the formation of human hepatocyte-like cells (hHLCs) with different cellular phenotypes, as revealed by positive immunostaining for human-specific alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), cytokeratin 19 (CK19), cytokeratin 8 (CK8), cytokeratin 18 (CK18), and albumin (Alb), and with some animals exhibiting levels as high as 10.7% of donor-derived human cells in the recipient liver. More interestingly, donor-derived human cells stained positively for CD34 and CD45 in the liver of 2-month-old rat. Human hepatic differentiation appeared to partially follow the process of hepatic ontogeny, as evidenced by the expression of AFP gene at an early stage and albumin gene at a later stage. Human hepatocytes generated in this model retained functional properties of normal hepatocytes. In this xenogeneic system, the engrafted donor-derived human cells persisted in the recipient liver for at least 6 months after birth. Taken together, these findings suggest that the donor-derived human cells with different cellular phenotypes are found in the recipient liver and hHLCs hold biological activity. This humanized small animal model, which offers an in vivo environment more closely resembling the situations in human, provides an invaluable approach for in vivo investigating human stem cell behaviors, and further in vivo examining fundamental mechanisms controlling human stem cell fates in the future

  6. Beta-Estradiol Regulates Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels and Estrogen Receptors in Telocytes from Human Myometrium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adela Banciu

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors are essential players in uterine physiology, and their association with different calcium signaling pathways contributes to healthy and pathological conditions of the uterine myometrium. Among the properties of the various cell subtypes present in human uterine myometrium, there is increasing evidence that calcium oscillations in telocytes (TCs contribute to contractile activity and pregnancy. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of beta-estradiol on voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors in TCs from human uterine myometrium and to understand their role in pregnancy. For this purpose, we employed patch-clamp recordings, ratiometric Fura-2-based calcium imaging analysis, and qRT-PCR techniques for the analysis of cultured human myometrial TCs derived from pregnant and non-pregnant uterine samples. In human myometrial TCs from both non-pregnant and pregnant uterus, we evidenced by qRT-PCR the presence of genes encoding for voltage-gated calcium channels (Cav3.1, Ca3.2, Cav3.3, Cav2.1, estrogen receptors (ESR1, ESR2, GPR30, and nuclear receptor coactivator 3 (NCOA3. Pregnancy significantly upregulated Cav3.1 and downregulated Cav3.2, Cav3.3, ESR1, ESR2, and NCOA3, compared to the non-pregnant condition. Beta-estradiol treatment (24 h, 10, 100, 1000 nM downregulated Cav3.2, Cav3.3, Cav1.2, ESR1, ESR2, GRP30, and NCOA3 in TCs from human pregnant uterine myometrium. We also confirmed the functional expression of voltage-gated calcium channels by patch-clamp recordings and calcium imaging analysis of TCs from pregnant human myometrium by perfusing with BAY K8644, which induced calcium influx through these channels. Additionally, we demonstrated that beta-estradiol (1000 nM antagonized the effect of BAY K8644 (2.5 or 5 µM in the same preparations. In conclusion, we evidenced the presence of voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors in TCs from non-pregnant and pregnant

  7. Beta-Estradiol Regulates Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels and Estrogen Receptors in Telocytes from Human Myometrium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banciu, Adela; Banciu, Daniel Dumitru; Mustaciosu, Cosmin Catalin; Radu, Mihai; Cretoiu, Dragos; Xiao, Junjie; Cretoiu, Sanda Maria; Suciu, Nicolae; Radu, Beatrice Mihaela

    2018-05-09

    Voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors are essential players in uterine physiology, and their association with different calcium signaling pathways contributes to healthy and pathological conditions of the uterine myometrium. Among the properties of the various cell subtypes present in human uterine myometrium, there is increasing evidence that calcium oscillations in telocytes (TCs) contribute to contractile activity and pregnancy. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of beta-estradiol on voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors in TCs from human uterine myometrium and to understand their role in pregnancy. For this purpose, we employed patch-clamp recordings, ratiometric Fura-2-based calcium imaging analysis, and qRT-PCR techniques for the analysis of cultured human myometrial TCs derived from pregnant and non-pregnant uterine samples. In human myometrial TCs from both non-pregnant and pregnant uterus, we evidenced by qRT-PCR the presence of genes encoding for voltage-gated calcium channels (Cav3.1, Ca3.2, Cav3.3, Cav2.1), estrogen receptors (ESR1, ESR2, GPR30), and nuclear receptor coactivator 3 (NCOA3). Pregnancy significantly upregulated Cav3.1 and downregulated Cav3.2, Cav3.3, ESR1, ESR2, and NCOA3, compared to the non-pregnant condition. Beta-estradiol treatment (24 h, 10, 100, 1000 nM) downregulated Cav3.2, Cav3.3, Cav1.2, ESR1, ESR2, GRP30, and NCOA3 in TCs from human pregnant uterine myometrium. We also confirmed the functional expression of voltage-gated calcium channels by patch-clamp recordings and calcium imaging analysis of TCs from pregnant human myometrium by perfusing with BAY K8644, which induced calcium influx through these channels. Additionally, we demonstrated that beta-estradiol (1000 nM) antagonized the effect of BAY K8644 (2.5 or 5 µM) in the same preparations. In conclusion, we evidenced the presence of voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors in TCs from non-pregnant and pregnant human uterine

  8. c-Myc-Dependent Cell Competition in Human Cancer Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Manish S; Shah, Heta S; Shrivastava, Neeta

    2017-07-01

    Cell Competition is an interaction between cells for existence in heterogeneous cell populations of multicellular organisms. This phenomenon is involved in initiation and progression of cancer where heterogeneous cell populations compete directly or indirectly for the survival of the fittest based on differential gene expression. In Drosophila, cells having lower dMyc expression are eliminated by cell competition through apoptosis when present in the milieu of cells having higher dMyc expression. Thus, we designed a study to develop c-Myc (human homolog) dependent in vitro cell competition model of human cancer cells. Cells with higher c-Myc were transfected with c-myc shRNA to prepare cells with lower c-Myc and then co-cultured with the same type of cells having a higher c-Myc in equal ratio. Cells with lower c-Myc showed a significant decrease in numbers when compared with higher c-Myc cells, suggesting "loser" and "winner" status of cells, respectively. During microscopy, engulfment of loser cells by winner cells was observed with higher expression of JNK in loser cells. Furthermore, elimination of loser cells was prevented significantly, when co-cultured cells were treated with the JNK (apoptosis) inhibitor. Above results indicate elimination of loser cells in the presence of winner cells by c-Myc-dependent mechanisms of cell competition in human cancer cells. This could be an important mechanism in human tumors where normal cells are eliminated by c-Myc-overexpressed tumor cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1782-1791, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Human Uterine Leiomyoma Stem/Progenitor Cells Expressing CD34 and CD49b Initiate Tumors In Vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, Masanori; Moravek, Molly B.; Coon, John S.; Navarro, Antonia; Monsivais, Diana; Dyson, Matthew T.; Druschitz, Stacy A.; Malpani, Saurabh S.; Serna, Vanida A.; Qiang, Wenan; Chakravarti, Debabrata; Kim, J. Julie; Bulun, Serdar E.

    2015-01-01

    Context: Uterine leiomyoma is the most common benign tumor in reproductive-age women. Using a dye-exclusion technique, we previously identified a side population of leiomyoma cells exhibiting stem cell characteristics. However, unless mixed with mature myometrial cells, these leiomyoma side population cells did not survive or grow well in vitro or in vivo. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify cell surface markers to isolate leiomyoma stem/progenitor cells. Design: Real-time PCR screening was used to identify cell surface markers preferentially expressed in leiomyoma side population cells. In vitro colony-formation assay and in vivo tumor-regeneration assay were used to demonstrate functions of leiomyoma stem/progenitor cells. Results: We found significantly elevated CD49b and CD34 gene expression in side population cells compared with main population cells. Leiomyoma cells were sorted into three populations based on the expression of CD34 and CD49b: CD34+/CD49b+, CD34+/CD49b−, and CD34−/CD49b− cells, with the majority of the side population cells residing in the CD34+/CD49b+ fraction. Of these populations, CD34+/CD49b+ cells expressed the lowest levels of estrogen receptor-α, progesterone receptor, and α-smooth muscle actin, but the highest levels of KLF4, NANOG, SOX2, and OCT4, confirming their more undifferentiated status. The stemness of CD34+/CD49b+ cells was also demonstrated by their strongest in vitro colony-formation capacity and in vivo tumor-regeneration ability. Conclusions: CD34 and CD49b are cell surface markers that can be used to enrich a subpopulation of leiomyoma cells possessing stem/progenitor cell properties; this technique will accelerate efforts to develop new therapies for uterine leiomyoma. PMID:25658015

  10. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived models to investigate human cytomegalovirus infection in neural cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonardo D'Aiuto

    Full Text Available Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV infection is one of the leading prenatal causes of congenital mental retardation and deformities world-wide. Access to cultured human neuronal lineages, necessary to understand the species specific pathogenic effects of HCMV, has been limited by difficulties in sustaining primary human neuronal cultures. Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS cells now provide an opportunity for such research. We derived iPS cells from human adult fibroblasts and induced neural lineages to investigate their susceptibility to infection with HCMV strain Ad169. Analysis of iPS cells, iPS-derived neural stem cells (NSCs, neural progenitor cells (NPCs and neurons suggests that (i iPS cells are not permissive to HCMV infection, i.e., they do not permit a full viral replication cycle; (ii Neural stem cells have impaired differentiation when infected by HCMV; (iii NPCs are fully permissive for HCMV infection; altered expression of genes related to neural metabolism or neuronal differentiation is also observed; (iv most iPS-derived neurons are not permissive to HCMV infection; and (v infected neurons have impaired calcium influx in response to glutamate.

  11. 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate vehicle, castor oil, enhances the contractile effect of oxytocin in human myometrium in pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Sullivan, Michael D; Hehir, Mark P; O'Brien, Yvonne M; Morrison, John J

    2010-05-01

    The possibility exists that the vehicle for 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate, castor oil, exerts an effect on human uterine contractility. The aim of this study was to evaluate its effects on contractility of myometrial preparations that were obtained during pregnancy. Myometrial strips were suspended under isometric conditions. Contractility was induced with oxytocin. Strips were incubated in castor oil or physiologic salt solution and suspended for a further oxytocin challenge. Contractile integrals were compared between both groups. Strips that were exposed to castor oil demonstrated increased contractile activity that was elicited by oxytocin (mean contractility value, 165.53%+/-17.03%; n=8; P=.004), compared with control strips (mean contractility value, 72.57%+/-7.48%; n=8; P=.003). There was a significant increase in contractile activity of the castor oil-exposed strips, compared with those that were exposed to physiologic salt solution (n=8; Pcastor oil results in enhanced oxytocin-induced contractility. Copyright (c) 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Establishment of Human Neural Progenitor Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells with Diverse Tissue Origins

    OpenAIRE

    Hayato Fukusumi; Tomoko Shofuda; Yohei Bamba; Atsuyo Yamamoto; Daisuke Kanematsu; Yukako Handa; Keisuke Okita; Masaya Nakamura; Shinya Yamanaka; Hideyuki Okano; Yonehiro Kanemura

    2016-01-01

    Human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) have previously been generated from limited numbers of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) clones. Here, 21 hiPSC clones derived from human dermal fibroblasts, cord blood cells, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were differentiated using two neural induction methods, an embryoid body (EB) formation-based method and an EB formation method using dual SMAD inhibitors (dSMADi). Our results showed that expandable hNPCs could be generated from hiPS...

  13. The human airway epithelial basal cell transcriptome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neil R Hackett

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The human airway epithelium consists of 4 major cell types: ciliated, secretory, columnar and basal cells. During natural turnover and in response to injury, the airway basal cells function as stem/progenitor cells for the other airway cell types. The objective of this study is to better understand human airway epithelial basal cell biology by defining the gene expression signature of this cell population.Bronchial brushing was used to obtain airway epithelium from healthy nonsmokers. Microarrays were used to assess the transcriptome of basal cells purified from the airway epithelium in comparison to the transcriptome of the differentiated airway epithelium. This analysis identified the "human airway basal cell signature" as 1,161 unique genes with >5-fold higher expression level in basal cells compared to differentiated epithelium. The basal cell signature was suppressed when the basal cells differentiated into a ciliated airway epithelium in vitro. The basal cell signature displayed overlap with genes expressed in basal-like cells from other human tissues and with that of murine airway basal cells. Consistent with self-modulation as well as signaling to other airway cell types, the human airway basal cell signature was characterized by genes encoding extracellular matrix components, growth factors and growth factor receptors, including genes related to the EGF and VEGF pathways. Interestingly, while the basal cell signature overlaps that of basal-like cells of other organs, the human airway basal cell signature has features not previously associated with this cell type, including a unique pattern of genes encoding extracellular matrix components, G protein-coupled receptors, neuroactive ligands and receptors, and ion channels.The human airway epithelial basal cell signature identified in the present study provides novel insights into the molecular phenotype and biology of the stem/progenitor cells of the human airway epithelium.

  14. Development and function of human innate immune cells in a humanized mouse model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rongvaux, Anthony; Willinger, Tim; Martinek, Jan; Strowig, Till; Gearty, Sofia V; Teichmann, Lino L; Saito, Yasuyuki; Marches, Florentina; Halene, Stephanie; Palucka, A Karolina; Manz, Markus G; Flavell, Richard A

    2014-04-01

    Mice repopulated with human hematopoietic cells are a powerful tool for the study of human hematopoiesis and immune function in vivo. However, existing humanized mouse models cannot support development of human innate immune cells, including myeloid cells and natural killer (NK) cells. Here we describe two mouse strains called MITRG and MISTRG, in which human versions of four genes encoding cytokines important for innate immune cell development are knocked into their respective mouse loci. The human cytokines support the development and function of monocytes, macrophages and NK cells derived from human fetal liver or adult CD34(+) progenitor cells injected into the mice. Human macrophages infiltrated a human tumor xenograft in MITRG and MISTRG mice in a manner resembling that observed in tumors obtained from human patients. This humanized mouse model may be used to model the human immune system in scenarios of health and pathology, and may enable evaluation of therapeutic candidates in an in vivo setting relevant to human physiology.

  15. Utilization of human amniotic mesenchymal cells as feeder layers to sustain propagation of human embryonic stem cells in the undifferentiated state.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kehua; Cai, Zhe; Li, Yang; Shu, Jun; Pan, Lin; Wan, Fang; Li, Hong; Huang, Xiaojie; He, Chun; Liu, Yanqiu; Cui, Xiaohui; Xu, Yang; Gao, Yan; Wu, Liqun; Cao, Shanxia; Li, Lingsong

    2011-08-01

    Human embryonic stem (ES) cells are usually maintained in the undifferentiated state by culturing on feeder cells layers of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). However, MEFs are not suitable to support human ES cells used for clinical purpose because of risk of zoonosis from animal cells. Therefore, human tissue-based feeder layers need to be developed for human ES cells for clinical purpose. Hereof we report that human amniotic mesenchymal cells (hAMCs) could act as feeder cells for human ES cells, because they are easily obtained and relatively exempt from ethical problem. Like MEFs, hAMCs could act as feeder cells for human ES cells to grow well on. The self-renewal rate of human ES cells cultured on hAMCs feeders was higher than that on MEFs and human amniotic epithelial cells determined by measurement of colonial diameters and growth curve as well as cell cycle analysis. Both immunofluorescence staining and immunoblotting showed that human ES cells cultured on hAMCs expressed stem cell markers such as Oct-3/4, Sox2, and NANOG. Verified by embryoid body formation in vitro and teratoma formation in vivo, we found out that after 20 passages of culture, human ES cells grown on hAMCs feeders could still retain the potency of differentiating into three germ layers. Taken together, our data suggested hAMCs may be safe feeder cells to sustain the propagation of human ES cells in undifferentiated state for future therapeutic use.

  16. Human monoclonal antibodies reactive with human myelomonocytic leukemia cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Posner, M R; Santos, D J; Elboim, H S; Tumber, M B; Frackelton, A R

    1989-04-01

    Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), in remission, were depleted of CD8-positive T-cells and cultured with Epstein-Barr virus. Four of 20 cultures (20%) secreted human IgG antibodies selectively reactive with the cell surfaces of certain human leukemia cell lines. Three polyclonal, Epstein-Barr virus-transformed, B-cell lines were expanded and fused with the human-mouse myeloma analogue HMMA2.11TG/O. Antibody from secreting clones HL 1.2 (IgG1), HL 2.1 (IgG3), and HL 3.1 (IgG1) have been characterized. All three react with HL-60 (promyelocytic), RWLeu4 (CML promyelocytic), and U937 (monocytic), but not with KG-1 (myeloblastic) or K562 (CML erythroid). There is no reactivity with T-cell lines, Burkitt's cell lines, pre-B-leukemia cell lines, or an undifferentiated CML cell line, BV173. Leukemic cells from two of seven patients with acute myelogenous leukemia and one of five with acute lymphocytic leukemia react with all three antibodies. Normal lymphocytes, monocytes, polymorphonuclear cells, red blood cells, bone marrow cells, and platelets do not react. Samples from patients with other diverse hematopoietic malignancies showed no reactivity. Immunoprecipitations suggest that the reactive antigen(s) is a lactoperoxidase iodinatable series of cell surface proteins with molecular weights of 42,000-54,000 and a noniodinatable protein with a molecular weight of 82,000. Based on these data these human monoclonal antibodies appear to react with myelomonocytic leukemic cells and may detect a leukemia-specific antigen or a highly restricted differentiation antigen.

  17. Signaling hierarchy regulating human endothelial cell development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Melissa A; Hirschi, Karen K

    2009-05-01

    Our present knowledge of the regulation of mammalian endothelial cell differentiation has been largely derived from studies of mouse embryonic development. However, unique mechanisms and hierarchy of signals that govern human endothelial cell development are unknown and, thus, explored in these studies. Using human embryonic stem cells as a model system, we were able to reproducibly and robustly generate differentiated endothelial cells via coculture on OP9 marrow stromal cells. We found that, in contrast to studies in the mouse, bFGF and VEGF had no specific effects on the initiation of human vasculogenesis. However, exogenous Ihh promoted endothelial cell differentiation, as evidenced by increased production of cells with cobblestone morphology that coexpress multiple endothelial-specific genes and proteins, form lumens, and exhibit DiI-AcLDL uptake. Inhibition of BMP signaling using Noggin or BMP4, specifically, using neutralizing antibodies suppressed endothelial cell formation; whereas, addition of rhBMP4 to cells treated with the hedgehog inhibitor cyclopamine rescued endothelial cell development. Our studies revealed that Ihh promoted human endothelial cell differentiation from pluripotent hES cells via BMP signaling, providing novel insights applicable to modulating human endothelial cell formation and vascular regeneration for human clinical therapies.

  18. Human regulatory B cells control the TFH cell response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Achour, Achouak; Simon, Quentin; Mohr, Audrey; Séité, Jean-François; Youinou, Pierre; Bendaoud, Boutahar; Ghedira, Ibtissem; Pers, Jacques-Olivier; Jamin, Christophe

    2017-07-01

    Follicular helper T (T FH ) cells support terminal B-cell differentiation. Human regulatory B (Breg) cells modulate cellular responses, but their control of T FH cell-dependent humoral immune responses is unknown. We sought to assess the role of Breg cells on T FH cell development and function. Human T cells were polyclonally stimulated in the presence of IL-12 and IL-21 to generate T FH cells. They were cocultured with B cells to induce their terminal differentiation. Breg cells were included in these cultures, and their effects were evaluated by using flow cytometry and ELISA. B-cell lymphoma 6, IL-21, inducible costimulator, CXCR5, and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) expressions increased on stimulated human T cells, characterizing T FH cell maturation. In cocultures they differentiated B cells into CD138 + plasma and IgD - CD27 + memory cells and triggered immunoglobulin secretions. Breg cells obtained by Toll-like receptor 9 and CD40 activation of B cells prevented T FH cell development. Added to T FH cell and B-cell cocultures, they inhibited B-cell differentiation, impeded immunoglobulin secretions, and expanded Foxp3 + CXCR5 + PD-1 + follicular regulatory T cells. Breg cells modulated IL-21 receptor expressions on T FH cells and B cells, and their suppressive activities involved CD40, CD80, CD86, and intercellular adhesion molecule interactions and required production of IL-10 and TGF-β. Human Breg cells control T FH cell maturation, expand follicular regulatory T cells, and inhibit the T FH cell-mediated antibody secretion. These novel observations demonstrate a role for the Breg cell in germinal center reactions and suggest that deficient activities might impair the T FH cell-dependent control of humoral immunity and might lead to the development of aberrant autoimmune responses. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Identification of molecules derived from human fibroblast feeder cells that support the proliferation of human embryonic stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Anisimov, Sergey V.; Christophersen, Nicolaj S.; Correia, Ana S.

    2011-01-01

    The majority of human embryonic stem cell lines depend on a feeder cell layer for continuous growth in vitro, so that they can remain in an undifferentiated state. Limited knowledge is available concerning the molecular mechanisms that underlie the capacity of feeder cells to support both...... the proliferation and pluripotency of these cells. Importantly, feeder cells generally lose their capacity to support human embryonic stem cell proliferation in vitro following long-term culture. In this study, we performed large-scale gene expression profiles of human foreskin fibroblasts during early...... foreskin fibroblasts to serve as feeder cells for human embryonic stem cell cultures. Among these, the C-KIT, leptin and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) genes were the most interesting candidates....

  20. Hybrid clone cells derived from human breast epithelial cells and human breast cancer cells exhibit properties of cancer stem/initiating cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gauck, Daria; Keil, Silvia; Niggemann, Bernd; Zänker, Kurt S; Dittmar, Thomas

    2017-08-02

    The biological phenomenon of cell fusion has been associated with cancer progression since it was determined that normal cell × tumor cell fusion-derived hybrid cells could exhibit novel properties, such as enhanced metastatogenic capacity or increased drug resistance, and even as a mechanism that could give rise to cancer stem/initiating cells (CS/ICs). CS/ICs have been proposed as cancer cells that exhibit stem cell properties, including the ability to (re)initiate tumor growth. Five M13HS hybrid clone cells, which originated from spontaneous cell fusion events between M13SV1-EGFP-Neo human breast epithelial cells and HS578T-Hyg human breast cancer cells, and their parental cells were analyzed for expression of stemness and EMT-related marker proteins by Western blot analysis and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The frequency of ALDH1-positive cells was determined by flow cytometry using AldeRed fluorescent dye. Concurrently, the cells' colony forming capabilities as well as the cells' abilities to form mammospheres were investigated. The migratory activity of the cells was analyzed using a 3D collagen matrix migration assay. M13HS hybrid clone cells co-expressed SOX9, SLUG, CK8 and CK14, which were differently expressed in parental cells. A variation in the ALDH1-positive putative stem cell population was observed among the five hybrids ranging from 1.44% (M13HS-7) to 13.68% (M13HS-2). In comparison to the parental cells, all five hybrid clone cells possessed increased but also unique colony formation and mammosphere formation capabilities. M13HS-4 hybrid clone cells exhibited the highest colony formation capacity and second highest mammosphere formation capacity of all hybrids, whereby the mean diameter of the mammospheres was comparable to the parental cells. In contrast, the largest mammospheres originated from the M13HS-2 hybrid clone cells, whereas these cells' mammosphere formation capacity was comparable to the parental breast cancer cells. All M13HS

  1. Stem cells in the human breast

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Ole William; Polyak, Kornelia

    2010-01-01

    The origins of the epithelial cells participating in the development, tissue homeostasis, and cancer of the human breast are poorly understood. However, emerging evidence suggests a role for adult tissue-specific stem cells in these processes. In a hierarchical manner, these generate the two main...... mammary cell lineages, producing an increasing number of cells with distinct properties. Understanding the biological characteristics of human breast stem cells and their progeny is crucial in attempts to compare the features of normal stem cells and cancer precursor cells and distinguish these from...... nonprecursor cells and cells from the bulk of a tumor. A historical overview of research on human breast stem cells in primary tissue and in culture reveals the progress that has been made in this area, whereas a focus on the cell-of-origin and reprogramming that occurs during neoplastic conversion provides...

  2. Human prostatic cancer cells, PC3, elaborate mitogenic activity which selectively stimulates human bone cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perkel, V.S.; Mohan, S.; Herring, S.J.; Baylink, D.J.; Linkhart, T.A.

    1990-01-01

    Prostatic cancer typically produces osteoblastic metastases which are not attended by marrow fibrosis. In the present study we sought to test the hypothesis that prostatic cancer cells produce factor(s) which act selectively on human osteoblasts. Such a paracrine mechanism would explain the observed increase in osteoblasts, unaccompanied by an increase in marrow fibroblasts. To test this hypothesis we investigated the mitogenic activity released by the human prostatic tumor cell line, PC3. PC3 cells have been reported previously to produce mitogenic activity for cells that was relatively specific for rat osteoblasts compared to rat fibroblasts. However, the effects of this activity on human cells has not been examined previously. PC3-conditioned medium (CM) (5-50 micrograms CM protein/ml) stimulated human osteoblast proliferation by 200-950% yet did not stimulate human fibroblast proliferation ([3H]thymidine incorporation). PC3 CM also increased cell numbers in human osteoblast but not fibroblast cell cultures. To determine whether the osteoblast-specific mitogenic activity could be attributed to known bone growth factors, specific assays for these growth factors were performed. PC3 CM contained 10 pg insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I, less than 2 pg IGF II, 54 pg basic fibroblast growth factor, and 16 pg transforming growth factor beta/microgram CM protein. None of these growth factors alone or in combination could account for the observed osteoblast-specific PC3 cell-derived mitogenic activity. Furthermore, when 5 micrograms/ml PC3 CM was tested in combination with maximally effective concentrations of either basic fibroblast growth factor, IGF I, IGF II, or transforming growth factor beta, it produced an additive effect suggesting that PC3 CM stimulates osteoblast proliferation by a mechanism independent of these bone mitogens

  3. Tuft (caveolated) cells in two human colon carcinoma cell lines.

    OpenAIRE

    Barkla, D. H.; Whitehead, R. H.; Foster, H.; Tutton, P. J.

    1988-01-01

    The presence of an unusual cell type in two human colon carcinoma cell lines is reported. The cells show the same morphology as "tuft" (caveolated) cells present in normal gastrointestinal epithelium. Tuft cells were seen in cell line LIM 1863 growing in vitro and in human colon carcinoma cell line LIM 2210 growing as subcutaneous solid tumour xenografts in nude mice. Characteristic morphologic features of tuft cells included a wide base, narrow apex and a tuft of long microvilli projecting f...

  4. Modeling human infertility with pluripotent stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di Chen

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Human fertility is dependent upon the correct establishment and differentiation of the germline. This is because no other cell type in the body is capable of passing a genome and epigenome from parent to child. Terminally differentiated germline cells in the adult testis and ovary are called gametes. However, the initial specification of germline cells occurs in the embryo around the time of gastrulation. Most of our knowledge regarding the cell and molecular events that govern human germline specification involves extrapolating scientific principles from model organisms, most notably the mouse. However, recent work using next generation sequencing, gene editing and differentiation of germline cells from pluripotent stem cells has revealed that the core molecular mechanisms that regulate human germline development are different from rodents. Here, we will discuss the major molecular pathways required for human germline differentiation and how pluripotent stem cells have revolutionized our ability to study the earliest steps in human embryonic lineage specification in order to understand human fertility.

  5. Establishment of Human Neural Progenitor Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells with Diverse Tissue Origins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hayato Fukusumi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs have previously been generated from limited numbers of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC clones. Here, 21 hiPSC clones derived from human dermal fibroblasts, cord blood cells, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were differentiated using two neural induction methods, an embryoid body (EB formation-based method and an EB formation method using dual SMAD inhibitors (dSMADi. Our results showed that expandable hNPCs could be generated from hiPSC clones with diverse somatic tissue origins. The established hNPCs exhibited a mid/hindbrain-type neural identity and uniform expression of neural progenitor genes.

  6. 3 CFR - Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Memorandum of July 30, 2009 Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research..., scientifically worthy human stem cell research, including human embryonic stem cell research, to the extent...

  7. In vitro proliferation of adult human beta-cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabine Rutti

    Full Text Available A decrease in functional beta-cell mass is a key feature of type 2 diabetes. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1 analogues induce proliferation of rodent beta-cells. However, the proliferative capacity of human beta-cells and its modulation by GLP-1 analogues remain to be fully investigated. We therefore sought to quantify adult human beta-cell proliferation in vitro and whether this is affected by the GLP-1 analogue liraglutide.Human islets from 7 adult cadaveric organ donors were dispersed into single cells. Beta-cells were purified by FACS. Non-sorted cells and the beta-cell enriched ("beta-cells" population were plated on extracellular matrix from rat (804G and human bladder carcinoma cells (HTB9 or bovine corneal endothelial ECM (BCEC. Cells were maintained in culture+/-liraglutide for 4 days in the presence of BrdU.Rare human beta-cell proliferation could be observed either in the purified beta-cell population (0.051±0.020%; 22 beta-cells proliferating out of 84'283 beta-cells counted or in the non-sorted cell population (0.055±0.011%; 104 proliferating beta-cells out of 232'826 beta-cells counted, independently of the matrix or the culture conditions. Liraglutide increased human beta-cell proliferation on BCEC in the non-sorted cell population (0.082±0.034% proliferating beta-cells vs. 0.017±0.008% in control, p<0.05.These results indicate that adult human beta-cell proliferation can occur in vitro but remains an extremely rare event with these donors and particular culture conditions. Liraglutide increases beta-cell proliferation only in the non-sorted cell population and only on BCEC. However, it cannot be excluded that human beta-cells may proliferate to a greater extent in situ in response to natural stimuli.

  8. Human innate lymphoid cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mjösberg, Jenny; Spits, Hergen

    2016-11-01

    Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are increasingly acknowledged as important mediators of immune homeostasis and pathology. ILCs act as early orchestrators of immunity, responding to epithelium-derived signals by expressing an array of cytokines and cell-surface receptors, which shape subsequent immune responses. As such, ILCs make up interesting therapeutic targets for several diseases. In patients with allergy and asthma, group 2 innate lymphoid cells produce high amounts of IL-5 and IL-13, thereby contributing to type 2-mediated inflammation. Group 3 innate lymphoid cells are implicated in intestinal homeostasis and psoriasis pathology through abundant IL-22 production, whereas group 1 innate lymphoid cells are accumulated in chronic inflammation of the gut (inflammatory bowel disease) and lung (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), where they contribute to IFN-γ-mediated inflammation. Although the ontogeny of mouse ILCs is slowly unraveling, the development of human ILCs is far from understood. In addition, the growing complexity of the human ILC family in terms of previously unrecognized functional heterogeneity and plasticity has generated confusion within the field. Here we provide an updated view on the function and plasticity of human ILCs in tissue homeostasis and disease. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Some Ethical Concerns About Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Yue Liang

    2016-10-01

    Human induced pluripotent stem cells can be obtained from somatic cells, and their derivation does not require destruction of embryos, thus avoiding ethical problems arising from the destruction of human embryos. This type of stem cell may provide an important tool for stem cell therapy, but it also results in some ethical concerns. It is likely that abnormal reprogramming occurs in the induction of human induced pluripotent stem cells, and that the stem cells generate tumors in the process of stem cell therapy. Human induced pluripotent stem cells should not be used to clone human beings, to produce human germ cells, nor to make human embryos. Informed consent should be obtained from patients in stem cell therapy.

  10. Comprehensive evaluation of leukocyte lineage derived from human hematopoietic cells in humanized mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Masayuki; Tsujimura, Noriyuki; Otsuka, Kensuke; Yoshino, Tomoko; Mori, Tetsushi; Matsunaga, Tadashi; Nakasono, Satoshi

    2012-04-01

    Recently, humanized animals whereby a part of the animal is biologically engineered using human genes or cells have been utilized to overcome interspecific differences. Herein, we analyzed the detail of the differentiation states of various human leukocyte subpopulations in humanized mouse and evaluated comprehensively the similarity of the leukocyte lineage between humanized mice and humans. Humanized mice were established by transplanting human CD34(+) cord blood cells into irradiated severely immunodeficient NOD/Shi-scid/IL2Rγ(null) (NOG) mice, and the phenotypes of human cells contained in bone marrow, thymus, spleen and peripheral blood from the mice were analyzed at monthly intervals until 4 months after cell transplantation. The analysis revealed that transplanted human hematopoietic stem cells via the caudal vein homed and engrafted themselves successfully at the mouse bone marrow. Subsequently, the differentiated leukocytes migrated to the various tissues. Almost all of the leukocytes within the thymus were human cells. Furthermore, analysis of the differentiation states of human leukocytes in various tissues and organs indicated that it is highly likely that the human-like leukocyte lineage can be developed in mice. Copyright © 2011 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Efficient and Fast Differentiation of Human Neural Stem Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells for Cell Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinxin Han

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Stem cell-based therapies have been used for repairing damaged brain tissue and helping functional recovery after brain injury. Aberrance neurogenesis is related with brain injury, and multipotential neural stem cells from human embryonic stem (hES cells provide a great promise for cell replacement therapies. Optimized protocols for neural differentiation are necessary to produce functional human neural stem cells (hNSCs for cell therapy. However, the qualified procedure is scarce and detailed features of hNSCs originated from hES cells are still unclear. In this study, we developed a method to obtain hNSCs from hES cells, by which we could harvest abundant hNSCs in a relatively short time. Then, we examined the expression of pluripotent and multipotent marker genes through immunostaining and confirmed differentiation potential of the differentiated hNSCs. Furthermore, we analyzed the mitotic activity of these hNSCs. In this report, we provided comprehensive features of hNSCs and delivered the knowledge about how to obtain more high-quality hNSCs from hES cells which may help to accelerate the NSC-based therapies in brain injury treatment.

  12. Haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from human pluripotent stem cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugimura, Ryohichi; Jha, Deepak Kumar; Han, Areum; Soria-Valles, Clara; da Rocha, Edroaldo Lummertz; Lu, Yi-Fen; Goettel, Jeremy A.; Serrao, Erik; Rowe, R. Grant; Malleshaiah, Mohan; Wong, Irene; Sousa, Patricia; Zhu, Ted N.; Ditadi, Andrea; Keller, Gordon; Engelman, Alan N.; Snapper, Scott B.; Doulatov, Sergei; Daley, George Q.

    2018-01-01

    A variety of tissue lineages can be differentiated from pluripotent stem cells by mimicking embryonic development through stepwise exposure to morphogens, or by conversion of one differentiated cell type into another by enforced expression of master transcription factors. Here, to yield functional human haematopoietic stem cells, we perform morphogen-directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into haemogenic endothelium followed by screening of 26 candidate haematopoietic stem-cell-specifying transcription factors for their capacity to promote multi-lineage haematopoietic engraftment in mouse hosts. We recover seven transcription factors (ERG, HOXA5, HOXA9, HOXA10, LCOR, RUNX1 and SPI1) that are sufficient to convert haemogenic endothelium into haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells that engraft myeloid, B and T cells in primary and secondary mouse recipients. Our combined approach of morphogen-driven differentiation and transcription-factor-mediated cell fate conversion produces haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from pluripotent stem cells and holds promise for modelling haematopoietic disease in humanized mice and for therapeutic strategies in genetic blood disorders. PMID:28514439

  13. Satellite cells in human skeletal muscle plasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tim eSnijders

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Skeletal muscle satellite cells are considered to play a crucial role in muscle fiber maintenance, repair and remodelling. Our knowledge of the role of satellite cells in muscle fiber adaptation has traditionally relied on in vitro cell and in vivo animal models. Over the past decade, a genuine effort has been made to translate these results to humans under physiological conditions. Findings from in vivo human studies suggest that satellite cells play a key role in skeletal muscle fiber repair/remodelling in response to exercise. Mounting evidence indicates that aging has a profound impact on the regulation of satellite cells in human skeletal muscle. Yet, the precise role of satellite cells in the development of muscle fiber atrophy with age remains unresolved. This review seeks to integrate recent results from in vivo human studies on satellite cell function in muscle fiber repair/remodelling in the wider context of satellite cell biology whose literature is largely based on animal and cell models.

  14. Satellite cells in human skeletal muscle plasticity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snijders, Tim; Nederveen, Joshua P; McKay, Bryon R; Joanisse, Sophie; Verdijk, Lex B; van Loon, Luc J C; Parise, Gianni

    2015-01-01

    Skeletal muscle satellite cells are considered to play a crucial role in muscle fiber maintenance, repair and remodeling. Our knowledge of the role of satellite cells in muscle fiber adaptation has traditionally relied on in vitro cell and in vivo animal models. Over the past decade, a genuine effort has been made to translate these results to humans under physiological conditions. Findings from in vivo human studies suggest that satellite cells play a key role in skeletal muscle fiber repair/remodeling in response to exercise. Mounting evidence indicates that aging has a profound impact on the regulation of satellite cells in human skeletal muscle. Yet, the precise role of satellite cells in the development of muscle fiber atrophy with age remains unresolved. This review seeks to integrate recent results from in vivo human studies on satellite cell function in muscle fiber repair/remodeling in the wider context of satellite cell biology whose literature is largely based on animal and cell models.

  15. Induction of Skin-Derived Precursor Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiyama-Nakagiri, Yoriko; Fujimura, Tsutomu; Moriwaki, Shigeru

    2016-01-01

    The generation of full thickness human skin from dissociated cells is an attractive approach not only for treating skin diseases, but also for treating many systemic disorders. However, it is currently not possible to obtain an unlimited number of skin dermal cells. The goal of this study was to develop a procedure to produce skin dermal stem cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Skin-derived precursor cells (SKPs) were isolated as adult dermal precursors that could differentiate into both neural and mesodermal progenies and could reconstitute the dermis. Thus, we attempted to generate SKPs from iPSCs that could reconstitute the skin dermis. Human iPSCs were initially cultured with recombinant noggin and SB431542, an inhibitor of activin/nodal and TGFβ signaling, to induce neural crest progenitor cells. Those cells were then treated with SKP medium that included CHIR99021, a WNT signal activator. The induction efficacy from neural crest progenitor cells to SKPs was more than 97%. No other modifiers tested were able to induce those cells. Those human iPSC-derived SKPs (hiPSC-SKPs) showed a similar gene expression signature to SKPs isolated from human skin dermis. Human iPSC-SKPs differentiated into neural and mesodermal progenies, including adipocytes, skeletogenic cell types and Schwann cells. Moreover, they could be induced to follicular type keratinization when co-cultured with human epidermal keratinocytes. We here provide a new efficient protocol to create human skin dermal stem cells from hiPSCs that could contribute to the treatment of various skin disorders.

  16. Human pituitary and placental hormones control human insulin-like growth factor II secretion in human granulosa cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramasharma, K.; Li, C.H.

    1987-01-01

    Human granulosa cells cultured with calf serum actively proliferated for 18-20 generations and secreted progesterone into the medium; progesterone levels appeared to decline with increase in generation number. Cells cultured under serum-free conditions secreted significant amounts of progesterone and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). The progesterone secretion was enhanced by the addition of human follitropin, lutropin, and chorionic gonadotropin but not by growth hormone. These cells, when challenged to varying concentrations of human growth hormone, human chorionic somatomammotropin, human prolactin, chorionic gonadotropin, follitropin, and lutropin, secreted IGF-II into the medium as measured by specific IGF-II RIA. Among these human hormones, chorionic gonadotropin, follitropin, and lutropin were most effective in inducing IGF-II secretion from these cells. When synthetic lutropin-releasing hormone and α-inhibin-92 were tested, only lutropin-releasing hormone was effective in releasing IGF-II. The results described suggest that cultured human granulosa cells can proliferate and actively secrete progesterone and IGF-II into the medium. IGF-II production in human granulosa cells was influenced by a multi-hormonal complex including human growth hormone, human chorionic somatomammotropin, and prolactin

  17. The contribution of human/non-human animal chimeras to stem cell research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonya Levine

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Chimeric animals are made up of cells from two separate zygotes. Human/non-human animal chimeras have been used for a number of research purposes, including human disease modeling. Pluripotent stem cell (PSC research has relied upon the chimera approach to examine the developmental potential of stem cells, to determine the efficacy of cell replacement therapies, and to establish a means of producing human organs. Based on ethical issues, this work has faced pushback from various sources including funding agencies. We discuss here the essential role these studies have played, from gaining a better understanding of human biology to providing a stepping stone to human disease treatments. We also consider the major ethical issues, as well as the current status of support for this work in the United States.

  18. Cell sources for in vitro human liver cell culture models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freyer, Nora; Damm, Georg; Seehofer, Daniel; Knöspel, Fanny

    2016-01-01

    In vitro liver cell culture models are gaining increasing importance in pharmacological and toxicological research. The source of cells used is critical for the relevance and the predictive value of such models. Primary human hepatocytes (PHH) are currently considered to be the gold standard for hepatic in vitro culture models, since they directly reflect the specific metabolism and functionality of the human liver; however, the scarcity and difficult logistics of PHH have driven researchers to explore alternative cell sources, including liver cell lines and pluripotent stem cells. Liver cell lines generated from hepatomas or by genetic manipulation are widely used due to their good availability, but they are generally altered in certain metabolic functions. For the past few years, adult and pluripotent stem cells have been attracting increasing attention, due their ability to proliferate and to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro. However, controlling the differentiation of these cells is still a challenge. This review gives an overview of the major human cell sources under investigation for in vitro liver cell culture models, including primary human liver cells, liver cell lines, and stem cells. The promises and challenges of different cell types are discussed with a focus on the complex 2D and 3D culture approaches under investigation for improving liver cell functionality in vitro. Finally, the specific application options of individual cell sources in pharmacological research or disease modeling are described. PMID:27385595

  19. Human adipose stromal cells expanded in human serum promote engraftment of human peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells in NOD/SCID mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Su Jin; Cho, Hyun Hwa; Kim, Yeon Jeong; Seo, Su Yeong; Kim, Han Na; Lee, Jae Bong; Kim, Jae Ho; Chung, Joo Seop; Jung, Jin Sup

    2005-01-01

    Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC), that have been reported to be present in bone marrow, adipose tissues, dermis, muscles, and peripheral blood, have the potential to differentiate along different lineages including those forming bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, and neuron. Therefore, hMSC are attractive candidates for cell and gene therapy. The optimal conditions for hMSC expansion require medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS). Some forms of cell therapy will involve multiple doses, raising a concern over immunological reactions caused by medium-derived FBS proteins. In this study, we cultured human adipose stromal cells (hADSC) and bone marrow stroma cells (HBMSC) in human serum (HS) during their isolation and expansion, and demonstrated that they maintain their proliferative capacity and ability for multilineage differentiation and promote engraftment of peripheral blood-derived CD34(+) cells mobilized from bone marrow in NOD/SCID mice. Our results indicate that hADSC and hBMSC cultured in HS can be used for clinical trials of cell and gene therapies, including promotion of engraftment after allogeneic HSC transplantation

  20. Ontogeny of human IgE?expressing B cells and plasma cells

    OpenAIRE

    Ramadani, F.; Bowen, H.; Upton, N.; Hobson, P. S.; Chan, Y.?C.; Chen, J.?B.; Chang, T. W.; McDonnell, J. M.; Sutton, B. J.; Fear, D. J.; Gould, H. J.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: IgE-expressing (IgE+) plasma cells (PCs) provide a continuous source of allergen specific IgE that is central to allergic responses. The extreme sparsity of IgE+ cells in vivo has confined their study almost entirely to mouse models.OBJECTIVE: To characterise the development pathway of human IgE+ PCs and to determine the ontogeny of human IgE+ PCs.METHODS: To generate human IgE+ cells we cultured tonsil B cells with IL-4 and anti-CD40. Using FACS and RT-PCR we examined the phenoty...

  1. Development of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from human pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Tong; Wang, Fen; Wu, Mengyao; Wang, Zack Z

    2015-07-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), provide a new cell source for regenerative medicine, disease modeling, drug discovery, and preclinical toxicity screening. Understanding of the onset and the sequential process of hematopoietic cells from differentiated hPSCs will enable the achievement of personalized medicine and provide an in vitro platform for studying of human hematopoietic development and disease. During embryogenesis, hemogenic endothelial cells, a specified subset of endothelial cells in embryonic endothelium, are the primary source of multipotent hematopoietic stem cells. In this review, we discuss current status in the generation of multipotent hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from hPSCs via hemogenic endothelial cells. We also review the achievements in direct reprogramming from non-hematopoietic cells to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Further characterization of hematopoietic differentiation in hPSCs will improve our understanding of blood development and expedite the development of hPSC-derived blood products for therapeutic purpose. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Human stem cells for craniomaxillofacial reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalali, Morteza; Kirkpatrick, William Niall Alexander; Cameron, Malcolm Gregor; Pauklin, Siim; Vallier, Ludovic

    2014-07-01

    Human stem cell research represents an exceptional opportunity for regenerative medicine and the surgical reconstruction of the craniomaxillofacial complex. The correct architecture and function of the vastly diverse tissues of this important anatomical region are critical for life supportive processes, the delivery of senses, social interaction, and aesthetics. Craniomaxillofacial tissue loss is commonly associated with inflammatory responses of the surrounding tissue, significant scarring, disfigurement, and psychological sequelae as an inevitable consequence. The in vitro production of fully functional cells for skin, muscle, cartilage, bone, and neurovascular tissue formation from human stem cells, may one day provide novel materials for the reconstructive surgeon operating on patients with both hard and soft tissue deficit due to cancer, congenital disease, or trauma. However, the clinical translation of human stem cell technology, including the application of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in novel regenerative therapies, faces several hurdles that must be solved to permit safe and effective use in patients. The basic biology of hPSCs remains to be fully elucidated and concerns of tumorigenicity need to be addressed, prior to the development of cell transplantation treatments. Furthermore, functional comparison of in vitro generated tissue to their in vivo counterparts will be necessary for confirmation of maturity and suitability for application in reconstructive surgery. Here, we provide an overview of human stem cells in disease modeling, drug screening, and therapeutics, while also discussing the application of regenerative medicine for craniomaxillofacial tissue deficit and surgical reconstruction.

  3. The contribution of human/non-human animal chimeras to stem cell research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Sonya; Grabel, Laura

    2017-10-01

    Chimeric animals are made up of cells from two separate zygotes. Human/non-human animal chimeras have been used for a number of research purposes, including human disease modeling. Pluripotent stem cell (PSC) research has relied upon the chimera approach to examine the developmental potential of stem cells, to determine the efficacy of cell replacement therapies, and to establish a means of producing human organs. Based on ethical issues, this work has faced pushback from various sources including funding agencies. We discuss here the essential role these studies have played, from gaining a better understanding of human biology to providing a stepping stone to human disease treatments. We also consider the major ethical issues, as well as the current status of support for this work in the United States. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Comparison of Gene Expression in Human Embryonic Stem Cells, hESC-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

    OpenAIRE

    Romain Barbet; Isabelle Peiffer; Antoinette Hatzfeld; Pierre Charbord; Jacques A. Hatzfeld

    2011-01-01

    We present a strategy to identify developmental/differentiation and plasma membrane marker genes of the most primitive human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs). Using sensitive and quantitative TaqMan Low Density Arrays (TLDA) methodology, we compared the expression of 381 genes in human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs), hESC-derived MSCs ...

  5. New Monoclonal Antibodies to Defined Cell Surface Proteins on Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Carmel M; Chy, Hun S; Zhou, Qi; Blumenfeld, Shiri; Lambshead, Jack W; Liu, Xiaodong; Kie, Joshua; Capaldo, Bianca D; Chung, Tung-Liang; Adams, Timothy E; Phan, Tram; Bentley, John D; McKinstry, William J; Oliva, Karen; McMurrick, Paul J; Wang, Yu-Chieh; Rossello, Fernando J; Lindeman, Geoffrey J; Chen, Di; Jarde, Thierry; Clark, Amander T; Abud, Helen E; Visvader, Jane E; Nefzger, Christian M; Polo, Jose M; Loring, Jeanne F; Laslett, Andrew L

    2017-03-01

    The study and application of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) will be enhanced by the availability of well-characterized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) detecting cell-surface epitopes. Here, we report generation of seven new mAbs that detect cell surface proteins present on live and fixed human ES cells (hESCs) and human iPS cells (hiPSCs), confirming our previous prediction that these proteins were present on the cell surface of hPSCs. The mAbs all show a high correlation with POU5F1 (OCT4) expression and other hPSC surface markers (TRA-160 and SSEA-4) in hPSC cultures and detect rare OCT4 positive cells in differentiated cell cultures. These mAbs are immunoreactive to cell surface protein epitopes on both primed and naive state hPSCs, providing useful research tools to investigate the cellular mechanisms underlying human pluripotency and states of cellular reprogramming. In addition, we report that subsets of the seven new mAbs are also immunoreactive to human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), normal human breast subsets and both normal and tumorigenic colorectal cell populations. The mAbs reported here should accelerate the investigation of the nature of pluripotency, and enable development of robust cell separation and tracing technologies to enrich or deplete for hPSCs and other human stem and somatic cell types. Stem Cells 2017;35:626-640. © 2016 The Authors Stem Cells published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AlphaMed Press.

  6. Human fetal liver stromal cells that overexpress bFGF support growth and maintenance of human embryonic stem cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiafei Xi

    Full Text Available In guiding hES cell technology toward the clinic, one key issue to be addressed is to culture and maintain hES cells much more safely and economically in large scale. In order to avoid using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs we isolated human fetal liver stromal cells (hFLSCs from 14 weeks human fetal liver as new human feeder cells. hFLSCs feeders could maintain hES cells for 15 passages (about 100 days. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF is known to play an important role in promoting self-renewal of human embryonic stem (hES cells. So, we established transgenic hFLSCs that stably express bFGF by lentiviral vectors. These transgenic human feeder cells--bFGF-hFLSCs maintained the properties of H9 hES cells without supplementing with any exogenous growth factors. H9 hES cells culturing under these conditions maintained all hES cell features after prolonged culture, including the developmental potential to differentiate into representative tissues of all three embryonic germ layers, unlimited and undifferentiated proliferative ability, and maintenance of normal karyotype. Our results demonstrated that bFGF-hFLSCs feeder cells were central to establishing the signaling network among bFGF, insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2, and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β, thereby providing the framework in which hES cells were instructed to self-renew or to differentiate. We also found that the conditioned medium of bFGF-hFLSCs could maintain the H9 hES cells under feeder-free conditions without supplementing with bFGF. Taken together, bFGF-hFLSCs had great potential as feeders for maintaining pluripotent hES cell lines more safely and economically.

  7. Immortalization of human myogenic progenitor cell clone retaining multipotentiality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hashimoto, Naohiro; Kiyono, Tohru; Wada, Michiko R.; Shimizu, Shirabe; Yasumoto, Shigeru; Inagawa, Masayo

    2006-01-01

    Human myogenic cells have limited ability to proliferate in culture. Although forced expression of telomerase can immortalize some cell types, telomerase alone delays senescence of human primary cultured myogenic cells, but fails to immortalize them. In contrast, constitutive expression of both telomerase and the E7 gene from human papillomavirus type 16 immortalizes primary human myogenic cells. We have established an immortalized primary human myogenic cell line preserving multipotentiality by ectopic expression of telomerase and E7. The immortalized human myogenic cells exhibit the phenotypic characteristics of their primary parent, including an ability to undergo myogenic, osteogenic, and adipogenic terminal differentiation under appropriate culture conditions. The immortalized cells will be useful for both basic and applied studies aimed at human muscle disorders. Furthermore, immortalization by transduction of telomerase and E7 represents a useful method by which to expand human myogenic cells in vitro without compromising their ability to differentiate

  8. DNA Repair in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Is Distinct from That in Non-Pluripotent Human Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Li Z.; Park, Sang-Won; Bates, Steven E.; Zeng, Xianmin; Iverson, Linda E.; O'Connor, Timothy R.

    2012-01-01

    The potential for human disease treatment using human pluripotent stem cells, including embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), also carries the risk of added genomic instability. Genomic instability is most often linked to DNA repair deficiencies, which indicates that screening/characterization of possible repair deficiencies in pluripotent human stem cells should be a necessary step prior to their clinical and research use. In this study, a comparison of DNA repair pathways in pluripotent cells, as compared to those in non-pluripotent cells, demonstrated that DNA repair capacities of pluripotent cell lines were more heterogeneous than those of differentiated lines examined and were generally greater. Although pluripotent cells had high DNA repair capacities for nucleotide excision repair, we show that ultraviolet radiation at low fluxes induced an apoptotic response in these cells, while differentiated cells lacked response to this stimulus, and note that pluripotent cells had a similar apoptotic response to alkylating agent damage. This sensitivity of pluripotent cells to damage is notable since viable pluripotent cells exhibit less ultraviolet light-induced DNA damage than do differentiated cells that receive the same flux. In addition, the importance of screening pluripotent cells for DNA repair defects was highlighted by an iPSC line that demonstrated a normal spectral karyotype, but showed both microsatellite instability and reduced DNA repair capacities in three out of four DNA repair pathways examined. Together, these results demonstrate a need to evaluate DNA repair capacities in pluripotent cell lines, in order to characterize their genomic stability, prior to their pre-clinical and clinical use. PMID:22412831

  9. Interaction of Staphylococci with Human B cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tyler K Nygaard

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of human infections worldwide. The pathogen produces numerous molecules that can interfere with recognition and binding by host innate immune cells, an initial step required for the ingestion and subsequent destruction of microbes by phagocytes. To better understand the interaction of this pathogen with human immune cells, we compared the association of S. aureus and S. epidermidis with leukocytes in human blood. We found that a significantly greater proportion of B cells associated with S. epidermidis relative to S. aureus. Complement components and complement receptors were important for the binding of B cells with S. epidermidis. Experiments using staphylococci inactivated by ultraviolet radiation and S. aureus isogenic deletion mutants indicated that S. aureus secretes molecules regulated by the SaeR/S two-component system that interfere with the ability of human B cells to bind this bacterium. We hypothesize that the relative inability of B cells to bind S. aureus contributes to the microbe's success as a human pathogen.

  10. Mesenchymal stem cell like (MSCl) cells generated from human embryonic stem cells support pluripotent cell growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varga, Nóra; Veréb, Zoltán; Rajnavölgyi, Éva; Német, Katalin; Uher, Ferenc; Sarkadi, Balázs; Apáti, Ágota

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: ► MSC like cells were derived from hESC by a simple and reproducible method. ► Differentiation and immunosuppressive features of MSCl cells were similar to bmMSC. ► MSCl cells as feeder cells support the undifferentiated growth of hESC. -- Abstract: Mesenchymal stem cell like (MSCl) cells were generated from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) through embryoid body formation, and isolated by adherence to plastic surface. MSCl cell lines could be propagated without changes in morphological or functional characteristics for more than 15 passages. These cells, as well as their fluorescent protein expressing stable derivatives, efficiently supported the growth of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells as feeder cells. The MSCl cells did not express the embryonic (Oct4, Nanog, ABCG2, PODXL, or SSEA4), or hematopoietic (CD34, CD45, CD14, CD133, HLA-DR) stem cell markers, while were positive for the characteristic cell surface markers of MSCs (CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105). MSCl cells could be differentiated toward osteogenic, chondrogenic or adipogenic directions and exhibited significant inhibition of mitogen-activated lymphocyte proliferation, and thus presented immunosuppressive features. We suggest that cultured MSCl cells can properly model human MSCs and be applied as efficient feeders in hESC cultures.

  11. Stereological quantification of mast cells in human synovium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damsgaard, T E; Sørensen, Flemming Brandt; Herlin, T

    1999-01-01

    Mast cells participate in both the acute allergic reaction as well as in chronic inflammatory diseases. Earlier studies have revealed divergent results regarding the quantification of mast cells in the human synovium. The aim of the present study was therefore to quantify these cells in the human...... synovium, using stereological techniques. Different methods of staining and quantification have previously been used for mast cell quantification in human synovium. Stereological techniques provide precise and unbiased information on the number of cell profiles in two-dimensional tissue sections of......, in this case, human synovium. In 10 patients suffering from osteoarthritis a median of 3.6 mast cells/mm2 synovial membrane was found. The total number of cells (synoviocytes, fibroblasts, lymphocytes, leukocytes) present was 395.9 cells/mm2 (median). The mast cells constituted 0.8% of all the cell profiles...

  12. Vascular endothelial growth factor-D over-expressing tumor cells induce differential effects on uterine vasculature in a mouse model of endometrial cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stacker Steven A

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been hypothesised that increased VEGF-D expression may be an independent prognostic factor for endometrial cancer progression and lymph node metastasis; however, the mechanism by which VEGF-D may promote disease progression in women with endometrial cancer has not been investigated. Our aim was to describe the distribution of lymphatic vessels in mouse uterus and to examine the effect of VEGF-D over-expression on these vessels in a model of endometrial cancer. We hypothesised that VEGF-D over-expression would stimulate growth of new lymphatic vessels into the endometrium, thereby contributing to cancer progression. Methods We initially described the distribution of lymphatic vessels (Lyve-1, podoplanin, VEGFR-3 and VEGF-D expression in the mouse uterus during the estrous cycle, early pregnancy and in response to estradiol-17beta and progesterone using immunohistochemistry. We also examined the effects of VEGF-D over-expression on uterine vasculature by inoculating uterine horns in NOD SCID mice with control or VEGF-D-expressing 293EBNA tumor cells. Results Lymphatic vessels positive for the lymphatic endothelial cell markers Lyve-1, podoplanin and VEGFR-3 profiles were largely restricted to the connective tissue between the myometrial circular and longitudinal muscle layers; very few lymphatic vessel profiles were observed in the endometrium. VEGF-D immunostaining was present in all uterine compartments (epithelium, stroma, myometrium, although expression was generally low. VEGF-D immunoexpression was slightly but significantly higher in estrus relative to diestrus; and in estradiol-17beta treated mice relative to vehicle or progesterone treated mice. The presence of VEGF-D over-expressing tumor cells did not induce endometrial lymphangiogenesis, although changes were observed in existing vessel profiles. For myometrial lymphatic and endometrial blood vessels, the percentage of profiles containing proliferating

  13. Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation into Functional Epicardial Progenitor Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Antonio Guadix

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs are widely used to study cardiovascular cell differentiation and function. Here, we induced differentiation of hPSCs (both embryonic and induced to proepicardial/epicardial progenitor cells that cover the heart during development. Addition of retinoic acid (RA and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4 promoted expression of the mesodermal marker PDGFRα, upregulated characteristic (proepicardial progenitor cell genes, and downregulated transcription of myocardial genes. We confirmed the (proepicardial-like properties of these cells using in vitro co-culture assays and in ovo grafting of hPSC-epicardial cells into chick embryos. Our data show that RA + BMP4-treated hPSCs differentiate into (proepicardial-like cells displaying functional properties (adhesion and spreading over the myocardium of their in vivo counterpart. The results extend evidence that hPSCs are an excellent model to study (proepicardial differentiation into cardiovascular cells in human development and evaluate their potential for cardiac regeneration. : The authors have shown that hPSCs can be instructed in vitro to differentiate into a specific cardiac embryonic progenitor cell population called the proepicardium. Proepicardial cells are required for normal formation of the heart during development and might contribute to the development of cell-based therapies for heart repair. Keywords: human pluripotent stem cells, proepicardium, progenitor cells, cardiovascular, differentiation

  14. Human mesenchymal stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abdallah, Basem; Kassem, Moustapha

    2008-01-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are a group of clonogenic cells present among the bone marrow stroma and capable of multilineage differentiation into mesoderm-type cells such as osteoblasts, adipocytes and chondrocytes. Due to their ease of isolation and their differentiation potential, MSC are being...... introduced into clinical medicine in variety of applications and through different ways of administration. Here, we discuss approaches for isolation, characterization and directing differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC). An update of the current clinical use of the cells is also provided....

  15. T-cell receptor transfer into human T cells with ecotropic retroviral vectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koste, L; Beissert, T; Hoff, H; Pretsch, L; Türeci, Ö; Sahin, U

    2014-05-01

    Adoptive T-cell transfer for cancer immunotherapy requires genetic modification of T cells with recombinant T-cell receptors (TCRs). Amphotropic retroviral vectors (RVs) used for TCR transduction for this purpose are considered safe in principle. Despite this, TCR-coding and packaging vectors could theoretically recombine to produce replication competent vectors (RCVs), and transduced T-cell preparations must be proven free of RCV. To eliminate the need for RCV testing, we transduced human T cells with ecotropic RVs so potential RCV would be non-infectious for human cells. We show that transfection of synthetic messenger RNA encoding murine cationic amino-acid transporter 1 (mCAT-1), the receptor for murine retroviruses, enables efficient transient ecotropic transduction of human T cells. mCAT-1-dependent transduction was more efficient than amphotropic transduction performed in parallel, and preferentially targeted naive T cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that ecotropic TCR transduction results in antigen-specific restimulation of primary human T cells. Thus, ecotropic RVs represent a versatile, safe and potent tool to prepare T cells for the adoptive transfer.

  16. Human amniotic epithelial cell feeder layers maintain human iPS cell pluripotency via inhibited endogenous microRNA-145 and increased Sox2 expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Te; Cheng, Weiwei; Huang, Yongyi; Huang, Qin; Jiang, Lizhen; Guo, Lihe

    2012-01-01

    Currently, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were generated from patient or disease-specific sources and share the same key properties as embryonic stem cells. This makes them attractive for personalized medicine, drug screens or cellular therapy. Long-term cultivation and maintenance of normal iPS cells in an undifferentiated self-renewing state are a major challenge. Our previous studies have shown that human amniotic epithelial cells (HuAECs) could provide a good source of feeder cells for mouse and human embryonic stem cells, or spermatogonial stem cells, but the mechanism for this is unknown. Here, we examined the effect of endogenous microRNA-145 regulation on Sox2 expression in human iPS cells by HuAECs feeder cells regulation, and in turn on human iPS cells pluripotency. We found that human IPS cells transfected with a microRNA-145 mutant expressed Sox2 at high levels, allowing iPS to maintain a high level of AP activity in long-term culture and form teratomas in SCID mice. Expression of stem cell markers was increased in iPS transfected with the microRNA-145 mutant, compared with iPS was transfected with microRNA-145. Besides, the expression of Drosha proteins of the microRNA-processor complex, required for the generation of precursor pre-miRNA, was significantly increased in human iPS cells cultured on MEF but not on HuAECs. Taken together, these results suggest that endogenous Sox2 expression may be regulated by microRNA-145 in human iPS cells with HuAECs feeder cells, and Sox2 is a crucial component required for maintenance of them in an undifferentiated, proliferative state capable of self-renewal. Highlights: ► microRNA-145 inhibits Sox2 expression in human iPS cells. ► microRNA-145 suppresses the self-renewal and pluripotency of human iPS cells. ► HuAECs regulate expression of microRNA-145 and Sox2 in human iPS cells. ► HuAECs feeder layers maintain human iPS cells pluripotency. ► HuAECs negatively regulates the synthesis of

  17. Human amniotic epithelial cell feeder layers maintain human iPS cell pluripotency via inhibited endogenous microRNA-145 and increased Sox2 expression

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Te, E-mail: liute79@yahoo.com [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031 (China); Cheng, Weiwei [International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200030 (China); Huang, Yongyi [Laboratoire PROTEE, Batiment R, Universite du Sud Toulon-Var, 83957 LA GARDE Cedex (France); Huang, Qin; Jiang, Lizhen [Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031 (China); Guo, Lihe, E-mail: liute79@yahoo.com [Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031 (China)

    2012-02-15

    Currently, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were generated from patient or disease-specific sources and share the same key properties as embryonic stem cells. This makes them attractive for personalized medicine, drug screens or cellular therapy. Long-term cultivation and maintenance of normal iPS cells in an undifferentiated self-renewing state are a major challenge. Our previous studies have shown that human amniotic epithelial cells (HuAECs) could provide a good source of feeder cells for mouse and human embryonic stem cells, or spermatogonial stem cells, but the mechanism for this is unknown. Here, we examined the effect of endogenous microRNA-145 regulation on Sox2 expression in human iPS cells by HuAECs feeder cells regulation, and in turn on human iPS cells pluripotency. We found that human IPS cells transfected with a microRNA-145 mutant expressed Sox2 at high levels, allowing iPS to maintain a high level of AP activity in long-term culture and form teratomas in SCID mice. Expression of stem cell markers was increased in iPS transfected with the microRNA-145 mutant, compared with iPS was transfected with microRNA-145. Besides, the expression of Drosha proteins of the microRNA-processor complex, required for the generation of precursor pre-miRNA, was significantly increased in human iPS cells cultured on MEF but not on HuAECs. Taken together, these results suggest that endogenous Sox2 expression may be regulated by microRNA-145 in human iPS cells with HuAECs feeder cells, and Sox2 is a crucial component required for maintenance of them in an undifferentiated, proliferative state capable of self-renewal. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer microRNA-145 inhibits Sox2 expression in human iPS cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer microRNA-145 suppresses the self-renewal and pluripotency of human iPS cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer HuAECs regulate expression of microRNA-145 and Sox2 in human iPS cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer HuAECs feeder

  18. 21 CFR 864.2280 - Cultured animal and human cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Cultured animal and human cells. 864.2280 Section... Cultured animal and human cells. (a) Identification. Cultured animal and human cells are in vitro cultivated cell lines from the tissue of humans or other animals which are used in various diagnostic...

  19. Interaction of Human Enterochromaffin Cells with Human Enteric Adenovirus 41 Leads to Serotonin Release and Subsequent Activation of Enteric Glia Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westerberg, Sonja; Hagbom, Marie; Rajan, Anandi; Loitto, Vesa; Persson, B David; Allard, Annika; Nordgren, Johan; Sharma, Sumit; Magnusson, Karl-Eric; Arnberg, Niklas; Svensson, Lennart

    2018-04-01

    Human adenovirus 41 (HAdV-41) causes acute gastroenteritis in young children. The main characteristics of HAdV-41 infection are diarrhea and vomiting. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism of HAdV-41-induced diarrhea is unknown, as a suitable small-animal model has not been described. In this study, we used the human midgut carcinoid cell line GOT1 to investigate the effect of HAdV-41 infection and the individual HAdV-41 capsid proteins on serotonin release by enterochromaffin cells and on enteric glia cell (EGC) activation. We first determined that HAdV-41 could infect the enterochromaffin cells. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the cells expressed HAdV-41-specific coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR); flow cytometry analysis supported these findings. HAdV-41 infection of the enterochromaffin cells induced serotonin secretion dose dependently. In contrast, control infection with HAdV-5 did not induce serotonin secretion in the cells. Confocal microscopy studies of enterochromaffin cells infected with HAdV-41 revealed decreased serotonin immunofluorescence compared to that in uninfected cells. Incubation of the enterochromaffin cells with purified HAdV-41 short fiber knob and hexon proteins increased the serotonin levels in the harvested cell supernatant significantly. HAdV-41 infection could also activate EGCs, as shown in the significantly altered expression of glia fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in EGCs incubated with HAdV-41. The EGCs were also activated by serotonin alone, as shown in the significantly increased GFAP staining intensity. Likewise, EGCs were activated by the cell supernatant of HAdV-41-infected enterochromaffin cells. IMPORTANCE The nonenveloped human adenovirus 41 causes diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and low-grade fever mainly in children under 2 years of age. Even though acute gastroenteritis is well described, how human adenovirus 41 causes diarrhea is unknown. In our study, we analyzed the effect of human adenovirus 41

  20. Culture of human cell lines by a pathogen-inactivated human platelet lysate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazzina, R; Iudicone, P; Mariotti, A; Fioravanti, D; Procoli, A; Cicchetti, E; Scambia, G; Bonanno, G; Pierelli, L

    2016-08-01

    Alternatives to the use of fetal bovine serum (FBS) have been investigated to ensure xeno-free growth condition. In this study we evaluated the efficacy of human platelet lysate (PL) as a substitute of FBS for the in vitro culture of some human cell lines. PL was obtained by pools of pathogen inactivated human donor platelet (PLT) concentrates. Human leukemia cell lines (KG-1, K562, JURKAT, HL-60) and epithelial tumor cell lines (HeLa and MCF-7) were cultured with either FBS or PL. Changes in cell proliferation, viability, morphology, surface markers and cell cycle were evaluated for each cell line. Functional characteristics were analysed by drug sensitivity test and cytotoxicity assay. Our results demonstrated that PL can support growth and expansion of all cell lines, although the cells cultured in presence of PL experienced a less massive proliferation compared to those grown with FBS. We found a comparable percentage of viable specific marker-expressing cells in both conditions, confirming lineage fidelity in all cultures. Functionality assays showed that cells in both FBS- and PL-supported cultures maintained their normal responsiveness to adriamycin and NK cell-mediated lysis. Our findings indicate that PL is a feasible serum substitute for supporting growth and propagation of haematopoietic and epithelial cell lines with many advantages from a perspective of process standardization, ethicality and product safety.

  1. Mesenchymal stem cell like (MSCl) cells generated from human embryonic stem cells support pluripotent cell growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Varga, Nora [Membrane Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest (Hungary); Vereb, Zoltan; Rajnavoelgyi, Eva [Department of Immunology, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Debrecen (Hungary); Nemet, Katalin; Uher, Ferenc; Sarkadi, Balazs [Membrane Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest (Hungary); Apati, Agota, E-mail: apati@kkk.org.hu [Membrane Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest (Hungary)

    2011-10-28

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MSC like cells were derived from hESC by a simple and reproducible method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Differentiation and immunosuppressive features of MSCl cells were similar to bmMSC. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MSCl cells as feeder cells support the undifferentiated growth of hESC. -- Abstract: Mesenchymal stem cell like (MSCl) cells were generated from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) through embryoid body formation, and isolated by adherence to plastic surface. MSCl cell lines could be propagated without changes in morphological or functional characteristics for more than 15 passages. These cells, as well as their fluorescent protein expressing stable derivatives, efficiently supported the growth of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells as feeder cells. The MSCl cells did not express the embryonic (Oct4, Nanog, ABCG2, PODXL, or SSEA4), or hematopoietic (CD34, CD45, CD14, CD133, HLA-DR) stem cell markers, while were positive for the characteristic cell surface markers of MSCs (CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105). MSCl cells could be differentiated toward osteogenic, chondrogenic or adipogenic directions and exhibited significant inhibition of mitogen-activated lymphocyte proliferation, and thus presented immunosuppressive features. We suggest that cultured MSCl cells can properly model human MSCs and be applied as efficient feeders in hESC cultures.

  2. Male germline stem cells in non-human primates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Sharma

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Over the past few decades, several studies have attempted to decipher the biology of mammalian germline stem cells (GSCs. These studies provide evidence that regulatory mechanisms for germ cell specification and migration are evolutionarily conserved across species. The characteristics and functions of primate GSCs are highly distinct from rodent species; therefore the findings from rodent models cannot be extrapolated to primates. Due to limited availability of human embryonic and testicular samples for research purposes, two non-human primate models (marmoset and macaque monkeys are extensively employed to understand human germline development and differentiation. This review provides a broader introduction to the in vivo and in vitro germline stem cell terminology from primordial to differentiating germ cells. Primordial germ cells (PGCs are the most immature germ cells colonizing the gonad prior to sex differentiation into testes or ovaries. PGC specification and migratory patterns among different primate species are compared in the review. It also reports the distinctions and similarities in expression patterns of pluripotency markers (OCT4A, NANOG, SALL4 and LIN28 during embryonic developmental stages, among marmosets, macaques and humans. This review presents a comparative summary with immunohistochemical and molecular evidence of germ cell marker expression patterns during postnatal developmental stages, among humans and non-human primates. Furthermore, it reports findings from the recent literature investigating the plasticity behavior of germ cells and stem cells in other organs of humans and monkeys. The use of non-human primate models would enable bridging the knowledge gap in primate GSC research and understanding the mechanisms involved in germline development. Reported similarities in regulatory mechanisms and germ cell expression profile in primates demonstrate the preclinical significance of monkey models for development of

  3. Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Volumetry in Predicting Myometrial Invasion, Lymphovascular Space Invasion, and Tumor Grade: Is It Valuable in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Stage I Endometrial Cancer?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, Hilal; Sarioglu, Fatma Ceren; Bagci, Mustafa; Karadeniz, Tugba; Uluer, Hatice; Sanci, Muzaffer

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this retrospective single-center study was to evaluate the relationship between maximum tumor size, tumor volume, tumor volume ratio (TVR) based on preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) volumetry, and negative histological prognostic parameters (deep myometrial invasion [MI], lymphovascular space invasion, tumor histological grade, and subtype) in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I endometrial cancer. Preoperative pelvic MR imaging studies of 68 women with surgical-pathologic diagnosis of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I endometrial cancer were reviewed for assessment of MR volumetry and qualitative assessment of MI. Volume of the tumor and uterus was measured with manual tracing of each section on sagittal T2-weighted images. Tumor volume ratio was calculated according to the following formula: TVR = (total tumor volume/total uterine volume) × 100. Receiver operating characteristics curve was performed to investigate a threshold for TVR associated with MI. The Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and linear regression analysis were applied to evaluate possible differences between tumor size, tumor volume, TVR, and negative prognostic parameters. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis of TVR for prediction of deep MI was statistically significant (P = 0.013). An optimal TVR threshold of 7.3% predicted deep myometrial invasion with 85.7% sensitivity, 46.8% specificity, 41.9% positive predictive value, and 88.0% negative predictive value. Receiver operating characteristics curve analyses of TVR, tumor size, and tumor volume for prediction of tumor histological grade or lymphovascular space invasion were not significant. The concordance between radiologic and pathologic assessment for MI was almost excellent (κ value, 0.799; P volumetry, seems to predict deep MI independently in stage I endometrial cancer with insufficient sensitivity and specificity. Its value in clinical practice for

  4. Human induced pluripotent stem cells on autologous feeders.

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    Kazutoshi Takahashi

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: For therapeutic usage of induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS cells, to accomplish xeno-free culture is critical. Previous reports have shown that human embryonic stem (ES cells can be maintained in feeder-free condition. However, absence of feeder cells can be a hostile environment for pluripotent cells and often results in karyotype abnormalities. Instead of animal feeders, human fibroblasts can be used as feeder cells of human ES cells. However, one still has to be concerned about the existence of unidentified pathogens, such as viruses and prions in these non-autologous feeders. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This report demonstrates that human induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS cells can be established and maintained on isogenic parental feeder cells. We tested four independent human skin fibroblasts for the potential to maintain self-renewal of iPS cells. All the fibroblasts tested, as well as their conditioned medium, were capable of maintaining the undifferentiated state and normal karyotypes of iPS cells. Furthermore, human iPS cells can be generated on isogenic parental fibroblasts as feeders. These iPS cells carried on proliferation over 19 passages with undifferentiated morphologies. They expressed undifferentiated pluripotent cell markers, and could differentiate into all three germ layers via embryoid body and teratoma formation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that autologous fibroblasts can be not only a source for iPS cells but also be feeder layers. Our results provide a possibility to solve the dilemma by using isogenic fibroblasts as feeder layers of iPS cells. This is an important step toward the establishment of clinical grade iPS cells.

  5. Human interleukin for DA cells or leukemia inhibitory factor is released by Vero cells in human embryo coculture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papaxanthos-Roche, A; Taupin, J L; Mayer, G; Daniel, J Y; Moreau, J F

    1994-09-01

    In the light of the newly discovered implications of human interleukin for DA cells and leukemia inhibitory factor in embryology, we searched for the presence of this soluble cytokine in the supernatant of Vero cell coculture systems. Using a bioassay as well as a specific ELISA, we demonstrated that Vero cells are able to release large quantities of human interleukin for DA cells and leukemia inhibitory factor in the embryo-growing medium of such cocultures.

  6. Generation of Human Immunosuppressive Myeloid Cell Populations in Human Interleukin-6 Transgenic NOG Mice

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    Asami Hanazawa

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The tumor microenvironment contains unique immune cells, termed myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs, and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs that suppress host anti-tumor immunity and promote tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. Although these cells are considered a key target of cancer immune therapy, in vivo animal models allowing differentiation of human immunosuppressive myeloid cells have yet to be established, hampering the development of novel cancer therapies. In this study, we established a novel humanized transgenic (Tg mouse strain, human interleukin (hIL-6-expressing NOG mice (NOG-hIL-6 transgenic mice. After transplantation of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs, the HSC-transplanted NOG-hIL-6 Tg mice (HSC-NOG-hIL-6 Tg mice showed enhanced human monocyte/macrophage differentiation. A significant number of human monocytes were negative for HLA-DR expression and resembled immature myeloid cells in the spleen and peripheral blood from HSC-NOG-hIL-6 Tg mice, but not from HSC-NOG non-Tg mice. Engraftment of HSC4 cells, a human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma-derived cell line producing various factors including IL-6, IL-1β, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, into HSC-NOG-hIL-6 Tg mice induced a significant number of TAM-like cells, but few were induced in HSC-NOG non-Tg mice. The tumor-infiltrating macrophages in HSC-NOG-hIL-6 Tg mice expressed a high level of CD163, a marker of immunoregulatory myeloid cells, and produced immunosuppressive molecules such as arginase-1 (Arg-1, IL-10, and VEGF. Such cells from HSC-NOG-hIL-6 Tg mice, but not HSC-NOG non-Tg mice, suppressed human T cell proliferation in response to antigen stimulation in in vitro cultures. These results suggest that functional human TAMs can be developed in NOG-hIL-6 Tg mice. This mouse model will contribute to the development of novel cancer immune therapies targeting immunoregulatory

  7. Composition and function of macroencapsulated human embryonic stem cell-derived implants: comparison with clinical human islet cell grafts.

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    Motté, Evi; Szepessy, Edit; Suenens, Krista; Stangé, Geert; Bomans, Myriam; Jacobs-Tulleneers-Thevissen, Daniel; Ling, Zhidong; Kroon, Evert; Pipeleers, Daniel

    2014-11-01

    β-Cells generated from large-scale sources can overcome current shortages in clinical islet cell grafts provided that they adequately respond to metabolic variations. Pancreatic (non)endocrine cells can develop from human embryonic stem (huES) cells following in vitro derivation to pancreatic endoderm (PE) that is subsequently implanted in immune-incompetent mice for further differentiation. Encapsulation of PE increases the proportion of endocrine cells in subcutaneous implants, with enrichment in β-cells when they are placed in TheraCyte-macrodevices and predominantly α-cells when they are alginate-microencapsulated. At posttransplant (PT) weeks 20-30, macroencapsulated huES implants presented higher glucose-responsive plasma C-peptide levels and a lower proinsulin-over-C-peptide ratio than human islet cell implants under the kidney capsule. Their ex vivo analysis showed the presence of single-hormone-positive α- and β-cells that exhibited rapid secretory responses to increasing and decreasing glucose concentrations, similar to isolated human islet cells. However, their insulin secretory amplitude was lower, which was attributed in part to a lower cellular hormone content; it was associated with a lower glucose-induced insulin biosynthesis, but not with lower glucagon-induced stimulation, which together is compatible with an immature functional state of the huES-derived β-cells at PT weeks 20-30. These data support the therapeutic potential of macroencapsulated huES implants but indicate the need for further functional analysis. Their comparison with clinical-grade human islet cell grafts sets references for future development and clinical translation. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

  8. Bidirectional enhancing activities between human T cell leukemia-lymphoma virus type I and human cytomegalovirus in human term syncytiotrophoblast cells cultured in vitro.

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    Tóth, F D; Aboagye-Mathiesen, G; Szabó, J; Liu, X; Mosborg-Petersen, P; Kiss, J; Hager, H; Zdravkovic, M; Andirkó, I; Aranyosi, J

    1995-12-01

    The syncytiotrophoblast layer of the human placenta has an important role in limiting transplacental viral spread from mother to fetus. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is capable of establishing a latent infection in syncytiotrophoblast cells, with restriction of gene expression to immediate-early and early proteins. We analyzed the extent of replication of human T cell leukemia-lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) in human term syncytiotrophoblasts infected with HTLV-I alone or coinfected with HTLV-I and HCMV. Although syncytiotrophoblasts could be infected with cell-free HTLV-I, no viral protein expression was found in the singly infected cells. On the contrary, coinfection of the cells with HTLV-I and HCMV resulted in simultaneous replication of both viruses. Bidirectional enhancing activities between HTLV-I and HCMV were mediated primarily by the Tax and immediate-early proteins, respectively. The stimulatory effect of HTLV-I Tax on HCMV replication appeared to be mediated partly by tumor necrosis factor beta and transforming growth factor beta-1. We observed formation of pseudotypes with HTLV-I nucleocapsids within HCMV envelopes, whereas HCMV was not pseudotyped by HTLV-I envelopes in dually infected syncytiotrophoblast cells. Our data suggest that in vivo dual infection of syncytiotrophoblast cells with HTLV-I and HCMV may facilitate the transplacental transmission of both viruses.

  9. New discoveries on the biology and detection of human chorionic gonadotropin

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    Cole Laurence A

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG is a glycoprotein hormone comprising 2 subunits, alpha and beta joined non covalently. While similar in structure to luteinizing hormone (LH, hCG exists in multiple hormonal and non-endocrine agents, rather than as a single molecule like LH and the other glycoprotein hormones. These are regular hCG, hyperglycosylated hCG and the free beta-subunit of hyperglycosylated hCG. For 88 years regular hCG has been known as a promoter of corpus luteal progesterone production, even though this function only explains 3 weeks of a full gestations production of regular hCG. Research in recent years has explained the full gestational production by demonstration of critical functions in trophoblast differentiation and in fetal nutrition through myometrial spiral artery angiogenesis. While regular hCG is made by fused villous syncytiotrophoblast cells, extravillous invasive cytotrophoblast cells make the variant hyperglycosylated hCG. This variant is an autocrine factor, acting on extravillous invasive cytotrophoblast cells to initiate and control invasion as occurs at implantation of pregnancy and the establishment of hemochorial placentation, and malignancy as occurs in invasive hydatidiform mole and choriocarcinoma. Hyperglycosylated hCG inhibits apoptosis in extravillous invasive cytotrophoblast cells promoting cell invasion, growth and malignancy. Other non-trophoblastic malignancies retro-differentiate and produce a hyperglycosylated free beta-subunit of hCG (hCG free beta. This has been shown to be an autocrine factor antagonizing apoptosis furthering cancer cell growth and malignancy. New applications have been demonstrated for total hCG measurements and detection of the 3 hCG variants in pregnancy detection, monitoring pregnancy outcome, determining risk for Down syndrome fetus, predicting preeclampsia, detecting pituitary hCG, detecting and managing gestational trophoblastic diseases, diagnosing quiescent

  10. Sensing radiosensitivity of human epidermal stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rachidi, Walid; Harfourche, Ghida; Lemaitre, Gilles; Amiot, Franck; Vaigot, Pierre; Martin, Michele T.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: Radiosensitivity of stem cells is a matter of debate. For mouse somatic stem cells, both radiosensitive and radioresistant stem cells have been described. By contrast, the response of human stem cells to radiation has been poorly studied. As epidermis is a radiosensitive tissue, we evaluated in the present work the radiosensitivity of cell populations enriched for epithelial stem cells of human epidermis. Methods and materials: The total keratinocyte population was enzymatically isolated from normal human skin. We used flow cytometry and antibodies against cell surface markers to isolate basal cell populations from human foreskin. Cell survival was measured after a dose of 2 Gy with the XTT assay at 72 h after exposure and with a clonogenic assay at 2 weeks. Transcriptome analysis using oligonucleotide microarrays was performed to assess the genomic cell responses to radiation. Results: Cell sorting based on two membrane proteins, α6 integrin and the transferrin receptor CD71, allowed isolation of keratinocyte populations enriched for the two types of cells found in the basal layer of epidermis: stem cells and progenitors. Both the XTT assay and the clonogenic assay showed that the stem cells were radioresistant whereas the progenitors were radiosensitive. We made the hypothesis that upstream DNA damage signalling might be different in the stem cells and used microarray technology to test this hypothesis. The stem cells exhibited a much more reduced gene response to a dose of 2 Gy than the progenitors, as we found that 6% of the spotted genes were regulated in the stem cells and 20% in the progenitors. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software, we found that radiation exposure induced very specific pathways in the stem cells. The most striking responses were the repression of a network of genes involved in apoptosis and the induction of a network of cytokines and growth factors. Conclusion: These results show for the first time that keratinocyte

  11. New frontiers in human cell biology and medicine: can pluripotent stem cells deliver?

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    Goldstein, Lawrence S B

    2012-11-12

    Human pluripotent stem cells provide enormous opportunities to treat disease using cell therapy. But human stem cells can also drive biomedical and cell biological discoveries in a human model system, which can be directly linked to understanding disease or developing new therapies. Finally, rigorous scientific studies of these cells can and should inform the many science and medical policy issues that confront the translation of these technologies to medicine. In this paper, I discuss these issues using amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as an example.

  12. The lifetime of hypoxic human tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durand, Ralph E.; Sham, Edward

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: For hypoxic and anoxic cells in solid tumors to be a therapeutic problem, they must live long enough to be therapeutically relevant, or else be rapidly recruited into the proliferating compartment during therapy. We have, therefore, estimated lifetime and recruitment rate of hypoxic human tumor cells in multicell spheroids in vitro, or in xenografted tumors in SCID mice. Materials and Methods: Cell turnover was followed by flow cytometry techniques, using antibodies directed at incorporated halogenated pyrimidines. The disappearance of labeled cells was quantified, and verified to be cell loss rather than label dilution. Repopulation was studied in SiHa tumor xenografts during twice-daily 2.5-Gy radiation exposures. Results: The longevity of hypoxic human tumor cells in spheroids or xenografts exceeded that of rodent cell lines, and cell turnover was slower in xenografts than under static growth as spheroids. Human tumor cells remained viable in the hypoxic regions of xenografts for 4-10 days, compared to 3-5 days in spheroids, and 1-3 days for most rodent cells in spheroids. Repopulation was observed within the first few radiation treatments for the SiHa xenografts and, with accumulated doses of more than 10 Gy, virtually all recovered cells had progressed through at least one S-phase. Conclusion: Our results suggest an important difference in the ability of human vs. rodent tumor cells to withstand hypoxia, and raise questions concerning the increased longevity seen in vivo relative to the steady-state spheroid system

  13. Toxicity of diuron in human cancer cells.

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    Huovinen, Marjo; Loikkanen, Jarkko; Naarala, Jonne; Vähäkangas, Kirsi

    2015-10-01

    Diuron is a substituted phenylurea used as a herbicide to control broadleaf and grass weeds and as a biocidal antifouling agent. Diuron is carcinogenic in rat urinary bladder and toxic to the reproductive system of oysters, sea urchins and lizards. The few studies carried out in human cells do not include the genotoxicity of diuron. We have investigated the toxicity of diuron in human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and human placental choriocarcinoma (BeWo) cells. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was statistically significantly increased in both cell lines but only at the highest 200 μM concentration. Diuron clearly reduced the viability of BeWo, but not MCF-7 cells. The relative cell number was decreased in both cell lines indicative of inhibition of cell proliferation. In the Comet assay, diuron increased DNA fragmentation in MCF-7 but not in BeWo cells. The expressions of p53 protein, a marker for cell stress, and p21 protein, a transcriptional target of p53, were increased, but only in MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that diuron is cytotoxic and potentially genotoxic in a tissue-specific manner and that ROS play a role in its toxicity. Thus, exposure to diuron may exert harmful effects on fetal development and damage human health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Expansion and conversion of human pancreatic ductal cells into insulin-secreting endocrine cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jonghyeob; Sugiyama, Takuya; Liu, Yinghua; Wang, Jing; Gu, Xueying; Lei, Ji; Markmann, James F; Miyazaki, Satsuki; Miyazaki, Jun-Ichi; Szot, Gregory L; Bottino, Rita; Kim, Seung K

    2013-11-19

    Pancreatic islet β-cell insufficiency underlies pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus; thus, functional β-cell replacement from renewable sources is the focus of intensive worldwide effort. However, in vitro production of progeny that secrete insulin in response to physiological cues from primary human cells has proven elusive. Here we describe fractionation, expansion and conversion of primary adult human pancreatic ductal cells into progeny resembling native β-cells. FACS-sorted adult human ductal cells clonally expanded as spheres in culture, while retaining ductal characteristics. Expression of the cardinal islet developmental regulators Neurog3, MafA, Pdx1 and Pax6 converted exocrine duct cells into endocrine progeny with hallmark β-cell properties, including the ability to synthesize, process and store insulin, and secrete it in response to glucose or other depolarizing stimuli. These studies provide evidence that genetic reprogramming of expandable human pancreatic cells with defined factors may serve as a general strategy for islet replacement in diabetes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00940.001.

  15. Lobaplatin arrests cell cycle progression in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

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    Chen Chang-Jie

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC still is a big burden for China. In recent years, the third-generation platinum compounds have been proposed as potential active agents for HCC. However, more experimental and clinical data are warranted to support the proposal. In the present study, the effect of lobaplatin was assessed in five HCC cell lines and the underlying molecular mechanisms in terms of cell cycle kinetics were explored. Methods Cytotoxicity of lobaplatin to human HCC cell lines was examined using MTT cell proliferation assay. Cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry. Expression of cell cycle-regulated genes was examined at both the mRNA (RT-PCR and protein (Western blot levels. The phosphorylation status of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs and retinoblastoma (Rb protein was also examined using Western blot analysis. Results Lobaplatin inhibited proliferation of human HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. For the most sensitive SMMC-7721 cells, lobaplatin arrested cell cycle progression in G1 and G2/M phases time-dependently which might be associated with the down-regulation of cyclin B, CDK1, CDC25C, phosphorylated CDK1 (pCDK1, pCDK4, Rb, E2F, and pRb, and the up-regulation of p53, p21, and p27. Conclusion Cytotoxicity of lobaplatin in human HCC cells might be due to its ability to arrest cell cycle progression which would contribute to the potential use of lobaplatin for the management of HCC.

  16. Low antigenicity of hematopoietic progenitor cells derived from human ES cells

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    Eun-Mi Kim

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Eun-Mi Kim1, Nicholas Zavazava1,21Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, USA; 2Immunology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USAAbstract: Human embryonic stem (hES cells are essential for improved understanding of diseases and our ability to probe new therapies for use in humans. Currently, bone marrow cells and cord blood cells are used for transplantation into patients with hematopoietic malignancies, immunodeficiencies and in some cases for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. However, due to the high immunogenicity of these hematopoietic cells, toxic regimens of drugs are required for preconditioning and prevention of rejection. Here, we investigated the efficiency of deriving hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs from the hES cell line H13, after co-culturing with the murine stromal cell line OP9. We show that HPCs derived from the H13 ES cells poorly express major histocompatibility complex (MHC class I and no detectable class II antigens (HLA-DR. These characteristics make hES cell-derived hematopoietic cells (HPCs ideal candidates for transplantation across MHC barriers under minimal immunosuppression.Keywords: human embryonic stem cells, H13, hematopoiesis, OP9 stromal cells, immunogenicity

  17. Comparison of a sentinel lymph node and a selective lymphadenectomy algorithm in patients with endometrioid endometrial carcinoma and limited myometrial invasion.

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    Zahl Eriksson, Ane Gerda; Ducie, Jen; Ali, Narisha; McGree, Michaela E; Weaver, Amy L; Bogani, Giorgio; Cliby, William A; Dowdy, Sean C; Bakkum-Gamez, Jamie N; Abu-Rustum, Nadeem R; Mariani, Andrea; Leitao, Mario M

    2016-03-01

    To assess clinicopathologic outcomes between two nodal assessment approaches in patients with endometrioid endometrial carcinoma and limited myoinvasion. Patients with endometrial cancer at two institutions were reviewed. At one institution, a complete pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy to the renal veins was performed in select cases deemed at risk for nodal metastasis due to grade 3 cancer and/or primary tumor diameter>2cm (LND cohort). This is a historic approach at this institution. At the other institution, a sentinel lymph node mapping algorithm was used per institutional protocol (SLN cohort). Low risk was defined as endometrioid adenocarcinoma with myometrial invasion <50%. Macrometastasis, micrometastasis, and isolated tumor cells were all considered node-positive. Of 1135 cases identified, 642 (57%) were managed with an SLN approach and 493 (43%) with an LND approach. Pelvic nodes (PLNs) were removed in 93% and 58% of patients, respectively (P<0.001); para-aortic nodes (PANs) were removed in 14.5% and 50% of patients, respectively (P<0.001). Median number of PLNs removed was 6 and 34, respectively; median number of PANs removed was 5 and 16, respectively (both P<0.001). Metastasis to PLNs was detected in 5.1% and 2.6% of patients, respectively (P=0.03), and to PANs in 0.8% and 1.0%, respectively (P=0.75). The 3-year disease-free survival rates were 94.9% (95% CI, 92.4-97.5) and 96.8% (95% CI, 95.2-98.5), respectively. Our findings support the use of either strategy for endometrial cancer staging, with no apparent detriment in adhering to the SLN algorithm. The clinical significance of disease detected on ultrastaging and the role of adjuvant therapy is yet to be determined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Identification of proteins specific for human herpesvirus 6-infected human T cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balachandran, N.; Amelse, R.E.; Zhou, W.W.; Chang, C.K.

    1989-01-01

    Proteins specific for human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6)-infected human T cells (HSB-2) were examined by using polyclonal rabbit antibodies and monoclonal antibodies against HHV-6-infected cells and human sera. More than 20 proteins and six glycoproteins specific for HHV-6-infected cells were identified from [ 35 S]methionine- and [ 3 H]glucosamine-labeled total-cell extracts. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies immunoprecipitated 33 [ 35 S]methionine-labeled HHV-6-specific polypeptides with approximate molecular weights ranging from 180,000 to 31,000. In immunoprecipitation and Western immunoblot reactions, a patient's serum also recognized more than 30 HHV-6-specific proteins and seven glycoproteins. In contrast, sera from individuals with high-titered antibodies against other human herpesviruses reacted with fewer HHV-6-infected cell proteins, and only a 135,000-M r polypeptide was prominent. Monoclonal antibodies to HHV-6-infected cells reacted with single and multiple polypeptides specific for virus-infected cells and immunoprecipitated three distinct sets of glycoproteins, which were designated gp105k and gp82k, gp116k, gp64k, and gp54k, and gp102k

  19. Identification of proteins specific for human herpesvirus 6-infected human T cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balachandran, N.; Amelse, R.E.; Zhou, W.W.; Chang, C.K.

    1989-01-01

    Proteins specific for human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6)-infected human T cells (HSB-2) were examined by using polyclonal rabbit antibodies and monoclonal antibodies against HHV-6-infected cells and human sera. More than 20 proteins and six glycoproteins specific for HHV-6-infected cells were identified from [ 35 S]methionine- and [ 3 H]glucosamine-labeled total-cell extracts. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies immunoprecipitated 33 [ 35 S]methionine-labeled HHV-6-specific polypeptides with approximate molecular weights ranging from 180,000 to 31,000. In immunoprecipitation and Western immunoblot reactions, a patient's serum also recognized more than 30 HHV-6-specific proteins and seven glycoproteins. In contrast, sera from individuals with high-titered antibodies against other human herpes viruses reacted with few HHV-6-infected cell proteins, and only a 135,000-M/sub r/ polypeptide was prominent. Monoclonal antibodies to HHV-6-infected cells reacted with single and multiple polypeptides specific for virus-infected cells and immunoprecipitated three distinct sets of glycoproteins, which were designated gp105K and gp92k, gp116k, gp64k, and gp54k, and gp102k

  20. The response of human and rodent cells to hyperthermia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roizin-Towle, L.; Pirro, J.P.

    1991-01-01

    Inherent cellular radiosensitivity in vitro has been shown to be a good predictor of human tumor response in vivo. In contrast, the importance of the intrinsic thermosensitivity of normal and neoplastic human cells as a factor in the responsiveness of human tumors to adjuvant hyperthermia has never been analyzed systematically. A comparison of thermal sensitivity and thermo-radiosensitization in four rodent and eight human-derived cell lines was made in vitro. Arrhenius plots indicated that the rodent cells were more sensitive to heat killing than the human, and the break-point was 0.5 degrees C higher for the human than rodent cells. The relationship between thermal sensitivity and the interaction of heat with X rays at low doses was documented by thermal enhancement ratios (TER's). Cells received either a 1 hr exposure to 43 degrees C or a 20 minute treatment at 45 degrees C before exposure to 300 kVp X rays. Thermal enhancement ratios ranged from 1.0 to 2.7 for human cells heated at 43 degrees C and from 2.1 to 5.3 for heat exposures at 45 degrees C. Thermal enhancement ratios for rodent cells were generally 2 to 3 times higher than for human cells, because of the fact that the greater thermosensitivity of rodent cells results in a greater enhancement of radiation damage. Intrinsic thermosensitivity of human cells has relevance to the concept of thermal dose; intrinsic thermo-radiosensitization of a range of different tumor cells is useful in documenting the interactive effects of radiation combined with heat

  1. Repurposing Lesogaberan to Promote Human Islet Cell Survival and β-Cell Replication

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    Jide Tian

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The activation of β-cell’s A- and B-type gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABAA-Rs and GABAB-Rs can promote their survival and replication, and the activation of α-cell GABAA-Rs promotes their conversion into β-cells. However, GABA and the most clinically applicable GABA-R ligands may be suboptimal for the long-term treatment of diabetes due to their pharmacological properties or potential side-effects on the central nervous system (CNS. Lesogaberan (AZD3355 is a peripherally restricted high-affinity GABAB-R-specific agonist, originally developed for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD that appears to be safe for human use. This study tested the hypothesis that lesogaberan could be repurposed to promote human islet cell survival and β-cell replication. Treatment with lesogaberan significantly enhanced replication of human islet cells in vitro, which was abrogated by a GABAB-R antagonist. Immunohistochemical analysis of human islets that were grafted into immune-deficient mice revealed that oral treatment with lesogaberan promoted human β-cell replication and islet cell survival in vivo as effectively as GABA (which activates both GABAA-Rs and GABAB-Rs, perhaps because of its more favorable pharmacokinetics. Lesogaberan may be a promising drug candidate for clinical studies of diabetes intervention and islet transplantation.

  2. Comparative reactivity of human IgE to cynomolgus monkey and human effector cells and effects on IgE effector cell potency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saul, Louise; Saul, Louise; Josephs, Debra H; Josephs, Debra H; Cutler, Keith; Cutler, Keith; Bradwell, Andrew; Bradwell, Andrew; Karagiannis, Panagiotis; Karagiannis, Panagiotis; Selkirk, Chris; Selkirk, Chris; Gould, Hannah J; Gould, Hannah J; Jones, Paul; Jones, Paul; Spicer, James F; Spicer, James F; Karagiannis, Sophia N; Karagiannis, Sophia N

    2014-01-01

    Background: Due to genetic similarities with humans, primates of the macaque genus such as the cynomolgus monkey are often chosen as models for toxicology studies of antibody therapies. IgE therapeutics in development depend upon engagement with the FcεRI and FcεRII receptors on immune effector cells for their function. Only limited knowledge of the primate IgE immune system is available to inform the choice of models for mechanistic and safety evaluations.   Methods: The recognition of human IgE by peripheral blood lymphocytes from cynomolgus monkey and man was compared. We used effector cells from each species in ex vivo affinity, dose-response, antibody-receptor dissociation and potency assays. Results: We report cross-reactivity of human IgE Fc with cynomolgus monkey cells, and comparable binding kinetics to peripheral blood lymphocytes from both species. In competition and dissociation assays, however, human IgE dissociated faster from cynomolgus monkey compared with human effector cells. Differences in association and dissociation kinetics were reflected in effector cell potency assays of IgE-mediated target cell killing, with higher concentrations of human IgE needed to elicit effector response in the cynomolgus monkey system. Additionally, human IgE binding on immune effector cells yielded significantly different cytokine release profiles in each species. Conclusion: These data suggest that human IgE binds with different characteristics to human and cynomolgus monkey IgE effector cells. This is likely to affect the potency of IgE effector functions in these two species, and so has relevance for the selection of biologically-relevant model systems when designing pre-clinical toxicology and functional studies. PMID:24492303

  3. Retinal Ganglion Cell Diversity and Subtype Specification from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

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    Kirstin B. Langer

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs are the projection neurons of the retina and transmit visual information to postsynaptic targets in the brain. While this function is shared among nearly all RGCs, this class of cell is remarkably diverse, comprised of multiple subtypes. Previous efforts have identified numerous RGC subtypes in animal models, but less attention has been paid to human RGCs. Thus, efforts of this study examined the diversity of RGCs differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs and characterized defined subtypes through the expression of subtype-specific markers. Further investigation of these subtypes was achieved using single-cell transcriptomics, confirming the combinatorial expression of molecular markers associated with these subtypes, and also provided insight into more subtype-specific markers. Thus, the results of this study describe the derivation of RGC subtypes from hPSCs and will support the future exploration of phenotypic and functional diversity within human RGCs. : In this article, Langer and colleagues present extensive characterization of RGC subtypes derived from human pluripotent stem cells, with multiple subtypes identified by subtype-specific molecular markers. Their results present a more detailed analysis of RGC diversity in human cells and yield the use of different markers to identify RGC subtypes. Keywords: iPSC, retina, retinal ganglion cell, RGC subtype, stem cell, ipRGC, alpha RGC, direction selective RGC, RNA-seq

  4. Alternative Sources of Adult Stem Cells: Human Amniotic Membrane

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    Wolbank, Susanne; van Griensven, Martijn; Grillari-Voglauer, Regina; Peterbauer-Scherb, Anja

    Human amniotic membrane is a highly promising cell source for tissue engineering. The cells thereof, human amniotic epithelial cells (hAEC) and human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSC), may be immunoprivileged, they represent an early developmental status, and their application is ethically uncontroversial. Cell banking strategies may use freshly isolated cells or involve in vitro expansion to increase cell numbers. Therefore, we have thoroughly characterized the effect of in vitro cultivation on both phenotype and differentiation potential of hAEC. Moreover, we present different strategies to improve expansion including replacement of animal-derived supplements by human platelet products or the introduction of the catalytic subunit of human telomerase to extend the in vitro lifespan of amniotic cells. Characterization of the resulting cultures includes phenotype, growth characteristics, and differentiation potential, as well as immunogenic and immunomodulatory properties.

  5. Ginsenoside Rg3 induces DNA damage in human osteosarcoma cells and reduces MNNG-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in normal human cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yue-Hui; Li, Hai-Dong; Li, Bo; Jiang, Sheng-Dan; Jiang, Lei-Sheng

    2014-02-01

    Panax ginseng is a Chinese medicinal herb. Ginsenosides are the main bioactive components of P. ginseng, and ginsenoside Rg3 is the primary ginsenoside. Ginsenosides can potently kill various types of cancer cells. The present study was designed to evaluate the potential genotoxicity of ginsenoside Rg3 in human osteosarcoma cells and the protective effect of ginsenoside Rg3 with respect to N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in a normal human cell line (human fibroblasts). Four human osteosarcoma cell lines (MG-63, OS732, U-2OS and HOS cells) and a normal human cell line (human fibroblasts) were employed to investigate the cytotoxicity of ginsenosides Rg3 by MTT assay. Alkaline comet assay and γH2AX focus staining were used to detect the DNA damage in MG-63 and U-2OS cells. The extent of cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and a DNA ladder assay. Our results demonstrated that the cytotoxicity of ginsenoside Rg3 was dose-dependent in the human osteosarcoma cell lines, and MG-63 and U-2OS cells were the most sensitive to ginsenoside Rg3. As expected, compared to the negative control, ginsenoside Rg3 significantly increased DNA damage in a concentration-dependent manner. In agreement with the comet assay data, the percentage of γH2AX-positive MG-63 and U-2OS cells indicated that ginsenoside Rg3 induced DNA double-strand breaks in a concentration-dependent manner. The results also suggest that ginsenoside Rg3 reduces the extent of MNNG-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in human fibroblasts.

  6. Genetically-modified pig mesenchymal stromal cells: xenoantigenicity and effect on human T-cell xenoresponses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezzelarab, Mohamed; Ezzelarab, Corin; Wilhite, Tyler; Kumar, Goutham; Hara, Hidetaka; Ayares, David; Cooper, David K C

    2011-01-01

    Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are being investigated as immunomodulatory therapy in the field of transplantation, particularly islet transplantation. While MSC can regenerate across species barriers, the immunoregulatory influence of genetically modified pig MSC (pMSC) on the human and non-human primate T-cell responses has not been studied. Mesenchymal stromal cells from wild-type (WT), α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene knockout (GTKO) and GTKO pigs transgenic for the human complement-regulatory protein CD46 (GTKO/CD46) were isolated and tested for differentiation. Antibody binding and T-cell responses to WT and GTKO pMSC in comparison with GTKO pig aortic endothelial cells (pAEC) were investigated. The expression of swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class II (SLA II) was tested. Costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 mRNA levels were measured. Human T-cell proliferation and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to GTKO and GTKO/CD46 pMSC in comparison with human MSC (hMSC) were evaluated. α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene knockout and GTKO/CD46 pMSC isolation and differentiation were achieved in vitro. Binding of human antibodies and T-cell responses were lower to GTKO than those to WT pMSC. Human and baboon (naïve and sensitized) antibody binding were significantly lower to GTKO pMSC than to GTKO pAEC. Before activation, human CD4(+) T-cell response to GTKO pMSC was significantly weaker than that to GTKO pAEC, even after pIFN-γ activation. More than 99% of GTKO/CD46 pMSC expressed hCD46. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and CD4(+) T-cell responses to GTKO and GTKO/CD46 pMSC were comparable with those to hMSC, and all were significantly lower than to GTKO pAEC. GTKO/CD46 pMSC downregulated human T-cell proliferation as efficiently as hMSC. The level of proinflammatory cytokines IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and sCD40L correlated with the downregulation of T-cell proliferation by all types of MSC. Genetically modified pMSC is significantly less

  7. A DNA Vaccine Protects Human Immune Cells against Zika Virus Infection in Humanized Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guohua Yi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available A DNA vaccine encoding prM and E protein has been shown to induce protection against Zika virus (ZIKV infection in mice and monkeys. However, its effectiveness in humans remains undefined. Moreover, identification of which immune cell types are specifically infected in humans is unclear. We show that human myeloid cells and B cells are primary targets of ZIKV in humanized mice. We also show that a DNA vaccine encoding full length prM and E protein protects humanized mice from ZIKV infection. Following administration of the DNA vaccine, humanized DRAG mice developed antibodies targeting ZIKV as measured by ELISA and neutralization assays. Moreover, following ZIKV challenge, vaccinated animals presented virtually no detectable virus in human cells and in serum, whereas unvaccinated animals displayed robust infection, as measured by qRT-PCR. Our results utilizing humanized mice show potential efficacy for a targeted DNA vaccine against ZIKV in humans.

  8. Differentiation of insulin-producing cells from human neural progenitor cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuichi Hori

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Success in islet-transplantation-based therapies for type 1 diabetes, coupled with a worldwide shortage of transplant-ready islets, has motivated efforts to develop renewable sources of islet-replacement tissue. Islets and neurons share features, including common developmental programs, and in some species brain neurons are the principal source of systemic insulin. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Here we show that brain-derived human neural progenitor cells, exposed to a series of signals that regulate in vivo pancreatic islet development, form clusters of glucose-responsive insulin-producing cells (IPCs. During in vitro differentiation of neural progenitor cells with this novel method, genes encoding essential known in vivo regulators of pancreatic islet development were expressed. Following transplantation into immunocompromised mice, IPCs released insulin C-peptide upon glucose challenge, remained differentiated, and did not form detectable tumors. CONCLUSION: Production of IPCs solely through extracellular factor modulation in the absence of genetic manipulations may promote strategies to derive transplantable islet-replacement tissues from human neural progenitor cells and other types of multipotent human stem cells.

  9. Human leukaemic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andronikashvili, E.L.; Mosulishvili, L.M.; Belokobil'skiy, A.I.; Kharabadze, N.E.; Shonia, N.I.; Desai, L.S.; Foley, G.E.

    1976-01-01

    The results of the determination of trace elements in nucleic acids and histones in human leukaemic cells by activation analysis are reported. The Cr 2+ , Fe 2+ , Zn 2+ , Co 2+ and Sb 2+ content of DNA and RNA of leukaemic cells compared to that of lymphocytes from a patient with infectious mononucleosis or a normal donor are shown tabulated. Similar comparisons are shown for the same trace metal content of histones isolated from the same type of cells. It is felt that the results afford further interesting speculation that trace metals may be involved in the interactions between histones and DNA (especially at the binding sites of histones to DNA), which affect transcription characteristics. (U.K.)

  10. Increasing cell culture population doublings for long-term growth of finite life span human cell cultures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stampfer, Martha R; Garbe, James C

    2015-02-24

    Cell culture media formulations for culturing human epithelial cells are herein described. Also described are methods of increasing population doublings in a cell culture of finite life span human epithelial cells and prolonging the life span of human cell cultures. Using the cell culture media disclosed alone and in combination with addition to the cell culture of a compound associated with anti-stress activity achieves extended growth of pre-stasis cells and increased population doublings and life span in human epithelial cell cultures.

  11. A Chemical Probe that Labels Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nao Hirata

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available A small-molecule fluorescent probe specific for human pluripotent stem cells would serve as a useful tool for basic cell biology research and stem cell therapy. Screening of fluorescent chemical libraries with human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs and subsequent evaluation of hit molecules identified a fluorescent compound (Kyoto probe 1 [KP-1] that selectively labels human pluripotent stem cells. Our analyses indicated that the selectivity results primarily from a distinct expression pattern of ABC transporters in human pluripotent stem cells and from the transporter selectivity of KP-1. Expression of ABCB1 (MDR1 and ABCG2 (BCRP, both of which cause the efflux of KP-1, is repressed in human pluripotent stem cells. Although KP-1, like other pluripotent markers, is not absolutely specific for pluripotent stem cells, the identified chemical probe may be used in conjunction with other reagents.

  12. Generation of Oligodendrogenic Spinal Neural Progenitor Cells From Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khazaei, Mohamad; Ahuja, Christopher S; Fehlings, Michael G

    2017-08-14

    This unit describes protocols for the efficient generation of oligodendrogenic neural progenitor cells (o-NPCs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Specifically, detailed methods are provided for the maintenance and differentiation of hiPSCs, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells (hiPS-NPCs), and human induced pluripotent stem cell-oligodendrogenic neural progenitor cells (hiPSC-o-NPCs) with the final products being suitable for in vitro experimentation or in vivo transplantation. Throughout, cell exposure to growth factors and patterning morphogens has been optimized for both concentration and timing, based on the literature and empirical experience, resulting in a robust and highly efficient protocol. Using this derivation procedure, it is possible to obtain millions of oligodendrogenic-NPCs within 40 days of initial cell plating which is substantially shorter than other protocols for similar cell types. This protocol has also been optimized to use translationally relevant human iPSCs as the parent cell line. The resultant cells have been extensively characterized both in vitro and in vivo and express key markers of an oligodendrogenic lineage. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

  13. Interleukin-2 production by human leukemia cell lines of pre-B cell origin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holan, V.; Minowada, J.

    1993-01-01

    Cells of 7 tested human leukemia cell lines of pre-B cell origin (as characterized by immunophenotyping and by the expression of cytoplasmic micro chains, but not by surface immunoglobulins) produced after stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) a lymphokine activity which supported the growth of the interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent CTLL-2 cell line. Three pieces of evidence indicate that the secreted lymphokine was functionally and antigenically very similar, if not identical, to human IL-2: (1) The lymphokine supported the growth of murine IL-2-dependent CTLL-2 cells, which did not respond to human lymphokines other than IL-2, but it did not stimulate the growth of murine IL-3-dependent FDC-P2 cells, (2) the biological activity of the lymphokine was was inhibited by monoclonal antibody (mAb) anti-human-IL-2, and (3) the proliferation of IL-2-dependent cells in the presence of the active materials was completely inhibited by the inclusion of the anti-mouse-IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) mAb. Since leukemia cells of immature B-cell origin also synthesize IL-2R, the human pre-B cell leukemias could represent another type of hematological malignancy where the autocrine processes of IL-2 production and utilization are involved in the expansion of the disease. (author)

  14. Human stromal (mesenchymal) stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aldahmash, Abdullah; Zaher, Walid; Al-Nbaheen, May

    2012-01-01

    Human stromal (mesenchymal) stem cells (hMSC) represent a group of non-hematopoietic stem cells present in the bone marrow stroma and the stroma of other organs including subcutaneous adipose tissue, placenta, and muscles. They exhibit the characteristics of somatic stem cells of self......-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation into mesoderm-type of cells, e.g., to osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes and possibly other cell types including hepatocytes and astrocytes. Due to their ease of culture and multipotentiality, hMSC are increasingly employed as a source for cells suitable for a number...

  15. Human Decidua-Derived Mesenchymal Cells Are a Promising Source for the Generation and Cell Banking of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shofuda, Tomoko; Kanematsu, Daisuke; Fukusumi, Hayato; Yamamoto, Atsuyo; Bamba, Yohei; Yoshitatsu, Sumiko; Suemizu, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Masato; Sugimoto, Yoshikazu; Furue, Miho Kusuda; Kohara, Arihiro; Akamatsu, Wado; Okada, Yohei; Okano, Hideyuki; Yamasaki, Mami; Kanemura, Yonehiro

    2013-01-01

    Placental tissue is a biomaterial with remarkable potential for use in regenerative medicine. It has a three-layer structure derived from the fetus (amnion and chorion) and the mother (decidua), and it contains huge numbers of cells. Moreover, placental tissue can be collected without any physical danger to the donor and can be matched with a variety of HLA types. The decidua-derived mesenchymal cells (DMCs) are highly proliferative fibroblast-like cells that express a similar pattern of CD antigens as bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells (BM-MSCs). Here we demonstrated that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells could be efficiently generated from DMCs by retroviral transfer of reprogramming factor genes. DMC-hiPS cells showed equivalent characteristics to human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in colony morphology, global gene expression profile (including human pluripotent stem cell markers), DNA methylation status of the OCT3/4 and NANOG promoters, and ability to differentiate into components of the three germ layers in vitro and in vivo. The RNA expression of XIST and the methylation status of its promoter region suggested that DMC-iPSCs, when maintained undifferentiated and pluripotent, had three distinct states: (1) complete X-chromosome reactivation, (2) one inactive X-chromosome, or (3) an epigenetic aberration. Because DMCs are derived from the maternal portion of the placenta, they can be collected with the full consent of the adult donor and have considerable ethical advantages for cell banking and the subsequent generation of human iPS cells for regenerative applications. PMID:26858858

  16. Tuft (caveolated) cells in two human colon carcinoma cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barkla, D H; Whitehead, R H; Foster, H; Tutton, P J

    1988-09-01

    The presence of an unusual cell type in two human colon carcinoma cell lines is reported. The cells show the same morphology as "tuft" (caveolated) cells present in normal gastrointestinal epithelium. Tuft cells were seen in cell line LIM 1863 growing in vitro and in human colon carcinoma cell line LIM 2210 growing as subcutaneous solid tumour xenografts in nude mice. Characteristic morphologic features of tuft cells included a wide base, narrow apex and a tuft of long microvilli projecting from the apical surface. The microvilli are attached by a core of long microfilaments passing deep into the apical cytoplasm. Between the microvilli are parallel arrays of vesicles (caveoli) containing flocculent material. Two different but not mutually exclusive explanations for the presence of tuft cells are proposed. The first explanation is that tuft cells came from the resected tumour and have survived by mitotic division during subsequent passages. The second explanation suggests that tuft cells are the progeny of undifferentiated tumour cells. Descriptions of tuft cells in colon carcinomas are uncommon and possible reasons for this are presented. The morphology of tuft cells is consistent with that of a highly differentiated cell specialised for absorption, and these new models provide an opportunity to further investigate the structure and function of tuft cells.

  17. Modeling Human Natural Killer Cell Development in the Era of Innate Lymphoid Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scoville, Steven D; Freud, Aharon G; Caligiuri, Michael A

    2017-01-01

    Decades after the discovery of natural killer (NK) cells, their developmental pathways in mice and humans have not yet been completely deciphered. Accumulating evidence indicates that NK cells can develop in multiple tissues throughout the body. Moreover, detailed and comprehensive models of NK cell development were proposed soon after the turn of the century. However, with the recent identification and characterization of other subtypes of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which show some overlapping functional and phenotypic features with NK cell developmental intermediates, the distinct stages through which human NK cells develop from early hematopoietic progenitor cells remain unclear. Thus, there is a need to reassess and refine older models of NK cell development in the context of new data and in the era of ILCs. Our group has focused on elucidating the developmental pathway of human NK cells in secondary lymphoid tissues (SLTs), including tonsils and lymph nodes. Here, we provide an update of recent progress that has been made with regard to human NK cell development in SLTs, and we discuss these new findings in the context of contemporary models of ILC development.

  18. CD1 and mycobacterial lipids activate human T cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Rhijn, Ildiko; Moody, D Branch

    2015-03-01

    For decades, proteins were thought to be the sole or at least the dominant source of antigens for T cells. Studies in the 1990s demonstrated that CD1 proteins and mycobacterial lipids form specific targets of human αβ T cells. The molecular basis by which T-cell receptors (TCRs) recognize CD1-lipid complexes is now well understood. Many types of mycobacterial lipids function as antigens in the CD1 system, and new studies done with CD1 tetramers identify T-cell populations in the blood of tuberculosis patients. In human populations, a fundamental difference between the CD1 and major histocompatibility complex systems is that all humans express nearly identical CD1 proteins. Correspondingly, human CD1 responsive T cells show evidence of conserved TCRs. In addition to natural killer T cells and mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT cells), conserved TCRs define other subsets of human T cells, including germline-encoded mycolyl-reactive (GEM) T cells. The simple immunogenetics of the CD1 system and new investigative tools to measure T-cell responses in humans now creates a situation in which known lipid antigens can be developed as immunodiagnostic and immunotherapeutic reagents for tuberculosis disease. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Molecular regulation of human hematopoietic stem cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Galen, P.L.J.

    2014-01-01

    Peter van Galen focuses on understanding the determinants that maintain the stem cell state. Using human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as a model, processes that govern self-renewal and tissue regeneration were investigated. Specifically, a role for microRNAs in balancing the human HSC

  20. Technical Challenges in the Derivation of Human Pluripotent Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parinya Noisa

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available It has long been discovered that human pluripotent cells could be isolated from the blastocyst state of embryos and called human embryonic stem cells (ESCs. These cells can be adapted and propagated indefinitely in culture in an undifferentiated manner as well as differentiated into cell representing the three major germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. However, the derivation of human pluripotent cells from donated embryos is limited and restricted by ethical concerns. Therefore, various approaches have been explored and proved their success. Human pluripotent cells can also be derived experimentally by the nuclear reprogramming of somatic cells. These techniques include somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT, cell fusion and overexpression of pluripotent genes. In this paper, we discuss the technical challenges of these approaches for nuclear reprogramming, involving their advantages and limitations. We will also highlight the possible applications of these techniques in the study of stem cell biology.

  1. Generation of human pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells for drug toxicity screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takayama, Kazuo; Mizuguchi, Hiroyuki

    2017-02-01

    Because drug-induced liver injury is one of the main reasons for drug development failures, it is important to perform drug toxicity screening in the early phase of pharmaceutical development. Currently, primary human hepatocytes are most widely used for the prediction of drug-induced liver injury. However, the sources of primary human hepatocytes are limited, making it difficult to supply the abundant quantities required for large-scale drug toxicity screening. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a novel unlimited, efficient, inexpensive, and predictive model which can be applied for large-scale drug toxicity screening. Human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are able to replicate indefinitely and differentiate into most of the body's cell types, including hepatocytes. It is expected that hepatocyte-like cells generated from human ES/iPS cells (human ES/iPS-HLCs) will be a useful tool for drug toxicity screening. To apply human ES/iPS-HLCs to various applications including drug toxicity screening, homogenous and functional HLCs must be differentiated from human ES/iPS cells. In this review, we will introduce the current status of hepatocyte differentiation technology from human ES/iPS cells and a novel method to predict drug-induced liver injury using human ES/iPS-HLCs. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Society for the Study of Xenobiotics. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. In Vitro Modeling of Human Germ Cell Development Using Pluripotent Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuncheng Zhao

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Due to differences across species, the mechanisms of cell fate decisions determined in mice cannot be readily extrapolated to humans. In this study, we developed a feeder- and xeno-free culture protocol that efficiently induced human pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs into PLZF+/GPR125+/CD90+ spermatogonium-like cells (SLCs. These SLCs were enriched with key genes in germ cell development such as MVH, DAZL, GFRα1, NANOS3, and DMRT1. In addition, a small fraction of SLCs went through meiosis in vitro to develop into haploid cells. We further demonstrated that this chemically defined induction protocol faithfully recapitulated the features of compromised germ cell development of PSCs with NANOS3 deficiency or iPSC lines established from patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. Taken together, we established a powerful experimental platform to investigate human germ cell development and pathology related to male infertility. : In this article, Wang and colleagues established a feeder- and xeno-free system to robustly induce human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs into spermatogonia-like cells. This chemically defined induction protocol faithfully recapitulated the features of compromised germ cell development of PSCs with NANOS3 deficiency or iPSC lines established from patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. Keywords: pluripotent stem cells, spermatogonia, infertility, non-obstructive azoospermia

  3. Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation into Functional Epicardial Progenitor Cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guadix, Juan Antonio; Orlova, Valeria V.; Giacomelli, Elisa; Bellin, Milena; Ribeiro, Marcelo C.; Mummery, Christine L.; Pérez-Pomares, José M.; Passier, Robert

    2017-01-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are widely used to study cardiovascular cell differentiation and function. Here, we induced differentiation of hPSCs (both embryonic and induced) to proepicardial/epicardial progenitor cells that cover the heart during development. Addition of retinoic acid (RA)

  4. Human anti-CAIX antibodies mediate immune cell inhibition of renal cell carcinoma in vitro and in a humanized mouse model in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, De-Kuan; Moniz, Raymond J; Xu, Zhongyao; Sun, Jiusong; Signoretti, Sabina; Zhu, Quan; Marasco, Wayne A

    2015-06-11

    Carbonic anhydrase (CA) IX is a surface-expressed protein that is upregulated by the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) and represents a prototypic tumor-associated antigen that is overexpressed on renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Therapeutic approaches targeting CAIX have focused on the development of CAIX inhibitors and specific immunotherapies including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). However, current in vivo mouse models used to characterize the anti-tumor properties of fully human anti-CAIX mAbs have significant limitations since the role of human effector cells in tumor cell killing in vivo is not directly evaluated. The role of human anti-CAIX mAbs on CAIX(+) RCC tumor cell killing by immunocytes or complement was tested in vitro by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) as well as on CAIX(+) RCC cellular motility, wound healing, migration and proliferation. The in vivo therapeutic activity mediated by anti-CAIX mAbs was determined by using a novel orthotopic RCC xenograft humanized animal model and analyzed by histology and FACS staining. Our studies demonstrate the capacity of human anti-CAIX mAbs that inhibit CA enzymatic activity to result in immune-mediated killing of RCC, including nature killer (NK) cell-mediated ADCC, CDC, and macrophage-mediated ADCP. The killing activity correlated positively with the level of CAIX expression on RCC tumor cell lines. In addition, Fc engineering of anti-CAIX mAbs was shown to enhance the ADCC activity against RCC. We also demonstrate that these anti-CAIX mAbs inhibit migration of RCC cells in vitro. Finally, through the implementation of a novel orthotopic RCC model utilizing allogeneic human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in NOD/SCID/IL2Rγ(-/-) mice, we show that anti-CAIX mAbs are capable of mediating human immune response in vivo including tumor infiltration of NK cells and activation of T cells, resulting in

  5. Molecular aging and rejuvenation of human muscle stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carlson, Morgan E; Suetta, Charlotte; Conboy, Michael J

    2009-01-01

    . Our findings establish key evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of human stem cell aging. We find that satellite cells are maintained in aged human skeletal muscle, but fail to activate in response to muscle attrition, due to diminished activation of Notch compounded by elevated transforming growth...... factor beta (TGF-beta)/phospho Smad3 (pSmad3). Furthermore, this work reveals that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/phosphate extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) signalling declines in human muscle with age, and is important for activating Notch in human muscle stem cells. This molecular......Very little remains known about the regulation of human organ stem cells (in general, and during the aging process), and most previous data were collected in short-lived rodents. We examined whether stem cell aging in rodents could be extrapolated to genetically and environmentally variable humans...

  6. Prospectively Isolated Human Bone Marrow Cell-Derived MSCs Support Primitive Human CD34-Negative Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuoka, Yoshikazu; Nakatsuka, Ryusuke; Sumide, Keisuke; Kawamura, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Masaya; Fujioka, Tatsuya; Uemura, Yasushi; Asano, Hiroaki; Sasaki, Yutaka; Inoue, Masami; Ogawa, Hiroyasu; Takahashi, Takayuki; Hino, Masayuki; Sonoda, Yoshiaki

    2015-05-01

    Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are maintained in a specialized bone marrow (BM) niche, which consists of osteoblasts, endothelial cells, and a variety of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). However, precisely what types of MSCs support human HSCs in the BM remain to be elucidated because of their heterogeneity. In this study, we succeeded in prospectively isolating/establishing three types of MSCs from human BM-derived lineage- and CD45-negative cells, according to their cell surface expression of CD271 and stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-4. Among them, the MSCs established from the Lineage(-) CD45(-) CD271(+) SSEA-4(+) fraction (DP MSC) could differentiate into osteoblasts and chondrocytes, but they lacked adipogenic differentiation potential. The DP MSCs expressed significantly higher levels of well-characterized HSC-supportive genes, including IGF-2, Wnt3a, Jagged1, TGFβ3, nestin, CXCL12, and Foxc1, compared with other MSCs. Interestingly, these osteo-chondrogenic DP MSCs possessed the ability to support cord blood-derived primitive human CD34-negative severe combined immunodeficiency-repopulating cells. The HSC-supportive actions of DP MSCs were partially carried out by soluble factors, including IGF-2, Wnt3a, and Jagged1. Moreover, contact between DP MSCs and CD34-positive (CD34(+) ) as well as CD34-negative (CD34(-) ) HSCs was important for the support/maintenance of the CD34(+/-) HSCs in vitro. These data suggest that DP MSCs might play an important role in the maintenance of human primitive HSCs in the BM niche. Therefore, the establishment of DP MSCs provides a new tool for the elucidation of the human HSC/niche interaction in vitro as well as in vivo. © 2014 AlphaMed Press.

  7. Symmetry breaking in human neuroblastoma cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izumi, Hideki; Kaneko, Yasuhiko

    2014-01-01

    Asymmetric cell division (ACD) is a characteristic of cancer stem cells, which exhibit high malignant potential. However, the cellular mechanisms that regulate symmetric (self-renewal) and asymmetric cell divisions are mostly unknown. Using human neuroblastoma cells, we found that the oncosuppressor protein tripartite motif containing 32 (TRIM32) positively regulates ACD. PMID:27308367

  8. Proteomic Analysis of Human Blastocoel Fluid and Blastocyst Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Linnert Jensen, Pernille; Beck, Hans Christian; Petersen, Jørgen

    The human blastocyst consists of 100-200 cells that are organized in an outer layer of differentiated trophectoderm (TE) cells lining the blastocyst cavity into which the undifferentiated inner cell mass (ICM) protrudes. The cavity of the blastocyst is filled with blastocoel fluid to which all...... the cells of the blastocyst are exposed. The ICM is the starting point for the development of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), which posses the potential to develop into any cell type present in the adult human body [1,2]. This ability makes hESCs a potential source of cells...

  9. Differentiation of blood T cells: Reprogramming human induced pluripotent stem cells into neuronal cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ping-Hsing Tsai

    2015-06-01

    Conclusion: We have developed a safer method to generate integration-free and nonviral human iPSCs from adult somatic cells. This induction method will be useful for the derivation of human integration-free iPSCs and will also be applicable to the generation of iPSCs-derived neuronal cells for drug screening or therapeutics in the near future.

  10. Human beta-cell precursors mature into functional insulin-producing cells in an immunoisolation device: implications for diabetes cell therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seung-Hee; Hao, Ergeng; Savinov, Alexei Y; Geron, Ifat; Strongin, Alex Y; Itkin-Ansari, Pamela

    2009-04-15

    Islet transplantation is limited by the need for chronic immunosuppression and the paucity of donor tissue. As new sources of human beta-cells are developed (e.g., stem cell-derived tissue), transplanting them in a durable device could obviate the need for immunosuppression, while also protecting the patient from any risk of tumorigenicity. Here, we studied (1) the survival and function of encapsulated human beta-cells and their progenitors and (2) the engraftment of encapsulated murine beta-cells in allo- and autoimmune settings. Human islets and human fetal pancreatic islet-like cell clusters were encapsulated in polytetrafluorethylene devices (TheraCyte) and transplanted into immunodeficient mice. Graft survival and function was measured by immunohistochemistry, circulating human C-peptide levels, and blood glucose levels. Bioluminescent imaging was used to monitor encapsulated neonatal murine islets. Encapsulated human islet-like cell clusters survived, replicated, and acquired a level of glucose responsive insulin secretion sufficient to ameliorate hyperglycemia in diabetic mice. Bioluminescent imaging of encapsulated murine neonatal islets revealed a dynamic process of cell death followed by regrowth, resulting in robust long-term allograft survival. Further, in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of type I diabetes, encapsulated primary beta-cells ameliorated diabetes without stimulating a detectable T-cell response. We demonstrate for the first time that human beta-cells function is compatible with encapsulation in a durable, immunoprotective device. Moreover, our study suggests that encapsulation of beta-cells before terminal differentiation will be a successful approach for new cell-based therapies for diabetes, such as those derived from stem cells.

  11. Human β-cell Precursors Mature Into Functional Insulin-producing Cells in an Immunoisolation Device: Implications for Diabetes Cell Therapies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seung-Hee; Hao, Ergeng; Savinov, Alexei Y.; Geron, Ifat; Strongin, Alex Y.; Itkin-Ansari, Pamela

    2009-01-01

    Background Islet transplantation is limited by the need for chronic immunosuppression and the paucity of donor tissue. As new sources of human β-cells are developed (e.g., stem cell-derived tissue), transplanting them in a durable device could obviate the need for immunosuppression, while also protecting the patient from any risk of tumorigenicity. Here, we studied (1) the survival and function of encapsulated human β-cells and their progenitors and (2) the engraftment of encapsulated murine β-cells in allo- and autoimmune settings. Methods Human islets and human fetal pancreatic islet-like cell clusters were encapsulated in polytetrafluorethylene devices (TheraCyte) and transplanted into immunodeficient mice. Graft survival and function was measured by immunohistochemistry, circulating human C-peptide levels, and blood glucose levels. Bioluminescent imaging was used to monitor encapsulated neonatal murine islets. Results Encapsulated human islet-like cell clusters survived, replicated, and acquired a level of glucose responsive insulin secretion sufficient to ameliorate hyperglycemia in diabetic mice. Bioluminescent imaging of encapsulated murine neonatal islets revealed a dynamic process of cell death followed by regrowth, resulting in robust long-term allograft survival. Further, in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of type I diabetes, encapsulated primary β-cells ameliorated diabetes without stimulating a detectable T-cell response. Conclusions We demonstrate for the first time that human β-cells function is compatible with encapsulation in a durable, immunoprotective device. Moreover, our study suggests that encapsulation of β-cells before terminal differentiation will be a successful approach for new cell-based therapies for diabetes, such as those derived from stem cells. PMID:19352116

  12. Genome Editing in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson-Stevermer, Jared; Saha, Krishanu

    2017-01-01

    Genome editing in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) enables the generation of reporter lines and knockout cell lines. Zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and CRISPR/Cas9 technology have recently increased the efficiency of proper gene editing by creating double strand breaks (DSB) at defined sequences in the human genome. These systems typically use plasmids to transiently transcribe nucleases within the cell. Here, we describe the process for preparing hPSCs for transient expression of nucleases via electroporation and subsequent analysis to create genetically modified stem cell lines.

  13. MK-2206, an AKT Inhibitor, Promotes Caspase-Independent Cell Death and Inhibits Leiomyoma Growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sefton, Elizabeth C.; Qiang, Wenan; Serna, Vanida; Kurita, Takeshi; Wei, Jian-Jun; Chakravarti, Debabrata

    2013-01-01

    Uterine leiomyomas (ULs), benign tumors of the myometrium, are the number one indication for hysterectomies in the United States due to a lack of an effective alternative therapy. ULs show activation of the pro-survival AKT pathway compared with normal myometrium; however, substantial data directly linking AKT to UL cell survival are lacking. We hypothesized that AKT promotes UL cell survival and that it is a viable target for inhibiting UL growth. We used the investigational AKT inhibitor MK-2206, currently in phase II trials, on cultured primary human UL and myometrial cells, immortalized leiomyoma cells, and in leiomyoma grafts grown under the kidney capsule in mice. MK-2206 inhibited AKT and PRAS40 phosphorylation but did not regulate serum- and glucocorticoid-induced kinase and ERK1/2, demonstrating its specificity for AKT. MK-2206 reduced UL cell viability and decreased UL tumor volumes. UL cells exhibited disruption of mitochondrial structures and underwent cell death that was independent of caspases. Additionally, mammalian target of rapamycin and p70S6K phosphorylation were reduced, indicating that mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling was compromised by AKT inhibition in UL cells. MK-2206 also induced autophagy in UL cells. Pretreatment of primary UL cells with 3-methyladenine enhanced MK-2206-mediated UL cell death, whereas knockdown of ATG5 and/or ATG7 did not significantly influence UL cell viability in the presence of MK-2206. Our data provide molecular evidence for the involvement of AKT in UL cell survival and suggest that AKT inhibition by MK-2206 may be a viable option to consider for the treatment of ULs. PMID:24002033

  14. Uterine epithelial cell proliferation and endometrial hyperplasia: evidence from a mouse model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yang; Li, Shu; Li, Qinglei

    2014-08-01

    In the uterus, epithelial cell proliferation changes during the estrous cycle and pregnancy. Uncontrolled epithelial cell proliferation results in implantation failure and/or cancer development. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is a fundamental regulator of diverse biological processes and is indispensable for multiple reproductive functions. However, the in vivo role of TGF-β signaling in uterine epithelial cells remains poorly defined. We have shown that in the uterus, conditional deletion of the Type 1 receptor for TGF-β (Tgfbr1) using anti-Müllerian hormone receptor type 2 (Amhr2) Cre leads to myometrial defects. Here, we describe enhanced epithelial cell proliferation by immunostaining of Ki67 in the uteri of these mice. The aberration culminated in endometrial hyperplasia in aged females. To exclude the potential influence of ovarian steroid hormones, the proliferative status of uterine epithelial cells was assessed following ovariectomy. Increased uterine epithelial cell proliferation was also revealed in ovariectomized Tgfbr1 Amhr2-Cre conditional knockout mice. We further demonstrated that transcript levels for fibroblast growth factor 10 (Fgf10) were markedly up-regulated in Tgfbr1 Amhr2-Cre conditional knockout uteri. Consistently, treatment of primary uterine stromal cells with TGF-β1 significantly reduced Fgf10 mRNA expression. Thus, our findings suggest a potential involvement of TGFBR1-mediated signaling in the regulation of uterine epithelial cell proliferation, and provide genetic evidence supporting the role of uterine epithelial cell proliferation in the pathogenesis of endometrial hyperplasia. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Proteomic analysis of human blastocoel fluid and blastocyst cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Pernille; Beck, Hans Christian; Petersen, Jørgen

    2013-01-01

    Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of the blastocyst and can differentiate into any cell type in the human body. These cells hold a great potential for regenerative medicine, but to obtain enough cells needed for medical treatment, culture is required......, the blastocoel fluid, which is in contact with all the cells in the blastocyst, including hESCs. Fifty-three surplus human blastocysts were donated after informed consent, and blastocoel fluid was isolated by micromanipulation. Using highly sensitive nano-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass...... from the ICM of the human blastocyst are exposed to via the blastocoel fluid. These results can be an inspiration for the development of improved culture conditions for hESCs....

  16. Radiation response characteristics of human cell in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall, E.J.

    1987-01-01

    Improvements in tissue culture techniques and growth media have made it possible to culture a range of cells of human origin, both normal and malignant. The most recent addition to the list are endothelial cells. Interesting results have been obtained, some of which may have implications in Radiation Therapy. (i) Repair of Potentially Lethal Damage (PLDR) has been observed in all cell lines investigated; cells of normal origin repair PLD at least as well as malignant cells, which makes clinical trials of PLDR inhibitors of doubtful usefulness. (ii) PLD in fibroblasts of human origin appears to have a component that is repaired rapidly, in a matter of minutes, as well as a slower component that takes hours to repair. (iii) Sublethal damage repair, manifest by a dose-rate effect, has also been observed in all human cell lines tested. Cells of normal tissue origin, including fibroblasts and endothelial cells, exhibit a dose-rate effect that is intermediate between that for cells from traditionally resistant tumors (melanoma and osteosarcoma) and cells from more sensitive tumors (neuroblastoma and breast). (iv) Fibroblasts from patients with Ataxia Telangectasia (AT) are much more sensitive to x-rays, with a D/sub o/ about half that for normal human fibroblasts. Nevertheless repair of both PLD and SLD can be demonstrated in these cells

  17. Generation of folliculogenic human epithelial stem cells from induced pluripotent stem cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ruifeng; Zheng, Ying; Burrows, Michelle; Liu, Shujing; Wei, Zhi; Nace, Arben; Guo, Wei; Kumar, Suresh; Cotsarelis, George; Xu, Xiaowei

    2014-01-01

    Epithelial stem cells (EpSCs) in the hair follicle bulge are required for hair follicle growth and cycling. The isolation and propagation of human EpSCs for tissue engineering purposes remains a challenge. Here we develop a strategy to differentiate human iPSCs (hiPSCs) into CD200+/ITGA6+ EpSCs that can reconstitute the epithelial components of the hair follicle and interfollicular epidermis. The hiPSC-derived CD200+/ITGA6+ cells show a similar gene expression signature as EpSCs directly isolated from human hair follicles. Human iPSC-derived CD200+/ITGA6+ cells are capable of generating all hair follicle lineages including the hair shaft, and the inner and outer root sheaths in skin reconstitution assays. The regenerated hair follicles possess a KRT15+ stem cell population and produce hair shafts expressing hair-specific keratins. These results suggest an approach for generating large numbers of human EpSCs for tissue engineering and new treatments for hair loss, wound healing and other degenerative skin disorders.

  18. Fibronectin synthesized by a human hepatoma cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glasgow, J.E.; Colman, R.W.

    1984-01-01

    Fibronectin is a family of immunologically similar glycoproteins which mediate a variety of cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions. It is a constituent of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue and circulates in plasma. When suspension and adherent cultures of a human hepatoma cell line (SK-HEP-1) were incubated in serum-free medium, the resulting conditioned medium contained material which was specifically immunoprecipitated by antisera to human plasma fibronectin. By double immunodiffusion, a component in the conditioned culture medium was shown to form a line of identity with fibronectin in human plasma and to migrate as an alpha 2- to beta-globulin during immunoelectrophoresis. Human fibronectin was quantified in conditioned medium by electroimmunodiffusion, and was found to increase for at least three days at about 0.1 micrograms/10(6) cells/day. Adherent cultures of SK-HEP-1 cells were incubated with L-[ 35 S]methionine to label newly synthesized proteins. Labeled fibronectin in conditioned medium or in cell extracts comigrated with fibronectin in human plasma as shown by autoradiography following crossed-immunoelectrophoresis. Fibronectin was demonstrated in the extra-cellular matrix of adherent SK-HEP-1 cultures by immunofluorescence. It was shown previously that SK-HEP-1 cells synthesize alpha 1-protease inhibitor, one of the products of normal hepatocytes. The finding that these hepatoma cells also synthesize fibronectin supports the concept that the hepatocyte may be one source of circulating fibronectin, a possibility consistent with the established role of this cell type in blood plasma protein synthesis

  19. Embryonic stem cell-like cells derived from adult human testis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mizrak, S. C.; Chikhovskaya, J. V.; Sadri-Ardekani, H.; van Daalen, S.; Korver, C. M.; Hovingh, S. E.; Roepers-Gajadien, H. L.; Raya, A.; Fluiter, K.; de Reijke, Th M.; de la Rosette, J. J. M. C. H.; Knegt, A. C.; Belmonte, J. C.; van der Veen, F.; de rooij, D. G.; Repping, S.; van Pelt, A. M. M.

    2010-01-01

    Given the significant drawbacks of using human embryonic stem (hES) cells for regenerative medicine, the search for alternative sources of multipotent cells is ongoing. Studies in mice have shown that multipotent ES-like cells can be derived from neonatal and adult testis. Here we report the

  20. Chimeric animal models in human stem cell biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glover, Joel C; Boulland, Jean-Luc; Halasi, Gabor; Kasumacic, Nedim

    2009-01-01

    The clinical use of stem cells for regenerative medicine is critically dependent on preclinical studies in animal models. In this review we examine some of the key issues and challenges in the use of animal models to study human stem cell biology-experimental standardization, body size, immunological barriers, cell survival factors, fusion of host and donor cells, and in vivo imaging and tracking. We focus particular attention on the various imaging modalities that can be used to track cells in living animals, comparing their strengths and weaknesses and describing technical developments that are likely to lead to new opportunities for the dynamic assessment of stem cell behavior in vivo. We then provide an overview of some of the most commonly used animal models, their advantages and disadvantages, and examples of their use for xenotypic transplantation of human stem cells, with separate reviews of models involving rodents, ungulates, nonhuman primates, and the chicken embryo. As the use of human somatic, embryonic, and induced pluripotent stem cells increases, so too will the range of applications for these animal models. It is likely that increasingly sophisticated uses of human/animal chimeric models will be developed through advances in genetic manipulation, cell delivery, and in vivo imaging.

  1. Interplay between mast cells, enterochromaffin cells, and sensory signaling in the aging human bowel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Y; Daly, D M; Adam, I J; Kitsanta, P; Hill, C J; Wild, J; Shorthouse, A; Grundy, D; Jiang, W

    2016-10-01

    Advanced age is associated with a reduction in clinical visceral pain perception. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Previous studies have suggested that an abnormal interplay between mast cells, enterochromaffin (EC) cells, and afferent nerves contribute to nociception in gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate how aging affects afferent sensitivity and neuro-immune association in the human bowel. Mechanical and chemical sensitivity of human bowel afferents were examined by ex vivo afferent nerve recordings. Age-related changes in the density of mast cells, EC cells, sensory nerve terminals, and mast cell-nerve micro-anatomical association were investigated by histological and immune staining. Human afferents could be broadly classified into subpopulations displaying mechanical and chemical sensitivity, adaptation, chemo-sensitization, and recruitment. Interestingly human bowel afferent nerve sensitivity was attenuated with age. The density of substance P-immunoreactive (SP-IR) nerve varicosities was also reduced with age. In contrast, the density of ileal and colonic mucosal mast cells was increased with age, as was ileal EC cell number. An increased proportion of mast cells was found in close apposition to SP-IR nerves. Afferent sensitivity in human bowel was reduced with advancing age. Augmentation of mast cells and EC cell numbers and the mast cell-nerve association suggest a compensatory mechanism for sensory neurodegeneration. © 2016 The Authors. Neurogastroenterology & Motility Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Hexavalent chromium induces chromosome instability in human urothelial cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wise, Sandra S. [Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Department of Applied Medical Science, University of Southern Maine, Science Building, 96 Falmouth Street, Portland, ME 04103 (United States); Holmes, Amie L. [Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Department of Applied Medical Science, University of Southern Maine, Science Building, 96 Falmouth Street, Portland, ME 04103 (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Liou, Louis [Department of Pathology, Boston University School of Medicine, 670 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118 (United States); Adam, Rosalyn M. [Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Wise, John Pierce Sr., E-mail: john.wise@louisville.edu [Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, Department of Applied Medical Science, University of Southern Maine, Science Building, 96 Falmouth Street, Portland, ME 04103 (United States)

    2016-04-01

    Numerous metals are well-known human bladder carcinogens. Despite the significant occupational and public health concern of metals and bladder cancer, the carcinogenic mechanisms remain largely unknown. Chromium, in particular, is a metal of concern as incidences of bladder cancer have been found elevated in chromate workers, and there is an increasing concern for patients with metal hip implants. However, the impact of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) on bladder cells has not been studied. We compared chromate toxicity in two bladder cell lines; primary human urothelial cells and hTERT-immortalized human urothelial cells. Cr(VI) induced a concentration- and time-dependent increase in chromosome damage in both cell lines, with the hTERT-immortalized cells exhibiting more chromosome damage than the primary cells. Chronic exposure to Cr(VI) also induced a concentration-dependent increase in aneuploid metaphases in both cell lines which was not observed after a 24 h exposure. Aneuploidy induction was higher in the hTERT-immortalized cells. When we correct for uptake, Cr(VI) induces a similar amount of chromosome damage and aneuploidy suggesting that the differences in Cr(VI) sensitivity between the two cells lines were due to differences in uptake. The increase in chromosome instability after chronic chromate treatment suggests this may be a mechanism for chromate-induced bladder cancer, specifically, and may be a mechanism for metal-induced bladder cancer, in general. - Highlights: • Hexavalent chromium is genotoxic to human urothelial cells. • Hexavalent chromium induces aneuploidy in human urothelial cells. • hTERT-immortalized human urothelial cells model the effects seen in primary urothelial cells. • Hexavalent chromium has a strong likelihood of being carcinogenic for bladder tissue.

  3. FOXL2-induced follistatin attenuates activin A-stimulated cell proliferation in human granulosa cell tumors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cheng, Jung-Chien; Chang, Hsun-Ming; Qiu, Xin; Fang, Lanlan; Leung, Peter C.K., E-mail: peter.leung@ubc.ca

    2014-01-10

    Highlights: •Activin A stimulates cell proliferation in KGN human granulosa cell tumor-derived cell line. •Cyclin D2 mediates activin A-induced KGN cell proliferation. •FOXL2 induces follistatin expression in KGN cells. •FOXL2-induced follistatin attenuates activin A-stimulated KGN cell proliferation. -- Abstract: Human granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are rare, and their etiology remains largely unknown. Recently, the FOXL2 402C > G (C134W) mutation was found to be specifically expressed in human adult-type GCTs; however, its function in the development of human GCTs is not fully understood. Activins are members of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, which has been shown to stimulate normal granulosa cell proliferation; however, little is known regarding the function of activins in human GCTs. In this study, we examined the effect of activin A on cell proliferation in the human GCT-derived cell line KGN. We show that activin A treatment stimulates KGN cell proliferation. Treatment with the activin type I receptor inhibitor SB431542 blocks activin A-stimulated cell proliferation. In addition, our results show that cyclin D2 is induced by treatment with activin A and is involved in activin A-stimulated cell proliferation. Moreover, the activation of Smad signaling is required for activin A-induced cyclin D2 expression. Finally, we show that the overexpression of the wild-type FOXL2 but not the C134W mutant FOXL2 induced follistatin production. Treatment with exogenous follistatin blocks activin A-stimulated cell proliferation, and the overexpression of wild-type FOXL2 attenuates activin A-stimulated cell proliferation. These results suggest that FOXL2 may act as a tumor suppressor in human adult-type GCTs by inducing follistatin expression, which subsequently inhibits activin-stimulated cell proliferation.

  4. Isolating human DNA repair genes using rodent-cell mutants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thompson, L.H.; Weber, C.A.; Brookman, K.W.; Salazar, E.P.; Stewart, S.A.; Mitchell, D.L.

    1987-01-01

    The DNA repair systems of rodent and human cells appear to be at least as complex genetically as those in lower eukaryotes and bacteria. The use of mutant lines of rodent cells as a means of identifying human repair genes by functional complementation offers a new approach toward studying the role of repair in mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. In each of six cases examined using hybrid cells, specific human chromosomes have been identified that correct CHO cell mutations affecting repair of damage from uv or ionizing radiations. This finding suggests that both the repair genes and proteins may be virtually interchangeable between rodent and human cells. Using cosmid vectors, human repair genes that map to chromosome 19 have cloned as functional sequences: ERCC2 and XRCC1. ERCC1 was found to have homology with the yeast excision repair gene RAD10. Transformants of repair-deficient cell lines carrying the corresponding human gene show efficient correction of repair capacity by all criteria examined. 39 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

  5. Direct Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Haploid Spermatogenic Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles A. Easley, IV

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs have been shown to differentiate into primordial germ cells (PGCs but not into spermatogonia, haploid spermatocytes, or spermatids. Here, we show that hESCs and hiPSCs differentiate directly into advanced male germ cell lineages, including postmeiotic, spermatid-like cells, in vitro without genetic manipulation. Furthermore, our procedure mirrors spermatogenesis in vivo by differentiating PSCs into UTF1-, PLZF-, and CDH1-positive spermatogonia-like cells; HIWI- and HILI-positive spermatocyte-like cells; and haploid cells expressing acrosin, transition protein 1, and protamine 1 (proteins that are uniquely found in spermatids and/or sperm. These spermatids show uniparental genomic imprints similar to those of human sperm on two loci: H19 and IGF2. These results demonstrate that male PSCs have the ability to differentiate directly into advanced germ cell lineages and may represent a novel strategy for studying spermatogenesis in vitro.

  6. The use of human cells in biomedical research and testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Combes, Robert D

    2004-06-01

    The ability to use human cells in biomedical research and testing has the obvious advantage over the use of laboratory animals that the need for species extrapolation is obviated, due to the presence of more-relevant morphological, physiological and biochemical properties, including receptors. Moreover, human cells exhibit the same advantages as animal cells in culture in that different cell types can be used, from different tissues, with a wide range of techniques, to investigate a wide variety of biological phenomena in tissue culture. Human cells can also be grown as organotypic cultures to facilitate the extrapolation from cells to whole organisms. Human cell lines have been available for many years on an ad hoc basis from individual researchers, and also from recognised sources, such as the European Collection of Animal Cell Cultures (ECACC) and, in the USA, the Human Cell Culture Centre (HCCC). Such cells have usually been derived from tumours and this has restricted the variety of types of cells available. This problem has been addressed by using primary human cells that can be obtained from a variety of sources, such as cadavers, diseased tissue, skin strips, peripheral blood, buccal cavity smears, hair follicles and surgical waste from biopsy material that is unsuitable for transplantation purposes. However, primary human cells need to be obtained, processed, distributed and handled in a safe and ethical manner. They also have to be made available at the correct time to researchers very shortly after they become available. It is only comparatively recently that the safe and controlled acquisition of surgical waste and non-transplantable human tissues has become feasible with the establishment of several human tissue banks. Recently, the formation of a UK and European centralised network for human tissue supply has been initiated. The problems of short longevity and loss of specialisation in culture are being approached by: a) cell immortalisation to

  7. Genome editing of human pluripotent stem cells to generate human cellular disease models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiran Musunuru

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Disease modeling with human pluripotent stem cells has come into the public spotlight with the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2012 to Drs John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent. This discovery has opened the door for the generation of pluripotent stem cells from individuals with disease and the differentiation of these cells into somatic cell types for the study of disease pathophysiology. The emergence of genome-editing technology over the past few years has made it feasible to generate and investigate human cellular disease models with even greater speed and efficiency. Here, recent technological advances in genome editing, and its utility in human biology and disease studies, are reviewed.

  8. Characterization of tissue biomechanics and mechanical signaling in uterine leiomyoma☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norian, John M.; Owen, Carter M.; Taboas, Juan; Korecki, Casey; Tuan, Rocky; Malik, Minnie; Catherino, William H.; Segars, James H.

    2012-01-01

    Leiomyoma are common tumors arising within the uterus that feature excessive deposition of a stiff, disordered extracellular matrix (ECM). Mechanical stress is a critical determinant of excessive ECM deposition and increased mechanical stress has been shown to be involved in tumorigenesis. Here we tested the viscoelastic properties of leiomyoma and characterized dynamic and static mechanical signaling in leiomyoma cells using three approaches, including measurement of active RhoA. We found that the peak strain and pseudo-dynamic modulus of leiomyoma tissue was significantly increased relative to matched myometrium. In addition, leiomyoma cells demonstrated an attenuated response to applied cyclic uniaxial strain and to variation in substrate stiffness, relative to myometrial cells. However, on a flexible pronectin-coated silicone substrate, basal levels and lysophosphatidic acid-stimulated levels of activated RhoA were similar between leiomyoma and myometrial cells. In contrast, leiomyoma cells plated on a rigid polystyrene substrate had elevated levels of active RhoA, compared to myometrial cells. The results indicate that viscoelastic properties of the ECM of leiomyoma contribute significantly to the tumor’s inherent stiffness and that leiomyoma cells have an attenuated sensitivity to mechanical cues. The findings suggest there may be a fundamental alteration in the communication between the external mechanical environment (extracellular forces) and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton mediated by RhoA in leiomyoma cells. Additional research will be needed to elucidate the mechanism(s) responsible for the attenuated mechanical signaling in leiomyoma cells. PMID:21983114

  9. Radiation effects on cultured human lymphoid cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johansson, L.; Nilsson, K.; Carlsson, J.; Larsson, B.; Jakobsson, P.

    1981-01-01

    The cloning efficiency of human normal and malignant lymphoid cells is usually low. Radiation effects in vitro on such cells can therefore not be analysed with conventional cloning. However, this problem can be circumscribed by using the growth extrapolation method. A panel of human leukemia-lymphoma cell-lines representing Epstein-Barr virus carrying lymphoblastoid cells of presumed non-neoplastic derivation and neoplastic T- and B-lymphocytes was used to test the efficiency of this method. The sensitivity to radiation could be determined for all these cell types. The growth extrapolation method gave generally the same result as conventional cloning demonstrated by comparison with one exceptional cell-line with capacity for cloning in agar. The sensitivity varied largely between the different cell types. A common feature was that none of the cell lines had a good capacity to accumulate sublethal radiation injury. (Auth.)

  10. Human induced pluripotent stem cells: A disruptive innovation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Vos, J; Bouckenheimer, J; Sansac, C; Lemaître, J-M; Assou, S

    2016-01-01

    This year (2016) will mark the 10th anniversary of the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The finding that the transient expression of four transcription factors can radically remodel the epigenome, transcriptome and metabolome of differentiated cells and reprogram them into pluripotent stem cells has been a major and groundbreaking technological innovation. In this review, we discuss the major applications of this technology that we have grouped in nine categories: a model to study cell fate control; a model to study pluripotency; a model to study human development; a model to study human tissue and organ physiology; a model to study genetic diseases in a dish; a tool for cell rejuvenation; a source of cells for drug screening; a source of cells for regenerative medicine; a tool for the production of human organs in animals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. EBV promotes human CD8 NKT cell development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuling He

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available The reports on the origin of human CD8(+ Valpha24(+ T-cell receptor (TCR natural killer T (NKT cells are controversial. The underlying mechanism that controls human CD4 versus CD8 NKT cell development is not well-characterized. In the present study, we have studied total 177 eligible patients and subjects including 128 healthy latent Epstein-Barr-virus(EBV-infected subjects, 17 newly-onset acute infectious mononucleosis patients, 16 newly-diagnosed EBV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma patients, and 16 EBV-negative normal control subjects. We have established human-thymus/liver-SCID chimera, reaggregated thymic organ culture, and fetal thymic organ culture. We here show that the average frequency of total and CD8(+ NKT cells in PBMCs from 128 healthy latent EBV-infected subjects is significantly higher than in 17 acute EBV infectious mononucleosis patients, 16 EBV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma patients, and 16 EBV-negative normal control subjects. However, the frequency of total and CD8(+ NKT cells is remarkably increased in the acute EBV infectious mononucleosis patients at year 1 post-onset. EBV-challenge promotes CD8(+ NKT cell development in the thymus of human-thymus/liver-SCID chimeras. The frequency of total (3% of thymic cells and CD8(+ NKT cells ( approximately 25% of NKT cells is significantly increased in EBV-challenged chimeras, compared to those in the unchallenged chimeras (<0.01% of thymic cells, CD8(+ NKT cells undetectable, respectively. The EBV-induced increase in thymic NKT cells is also reflected in the periphery, where there is an increase in total and CD8(+ NKT cells in liver and peripheral blood in EBV-challenged chimeras. EBV-induced thymic CD8(+ NKT cells display an activated memory phenotype (CD69(+CD45RO(hiCD161(+CD62L(lo. After EBV-challenge, a proportion of NKT precursors diverges from DP thymocytes, develops and differentiates into mature CD8(+ NKT cells in thymus in EBV-challenged human-thymus/liver-SCID chimeras or

  12. Diploid, but not haploid, human embryonic stem cells can be derived from microsurgically repaired tripronuclear human zygotes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Yong; Li, Rong; Huang, Jin; Yu, Yang; Qiao, Jie

    2013-01-01

    Human embryonic stem cells have shown tremendous potential in regenerative medicine, and the recent progress in haploid embryonic stem cells provides new insights for future applications of embryonic stem cells. Disruption of normal fertilized embryos remains controversial; thus, the development of a new source for human embryonic stem cells is important for their usefulness. Here, we investigated the feasibility of haploid and diploid embryo reconstruction and embryonic stem cell derivation using microsurgically repaired tripronuclear human zygotes. Diploid and haploid zygotes were successfully reconstructed, but a large proportion of them still had a tripolar spindle assembly. The reconstructed embryos developed to the blastocyst stage, although the loss of chromosomes was observed in these zygotes. Finally, triploid and diploid human embryonic stem cells were derived from tripronuclear and reconstructed zygotes (from which only one pronucleus was removed), but haploid human embryonic stem cells were not successfully derived from the reconstructed zygotes when two pronuclei were removed. Both triploid and diploid human embryonic stem cells showed the general characteristics of human embryonic stem cells. These results indicate that the lower embryo quality resulting from abnormal spindle assembly contributed to the failure of the haploid embryonic stem cell derivation. However, the successful derivation of diploid embryonic stem cells demonstrated that microsurgical tripronuclear zygotes are an alternative source of human embryonic stem cells. In the future, improving spindle assembly will facilitate the application of triploid zygotes to the field of haploid embryonic stem cells. PMID:23255130

  13. Identification of human tissue cross-presenting dendritic cells

    OpenAIRE

    Haniffa, Muzlifah; Collin, Matthew; Ginhoux, Florent

    2013-01-01

    Dendritic cells (DCs) are a heterogeneous group of functionally specialized antigen-presenting cells. We recently characterized the human tissue cross-presenting DCs and aligned the human and mouse DC subsets. Our findings will facilitate the translation of murine DC studies to the human setting and aid the design of DC-based vaccine strategies for infection and cancer immunotherapy.

  14. Cell Type-Specific Chromatin Signatures Underline Regulatory DNA Elements in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Somatic Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Ming-Tao; Shao, Ning-Yi; Hu, Shijun; Ma, Ning; Srinivasan, Rajini; Jahanbani, Fereshteh; Lee, Jaecheol; Zhang, Sophia L; Snyder, Michael P; Wu, Joseph C

    2017-11-10

    Regulatory DNA elements in the human genome play important roles in determining the transcriptional abundance and spatiotemporal gene expression during embryonic heart development and somatic cell reprogramming. It is not well known how chromatin marks in regulatory DNA elements are modulated to establish cell type-specific gene expression in the human heart. We aimed to decipher the cell type-specific epigenetic signatures in regulatory DNA elements and how they modulate heart-specific gene expression. We profiled genome-wide transcriptional activity and a variety of epigenetic marks in the regulatory DNA elements using massive RNA-seq (n=12) and ChIP-seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with high-throughput sequencing; n=84) in human endothelial cells (CD31 + CD144 + ), cardiac progenitor cells (Sca-1 + ), fibroblasts (DDR2 + ), and their respective induced pluripotent stem cells. We uncovered 2 classes of regulatory DNA elements: class I was identified with ubiquitous enhancer (H3K4me1) and promoter (H3K4me3) marks in all cell types, whereas class II was enriched with H3K4me1 and H3K4me3 in a cell type-specific manner. Both class I and class II regulatory elements exhibited stimulatory roles in nearby gene expression in a given cell type. However, class I promoters displayed more dominant regulatory effects on transcriptional abundance regardless of distal enhancers. Transcription factor network analysis indicated that human induced pluripotent stem cells and somatic cells from the heart selected their preferential regulatory elements to maintain cell type-specific gene expression. In addition, we validated the function of these enhancer elements in transgenic mouse embryos and human cells and identified a few enhancers that could possibly regulate the cardiac-specific gene expression. Given that a large number of genetic variants associated with human diseases are located in regulatory DNA elements, our study provides valuable resources for deciphering

  15. T-cell response in human leishmaniasis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kharazmi, A; Kemp, K; Ismail, A

    1999-01-01

    In the present communication we provide evidence for the existence of a Th1/Th2 dichotomy in the T-cell response to Leishmania antigens in human leishmaniasis. Our data suggest that the pattern of IL-4 and IFN-gamma response is polarised in these patients. Lymphocytes from individuals recovered...... from cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) responded by IFN-gamma production following stimulation with Leishmania antigens whereas cells from patients recovered from visceral leishmaniasis (VL) showed a mixed pattern of IFN-gamma and IL-4 responses. The cells producing these cytokines were predominantly CD4......+. Furthermore, IL-10 plays an important role in the development of post kala azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) from VL. The balance between the parasitic-specific T-cell response plays an important regulatory role in determining the outcome of Leishmania infections in humans....

  16. Rhein Induces Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Yao Chang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Human breast cancers cells overexpressing HER2/neu are more aggressive tumors with poor prognosis, and resistance to chemotherapy. This study investigates antiproliferation effects of anthraquinone derivatives of rhubarb root on human breast cancer cells. Of 7 anthraquinone derivatives, only rhein showed antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on both HER2-overexpressing MCF-7 (MCF-7/HER2 and control vector MCF-7 (MCF-7/VEC cells. Rhein induced dose- and time-dependent manners increase in caspase-9-mediated apoptosis correlating with activation of ROS-mediated activation of NF-κB- and p53-signaling pathways in both cell types. Therefore, this study highlighted rhein as processing anti-proliferative activity against HER2 overexpression or HER2-basal expression in breast cancer cells and playing important roles in apoptotic induction of human breast cancer cells.

  17. A human thymic epithelial cell culture system for the promotion of lymphopoiesis from hematopoietic stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaudette-Zlatanova, Britte C; Knight, Katherine L; Zhang, Shubin; Stiff, Patrick J; Zúñiga-Pflücker, Juan Carlos; Le, Phong T

    2011-05-01

    A human thymic epithelial cell (TEC) line expressing human leukocyte antigen-ABC and human leukocyte antigen-DR was engineered to overexpress murine Delta-like 1 (TEC-Dl1) for the purpose of establishing a human culture system that supports T lymphopoiesis from hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). Cord blood or bone marrow HPCs were co-cultured with either the parental TEC line expressing low levels of the Notch ligands, Delta-like 1 and Delta-like 4, or with TEC-Dl1 to determine if these cell lines support human lymphopoiesis. In co-cultures with cord blood or bone marrow HPCs, TEC-Dl1 cells promote de novo generation of CD7(pos)CD1a(pos) T-lineage committed cells. Most CD7(pos)CD1a(hi) cells are CD4(pos)CD8(pos) double-positive (DP). We found that TEC-Dl1 cells are insufficient to generate mature CD3(hi) CD4(pos) or CD3(hi) CD8(pos) single-positive (SP) T cells from the CD4(pos)CD8(pos) DP T cells; however, we detected CD3(lo) cells within the DP and SP CD4 and CD8 populations. The CD3(lo) SP cells expressed lower levels of interleukin-2Rα and interleukin-7Rα compared to CD3(lo) DP cells. In contrast to the TEC-Dl1 line, the parental TEC-84 line expressing low levels of human Notch ligands permits HPC differentiation to the B-cell lineage. We report for the first time a human TEC line that supports lymphopoiesis from cord blood and bone marrow HPC. The TEC cell lines described herein provide a novel human thymic stroma model to study the contribution of human leukocyte antigen molecules and Notch ligands to T-cell commitment and maturation and could be utilized to promote lymphopoiesis for immune cell therapy. Copyright © 2011 ISEH - Society for Hematology and Stem Cells. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Association of Ulex europaeus agglutinin I binding with invasion in endometrial carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambros, R A; Kurman, R J

    1993-10-01

    Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I), a lectin which specifically binds L-fucose, has been shown to extensively bind endometrial carcinoma cells but not benign endometrial glands. Patterns of UEA-I binding were examined in five cases of uteri containing proliferative endometrium, five cases of endometrial hyperplasia, and 54 cases of endometrioid (typical) carcinoma of the endometrium and correlated with the histologic features of the tumor and its behavior. Whereas proliferative endometrium showed luminal staining only, diffuse cytoplasmic staining was frequently seen in hyperplasia and carcinoma. Carcinomas with a high percentage of tumor cells staining with UEA-I tended to be high-grade with a greater tendency to deep myometrial and vascular invasion than tumors with little or no staining. By univariate survival analysis, the extent of UEA-I binding was found to correlate with patient survival. By multivariate analysis, however, survival correlated most closely with the presence of deep myometrial and vascular invasion, and UEA-I binding was not found to be an independent prognostic indicator. This study suggests that increased fucosylation of proteins in endometrioid cancer cells may play a role in myometrial and vascular invasion.

  19. Stem cell markers in the heart of the human newborn

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armando Faa

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The identification of cardiac progenitor cells in mammals raises the possibility that the human heart contains a population of stem cells capable of generating cardiomyocytes and coronary vessels. Several recent studies now show that the different cell types that characterize the adult human heart arise from a common ancestor. Human cardiac stem cells differentiate into cardiomyocytes, and, in lesser extent, into smooth muscle and endothelial cells. The characterization of human cardiac stem cells (CSCs has important clinical implications. In recent years, CD117 (c-kit has been reported to mark a subtype of stem/progenitor cells in the human heart, with stem cell-like properties, including the ability to self-renewal and clonogenicity multipotentiality. Proceedings of the 2nd International Course on Perinatal Pathology (part of the 11th International Workshop on Neonatology · October 26th-31st, 2015 · Cagliari (Italy · October 31st, 2015 · Stem cells: present and future Guest Editors: Gavino Faa, Vassilios Fanos, Antonio Giordano

  20. Limited hair cell induction from human induced pluripotent stem cells using a simple stepwise method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohnishi, Hiroe; Skerleva, Desislava; Kitajiri, Shin-ichiro; Sakamoto, Tatsunori; Yamamoto, Norio; Ito, Juichi; Nakagawa, Takayuki

    2015-07-10

    Disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) cells are expected to contribute to exploring useful tools for studying the pathophysiology of inner ear diseases and to drug discovery for treating inner ear diseases. For this purpose, stable induction methods for the differentiation of human iPS cells into inner ear hair cells are required. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of a simple induction method for inducing the differentiation of human iPS cells into hair cells. The induction of inner ear hair cell-like cells was performed using a stepwise method mimicking inner ear development. Human iPS cells were sequentially transformed into the preplacodal ectoderm, otic placode, and hair cell-like cells. As a first step, preplacodal ectoderm induction, human iPS cells were seeded on a Matrigel-coated plate and cultured in a serum free N2/B27 medium for 8 days according to a previous study that demonstrated spontaneous differentiation of human ES cells into the preplacodal ectoderm. As the second step, the cells after preplacodal ectoderm induction were treated with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for induction of differentiation into otic-placode-like cells for 15 days. As the final step, cultured cells were incubated in a serum free medium containing Matrigel for 48 days. After preplacodal ectoderm induction, over 90% of cultured cells expressed the genes that express in preplacodal ectoderm. By culture with bFGF, otic placode marker-positive cells were obtained, although their number was limited. Further 48-day culture in serum free media resulted in the induction of hair cell-like cells, which expressed a hair cell marker and had stereocilia bundle-like constructions on their apical surface. Our results indicate that hair cell-like cells are induced from human iPS cells using a simple stepwise method with only bFGF, without the use of xenogeneic cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Concise Review: Kidney Generation with Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morizane, Ryuji; Miyoshi, Tomoya; Bonventre, Joseph V

    2017-11-01

    Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide health care problem, resulting in increased cardiovascular mortality and often leading to end-stage kidney disease, where patients require kidney replacement therapies such as hemodialysis or kidney transplantation. Loss of functional nephrons contributes to the progression of CKD, which can be attenuated but not reversed due to inability to generate new nephrons in human adult kidneys. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), by virtue of their unlimited self-renewal and ability to differentiate into cells of all three embryonic germ layers, are attractive sources for kidney regenerative therapies. Recent advances in stem cell biology have identified key signals necessary to maintain stemness of human nephron progenitor cells (NPCs) in vitro, and led to establishment of protocols to generate NPCs and nephron epithelial cells from human fetal kidneys and hPSCs. Effective production of large amounts of human NPCs and kidney organoids will facilitate elucidation of developmental and pathobiological pathways, kidney disease modeling and drug screening as well as kidney regenerative therapies. We summarize the recent studies to induce NPCs and kidney cells from hPSCs, studies of NPC expansion from mouse and human embryonic kidneys, and discuss possible approaches in vivo to regenerate kidneys with cell therapies and the development of bioengineered kidneys. Stem Cells 2017;35:2209-2217. © 2017 AlphaMed Press.

  2. Stimulated human fibroblast cell survival

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, B.P.; Gale, K.L.; Einspenner, M.; Greenstock, C.L.; Gentner, N.E.

    1992-01-01

    Techniques for cloning cultured mammalian cells have supported the most universally-accepted method for measuring the induction of lethality by geno-toxicants such as ionizing radiation: the 'survival of colony-forming ability (CFA)' assay. Since most cultured human cell lines exhibit plating efficiency (i.e. the percentage of cells that are capable of reproductively surviving and dividing to form visible colonies) well below 100%, such assays are in essence 'survival of plating efficiency' assays, since they are referred to the plating (or cloning) efficiency of control (i.e. unirradiated) cells. (author). 8 refs., 2 figs

  3. Intrinsic radiation resistance in human chondrosarcoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moussavi-Harami, Farid; Mollano, Anthony; Martin, James A.; Ayoob, Andrew; Domann, Frederick E.; Gitelis, Steven; Buckwalter, Joseph A.

    2006-01-01

    Human chondrosarcomas rarely respond to radiation treatment, limiting the options for eradication of these tumors. The basis of radiation resistance in chondrosarcomas remains obscure. In normal cells radiation induces DNA damage that leads to growth arrest or death. However, cells that lack cell cycle control mechanisms needed for these responses show intrinsic radiation resistance. In previous work, we identified immortalized human chondrosarcoma cell lines that lacked p16 ink4a , one of the major tumor suppressor proteins that regulate the cell cycle. We hypothesized that the absence of p16 ink4a contributes to the intrinsic radiation resistance of chondrosarcomas and that restoring p16 ink4a expression would increase their radiation sensitivity. To test this we determined the effects of ectopic p16 ink4a expression on chondrosarcoma cell resistance to low-dose γ-irradiation (1-5 Gy). p16 ink4a expression significantly increased radiation sensitivity in clonogenic assays. Apoptosis did not increase significantly with radiation and was unaffected by p16 ink4a transduction of chondrosarcoma cells, indicating that mitotic catastrophe, rather than programmed cell death, was the predominant radiation effect. These results support the hypothesis that p16 ink4a plays a role in the radiation resistance of chondrosarcoma cell lines and suggests that restoring p16 expression will improve the radiation sensitivity of human chondrosarcomas

  4. Pretargeting vs. direct targeting of human betalox5 islet cells subcutaneously implanted in mice using an anti-human islet cell antibody

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Guozheng; Dou Shuping; Akalin, Ali; Rusckowski, Mary; Streeter, Philip R.; Shultz, Leonard D.; Greiner, Dale L.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: We previously demonstrated MORF/cMORF pretargeting of human islets and betalox 5 cells (a human beta cell line) transplanted subcutaneously in mice with the anti-human islet antibody, HPi1. We now compare pretargeting with direct targeting in the beta cell transplant model to evaluate the degree to which target/non-target (T/NT) ratios may be improved by pretargeting. Methods: Specific binding of an anti-human islet antibody HPi1 to the beta cells transplanted subcutaneously in mice was examined against a negative control antibody. We then compared pretargeting by MORF-HPi1 plus 111 In-labeled cMORF to direct targeting by 111 In-labeled HPi1. Results: HPi1 binding to betalox5 human cells in the transplant was shown by immunofluorescence. Normal organ 111 In backgrounds by pretargeting were always lower, although target accumulations were similar. More importantly, the transplant to pancreas and liver ratios was, respectively, 26 and 10 by pretargeting as compared to 9 and 0.6 by direct targeting. Conclusions: Pretargeting greatly improves the T/NT ratios, and based on the estimated endocrine to exocrine ratio within a pancreas, pretargeting may be approaching the sensitivity required for successful imaging of human islets within this organ.

  5. Human papilloma virus prevalence in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gungor, A; Cincik, H; Baloglu, H; Cekin, E; Dogru, S; Dursun, E

    2007-08-01

    To determine the prevalence and type of human papilloma virus deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. We analysed the prevalence of human papilloma virus infection in archived paraffin block specimens taken from 99 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 1990 and 2005, using polymerase chain reaction techniques. Biopsy specimens from five proven verrucous skin lesions were used as positive controls, and peripheral blood samples from five healthy volunteers were used as negative controls. Four test samples were found to have inadequate deoxyribonucleic acid purity and were therefore excluded from the study. Human papilloma virus deoxyribonucleic acid was detected in seven of 95 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (7.36 per cent). Human papilloma virus genotyping revealed double human papilloma virus infection in three cases and single human papilloma virus infection in the remaining four cases. The human papilloma virus genotypes detected were 6, 11 and 16 (the latter detected in only one case). In our series, a very low human papilloma virus prevalence was found among laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cases. The human papilloma virus genotypes detected were mostly 6 and/or 11, and 16 in only one case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of human papilloma virus prevalence in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, based on polymerase chain reaction genotyping in a Turkish population.

  6. Comparison of the glycosphingolipids of human-induced pluripotent stem cells and human embryonic stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Säljö, Karin; Barone, Angela; Vizlin-Hodzic, Dzeneta; Johansson, Bengt R; Breimer, Michael E; Funa, Keiko; Teneberg, Susann

    2017-04-01

    High expectations are held for human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) since they are established from autologous tissues thus overcoming the risk of allogeneic immune rejection when used in regenerative medicine. However, little is known regarding the cell-surface carbohydrate antigen profile of hiPSC compared with human embryonic stem cells (hESC). Here, glycosphingolipids were isolated from an adipocyte-derived hiPSC line, and hiPSC and hESC glycosphingolipids were compared by concurrent characterization by binding assays with carbohydrate-recognizing ligands and mass spectrometry. A high similarity between the nonacid glycosphingolipids of hiPSC and hESC was found. The nonacid glycosphingolipids P1 pentaosylceramide, x2 pentaosylceramide and H type 1 heptaosylceramide, not previously described in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC), were characterized in both hiPSC and hESC. The composition of acid glycosphingolipids differed, with increased levels of GM3 ganglioside, and reduced levels of GD1a/GD1b in hiPSC when compared with hESC. In addition, the hESC glycosphingolipids sulf-globopentaosylceramide and sialyl-globotetraosylceramide were lacking in hiPSC. Neural stem cells differentiating from hiPSC had a reduced expression of sialyl-lactotetra, whereas expression of the GD1a ganglioside was significantly increased. Thus, while sialyl-lactotetra is a marker of undifferentiated hPSC, GD1a is a novel marker of neural differentiation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. A potential pro-anagogic cell therapy with human placenta-derived mesenchymal cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishishita, Toshihide; Ouchi, Kunie; Zhang, Xiaohong; Inoue, Mariko; Inazawa, Takeshi; Yoshiura, Kenta; Kuwabara, Koichiro; Nakaoka, Takashi; Watanabe, Nobukazu; Igura, Koichi; Takahashi, Tsuneo A.; Yamashita, Naohide

    2004-01-01

    Recently several strategies to treat ischemic diseases have been proposed but the ideal way has to be determined. We explored whether human placenta-derived mesenchymal cells (hPDMCs) can be used for this purpose because placenta is very rich in vessels. First, production of human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) from hPDMCs was examined. The amount of hVEGF secreted by hPDMCs was similar to the amount produced by HeLa cells. hVEGF was barely detected in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (hUVECs) or human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. hVEGF secreted from hPDMCs stimulated the proliferation of hUVECs, indicating its biological activity. Transplantation of hPDMCs to the ischemic limbs of NOD/Shi-scid mice significantly improved the blood flow of the affected limbs. Blood vessel formation was more prominently observed in the limbs of treated mice as compared to the control mice. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that hPDMCs produced hVEGF for at least 7 days after transplantation. Thus, transplantation of hPDMCs could potentially be a promising treatment for human ischemic diseases

  8. Verocytotoxin-induced apoptosis of human microvascular endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pijpers, A H; van Setten, P A; van den Heuvel, L P; Assmann, K J; Dijkman, H B; Pennings, A H; Monnens, L A; van Hinsbergh, V W

    2001-04-01

    The pathogenesis of the epidemic form of hemolytic uremic syndrome is characterized by endothelial cell damage. In this study, the role of apoptosis in verocytotoxin (VT)-mediated endothelial cell death in human glomerular microvascular endothelial cells (GMVEC), human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and foreskin microvascular endothelial cells (FMVEC) was investigated. VT induced apoptosis in GMVEC and human umbilical vein endothelial cells when the cells were prestimulated with the inflammatory mediator tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). FMVEC displayed strong binding of VT and high susceptibility to VT under basal conditions, which made them suitable for the study of VT-induced apoptosis without TNF-alpha interference. On the basis of functional (flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy using FITC-conjugated annexin V and propidium iodide), morphologic (transmission electron microscopy), and molecular (agarose gel electrophoresis of cellular DNA fragments) criteria, it was documented that VT induced programmed cell death in microvascular endothelial cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, whereas partial inhibition of protein synthesis by VT was associated with a considerable number of apoptotic cells, comparable inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide was not. This suggests that additional pathways, independent of protein synthesis inhibition, may be involved in VT-mediated apoptosis in microvascular endothelial cells. Specific inhibition of caspases by Ac-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-CHO, but not by Ac-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-CHO, was accompanied by inhibition of VT-induced apoptosis in FMVEC and TNF-alpha-treated GMVEC. These data indicate that VT can induce apoptosis in human microvascular endothelial cells.

  9. Survival of human osteosarcoma cells and normal human fibroblasts following alpha particle irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lloyd, E.L.; Gemmell, M.A.

    1981-01-01

    Cell survival of human osteosarcoma cells in culture following alpha particle irradiation is reported here for the first time. The osteosarcoma cell line (TE-85) is found to be less sensitive to inactivation by 5.6 MeV alpha particles (LET 86 keV/μm) than normal diploid human fibroblasts (NFS). Values for the mean lethal doses were estimated to be 103 rads for the TE-85 cells compared with 68 rads for the NFS cultures irradiated under identical conditions. It is postulated that the aneuploidy of the tumor cells with increased DNA chromosomal material may confer a selective advantage for the survival of tumor cells relative to normal cells with diploid chromosomes

  10. Human airway xenograft models of epithelial cell regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Puchelle Edith

    2000-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Regeneration and restoration of the airway epithelium after mechanical, viral or bacterial injury have a determinant role in the evolution of numerous respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis, asthma and cystic fibrosis. The study in vivo of epithelial regeneration in animal models has shown that airway epithelial cells are able to dedifferentiate, spread, migrate over the denuded basement membrane and progressively redifferentiate to restore a functional respiratory epithelium after several weeks. Recently, human tracheal xenografts have been developed in immunodeficient severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID and nude mice. In this review we recall that human airway cells implanted in such conditioned host grafts can regenerate a well-differentiated and functional human epithelium; we stress the interest in these humanized mice in assaying candidate progenitor and stem cells of the human airway mucosa.

  11. Trichloroethylene toxicity in a human hepatoma cell line

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thevenin, E.; McMillian, J. [Medical Univ. of Charleston South Carolina, SC (United States)

    1994-12-31

    The experiments conducted in this study were designed to determine the usefullness of hepatocyte cultures and a human hepatoma cell line as model systems for assessing human susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma due to exposure to trichloroethylene. The results from these studies will then be analyzed to determine if human cell lines can be used to conduct future experiments of this nature.

  12. Complete human serum maintains viability and chondrogenic potential of human synovial stem cells: suitable conditions for transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuno, Mitsuru; Katano, Hisako; Otabe, Koji; Komori, Keiichiro; Kohno, Yuji; Fujii, Shizuka; Ozeki, Nobutake; Horie, Masafumi; Tsuji, Kunikazu; Koga, Hideyuki; Muneta, Takeshi; Sekiya, Ichiro

    2017-06-13

    In our clinical practice, we perform transplantations of autologous synovial mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for cartilage and meniscus regenerative medicine. One of the most important issues to ensuring clinical efficacy involves the transport of synovial MSCs from the processing facility to the clinic. Complete human serum (100% human serum) is an attractive candidate material in which to suspend synovial MSCs for their preservation during transport. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether complete human serum maintained MSC viability and chondrogenic potential and to examine the optimal temperature conditions for the preservation of human synovial MSCs. Human synovium was harvested from the knees of 14 donors with osteoarthritis during total knee arthroplasty. Passage 2 synovial MSCs were suspended at 2 million cells/100 μL in Ringer's solution or complete human serum at 4, 13, and 37 °C for 48 h. These cells were analyzed for live cell rates, cell surface marker expression, metabolic activity, proliferation, and adipogenic, calcification, and chondrogenic differentiation potentials before and after preservation. After preservation, synovial MSCs maintained higher live cell rates in human serum than in Ringer's solution at 4 and 13 °C. Synovial MSCs preserved in human serum at 4 and 13 °C also maintained high ratios of propidium iodide - and annexin V - cells. MSC surface marker expression was not altered in cells preserved at 4 and 13 °C. The metabolic activities of cells preserved in human serum at 4 and 13 °C was maintained, while significantly reduced in other conditions. Replated MSCs retained their proliferation ability when preserved in human serum at 4 and 13 °C. Adipogenesis and calcification potential could be observed in cells preserved in each condition, whereas chondrogenic potential was retained only in cells preserved in human serum at 4 and 13 °C. The viability and chondrogenic potential of synovial MSCs were

  13. Radiation enhanced reactivation of irradiated human adenovirus type 2 in human cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeeves, W.P.

    1981-04-01

    Radiation-enhanced reactivation (ER) of a radiation-damaged mammalian virus is the term given to the observation that the survival of irradiated virus can be enhanced by irradiation of an appropriate host cell prior to infection. In this work, both UV-enhanced reactivation (UVER) and gamma-ray-enhanced reactivation (γRER) of irradiated human adenovirus type 2 (AD 2) were studied in a variety of normal and DNA repair-deficient human fibroblast host cell strains. In order to examine the lesion specificity of ER in human cells, experiments were performed using UV-irradiated and γ-irradiated virus. The investigation was carried out using a sensitive technique of indirect immunofluorescence, according to which irradiated and unirradiated cell cultures were infected with irradiated or unirradiated AD 2 and were subsequently examined for the presence of viral structural antigens ('V' Ag) at a fixed time after infection

  14. Plaque assay for human coronavirus NL63 using human colon carcinoma cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Drosten Christian

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Coronaviruses cause a broad range of diseases in animals and humans. Human coronavirus (hCoV NL63 is associated with up to 10% of common colds. Viral plaque assays enable the characterization of virus infectivity and allow for purifying virus stock solutions. They are essential for drug screening. Hitherto used cell cultures for hCoV-NL63 show low levels of virus replication and weak and diffuse cytopathogenic effects. It has not yet been possible to establish practicable plaque assays for this important human pathogen. Results 12 different cell cultures were tested for susceptibility to hCoV-NL63 infection. Human colon carcinoma cells (CaCo-2 replicated virus more than 100 fold more efficiently than commonly used African green monkey kidney cells (LLC-MK2. CaCo-2 cells showed cytopathogenic effects 4 days post infection. Avicel, agarose and carboxymethyl-cellulose overlays proved suitable for plaque assays. Best results were achieved with Avicel, which produced large and clear plaques from the 4th day of infection. The utility of plaque assays with agrose overlay was demonstrated for purifying virus, thereby increasing viral infectivity by 1 log 10 PFU/mL. Conclusion CaCo-2 cells support hCoV-NL63 better than LLC-MK2 cells and enable cytopathogenic plaque assays. Avicel overlay is favourable for plaque quantification, and agarose overlay is preferred for plaque purification. HCoV-NL63 virus stock of increased infectivity will be beneficial in antiviral screening, animal modelling of disease, and other experimental tasks.

  15. Lentivirus display: stable expression of human antibodies on the surface of human cells and virus particles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ran Taube

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Isolation of human antibodies using current display technologies can be limited by constraints on protein expression, folding and post-translational modifications. Here we describe a discovery platform that utilizes self-inactivating (SIN lentiviral vectors for the surface display of high-affinity single-chain variable region (scFv antibody fragments on human cells and lentivirus particles. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Bivalent scFvFc human antibodies were fused in frame with different transmembrane (TM anchoring moieties to allow efficient high-level expression on human cells and the optimal TM was identified. The addition of an eight amino acid HIV-1 gp41 envelope incorporation motif further increased scFvFc expression on human cells and incorporation into lentiviral particles. Both antibody-displaying human cells and virus particles bound antigen specifically. Sulfation of CDR tyrosine residues, a property recently shown to broaden antibody binding affinity and antigen recognition was also demonstrated. High level scFvFc expression and stable integration was achieved in human cells following transduction with IRES containing bicistronic SIN lentivectors encoding ZsGreen when scFvFc fusion proteins were expressed from the first cassette. Up to 10(6-fold enrichment of antibody expressing cells was achieved with one round of antigen coupled magnetic bead pre-selection followed by FACS sorting. Finally, the scFvFc displaying human cells could be used directly in functional biological screens with remarkable sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This antibody display platform will complement existing technologies by virtue of providing properties unique to lentiviruses and antibody expression in human cells, which, in turn, may aid the discovery of novel therapeutic human mAbs.

  16. Cell fiber-based three-dimensional culture system for highly efficient expansion of human induced pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikeda, Kazuhiro; Nagata, Shogo; Okitsu, Teru; Takeuchi, Shoji

    2017-06-06

    Human pluripotent stem cells are a potentially powerful cellular resource for application in regenerative medicine. Because such applications require large numbers of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cells, a scalable culture system of human pluripotent stem cell needs to be developed. Several suspension culture systems for human pluripotent stem cell expansion exist; however, it is difficult to control the thickness of cell aggregations in these systems, leading to increased cell death likely caused by limited diffusion of gases and nutrients into the aggregations. Here, we describe a scalable culture system using the cell fiber technology for the expansion of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The cells were encapsulated and cultured within the core region of core-shell hydrogel microfibers, resulting in the formation of rod-shaped or fiber-shaped cell aggregations with sustained thickness and high viability. By encapsulating the cells with type I collagen, we demonstrated a long-term culture of the cells by serial passaging at a high expansion rate (14-fold in four days) while retaining its pluripotency. Therefore, our culture system could be used for large-scale expansion of human pluripotent stem cells for use in regenerative medicine.

  17. Wharton's Jelly Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Comparing Human and Horse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merlo, Barbara; Teti, Gabriella; Mazzotti, Eleonora; Ingrà, Laura; Salvatore, Viviana; Buzzi, Marina; Cerqueni, Giorgia; Dicarlo, Manuela; Lanci, Aliai; Castagnetti, Carolina; Iacono, Eleonora

    2018-08-01

    Wharton's jelly (WJ) is an important source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) both in human and other animals. The aim of this study was to compare human and equine WJMSCs. Human and equine WJMSCs were isolated and cultured using the same protocols and culture media. Cells were characterized by analysing morphology, growth rate, migration and adhesion capability, immunophenotype, differentiation potential and ultrastructure. Results showed that human and equine WJMSCs have similar ultrastructural details connected with intense synthetic and metabolic activity, but differ in growth, migration, adhesion capability and differentiation potential. In fact, at the scratch assay and transwell migration assay, the migration ability of human WJMSCs was higher (P cells, while the volume of spheroids obtained after 48 h of culture in hanging drop was larger than the volume of equine ones (P cell adhesion ability. This can also revealed in the lower doubling time of equine cells (3.5 ± 2.4 days) as compared to human (6.5 ± 4.3 days) (P cell doubling after 44 days of culture observed for the equine (20.3 ± 1.7) as compared to human cells (8.7 ± 2.4) (P cells showed an higher chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation ability (P staminal phenotype in human and equine WJMSCs, they showed different properties reflecting the different sources of MSCs.

  18. HSC extrinsic sex-related and intrinsic autoimmune disease-related human B-cell variation is recapitulated in humanized mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borsotti, Chiara; Danzl, Nichole M; Nauman, Grace; Hölzl, Markus A; French, Clare; Chavez, Estefania; Khosravi-Maharlooei, Mohsen; Glauzy, Salome; Delmotte, Fabien R; Meffre, Eric; Savage, David G; Campbell, Sean R; Goland, Robin; Greenberg, Ellen; Bi, Jing; Satwani, Prakash; Yang, Suxiao; Bathon, Joan; Winchester, Robert; Sykes, Megan

    2017-10-24

    B cells play a major role in antigen presentation and antibody production in the development of autoimmune diseases, and some of these diseases disproportionally occur in females. Moreover, immune responses tend to be stronger in female vs male humans and mice. Because it is challenging to distinguish intrinsic from extrinsic influences on human immune responses, we used a personalized immune (PI) humanized mouse model, in which immune systems were generated de novo from adult human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in immunodeficient mice. We assessed the effect of recipient sex and of donor autoimmune diseases (type 1 diabetes [T1D] and rheumatoid arthritis [RA]) on human B-cell development in PI mice. We observed that human B-cell levels were increased in female recipients regardless of the source of human HSCs or the strain of immunodeficient recipient mice. Moreover, mice injected with T1D- or RA-derived HSCs displayed B-cell abnormalities compared with healthy control HSC-derived mice, including altered B-cell levels, increased proportions of mature B cells and reduced CD19 expression. Our study revealed an HSC-extrinsic effect of recipient sex on human B-cell reconstitution. Moreover, the PI humanized mouse model revealed HSC-intrinsic defects in central B-cell tolerance that recapitulated those in patients with autoimmune diseases. These results demonstrate the utility of humanized mouse models as a tool to better understand human immune cell development and regulation.

  19. Gallic acid reduces cell viability, proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis in human cervical cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    ZHAO, BING; HU, MENGCAI

    2013-01-01

    Gallic acid is a trihydroxybenzoic acid, also known as 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, which is present in plants worldwide, including Chinese medicinal herbs. Gallic acid has been shown to have cytotoxic effects in certain cancer cells, without damaging normal cells. The objective of the present study was to determine whether gallic acid is able to inhibit human cervical cancer cell viability, proliferation and invasion and suppress cervical cancer cell-mediated angiogenesis. Treatment of HeLa and HTB-35 human cancer cells with gallic acid decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. BrdU proliferation and tube formation assays indicated that gallic acid significantly decreased human cervical cancer cell proliferation and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, respectively. Additionally, gallic acid decreased HeLa and HTB-35 cell invasion in vitro. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the expression of ADAM17, EGFR, p-Akt and p-Erk was suppressed by gallic acid in the HeLa and HTB-35 cell lines. These data indicate that the suppression of ADAM17 and the downregulation of the EGFR, Akt/p-Akt and Erk/p-Erk signaling pathways may contribute to the suppression of cancer progression by Gallic acid. Gallic acid may be a valuable candidate for the treatment of cervical cancer. PMID:24843386

  20. The development of human mast cells. An historical reappraisal

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    Ribatti, Domenico, E-mail: domenico.ribatti@uniba.it

    2016-03-15

    The understanding of mast cell (MC) differentiation is derived mainly from in vitro studies of different stages of stem and progenitor cells. The hematopoietic lineage development of human MCs is unique compared to other myeloid-derived cells. Human MCs originate from CD34{sup +}/CD117{sup +}/CD13{sup +}multipotent hematopoietic progenitors, which undergo transendothelial recruitment into peripheral tissues, where they complete differentiation. Stem cell factor (SCF) is a major chemotactic factor for MCs and their progenitors. SCF also elicits cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion, facilitates the proliferation, and sustains the survival, differentiation, and maturation, of MCs. Because MC maturation is influenced by local microenvironmental factors, different MC phenotypes can develop in different tissues and organs. - Highlights: • Human mast cells originate from CD34/CD117/CD13 positive multipotent hematopoietic progenitors. • Stem cell factor is a major chemotactic factor for mast cells and their progenitors. • Different mast cell phenotypes can develop in different tissues and organs.

  1. The development of human mast cells. An historical reappraisal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ribatti, Domenico

    2016-01-01

    The understanding of mast cell (MC) differentiation is derived mainly from in vitro studies of different stages of stem and progenitor cells. The hematopoietic lineage development of human MCs is unique compared to other myeloid-derived cells. Human MCs originate from CD34"+/CD117"+/CD13"+multipotent hematopoietic progenitors, which undergo transendothelial recruitment into peripheral tissues, where they complete differentiation. Stem cell factor (SCF) is a major chemotactic factor for MCs and their progenitors. SCF also elicits cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion, facilitates the proliferation, and sustains the survival, differentiation, and maturation, of MCs. Because MC maturation is influenced by local microenvironmental factors, different MC phenotypes can develop in different tissues and organs. - Highlights: • Human mast cells originate from CD34/CD117/CD13 positive multipotent hematopoietic progenitors. • Stem cell factor is a major chemotactic factor for mast cells and their progenitors. • Different mast cell phenotypes can develop in different tissues and organs.

  2. Human CD141+ Dendritic Cell and CD1c+ Dendritic Cell Undergo Concordant Early Genetic Programming after Activation in Humanized Mice In Vivo

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    Yoshihito Minoda

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Human immune cell subsets develop in immunodeficient mice following reconstitution with human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells. These “humanized” mice are useful models to study human immunology and human-tropic infections, autoimmunity, and cancer. However, some human immune cell subsets are unable to fully develop or acquire full functional capacity due to a lack of cross-reactivity of many growth factors and cytokines between species. Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs in mice are categorized into cDC1, which mediate T helper (Th1 and CD8+ T cell responses, and cDC2, which mediate Th2 and Th17 responses. The likely human equivalents are CD141+ DC and CD1c+ DC subsets for mouse cDC1 and cDC2, respectively, but the extent of any interspecies differences is poorly characterized. Here, we exploit the fact that human CD141+ DC and CD1c+ DC develop in humanized mice, to further explore their equivalency in vivo. Global transcriptome analysis of CD141+ DC and CD1c+ DC isolated from humanized mice demonstrated that they closely resemble those in human blood. Activation of DC subsets in vivo, with the TLR3 ligand poly I:C, and the TLR7/8 ligand R848 revealed that a core panel of genes consistent with DC maturation status were upregulated by both subsets. R848 specifically upregulated genes associated with Th17 responses by CD1c+ DC, while poly I:C upregulated IFN-λ genes specifically by CD141+ DC. MYCL expression, known to be essential for CD8+ T cell priming by mouse DC, was specifically induced in CD141+ DC after activation. Concomitantly, CD141+ DC were superior to CD1c+ DC in their ability to prime naïve antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Thus, CD141+ DC and CD1c+ DC share a similar activation profiles in vivo but also have induce unique signatures that support specialized roles in CD8+ T cell priming and Th17 responses, respectively. In combination, these data demonstrate that humanized mice provide an attractive and tractable model to study

  3. Toona Sinensis Extracts Induced Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in the Human Lung Large Cell Carcinoma

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    Cheng-Yuan Wang

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Toona sinensis extracts have been shown to exhibit anti-cancer effects in human ovarian cancer cell lines, human promyelocytic leukemia cells and human lung adenocarcinoma. Its safety has also been confirmed in animal studies. However, its anti-cancer properties in human lung large cell carcinoma have not been studied. Here, we used a powder obtained by freeze-drying the super-natant of centrifuged crude extract from Toona sinensis leaves (TSL-1 to treat the human lung carcinoma cell line H661. Cell viability was evaluated by the 3-(4-,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that TSL-1 blocked H661 cell cycle progression. Western blot analysis showed decreased expression of cell cycle proteins that promote cell cycle progression, including cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and cyclin D1, and increased the expression of proteins that inhibit cell cycle progression, including p27. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis showed that TSL-1 induced H661 cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis showed that TSL-1 reduced the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2, and degraded the DNA repair protein, poly(ADP-ribose polymerase. TSL-1 shows potential as a novel therapeutic agent or for use as an adjuvant for treating human lung large cell carcinoma.

  4. Human leukaemic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andronikashvili, E.L.; Mosulishvili, L.M.; Belokobil'skiy, A.I.; Kharabadze, N.E.; Shonia, N.I.; Desai, L.S.; Foley, G.E.

    1976-01-01

    Trace metals were measured by neutron-activation analyses in purified nucleic acids and histone(s) of lymphocytes from patients with acute lymphocytic leukaemia or infectious mononucleosis, and from normal donors. DNA isolated from lymphocytes of a patient with infectious mononucleosis and a normal donor showed a high content of Cr 2+ , Sb 2+ , Fe 2+ , Zn 2+ , whereas DNA of lymphoblasts from a patient with acute lymphocytic leukaemia had a lower content of these trace metals, but the Co 2+ content was 20-fold higher than in DNA of normal donor lymphocytic cells. Total histones from leukaemic cells had higher contents of most of the trace metals except for Zn 2+ , which was present in lesser concentration than in histones from normal donor lymphocytic cells. Lysine-rich (F1) histones showed lower contents of Cr 2+ , Sb 2+ and Co 2+ , whereas arginine-rich (F3) histones had significantly higher contents of these trace metals. These observations may be of interest in that F3 histones more effectively inhibit RNA synthesis in human lymphocytic cells than do other species of histones. (author)

  5. Human iPS Cell-Derived Germ Cells: Current Status and Clinical Potential

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    Tetsuya Ishii

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Recently, fertile spermatozoa and oocytes were generated from mouse induced pluripotent (iPS cells using a combined in vitro and in vivo induction system. With regard to germ cell induction from human iPS cells, progress has been made particularly in the male germline, demonstrating in vitro generation of haploid, round spermatids. Although iPS-derived germ cells are expected to be developed to yield a form of assisted reproductive technology (ART that can address unmet reproductive needs, genetic and/or epigenetic instabilities abound in iPS cell generation and germ cell induction. In addition, there is still room to improve the induction protocol in the female germline. However, rapid advances in stem cell research are likely to make such obstacles surmountable, potentially translating induced germ cells into the clinical setting in the immediate future. This review examines the current status of the induction of germ cells from human iPS cells and discusses the clinical potential, as well as future directions.

  6. Generation of mature T cells from human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in artificial thymic organoids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seet, Christopher S; He, Chongbin; Bethune, Michael T; Li, Suwen; Chick, Brent; Gschweng, Eric H; Zhu, Yuhua; Kim, Kenneth; Kohn, Donald B; Baltimore, David; Crooks, Gay M; Montel-Hagen, Amélie

    2017-05-01

    Studies of human T cell development require robust model systems that recapitulate the full span of thymopoiesis, from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) through to mature T cells. Existing in vitro models induce T cell commitment from human HSPCs; however, differentiation into mature CD3 + TCR-αβ + single-positive CD8 + or CD4 + cells is limited. We describe here a serum-free, artificial thymic organoid (ATO) system that supports efficient and reproducible in vitro differentiation and positive selection of conventional human T cells from all sources of HSPCs. ATO-derived T cells exhibited mature naive phenotypes, a diverse T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and TCR-dependent function. ATOs initiated with TCR-engineered HSPCs produced T cells with antigen-specific cytotoxicity and near-complete lack of endogenous TCR Vβ expression, consistent with allelic exclusion of Vβ-encoding loci. ATOs provide a robust tool for studying human T cell differentiation and for the future development of stem-cell-based engineered T cell therapies.

  7. Novel human multiple myeloma cell line UHKT-893

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Uherková, L.; Vančurová, I.; Vyhlídalová, I.; Pleschnerová, M.; Špička, I.; Mihalová, R.; Březinová, J.; Hodný, Zdeněk; Čermáková, K.; Polanská, V.; Marinov, I.; Jedelský, P.L.; Kuželová, K.; Stöckbauer, P.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 37, č. 3 (2013), s. 320-326 ISSN 0145-2126 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 Keywords : human myeloma cell line * human multiple myeloma * plasma cell * IL-6 dependence * immunoglobulin * free light chain Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.692, year: 2013

  8. Dysregulation of gene expression in the artificial human trisomy cells of chromosome 8 associated with transformed cell phenotypes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hisakatsu Nawata

    Full Text Available A change in chromosome number, known as aneuploidy, is a common characteristic of cancer. Aneuploidy disrupts gene expression in human cancer cells and immortalized human epithelial cells, but not in normal human cells. However, the relationship between aneuploidy and cancer remains unclear. To study the effects of aneuploidy in normal human cells, we generated artificial cells of human primary fibroblast having three chromosome 8 (trisomy 8 cells by using microcell-mediated chromosome transfer technique. In addition to decreased proliferation, the trisomy 8 cells lost contact inhibition and reproliferated after exhibiting senescence-like characteristics that are typical of transformed cells. Furthermore, the trisomy 8 cells exhibited chromosome instability, and the overall gene expression profile based on microarray analyses was significantly different from that of diploid human primary fibroblasts. Our data suggest that aneuploidy, even a single chromosome gain, can be introduced into normal human cells and causes, in some cases, a partial cancer phenotype due to a disruption in overall gene expression.

  9. Capsaicin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human KB cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chia-Han; Lu, Wei-Cheng; Wang, Che-Wei; Chan, Ya-Chi; Chen, Mu-Kuan

    2013-02-25

    Capsaicin, a pungent phytochemical in a variety of red peppers of the genus Capsicum, has shown an anti-proliferative effect on various human cancer cell lines. In contrast, capsaicin has also been considered to promote the growth of cancer cells. Thus, the effects of capsaicin on various cell types need to be explored. The anti-proliferative effects of capsaicin on human KB cancer cells are still unknown. Therefore, we examined the viability, cell cycle progression, and factors associated with apoptosis in KB cells treated with capsaicin. The cell proliferation/viability and cytotoxicity of KB cells exposed to capsaicin were determined by a sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay and trypan blue exclusion. Apoptosis was detected by Hoechst staining and confirmed by western blot analysis of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Cell cycle distribution and changes of the mitochondrial membrane potential were analyzed by flow cytometry. Furthermore, the expression of caspase 3, 8 and 9 was evaluated by immunoblotting. We found that treatment of KB cells with capsaicin significantly reduced cell proliferation/viability and induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner compared with that in the untreated control. Cell cycle analysis indicated that exposure of KB cells to capsaicin resulted in cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. Capsaicin-induced growth inhibition of KB cells appeared to be associated with induction of apoptosis. Moreover, capsaicin induced disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential as well as activation of caspase 9, 3 and poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase in KB cells. Our data demonstrate that capsaicin modulates cell cycle progression and induces apoptosis in human KB cancer cells through mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and caspase activation. These observations suggest an anti-cancer activity of capsaicin.

  10. Development of Functional Microfold (M Cells from Intestinal Stem Cells in Primary Human Enteroids.

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    Joshua D Rouch

    Full Text Available Intestinal microfold (M cells are specialized epithelial cells that act as gatekeepers of luminal antigens in the intestinal tract. They play a critical role in the intestinal mucosal immune response through transport of viruses, bacteria and other particles and antigens across the epithelium to immune cells within Peyer's patch regions and other mucosal sites. Recent studies in mice have demonstrated that M cells are generated from Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells (ISCs, and that infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium increases M cell formation. However, it is not known whether and how these findings apply to primary human small intestinal epithelium propagated in an in vitro setting.Human intestinal crypts were grown as monolayers with growth factors and treated with recombinant RANKL, and assessed for mRNA transcripts, immunofluorescence and uptake of microparticles and S. Typhimurium.Functional M cells were generated by short-term culture of freshly isolated human intestinal crypts in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. RANKL stimulation of the monolayer cultures caused dramatic induction of the M cell-specific markers, SPIB, and Glycoprotein-2 (GP2 in a process primed by canonical WNT signaling. Confocal microscopy demonstrated a pseudopod phenotype of GP2-positive M cells that preferentially take up microparticles. Furthermore, infection of the M cell-enriched cultures with the M cell-tropic enteric pathogen, S. Typhimurium, led to preferential association of the bacteria with M cells, particularly at lower inoculum sizes. Larger inocula caused rapid induction of M cells.Human intestinal crypts containing ISCs can be cultured and differentiate into an epithelial layer with functional M cells with characteristic morphological and functional properties. This study is the first to demonstrate that M cells can be induced to form from primary human intestinal epithelium, and that S. Typhimurium preferentially infect these cells in an

  11. Derivation of novel human ground state naive pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gafni, Ohad; Weinberger, Leehee; Mansour, Abed AlFatah; Manor, Yair S; Chomsky, Elad; Ben-Yosef, Dalit; Kalma, Yael; Viukov, Sergey; Maza, Itay; Zviran, Asaf; Rais, Yoach; Shipony, Zohar; Mukamel, Zohar; Krupalnik, Vladislav; Zerbib, Mirie; Geula, Shay; Caspi, Inbal; Schneir, Dan; Shwartz, Tamar; Gilad, Shlomit; Amann-Zalcenstein, Daniela; Benjamin, Sima; Amit, Ido; Tanay, Amos; Massarwa, Rada; Novershtern, Noa; Hanna, Jacob H

    2013-12-12

    Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells are isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, and can be preserved in vitro in a naive inner-cell-mass-like configuration by providing exogenous stimulation with leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and small molecule inhibition of ERK1/ERK2 and GSK3β signalling (termed 2i/LIF conditions). Hallmarks of naive pluripotency include driving Oct4 (also known as Pou5f1) transcription by its distal enhancer, retaining a pre-inactivation X chromosome state, and global reduction in DNA methylation and in H3K27me3 repressive chromatin mark deposition on developmental regulatory gene promoters. Upon withdrawal of 2i/LIF, naive mouse ES cells can drift towards a primed pluripotent state resembling that of the post-implantation epiblast. Although human ES cells share several molecular features with naive mouse ES cells, they also share a variety of epigenetic properties with primed murine epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs). These include predominant use of the proximal enhancer element to maintain OCT4 expression, pronounced tendency for X chromosome inactivation in most female human ES cells, increase in DNA methylation and prominent deposition of H3K27me3 and bivalent domain acquisition on lineage regulatory genes. The feasibility of establishing human ground state naive pluripotency in vitro with equivalent molecular and functional features to those characterized in mouse ES cells remains to be defined. Here we establish defined conditions that facilitate the derivation of genetically unmodified human naive pluripotent stem cells from already established primed human ES cells, from somatic cells through induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell reprogramming or directly from blastocysts. The novel naive pluripotent cells validated herein retain molecular characteristics and functional properties that are highly similar to mouse naive ES cells, and distinct from conventional primed human pluripotent cells. This includes competence in the generation

  12. Biologic activities of recombinant human-beta-defensin-4 toward cultured human cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerashchenko, O L; Zhuravel, E V; Skachkova, O V; Khranovska, N N; Filonenko, V V; Pogrebnoy, P V; Soldatkina, M A

    2013-06-01

    The aim of the study was in vitro analysis of biological activity of recombinant human beta-defensin-4 (rec-hBD-4). hBD-4 cDNA was cloned into pGEX-2T vector, and recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) cells. To purify soluble fusion GST-hBD-4 protein, affinity chromatography was applied. Rec-hBD-4 was cleaved from the fusion protein with thrombin, and purified by reverse phase chromatography on Sep-Pack C18. Effects of rec-hBD-4 on proliferation, viability, cell cycle distribution, substrate-independent growth, and mobility of cultured human cancer cells of A431, A549, and TPC-1 lines were analyzed by direct cell counting technique, MTT assay, flow cytofluorometry, colony forming assay in semi-soft medium, and wound healing assay. Rec-hBD-4 was expressed in bacterial cells as GST-hBD-4 fusion protein, and purified by routine 3-step procedure (affine chromatography on glutathione-agarose, cleavage of fusion protein by thrombin, and reverse phase chromatography). Analysis of in vitro activity of rec-hBD-4 toward three human cancer cell lines has demonstrated that the defensin is capable to affect cell behaviour in concentration-dependent manner. In 1-100 nM concentrations rec-hBD-4 significantly stimulates cancer cell proliferation and viability, and promotes cell cycle progression through G2/M checkpoint, greatly enhances colony-forming activity and mobility of the cells. Treatment of the cells with 500 nM of rec-hBD-4 resulted in opposite effects: significant suppression of cell proliferation and viability, blockage of cell cycle in G1/S checkpoint, significant inhibition of cell migration and colony forming activity. Recombinant human beta-defensin-4 is biologically active peptide capable to cause oppositely directed effects toward biologic features of cancer cells in vitro dependent on its concentration.

  13. Human Mammary Luminal Epithelial Cells Contain Progenitors to Myoepithelial Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pechoux, Christine; Gudjonsson, Thorarinn; Ronnov-Jessen, Lone; Bissell, Mina J; Petersen, Ole

    1999-02-01

    The origin of the epithelial and myoepithelial cells in the human breast has not been delineated. In this study we have addressed whether luminal epithelial cells and myoepithelial cells are vertically connected, i.e., whether one is the precursor for the other. We used a primary culture assay allowing preservation of basic phenotypic traits of luminal epithelial and myoepithelial cells in culture. The two cell types were then separated immunomagnetically using antibodies directed against lineage-specific cell surface antigens into at best 100% purity. The cellular identity was ascertained by cytochemistry, immunoblotting, and 2-D gel electrophoresis. Luminal epithelial cells were identified by strong expression of cytokeratins 18 and 19 while myoepithelial cells were recognized by expression of vimentin and {alpha}-smooth muscle actin. We used a previously devised culture medium (CDM4) that allows vigorous expansion of proliferative myoepithelial cells and also devised a medium (CDM6) that allowed sufficient expansion of differentiated luminal epithelial cells based on addition of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor. The two different culture media supported each lineage for at least five passages without signs of interconversion. We used parallel cultures where we switched culture media, thus testing the ability of each lineage to convert to the other. Whereas the myoepithelial lineage showed no signs of interconversion, a subset of luminal epithelial cells, gradually, but distinctly, converted to myoepithelial cells. We propose that in the mature human breast, it is the luminal epithelial cell compartment that gives rise to myoepithelial cells rather than the other way around.

  14. Human dental pulp stem cells: Applications in future regenerative medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potdar, Pravin D; Jethmalani, Yogita D

    2015-01-01

    Stem cells are pluripotent cells, having a property of differentiating into various types of cells of human body. Several studies have developed mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from various human tissues, peripheral blood and body fluids. These cells are then characterized by cellular and molecular markers to understand their specific phenotypes. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are having a MSCs phenotype and they are differentiated into neuron, cardiomyocytes, chondrocytes, osteoblasts, liver cells and β cells of islet of pancreas. Thus, DPSCs have shown great potentiality to use in regenerative medicine for treatment of various human diseases including dental related problems. These cells can also be developed into induced pluripotent stem cells by incorporation of pluripotency markers and use for regenerative therapies of various diseases. The DPSCs are derived from various dental tissues such as human exfoliated deciduous teeth, apical papilla, periodontal ligament and dental follicle tissue. This review will overview the information about isolation, cellular and molecular characterization and differentiation of DPSCs into various types of human cells and thus these cells have important applications in regenerative therapies for various diseases. This review will be most useful for postgraduate dental students as well as scientists working in the field of oral pathology and oral medicine. PMID:26131314

  15. Transcriptional profiling of adult neural stem-like cells from the human brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cecilie Jonsgar Sandberg

    Full Text Available There is a great potential for the development of new cell replacement strategies based on adult human neural stem-like cells. However, little is known about the hierarchy of cells and the unique molecular properties of stem- and progenitor cells of the nervous system. Stem cells from the adult human brain can be propagated and expanded in vitro as free floating neurospheres that are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into all three cell types of the central nervous system. Here we report the first global gene expression study of adult human neural stem-like cells originating from five human subventricular zone biopsies (mean age 42, range 33-60. Compared to adult human brain tissue, we identified 1,189 genes that were significantly up- and down-regulated in adult human neural stem-like cells (1% false discovery rate. We found that adult human neural stem-like cells express stem cell markers and have reduced levels of markers that are typical of the mature cells in the nervous system. We report that the genes being highly expressed in adult human neural stem-like cells are associated with developmental processes and the extracellular region of the cell. The calcium signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions are enriched among the most differentially regulated genes between adult human neural stem-like cells and adult human brain tissue. We confirmed the expression of 10 of the most up-regulated genes in adult human neural stem-like cells in an additional sample set that included adult human neural stem-like cells (n = 6, foetal human neural stem cells (n = 1 and human brain tissues (n = 12. The NGFR, SLITRK6 and KCNS3 receptors were further investigated by immunofluorescence and shown to be heterogeneously expressed in spheres. These receptors could potentially serve as new markers for the identification and characterisation of neural stem- and progenitor cells or as targets for manipulation of cellular

  16. Human embryonic stem cells handbook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Alberto Redi

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available After the Nobel prize in physiology or medicine was awarded jointly to Sir John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent it became imperative to write down the review for a book entirely devoted to human embryonic stem cells (hES, those cells that are a urgent need for researchers, those cells that rekindle the ethical debates and finally, last but not least, those cells whose study paved the way to obtain induced pluripotent stem cells by the OSKC’s Yamanaka method (the OSKC acronim refers, for those not familiar with the topic, to the four stemness genes used to transfect somatic fibroblasts: Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc....

  17. New medium used in the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to retinal cells is comparable to fetal human eye tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaobing; Xiong, Kai; Lin, Cong; Lv, Lei; Chen, Jing; Xu, Chongchong; Wang, Songtao; Gu, Dandan; Zheng, Hua; Yu, Hurong; Li, Yan; Xiao, Honglei; Zhou, Guomin

    2015-06-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have the potential to differentiate along the retinal lineage. However, most induction systems are dependent on multiple small molecular compounds such as Dkk-1, Lefty-A, and retinoic acid. In the present study, we efficiently differentiated hPSCs into retinal cells using a retinal differentiation medium (RDM) without the use of small molecular compounds. This novel differentiation system recapitulates retinal morphogenesis in humans, i.e. hPSCs gradually differentiate into optic vesicle-shaped spheres, followed by optic cup-shaped spheres and, lastly, retinal progenitor cells. Furthermore, at different stages, hPSC-derived retinal cells mirror the transcription factor expression profiles seen in their counterparts during human embryogenesis. Most importantly, hinge epithelium was found between the hPSC-derived neural retina (NR) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). These data suggest that our culture system provides a new method for generating hPSC-derived retinal cells that, for the first time, might be used in human transplantation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. On the development of extragonadal and gonadal human germ cells

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    A. Marijne Heeren

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Human germ cells originate in an extragonadal location and have to migrate to colonize the gonadal primordia at around seven weeks of gestation (W7, or five weeks post conception. Many germ cells are lost along the way and should enter apoptosis, but some escape and can give rise to extragonadal germ cell tumors. Due to the common somatic origin of gonads and adrenal cortex, we investigated whether ectopic germ cells were present in the human adrenals. Germ cells expressing DDX4 and/or POU5F1 were present in male and female human adrenals in the first and second trimester. However, in contrast to what has been described in mice, where ‘adrenal’ and ‘ovarian’ germ cells seem to enter meiosis in synchrony, we were unable to observe meiotic entry in human ‘adrenal’ germ cells until W22. By contrast, ‘ovarian’ germ cells at W22 showed a pronounced asynchronous meiotic entry. Interestingly, we observed that immature POU5F1+ germ cells in both first and second trimester ovaries still expressed the neural crest marker TUBB3, reminiscent of their migratory phase. Our findings highlight species-specific differences in early gametogenesis between mice and humans. We report the presence of a population of ectopic germ cells in the human adrenals during development.

  19. Low dose perfluorooctanoate exposure promotes cell proliferation in a human non-tumor liver cell line

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Hongxia; Cui, Ruina [Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Guo, Xuejiang [State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029 (China); Hu, Jiayue [Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Dai, Jiayin, E-mail: daijy@ioz.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China)

    2016-08-05

    Highlights: • Differential expression of proteins induced by PFOA in HL-7702 was identified. • Most of the differentially expressed proteins are related to cell proliferation. • A low dose of PFOA stimulates HL-7702 cell proliferation. • A high dose of PFOA inhibits HL-7702 cell proliferation. - Abstract: Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) is a well-known persistent organic pollutant widely found in the environment, wildlife and humans. Medical surveillance and experimental studies have investigated the potential effects of PFOA on human livers, but the hepatotoxicity of PFOA on humans and its underlying mechanism remain to be clarified. We exposed a human liver cell line (HL-7702) to 50 μM PFOA for 48 h and 96 h, and identified 111 significantly differentially expressed proteins by iTRAQ analysis. A total of 46 proteins were related to cell proliferation and apoptosis. Through further analysis of the cell cycle, apoptosis and their related proteins, we found that low doses of PFOA (50–100 μM) promoted cell proliferation and numbers by promoting cells from the G1 to S phases, whereas high doses of PFOA (200–400 μM) led to reduced HL-7702 cell numbers compared with that of the control mainly due to cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the promotion of cell cycle progression in human cells following PFOA exposure.

  20. Low dose perfluorooctanoate exposure promotes cell proliferation in a human non-tumor liver cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Hongxia; Cui, Ruina; Guo, Xuejiang; Hu, Jiayue; Dai, Jiayin

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Differential expression of proteins induced by PFOA in HL-7702 was identified. • Most of the differentially expressed proteins are related to cell proliferation. • A low dose of PFOA stimulates HL-7702 cell proliferation. • A high dose of PFOA inhibits HL-7702 cell proliferation. - Abstract: Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) is a well-known persistent organic pollutant widely found in the environment, wildlife and humans. Medical surveillance and experimental studies have investigated the potential effects of PFOA on human livers, but the hepatotoxicity of PFOA on humans and its underlying mechanism remain to be clarified. We exposed a human liver cell line (HL-7702) to 50 μM PFOA for 48 h and 96 h, and identified 111 significantly differentially expressed proteins by iTRAQ analysis. A total of 46 proteins were related to cell proliferation and apoptosis. Through further analysis of the cell cycle, apoptosis and their related proteins, we found that low doses of PFOA (50–100 μM) promoted cell proliferation and numbers by promoting cells from the G1 to S phases, whereas high doses of PFOA (200–400 μM) led to reduced HL-7702 cell numbers compared with that of the control mainly due to cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the promotion of cell cycle progression in human cells following PFOA exposure.

  1. Stable radioresistance in ataxia-telangiectasia cells containing DNA from normal human cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kapp, L.N.; Painter, R.B.

    1989-01-01

    SV40-transformed ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) cells were transfected with a cosmid containing a normal human DNA library and selectable marker, the neo gene, which endows successfully transformed mammalian cells with resistance to the antibiotic G418. Cells from this line were irradiated with 50 Gy of X-rays and fused with non-transfected AT cells. Among the G418-resistant colonies recovered was one stably resistant to radiation. Resistance to ionizing radiation of both primary transfectant line and its fusion derivative was intermediate between that of AT cells and normal cells, as assayed by colony-forming ability and measurement of radiation-induced G 2 chromatic aberrations; both cell lines retained AT-like radioresistant DNA synthesis. Results suggest that, because radioresistance in transfected cells was not as great as in normal human cells, two hallmarks of AT, radiosensitivity and radioresistant DNA synthesis, may still be the result of a single defective AT gene. (author)

  2. Stepwise development of MAIT cells in mouse and human.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emmanuel Martin

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT cells display two evolutionarily conserved features: an invariant T cell receptor (TCRalpha (iTCRalpha chain and restriction by the nonpolymorphic class Ib major histocompatibility complex (MHC molecule, MHC-related molecule 1 (MR1. MR1 expression on thymus epithelial cells is not necessary for MAIT cell development but their accumulation in the gut requires MR1 expressing B cells and commensal flora. MAIT cell development is poorly known, as these cells have not been found in the thymus so far. Herein, complementary human and mouse experiments using an anti-humanValpha7.2 antibody and MAIT cell-specific iTCRalpha and TCRbeta transgenic mice in different genetic backgrounds show that MAIT cell development is a stepwise process, with an intra-thymic selection followed by peripheral expansion. Mouse MAIT cells are selected in an MR1-dependent manner both in fetal thymic organ culture and in double iTCRalpha and TCRbeta transgenic RAG knockout mice. In the latter mice, MAIT cells do not expand in the periphery unless B cells are added back by adoptive transfer, showing that B cells are not required for the initial thymic selection step but for the peripheral accumulation. In humans, contrary to natural killer T (NKT cells, MAIT cells display a naïve phenotype in the thymus as well as in cord blood where they are in low numbers. After birth, MAIT cells acquire a memory phenotype and expand dramatically, up to 1%-4% of blood T cells. Finally, in contrast with NKT cells, human MAIT cell development is independent of the molecular adaptor SAP. Interestingly, mouse MAIT cells display a naïve phenotype and do not express the ZBTB16 transcription factor, which, in contrast, is expressed by NKT cells and the memory human MAIT cells found in the periphery after birth. In conclusion, MAIT cells are selected by MR1 in the thymus on a non-B non-T hematopoietic cell, and acquire a memory phenotype and expand in the

  3. Propagation of human spermatogonial stem cells in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadri-Ardekani, Hooman; Mizrak, Sefika C; van Daalen, Saskia K M; Korver, Cindy M; Roepers-Gajadien, Hermien L; Koruji, Morteza; Hovingh, Suzanne; de Reijke, Theo M; de la Rosette, Jean J M C H; van der Veen, Fulco; de Rooij, Dirk G; Repping, Sjoerd; van Pelt, Ans M M

    2009-11-18

    Young boys treated with high-dose chemotherapy are often confronted with infertility once they reach adulthood. Cryopreserving testicular tissue before chemotherapy and autotransplantation of spermatogonial stem cells at a later stage could theoretically allow for restoration of fertility. To establish in vitro propagation of human spermatogonial stem cells from small testicular biopsies to obtain an adequate number of cells for successful transplantation. Study performed from April 2007 to July 2009 using testis material donated by 6 adult men who underwent orchidectomy as part of prostate cancer treatment. Testicular cells were isolated and cultured in supplemented StemPro medium; germline stem cell clusters that arose were subcultured on human placental laminin-coated dishes in the same medium. Presence of spermatogonia was determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence for spermatogonial markers. To test for the presence of functional spermatogonial stem cells in culture, xenotransplantation to testes of immunodeficient mice was performed, and migrated human spermatogonial stem cells after transplantation were detected by COT-1 fluorescence in situ hybridization. The number of colonized spermatogonial stem cells transplanted at early and later points during culture were counted to determine propagation. Propagation of spermatogonial stem cells over time. Testicular cells could be cultured and propagated up to 15 weeks. Germline stem cell clusters arose in the testicular cell cultures from all 6 men and could be subcultured and propagated up to 28 weeks. Expression of spermatogonial markers on both the RNA and protein level was maintained throughout the entire culture period. In 4 of 6 men, xenotransplantation to mice demonstrated the presence of functional spermatogonial stem cells, even after prolonged in vitro culture. Spermatogonial stem cell numbers increased 53-fold within 19 days in the testicular cell culture and

  4. Human platelet lysate: Replacing fetal bovine serum as a gold standard for human cell propagation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnouf, Thierry; Strunk, Dirk; Koh, Mickey B C; Schallmoser, Katharina

    2016-01-01

    The essential physiological role of platelets in wound healing and tissue repair builds the rationale for the use of human platelet derivatives in regenerative medicine. Abundant growth factors and cytokines stored in platelet granules can be naturally released by thrombin activation and clotting or artificially by freeze/thaw-mediated platelet lysis, sonication or chemical treatment. Human platelet lysate prepared by the various release strategies has been established as a suitable alternative to fetal bovine serum as culture medium supplement, enabling efficient propagation of human cells under animal serum-free conditions for a multiplicity of applications in advanced somatic cell therapy and tissue engineering. The rapidly increasing number of studies using platelet derived products for inducing human cell proliferation and differentiation has also uncovered a considerable variability of human platelet lysate preparations which limits comparability of results. The main variations discussed herein encompass aspects of donor selection, preparation of the starting material, the possibility for pooling in plasma or additive solution, the implementation of pathogen inactivation and consideration of ABO blood groups, all of which can influence applicability. This review outlines the current knowledge about human platelet lysate as a powerful additive for human cell propagation and highlights its role as a prevailing supplement for human cell culture capable to replace animal serum in a growing spectrum of applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Contacting co-culture of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells alters barrier function of human embryonic stem cell derived retinal pigment epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skottman, H; Muranen, J; Lähdekorpi, H; Pajula, E; Mäkelä, K; Koivusalo, L; Koistinen, A; Uusitalo, H; Kaarniranta, K; Juuti-Uusitalo, K

    2017-10-01

    Here we evaluated the effects of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (hREC) on mature human embryonic stem cell (hESC) derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. The hESC-RPE cells (Regea08/017, Regea08/023 or Regea11/013) and hREC (ACBRI 181) were co-cultured on opposite sides of transparent membranes for up to six weeks. Thereafter barrier function, small molecule permeability, localization of RPE and endothelial cell marker proteins, cellular fine structure, and growth factor secretion of were evaluated. After co-culture, the RPE specific CRALBP and endothelial cell specific von Willebrand factor were appropriately localized. In addition, the general morphology, pigmentation, and fine structure of hESC-RPE cells were unaffected. Co-culture increased the barrier function of hESC-RPE cells, detected both with TEER measurements and cumulative permeability of FD4 - although the differences varied among the cell lines. Co-culturing significantly altered VEGF and PEDF secretion, but again the differences were cell line specific. The results of this study showed that co-culture with hREC affects hESC-RPE functionality. In addition, co-culture revealed drastic cell line specific differences, most notably in growth factor secretion. This model has the potential to be used as an in vitro outer blood-retinal barrier model for drug permeability testing. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Dopamine receptor repertoire of human granulosa cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kunz Lars

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background High levels of dopamine (DA were described in human ovary and recently evidence for DA receptors in granulosa and luteal cells has been provided, as well. However, neither the full repertoire of ovarian receptors for DA, nor their specific role, is established. Human granulosa cells (GCs derived from women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF are an adequate model for endocrine cells of the follicle and the corpus luteum and were therefore employed in an attempt to decipher their DA receptor repertoire and functionality. Methods Cells were obtained from patients undergoing IVF and examined using cDNA-array, RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. In addition, calcium measurements (with FLUO-4 were employed. Expression of two DA receptors was also examined by in-situ hybridization in rat ovary. Effects of DA on cell viability and cell volume were studied by using an ATP assay and an electronic cell counter system. Results We found members of the two DA receptor families (D1- and D2 -like associated with different signaling pathways in human GCs, namely D1 (as expected and D5 (both are Gs coupled and linked to cAMP increase and D2, D4 (Gi/Gq coupled and linked to IP3/DAG. D3 was not found. The presence of the trophic hormone hCG (10 IU/ml in the culture medium for several days did not alter mRNA (semiquantitative RT-PCR or protein levels (immunocytochemistry/Western blotting of D1,2,4,5 DA receptors. Expression of prototype receptors for the two families, D1 and D2, was furthermore shown in rat granulosa and luteal cells by in situ hybridization. Among the DA receptors found in human GCs, D2 expression was marked both at mRNA and protein levels and it was therefore further studied. Results of additional RT-PCR and Western blots showed two splice variants (D2L, D2S. Irrespective of these variants, D2 proved to be functional, as DA raised intracellular calcium levels. This calcium mobilizing effect of DA was observed

  7. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived vascular smooth muscle cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ayoubi, Sohrab; Sheikh, Søren P; Eskildsen, Tilde V

    2017-01-01

    . To this end, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have generated great enthusiasm, and have been a driving force for development of novel strategies in drug discovery and regenerative cell-therapy for the last decade. Hence, investigating the mechanisms underlying the differentiation of hi......PSCs into specialized cell types such as cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) may lead to a better understanding of developmental cardiovascular processes and potentiate progress of safe autologous regenerative therapies in pathological conditions. In this review, we summarize...

  8. Immunosuppressive Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Induce Human Regulatory T Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

    OpenAIRE

    Clémence Roux; Clémence Roux; Clémence Roux; Gaëlle Saviane; Gaëlle Saviane; Jonathan Pini; Jonathan Pini; Nourhène Belaïd; Nourhène Belaïd; Gihen Dhib; Gihen Dhib; Christine Voha; Christine Voha; Christine Voha; Lidia Ibáñez

    2018-01-01

    Despite mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are considered as a promising source of cells to modulate immune functions on cells from innate and adaptive immune systems, their clinical use remains restricted (few number, limited in vitro expansion, absence of a full phenotypic characterization, few insights on their in vivo fate). Standardized MSCs derived in vitro from human-induced pluripotent stem (huIPS) cells, remediating part of these issues, are considered as well as a valuable tool for th...

  9. Calorimetric signatures of human cancer cells and their nuclei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Todinova, S. [Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 21, Sofia 1113 (Bulgaria); Stoyanova, E. [Department of Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko shose Blvd. 73, Sofia 1113 (Bulgaria); Krumova, S., E-mail: sakrumo@gmail.com [Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 21, Sofia 1113 (Bulgaria); Iliev, I. [Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 25, Sofia 1113 (Bulgaria); Taneva, S.G. [Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 21, Sofia 1113 (Bulgaria)

    2016-01-10

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Two temperature ranges are distinguished in the thermograms of cells/nuclei. • Different thermodynamic properties of cancer and normal human cells/nuclei. • Dramatic reduction of the enthalpy of the low-temperature range in cancer cells. • Oxaliplatin and 5-FU affect the nuclear matrix proteins and the DNA stability. - Abstract: The human cancer cell lines HeLa, JEG-3, Hep G2, SSC-9, PC-3, HT-29, MCF7 and their isolated nuclei were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry. The calorimetric profiles differed from normal human fibroblast (BJ) cells in the two well distinguished temperature ranges—the high-temperature range (H{sub T}, due to DNA-containing structures) and the low-temperature range (L{sub T}, assigned to the nuclear matrix and cellular proteins). The enthalpy of the L{sub T} range, and, respectively the ratio of the enthalpies of the L{sub T}- vs. H{sub T}-range, ΔH{sub L}/ΔH{sub H}, is strongly reduced for all cancer cells compared to normal fibroblasts. On the contrary, for most of the cancer nuclei this ratio is higher compared to normal nuclei. The HT-29 human colorectal cancer cells/nuclei differed most drastically from normal human fibroblast cells/nuclei. Our data also reveal that the treatment of HT-29 cancer cells with cytostatic drugs affects not only the DNA replication but also the cellular proteome.

  10. Telomerase-immortalized non-malignant human prostate epithelial cells retain the properties of multipotent stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Hongzhen; Zhou Jianjun; Miki, Jun; Furusato, Bungo; Gu Yongpeng; Srivastava, Shiv; McLeod, David G.; Vogel, Jonathan C.; Rhim, Johng S.

    2008-01-01

    Understanding prostate stem cells may provide insight into the origin of prostate cancer. Primary cells have been cultured from human prostate tissue but they usually survive only 15-20 population doublings before undergoing senescence. We report here that RC-170N/h/clone 7 cells, a clonal cell line from hTERT-immortalized primary non-malignant tissue-derived human prostate epithelial cell line (RC170N/h), retain multipotent stem cell properties. The RC-170N/h/clone 7 cells expressed a human embryonic stem cell marker, Oct-4, and potential prostate epithelial stem cell markers, CD133, integrin α2β1 hi and CD44. The RC-170N/h/clone 7 cells proliferated in KGM and Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium with 10% fetal bovine serum and 5 μg/ml insulin (DMEM + 10% FBS + Ins.) medium, and differentiated into epithelial stem cells that expressed epithelial cell markers, including CK5/14, CD44, p63 and cytokeratin 18 (CK18); as well as the mesenchymal cell markers, vimentin, desmin; the neuron and neuroendocrine cell marker, chromogranin A. Furthermore the RC170 N/h/clone 7 cells differentiated into multi tissues when transplanted into the sub-renal capsule and subcutaneously of NOD-SCID mice. The results indicate that RC170N/h/clone 7 cells retain the properties of multipotent stem cells and will be useful as a novel cell model for studying the mechanisms of human prostate stem cell differentiation and transformation

  11. Engineering antigen-specific T cells from genetically modified human hematopoietic stem cells in immunodeficient mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott G Kitchen

    Full Text Available There is a desperate need for effective therapies to fight chronic viral infections. The immune response is normally fastidious at controlling the majority of viral infections and a therapeutic strategy aimed at reestablishing immune control represents a potentially powerful approach towards treating persistent viral infections. We examined the potential of genetically programming human hematopoietic stem cells to generate mature CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes that express a molecularly cloned, "transgenic" human anti-HIV T cell receptor (TCR. Anti-HIV TCR transduction of human hematopoietic stem cells directed the maturation of a large population of polyfunctional, HIV-specific CD8+ cells capable of recognizing and killing viral antigen-presenting cells. Thus, through this proof-of-concept we propose that genetic engineering of human hematopoietic stem cells will allow the tailoring of effector T cell responses to fight HIV infection or other diseases that are characterized by the loss of immune control.

  12. Current applications of human pluripotent stem cells: possibilities and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Pai-Jiun; Yen, Men-Luh; Yet, Shaw-Fang; Yen, B Linju

    2012-01-01

    Stem cells are self-renewable cells with the differentiation capacity to develop into somatic cells with biological functions. This ability to sustain a renewable source of multi- and/or pluripotential differentiation has brought new hope to the field of regenerative medicine in terms of cell therapy and tissue engineering. Moreover, stem cells are invaluable tools as in vitro models for studying diverse fields, from basic scientific questions such as developmental processes and lineage commitment, to practical application including drug screening and testing. The stem cells with widest differentiation potential are pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which are rare cells with the ability to generate somatic cells from all three germ layers. PSCs are considered the most optimal choice for therapeutic potential of stem cells, bringing new impetus to the field of regenerative medicine. In this article, we discuss the therapeutic potential of human PSCs (hPSCs) including human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), reviewing the current preclinical and clinical data using these stem cells. We describe the classification of different sources of hPSCs, ongoing research, and currently encountered clinical obstacles of these novel and versatile human stem cells.

  13. Human papillomavirus 16 E5 induces bi-nucleated cell formation by cell-cell fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Lulin; Plafker, Kendra; Vorozhko, Valeriya; Zuna, Rosemary E.; Hanigan, Marie H.; Gorbsky, Gary J.; Plafker, Scott M.; Angeletti, Peter C.; Ceresa, Brian P.

    2009-01-01

    Human papillomaviruses (HPV) 16 is a DNA virus encoding three oncogenes - E5, E6, and E7. The E6 and E7 proteins have well-established roles as inhibitors of tumor suppression, but the contribution of E5 to malignant transformation is controversial. Using spontaneously immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), we demonstrate that expression of HPV16 E5 is necessary and sufficient for the formation of bi-nucleated cells, a common characteristic of precancerous cervical lesions. Expression of E5 from non-carcinogenic HPV6b does not produce bi-nucleate cells. Video microscopy and biochemical analyses reveal that bi-nucleates arise through cell-cell fusion. Although most E5-induced bi-nucleates fail to propagate, co-expression of HPV16 E6/E7 enhances the proliferation of these cells. Expression of HPV16 E6/E7 also increases bi-nucleated cell colony formation. These findings identify a new role for HPV16 E5 and support a model in which complementary roles of the HPV16 oncogenes lead to the induction of carcinogenesis

  14. Human Liver Cells Expressing Albumin and Mesenchymal Characteristics Give Rise to Insulin-Producing Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irit Meivar-Levy

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Activation of the pancreatic lineage in the liver has been suggested as a potential autologous cell replacement therapy for diabetic patients. Transcription factors-induced liver-to-pancreas reprogramming has been demonstrated in numerous species both in vivo and in vitro. However, human-derived liver cells capable of acquiring the alternate pancreatic repertoire have never been characterized. It is yet unknown whether hepatic-like stem cells or rather adult liver cells give rise to insulin-producing cells. Using an in vitro experimental system, we demonstrate that proliferating adherent human liver cells acquire mesenchymal-like characteristics and a considerable level of cellular plasticity. However, using a lineage-tracing approach, we demonstrate that insulin-producing cells are primarily generated in cells enriched for adult hepatic markers that coexpress both albumin and mesenchymal markers. Taken together, our data suggest that adult human hepatic tissue retains a substantial level of developmental plasticity, which could be exploited in regenerative medicine approaches.

  15. Generation of inner ear organoids containing functional hair cells from human pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koehler, Karl R; Nie, Jing; Longworth-Mills, Emma; Liu, Xiao-Ping; Lee, Jiyoon; Holt, Jeffrey R; Hashino, Eri

    2017-06-01

    The derivation of human inner ear tissue from pluripotent stem cells would enable in vitro screening of drug candidates for the treatment of hearing and balance dysfunction and may provide a source of cells for cell-based therapies of the inner ear. Here we report a method for differentiating human pluripotent stem cells to inner ear organoids that harbor functional hair cells. Using a three-dimensional culture system, we modulate TGF, BMP, FGF, and WNT signaling to generate multiple otic-vesicle-like structures from a single stem-cell aggregate. Over 2 months, the vesicles develop into inner ear organoids with sensory epithelia that are innervated by sensory neurons. Additionally, using CRISPR-Cas9, we generate an ATOH1-2A-eGFP cell line to detect hair cell induction and demonstrate that derived hair cells exhibit electrophysiological properties similar to those of native sensory hair cells. Our culture system should facilitate the study of human inner ear development and research on therapies for diseases of the inner ear.

  16. Human hematopoietic cell culture, transduction, and analyses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bonde, Jesper; Wirthlin, Louisa; Kohn, Donald B

    2008-01-01

    This unit provides methods for introducing genes into human hematopoietic progenitor cells. The Basic Protocol describes isolation of CD34(+) cells, transduction of these cells with a retroviral vector on fibronectin-coated plates, assaying the efficiency of transduction, and establishing long-te...

  17. Preferential radiosensitization of human prostatic carcinoma cells by mild hyperthermia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Samuel; Brown, Stephen L.; Kim, Sang-Hie; Khil, Mark S.; Kim, Jae Ho

    1996-01-01

    Purpose: Recent cell culture studies by us and others suggest that some human carcinoma cells are more sensitive to heat than are rodent cells following mild hyperthermia. In studying the cellular mechanism of enhanced thermosensitivity of human tumor cells to hyperthermia, prostatic carcinoma cells of human origin were found to be more sensitive to mild hyperthermia than other human cancer cells. The present study was designed to determine the magnitude of radiosensitization of human prostatic carcinoma cells by mild hyperthermia and to examine whether the thermal radiosensitization is related to the intrinsic thermosensitivity of cancer cells. Methods and Materials: Two human prostatic carcinoma cell lines (DU-145 and PC-3) and other carcinoma cells of human origin, in particular, colon (HT-29), breast (MCF-7), lung (A-549), and brain (U-251) were exposed to temperatures of 40-41 deg. C. Single acute dose rate radiation and fractionated radiation were combined with mild hyperthermia to determine thermal radiosensitization. The end point of the study was the colony-forming ability of single-plated cells. Results: DU-145 and PC-3 cells were found to be exceedingly thermosensitive to 41 deg. C for 24 h, relative to other cancer cell lines. Ninety percent of the prostatic cancer cells were killed by a 24 h heat exposure. Prostatic carcinoma cells exposed to a short duration of heating at 41 deg. C for 2 h resulted in a substantial enhancement of radiation-induced cytotoxicity. The thermal enhancement ratios (TERs) of single acute dose radiation following heat treatment 41 deg. C for 2 h were 2.0 in DU-145 cells and 1.4 in PC-3 cells. The TERs of fractionated irradiation combined with continuous heating at 40 deg. C were similarly in the range of 2.1 to 1.4 in prostate carcinoma cells. No significant radiosensitization was observed in MCF-7 and HT-29 cells under the same conditions. Conclusion: The present data suggest that a significant radiosensitization of

  18. MODERATE CYTOTOXICITY OF PROANTHOCYANIDINS TO HUMAN TUMOR-CELL LINES

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    KOLODZIEJ, H; HABERLAND, C; WOERDENBAG, HJ; KONINGS, AWT

    In the present study the cytotoxicity of 16 proanthocyanidins was evaluated in GLC(4), a human small cell lung carcinoma cell line, and in COLO 320, a human colorectal cancer cell line, using the microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay. With IC50 values ranging from 18 to >200 mu m following continuous

  19. In vivo modelling of normal and pathological human T-cell development

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wiekmeijer, A.S.

    2016-01-01

    This thesis describes novel insights in human T-cell development by transplanting human HSPCs in severe immunodeficient NSG mice. First, an in vivo model was optimized to allow engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells derived from human bone marrow. This model was used to study aberrant human T-cell

  20. Genome editing: a robust technology for human stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandrasekaran, Arun Pandian; Song, Minjung; Ramakrishna, Suresh

    2017-09-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells comprise induced pluripotent and embryonic stem cells, which have tremendous potential for biological and therapeutic applications. The development of efficient technologies for the targeted genome alteration of stem cells in disease models is a prerequisite for utilizing stem cells to their full potential. Genome editing of stem cells is possible with the help of synthetic nucleases that facilitate site-specific modification of a gene of interest. Recent advances in genome editing techniques have improved the efficiency and speed of the development of stem cells for human disease models. Zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated system are powerful tools for editing DNA at specific loci. Here, we discuss recent technological advances in genome editing with site-specific nucleases in human stem cells.

  1. The ethics of patenting human embryonic stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Audrey R

    2009-09-01

    Just as human embryonic stem cell research has generated controversy about the uses of human embryos for research and therapeutic applications, human embryonic stem cell patents raise fundamental ethical issues. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted foundational patents, including a composition of matter (or product) patent to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the University of Wisconsin-Madison's intellectual property office. In contrast, the European Patent Office rejected the same WARF patent application for ethical reasons. This article assesses the appropriateness of these patents placing the discussion in the context of the deontological and consequentialist ethical issues related to human embryonic stem cell patenting. It advocates for a patent system that explicitly takes ethical factors into account and explores options for new types of intellectual property arrangements consistent with ethical concerns.

  2. The effect of stem cell factor on proliferation of human endometrial CD146+ cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehri Fayazi

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Stem cell factor (SCF is a transcriptional factor which plays crucial roles in normal proliferation, differentiation and survival in a range of stem cells. Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the proliferation effect of different concentrations of SCF on expansion of human endometrial CD146+ cells. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, total populations of isolated human endometrial suspensions after fourth passage were isolated by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS into CD146+ cells. Human endometrial CD146+ cells were karyotyped and tested for the effect of SCF on proliferation of CD146+ cells, then different concentrations of 0, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 ng/ml was carried out and mitogens-stimulated endometrial CD146+ cells proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. Results: Chromosomal analysis showed a normal metaphase spread and 46XX karyotype. The proliferation rate of endometrial CD146P + P cells in the presence of 0, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 ng/ml SCF were 0.945±0.094, 0.962±0.151, 0.988±0.028, 1.679±0.012 and 1.129±0.145 respectively. There was a significant increase in stem/ stromal cell proliferation following in vitro treatment by 50 ng/ml than other concentrations of SCF (p=0.01. Conclusion: The present study suggests that SCF could have effect on the proliferation and cell survival of human endometrial CD146P+P cells and it has important implications for medical sciences and cell therapies

  3. Human induced pluripotent stem cells: a review of the US patent landscape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgieva, Bilyana P; Love, Jane M

    2010-07-01

    Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and human embryonic stem cells are cells that have the ability to differentiate into a variety of cell types. Embryonic stem cells are derived from human embryos; however, by contrast, human iPS cells can be obtained from somatic cells that have undergone a process of 'reprogramming' via genetic manipulation such that they develop pluripotency. Since iPS cells are not derived from human embryos, they are a less complicated source of human pluripotent cells and are considered valuable research tools and potentially useful in therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine. Worldwide, there are only three issued patents concerning iPS cells. Therefore, the patent landscape in this field is largely undefined. This article provides an overview of the issued patents as well as the pending published patent applications in the field.

  4. Energy Generation in the Human Body by the Human Cells ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We adapted the thermodynamics equation for energy generation in a diesel engine in modeling energy generation in human body by the human cells by doing a thorough study on both systems and saw that the process of energy generation is the same in them. We equally saw that the stages involved in energy generation ...

  5. Culture of human mesenchymal stem cells using a candidate pharmaceutical grade xeno-free cell culture supplement derived from industrial human plasma pools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díez, José M; Bauman, Ewa; Gajardo, Rodrigo; Jorquera, Juan I

    2015-03-13

    Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is an animal product used as a medium supplement. The animal origin of FBS is a concern if cultured stem cells are to be utilized for human cell therapy. Therefore, a substitute for FBS is desirable. In this study, an industrial, xeno-free, pharmaceutical-grade supplement for cell culture (SCC) under development at Grifols was tested for growth of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), cell characterization, and differentiation capacity. SCC is a freeze-dried product obtained through cold-ethanol fractionation of industrial human plasma pools from healthy donors. Bone marrow-derived hMSC cell lines were obtained from two commercial suppliers. Cell growth was evaluated by culturing hMSCs with commercial media or media supplemented with SCC or FBS. Cell viability and cell yield were assessed with an automated cell counter. Cell surface markers were studied by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Cells were cultured then differentiated into adipocytes, chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and neurons, as assessed by specific staining and microscopy observation. SCC supported the growth of commercial hMSCs. Starting from the same number of seeded cells in two consecutive passages of culture with medium supplemented with SCC, hMSC yield and cell population doubling time were equivalent to the values obtained with the commercial medium and was consistent among lots. The viability of hMSCs was higher than 90%, while maintaining the characteristic phenotype of undifferentiated hMSCs (positive for CD29, CD44, CD90, CD105, CD146, CD166 and Stro-1; negative for CD14 and CD19). Cultured hMSCs maintained the potential for differentiation into adipocytes, chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and neurons. The tested human plasma-derived SCC sustains the adequate growth of hMSCs, while preserving their differentiation capacity. SCC can be a potential candidate for cell culture supplement in advanced cell therapies.

  6. Conditioned Media from Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Efficiently Induced the Apoptosis and Differentiation in Human Glioma Cell Lines In Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao Yang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs have an intrinsic property for homing towards tumor sites and can be used as tumor-tropic vectors for tumor therapy. But very limited studies investigated the antitumor properties of MSCs themselves. In this study we investigated the antiglioma properties of two easily accessible MSCs, namely, human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs. We found (1 MSC conditioned media can significantly inhibit the growth of human U251 glioma cell line; (2 MSC conditioned media can significantly induce apoptosis in human U251 cell line; (3 real-time PCR experiments showed significant upregulation of apoptotic genes of both caspase-3 and caspase-9 and significant downregulation of antiapoptotic genes such as survivin and XIAP after MSC conditioned media induction in U 251 cells; (4 furthermore, MSCs conditioned media culture induced rapid and complete differentiation in U251 cells. These results indicate MSCs can efficiently induce both apoptosis and differentiation in U251 human glioma cell line. Whereas UC-MSCs are more efficient for apoptosis induction than ASCs, their capability of differentiation induction is not distinguishable from each other. Our findings suggest MSCs themselves have favorable antitumor characteristics and should be further explored in future glioma therapy.

  7. Curcumin affects cell survival and cell volume regulation in human renal and intestinal cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kössler, Sonja; Nofziger, Charity; Jakab, Martin; Dossena, Silvia; Paulmichl, Markus

    2012-01-01

    Curcumin (1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1E,6E-heptadiene-3,5-dione or diferuloyl methane) is a polyphenol derived from the Curcuma longa plant, commonly known as turmeric. This substance has been used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries for its anti-oxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic activity. More recently curcumin has been found to possess anti-cancer properties linked to its pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative actions. The underlying mechanisms of these diverse effects are complex, not fully elucidated and subject of intense scientific debate. Despite increasing evidence indicating that different cation channels can be a molecular target for curcumin, very little is known about the effect of curcumin on chloride channels. Since, (i) the molecular structure of curcumin indicates that the substance could potentially interact with chloride channels, (ii) chloride channels play a role during the apoptotic process and regulation of the cell volume, and (iii) apoptosis is a well known effect of curcumin, we set out to investigate whether or not curcumin could (i) exert a modulatory effect (direct or indirect) on the swelling activated chloride current ICl swell in a human cell system, therefore (ii) affect cell volume regulation and (iii) ultimately modulate cell survival. The ICl swell channels, which are essential for regulating the cell volume after swelling, are also known to be activated under isotonic conditions as an early event in the apoptotic process. Here we show that long-term exposure of a human kidney cell line to extracellular 0.1–10 μM curcumin modulates ICl swell in a dose-dependent manner (0.1 μM curcumin is ineffective, 0.5–5.0 μM curcumin increase, while 10 μM curcumin decrease the current), and short-term exposure to micromolar concentrations of curcumin does not affect ICl swell neither if applied from the extracellular nor from the intracellular side – therefore, a direct effect of curcumin on ICl

  8. Cells isolated from human periapical cysts express mesenchymal stem cell-like properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marrelli, Massimo; Paduano, Francesco; Tatullo, Marco

    2013-01-01

    We provide a detailed description of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from human periapical cysts, which we have termed hPCy-MSCs. These cells have a fibroblast-like shape and adhere to tissue culture plastic surfaces. hPCy-MSCs possess high proliferative potential and self-renewal capacity properties. We characterised the immunophenotype of hPCy-MSCs (CD73(+), CD90(+), CD105(+), CD13(+), CD29(+), CD44(+), CD45(-), STRO-1(+), CD146(+)) by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. hPCy-MSCs possess the potential to differentiate into osteoblast- and adipocyte-like cells in vitro. Multi-potentiality was evaluated with culture-specific staining and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis for osteo/odontogenic and adipogenic markers. This is the first report to indicate that human periapical cysts contain cells with MSC-like properties. Taken together, our findings indicate that human periapical cysts could be a rich source of MSCs.

  9. Human neutrophils facilitate tumor cell transendothelial migration.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Wu, Q D

    2012-02-03

    Tumor cell extravasation plays a key role in tumor metastasis. However, the precise mechanisms by which tumor cells migrate through normal vascular endothelium remain unclear. In this study, using an in vitro transendothelial migration model, we show that human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) assist the human breast tumor cell line MDA-MB-231 to cross the endothelial barrier. We found that tumor-conditioned medium (TCM) downregulated PMN cytocidal function, delayed PMN apoptosis, and concomitantly upregulated PMN adhesion molecule expression. These PMN treated with TCM attached to tumor cells and facilitated tumor cell migration through different endothelial monolayers. In contrast, MDA-MB-231 cells alone did not transmigrate. FACScan analysis revealed that these tumor cells expressed high levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) but did not express CD11a, CD11b, or CD18. Blockage of CD11b and CD18 on PMN and of ICAM-1 on MDA-MB-231 cells significantly attenuated TCM-treated, PMN-mediated tumor cell migration. These tumor cells still possessed the ability to proliferate after PMN-assisted transmigration. These results indicate that TCM-treated PMN may serve as a carrier to assist tumor cell transendothelial migration and suggest that tumor cells can exploit PMN and alter their function to facilitate their extravasation.

  10. Integrin β1 regulates leiomyoma cytoskeletal integrity and growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malik, Minnie; Segars, James; Catherino, William H.

    2014-01-01

    Uterine leiomyomas are characterized by an excessive extracellular matrix, increased mechanical stress, and increased active RhoA. Previously, we observed that mechanical signaling was attenuated in leiomyoma, but the mechanisms responsible remain unclear. Integrins, especially integrin β1, are transmembrane adhesion receptors that couple extracellular matrix stresses to the intracellular cytoskeleton to influence cell proliferation and differentiation. Here we characterized integrin and laminin to signaling in leiomyoma cells. We observed a 2.25 ± 0.32 fold increased expression of integrin β1 in leiomyoma cells, compared to myometrial cells. Antibody-mediated inhibition of integrin β1 led to significant growth inhibition in leiomyoma cells and a loss of cytoskeletal integrity. Specifically, polymerization of actin filaments and formation of focal adhesions were reduced by inhibition of integrin p1. Inhibition of integrin β1 in leiomyoma cells led to 0.81 ± 0.02 fold decrease in active RhoA, and resembled levels found in serum-starved cells. Likewise, inhibition of integrin β1 was accompanied by a decrease in phospho-ERK. Compared to myometrial cells, leiomyoma cells demonstrated increased expression of integrin α6 subunit to laminin receptor (1.91 ± 0.11 fold), and increased expression of laminin 5α (1.52±0.02), laminin 5β (3.06±0.92), and laminin 5γ (1.66 ± 0.06). Of note, leiomyoma cells grown on laminin matrix appear to realign themselves. Taken together, the findings reveal that the attenuated mechanical signaling in leiomyoma cells is accompanied by an increased expression and a dependence on integrin β1 signaling in leiomyoma cells, compared to myometrial cells. PMID:23023061

  11. Isolation and Characterization of Current Human Coronavirus Strains in Primary Human Epithelial Cell Cultures Reveal Differences in Target Cell Tropism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dijkman, Ronald; Jebbink, Maarten F.; Koekkoek, Sylvie M.; Deijs, Martin; Jónsdóttir, Hulda R.; Molenkamp, Richard; Ieven, Margareta; Goossens, Herman; Thiel, Volker

    2013-01-01

    The human airway epithelium (HAE) represents the entry port of many human respiratory viruses, including human coronaviruses (HCoVs). Nowadays, four HCoVs, HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, and HCoV-NL63, are known to be circulating worldwide, causing upper and lower respiratory tract infections in nonhospitalized and hospitalized children. Studies of the fundamental aspects of these HCoV infections at the primary entry port, such as cell tropism, are seriously hampered by the lack of a universal culture system or suitable animal models. To expand the knowledge on fundamental virus-host interactions for all four HCoVs at the site of primary infection, we used pseudostratified HAE cell cultures to isolate and characterize representative clinical HCoV strains directly from nasopharyngeal material. Ten contemporary isolates were obtained, representing HCoV-229E (n = 1), HCoV-NL63 (n = 1), HCoV-HKU1 (n = 4), and HCoV-OC43 (n = 4). For each strain, we analyzed the replication kinetics and progeny virus release on HAE cell cultures derived from different donors. Surprisingly, by visualizing HCoV infection by confocal microscopy, we observed that HCoV-229E employs a target cell tropism for nonciliated cells, whereas HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, and HCoV-NL63 all infect ciliated cells. Collectively, the data demonstrate that HAE cell cultures, which morphologically and functionally resemble human airways in vivo, represent a robust universal culture system for isolating and comparing all contemporary HCoV strains. PMID:23427150

  12. In vitro analysis of human periodontal microvascular endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsubokawa, Mizuki; Sato, Soh

    2014-08-01

    Endothelial cells (ECs) participate in key aspects of vascular biology, such as maintenance of capillary permeability, initiation of coagulation, and regulation of inflammation. According to previous reports, ECs have revealed highly specific characteristics depending on the organs and tissues. However, some reports have described the characteristics of the capillaries formed by human periodontal ECs. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine the functional characteristics of the periodontal microvascular ECs in vitro. Human periodontal ligament-endothelial cells (HPDL-ECs) and human gingiva-endothelial cells (HG-ECs) were isolated by immunoprecipitation with magnetic beads conjugated to a monoclonal anti-CD31 antibody. The isolated HPDL-ECs and HG-ECs were characterized to definitively demonstrate that these cell cultures represented pure ECs. Human umbilical-vein ECs and human dermal microvascular ECs were used for comparison. These cells were compared according to the proliferation potential, the formation of capillary-like tubes, the transendothelial electric resistance (TEER), and the expression of tight junction proteins. HPDL-ECs and HG-ECs with characteristic cobblestone monolayer morphology were obtained, as determined by light microscopy at confluence. Furthermore, the HPDL-ECs and HG-ECs expressed the EC markers platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (also known as CD31), von Willebrand factor, and Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1, and the cells stained strongly positive for CD31 and CD309. In addition, the HPDL-ECs and HG-ECs were observed to form capillary-like tubes, and they demonstrated uptake of acetylated low-density lipoprotein. Functional analyses of the HPDL-ECs and HG-ECs showed that, compared to the control cells, tube formation persisted for only a brief period of time, and TEER was substantially reduced at confluence. Furthermore, the cells exhibited delocalization of zonula occludens-1 and occludin at cell-cell contact sites

  13. Cloning the interleukin 1 receptor from human T cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sims, J.E.; Acres, R.B.; Grubin, C.E.; McMahan, C.J.; Wignall, J.M.; March, C.J.; Dower, S.K.

    1989-01-01

    cDNA clones of the interleukin 1 (IL-1) receptor expressed in a human T-cell clone have been isolated by using a murine IL-1 receptor cDNA as a probe. The human and mouse receptors show a high degree of sequence conservation. Both are integral membrane proteins possessing a single membrane-spanning segment. Similar to the mouse receptor, the human IL-1 receptor contains a large cytoplasmic region and an extracellular, IL-1 binding portion composed of three immunoglobulin-like domains. When transfected into COS cells, the human IL-1 receptor cDNA clone leads to expression of two different affinity classes of receptors, with K a values indistinguishable from those determined for IL-1 receptors in the original T-cell clone. An IL-1 receptor expressed in human dermal fibroblasts has also been cloned and sequenced and found to be identical to the IL-1 receptor expressed in T cells

  14. High-Yield Purification, Preservation, and Serial Transplantation of Human Satellite Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven M. Garcia

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Investigation of human muscle regeneration requires robust methods to purify and transplant muscle stem and progenitor cells that collectively constitute the human satellite cell (HuSC pool. Existing approaches have yet to make HuSCs widely accessible for researchers, and as a result human muscle stem cell research has advanced slowly. Here, we describe a robust and predictable HuSC purification process that is effective for each human skeletal muscle tested and the development of storage protocols and transplantation models in dystrophin-deficient and wild-type recipients. Enzymatic digestion, magnetic column depletion, and 6-marker flow-cytometric purification enable separation of 104 highly enriched HuSCs per gram of muscle. Cryostorage of HuSCs preserves viability, phenotype, and transplantation potential. Development of enhanced and species-specific transplantation protocols enabled serial HuSC xenotransplantation and recovery. These protocols and models provide an accessible system for basic and translational investigation and clinical development of HuSCs. : Garcia and colleagues report methods for efficient purification of satellite cells from human skeletal muscle. They use their approaches to demonstrate stem cell functions of endogenous satellite cells and to make human satellite cells accessible for sharing among researchers. Keywords: human satellite cell purification, serial transplantation, satellite cell cryopreservation

  15. Efficient generation of functional pancreatic β-cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yabe, Shigeharu G; Fukuda, Satsuki; Takeda, Fujie; Nashiro, Kiyoko; Shimoda, Masayuki; Okochi, Hitoshi

    2017-02-01

    Insulin-secreting cells have been generated from human embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by mimicking developmental processes. However, these cells do not always secrete glucose-responsive insulin, one of the most important characteristics of pancreatic β-cells. We focused on the importance of endodermal differentiation from human iPSCs in order to obtain functional pancreatic β-cells. A six-stage protocol was established for the differentiation of human iPSCs to pancreatic β-cells using defined culture media without feeders or serum. The effects of CHIR99021, a selective glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibitor, were examined in the presence of fibroblast growth factor 2, activin, and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (FAB) during definitive endodermal induction by immunostaining for SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 17 (SOX17) and Forkhead box protein A2 (FOXA2). Insulin secretion was compared between the last stage of monolayer culture and spheroid culture conditions. Cultured cells were transplanted under kidney capsules of streptozotocin-diabetic non-obese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficiency mice, and blood glucose levels were measured once a week. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed 4 and 12 weeks after transplantation. Addition of CHIR99021 (3 μmol/L) in the presence of FAB for 2 days improved endodermal cell viability, maintaining the high SOX17-positive rate. Spheroid formation after the endocrine progenitor stage showed more efficient insulin secretion than did monolayer culture. After cell transplantation, diabetic mice had lower blood glucose levels, and islet-like structures were detected in vivo. Functional pancreatic β-cells were generated from human iPSCs. Induction of definitive endoderm and spheroid formation may be key steps for producing these cells. © 2016 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  16. Regression of established renal cell carcinoma in nude mice using lentivirus-transduced human T cells expressing a human anti-CAIX chimeric antigen receptor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnes Shuk-Yee Lo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX is a tumor-associated antigen and marker of hypoxia that is overexpressed on > 90% of clear-cell type renal cell carcinoma (RCC but not on neighboring normal kidney tissue. Here, we report on the construction of two chimeric antigen receptors (CARs that utilize a carbonic anhydrase (CA domain mapped, human single chain antibody (scFv G36 as a targeting moiety but differ in their capacity to provide costimulatory signaling for optimal T cell proliferation and tumor cell killing. The resulting anti-CAIX CARs were expressed on human primary T cells via lentivirus transduction. CAR-transduced T cells (CART cells expressing second-generation G36-CD28-TCRζ exhibited more potent in vitro antitumor effects on CAIX+ RCC cells than first-generation G36-CD8-TCRζ including cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion, proliferation, and clonal expansion. Adoptive G36-CD28-TCRζ CART cell therapy combined with high-dose interleukin (IL-2 injection also lead to superior regression of established RCC in nude mice with evidence of tumor cell apoptosis and tissue necrosis. These results suggest that the fully human G36-CD28-TCRζ CARs should provide substantial improvements over first-generation mouse anti-CAIX CARs in clinical use through reduced human anti-mouse antibody responses against the targeting scFv and administration of lower doses of T cells during CART cell therapy of CAIX+ RCC.

  17. Chromosome aberration induction in human diploid fibroblast and epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, D.

    1986-01-01

    The relative sensitivity of cultured human fibroblasts and epithelial cells to radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations was investigated. Lung fibroblast and kidney epithelial cells from the same fetus were compared, as were skin fibroblasts and epithelial keratinocytes from the same foreskin sample. After exposure of proliferating fetal cells to 1.5 Gy X-rays there was a very similar aberration yield in the fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Observations of either little or no difference in chromosomal sensitivity between human fibroblasts and epithelial cells give added confidence that quantitative cytogenetic data obtained from cultured fibroblasts are relevant to the question of sensitivity of epithelial cells which are the predominant cell type in human cancers. (author)

  18. Optimization of methods for the genetic modification of human T cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilal, Mahmood Y; Vacaflores, Aldo; Houtman, Jon Cd

    2015-11-01

    CD4(+) T cells are not only critical in the fight against parasitic, bacterial and viral infections, but are also involved in many autoimmune and pathological disorders. Studies of protein function in human T cells are confined to techniques such as RNA interference (RNAi) owing to ethical reasons and relative simplicity of these methods. However, introduction of RNAi or genes into primary human T cells is often hampered by toxic effects from transfection or transduction methods that yield cell numbers inadequate for downstream assays. Additionally, the efficiency of recombinant DNA expression is frequently low because of multiple factors including efficacy of the method and strength of the targeting RNAs. Here, we describe detailed protocols that will aid in the study of primary human CD4(+) T cells. First, we describe a method for development of effective microRNA/shRNAs using available online algorithms. Second, we illustrate an optimized protocol for high efficacy retroviral or lentiviral transduction of human T-cell lines. Importantly, we demonstrate that activated primary human CD4(+) T cells can be transduced efficiently with lentiviruses, with a highly activated population of T cells receiving the largest number of copies of integrated DNA. We also illustrate a method for efficient lentiviral transduction of hard-to-transduce un-activated primary human CD4(+) T cells. These protocols will significantly assist in understanding the activation and function of human T cells and will ultimately aid in the development or improvement of current drugs that target human CD4(+) T cells.

  19. Human heart disease : lessons from human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Giacomelli, E.; Mummery, C.L.; Bellin, M.

    2017-01-01

    Technical advances in generating and phenotyping cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC-CMs) are now driving their wider acceptance as in vitro models to understand human heart disease and discover therapeutic targets that may lead to new compounds for clinical use. Current

  20. Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Model Skeletal Diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barruet, Emilie; Hsiao, Edward C

    2016-01-01

    Musculoskeletal disorders affecting the bones and joints are major health problems among children and adults. Major challenges such as the genetic origins or poor diagnostics of severe skeletal disease hinder our understanding of human skeletal diseases. The recent advent of human induced pluripotent stem cells (human iPS cells) provides an unparalleled opportunity to create human-specific models of human skeletal diseases. iPS cells have the ability to self-renew, allowing us to obtain large amounts of starting material, and have the potential to differentiate into any cell types in the body. In addition, they can carry one or more mutations responsible for the disease of interest or be genetically corrected to create isogenic controls. Our work has focused on modeling rare musculoskeletal disorders including fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive (FOP), a congenital disease of increased heterotopic ossification. In this review, we will discuss our experiences and protocols differentiating human iPS cells toward the osteogenic lineage and their application to model skeletal diseases. A number of critical challenges and exciting new approaches are also discussed, which will allow the skeletal biology field to harness the potential of human iPS cells as a critical model system for understanding diseases of abnormal skeletal formation and bone regeneration.

  1. Radiosensitivity of normal human epidermal cells in culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dover, R.; Potten, C.S.

    1983-01-01

    Using an in vitro culture system the authors have derived #betta#-radiation survival curves over a dose range 0-8 Gy for the clonogenic cells of normal human epidermis. The culture system used allows the epidermal cells to stratify and form a multi-layered sheet of keratinizing cells. The cultures appear to be a very good model for epidermis in vivo. The survival curves show a population which is apparently more sensitive than murine epidermis in vivo. It remains unclear whether this is an intrinsic difference between the species or is a consequence of the in vitro cultivation of the human cells. (author)

  2. Retinoid inhibition of in vitro invasion of human amnion basement membrane by human tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fazely, F.; Ledinko, N.; Smith, D.J.

    1986-01-01

    The biological activity of retinoids was assayed in an in vitro quantitative assay of human tumor cell invasion using human amnion basement membrane (BM). The effects measured were the inhibition of tumor cell migration through the BM and tumor cell degradative enzyme activity on 14 C-proline labeled collagenous and noncollagenous components of the BM. The human lung carcinoma A549 or the human Ewing's sarcoma TC-106 cell lines treated with retinoids for two days were incubated on the BM in the absence of retinoids. A dose-dependent inhibition of cell invasion was produced by retinoids. Among the retinoids tested, the most powerful was retinol acetate which inhibited invasion by 50% of A549 cells at a concentration of 0.009 μg/mL, and of TC-106 cells at 0.07 μg/mL. Retinol acetate inhibited A549 and TC-106 cell growth by approximately 50% at levels over 100-fold higher than those needed for antiinvasive activity. Retinol acetate was about 20 times more potent than retinoic acid and 30 times more potent than retinol palmitate. The model system will be useful for investigating antiinvasive activity of other retinoids as well as other compounds

  3. Capacity of ultraviolet-induced DNA repair in human glioma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Itoh, Hiroji

    1987-04-01

    A DNA repair abnormality is likely related to an increased incidence of neoplasms in several autosomal recessive diseases such as xeroderma pigmentosum, Fanconi's anemia, Bloom's syndrome and ataxia telangiectasia. In human glioma cells, however, there are only a few reports on DNA repair. In this study, an ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA repair was examined systematically in many human glioma cells. Two human malignant glioma cell lines (MMG-851, U-251-MG) and 7 human glioma cell strains (4, benign; 3, malignant) of short term culture, in which glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining were positive, were used. To investigate the capacity of DNA repair, UV sensitivity was determined by colony formation; excision repair by autoradiography and Cytosine Arabinoside (Ara-C) assay; and post-replication repair by the joining rate of newly synthesized DNA. As a result, the colony-forming abilities of malignant glioma cell lines were lower than those of normal human fibroblasts, but no difference was found between two malignant glioma cell lines. The excision repair of the malignant group (2 cell lines and 3 cell strains) was apparently lower than that of the benign group (4 cell strains). In two malignant glioma cell lines, the excision repair of MMG-851 was lower than that of U-251-MG, and the post-replication repair of MMG-851 was higher than that of U-251-MG. These results were considered to correspond well with colony-forming ability. The results indicate that there are some differences in each human malignant glioma cell in its UV-induced DNA repair mechanism, and that the excision repair of the malignant glioma cells is apparently lower than that of the benign glioma cells. These findings may be useful for diagnosis and treatment.

  4. Insulin-producing cells generated from dedifferentiated human pancreatic beta cells expanded in vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holger A Russ

    Full Text Available Expansion of beta cells from the limited number of adult human islet donors is an attractive prospect for increasing cell availability for cell therapy of diabetes. However, attempts at expanding human islet cells in tissue culture result in loss of beta-cell phenotype. Using a lineage-tracing approach we provided evidence for massive proliferation of beta-cell-derived (BCD cells within these cultures. Expansion involves dedifferentiation resembling epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. Epigenetic analyses indicate that key beta-cell genes maintain open chromatin structure in expanded BCD cells, although they are not transcribed. Here we investigated whether BCD cells can be redifferentiated into beta-like cells.Redifferentiation conditions were screened by following activation of an insulin-DsRed2 reporter gene. Redifferentiated cells were characterized for gene expression, insulin content and secretion assays, and presence of secretory vesicles by electron microscopy. BCD cells were induced to redifferentiate by a combination of soluble factors. The redifferentiated cells expressed beta-cell genes, stored insulin in typical secretory vesicles, and released it in response to glucose. The redifferentiation process involved mesenchymal-epithelial transition, as judged by changes in gene expression. Moreover, inhibition of the EMT effector SLUG (SNAI2 using shRNA resulted in stimulation of redifferentiation. Lineage-traced cells also gave rise at a low rate to cells expressing other islet hormones, suggesting transition of BCD cells through an islet progenitor-like stage during redifferentiation.These findings demonstrate for the first time that expanded dedifferentiated beta cells can be induced to redifferentiate in culture. The findings suggest that ex-vivo expansion of adult human islet cells is a promising approach for generation of insulin-producing cells for transplantation, as well as basic research, toxicology studies, and drug

  5. MUC1 in human milk blocks transmission of human immunodeficiency virus from dendritic cells to T cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Saeland, E.; Jong, de M.A.W.P.; Nabatov, A.; Kalay, H.; Kooijk, van Y.; Geijtenbeek, T.B.H.

    2009-01-01

    Mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) occurs frequently via breast-feeding. HIV-1 targets DC-SIGN+ dendritic cells (DCs) in mucosal areas that allow efficient transmission of the virus to T cells. Here, we demonstrate that the epithelial mucin MUC1, abundant in milk,

  6. Isolation and characterization of human salivary gland cells for stem cell transplantation to reduce radiation-induced hyposalivation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Jielin; Zwaag, Marianne van der; Stokman, Monique A.; Os, Ronald van; Coppes, Robert P.

    2009-01-01

    Background: Recently, we showed that transplantation of 100-300 c-Kit + stem cells isolated from cultured salispheres ameliorates radiation-damage in murine salivary glands. The aim of this study is to optimize and translate these findings from mice to man. Methods: Mouse and human non-malignant parotid and submandibular salivary gland tissue was collected and enzymatically digested. The remaining cell suspension was cultured according to our salisphere culture method optimized for murine salispheres. Salisphere cells were tested using 3D matrix culturing for their in vitro stem cell characteristics such as the potential to differentiate into tissue specific cell types. Several potential mouse and human salivary gland stem cells were selected using FACS. Results: In human salivary gland, c-Kit + cells were only detected in excretory ducts as shown previously in mice. From both human parotid and submandibular gland cell suspensions salispheres could be grown, which when placed in 3D culture developed ductal structures and mucin-expressing acinar-like cells. Moreover, cells dispersed from primary salispheres were able to form secondary spheres in matrigel, a procedure that could be repeated for at least seven passages. Approximately 3000 c-Kit + cells could be isolated from primary human salispheres per biopsy. Conclusion: Human salivary glands contain a similar 'putative' stem cell population as rodents, expressing c-kit and capable of in vitro differentiation and self-renewal. In the future, these cells may have the potential to reduce radiotherapy-induced salivary gland dysfunction in patients.

  7. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived erythropoietin-producing cells ameliorate renal anemia in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hitomi, Hirofumi; Kasahara, Tomoko; Katagiri, Naoko; Hoshina, Azusa; Mae, Shin-Ichi; Kotaka, Maki; Toyohara, Takafumi; Rahman, Asadur; Nakano, Daisuke; Niwa, Akira; Saito, Megumu K; Nakahata, Tatsutoshi; Nishiyama, Akira; Osafune, Kenji

    2017-09-27

    The production of erythropoietin (EPO) by the kidneys, a principal hormone for the hematopoietic system, is reduced in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), eventually resulting in severe anemia. Although recombinant human EPO treatment improves anemia in patients with CKD, returning to full red blood cell production without fluctuations does not always occur. We established a method to generate EPO-producing cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) by modifying previously reported hepatic differentiation protocols. These cells showed increased EPO expression and secretion in response to low oxygen conditions, prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing enzyme inhibitors, and insulin-like growth factor 1. The EPO protein secreted from hiPSC-derived EPO-producing (hiPSC-EPO) cells induced the erythropoietic differentiation of human umbilical cord blood progenitor cells in vitro. Furthermore, transplantation of hiPSC-EPO cells into mice with CKD induced by adenine treatment improved renal anemia. Thus, hiPSC-EPO cells may be a useful tool for clarifying the mechanisms of EPO production and may be useful as a therapeutic strategy for treating renal anemia. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  8. Roles of CDX2 and EOMES in human induced trophoblast progenitor cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Ying, E-mail: ying.chen@hc.msu.edu [Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (United States); Wang, Kai [Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (United States); Gong, Yun Guo; Khoo, Sok Kean [Genomic Microarray Core Facility, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (United States); Leach, Richard, E-mail: Richard.Leach@hc.msu.edu [Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (United States); Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, Spectrum Health Medical Group, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (United States)

    2013-02-08

    Highlights: ► CDX2 and EOMES play critical roles in human induced trophoblast progenitors (iTP). ► iTP cells directly transformed from fibroblasts. ► Differentiation of iTP cells into extravillous trophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts. -- Abstract: Abnormal trophoblast lineage proliferation and differentiation in early pregnancy have been associated with the pathogenesis of placenta diseases of pregnancy. However, there is still a gap in understanding the molecular mechanisms of early placental development due to the limited primary trophoblast cultures and fidelity of immortalized trophoblast lines. Trophoblasts stem (TS) cells, an in vitro model of trophectoderm that can differentiate into syncytiotrophoblasts and extravillous trophoblasts, can be an attractive tool for early pregnancy research. TS cells are well established in mouse but not in humans due to insufficient knowledge of which trophoblast lineage-specific transcription factors are involved in human trophectoderm (TE) proliferation and differentiation. Here, we applied induced pluripotent stem cell technique to investigate the human trophoblast lineage-specific transcription factors. We established human induced trophoblast progenitor (iTP) cells by direct reprogramming the fibroblasts with a pool of mouse trophoblast lineage-specific transcription factors consisting of CDX2, EOMES, and ELF5. The human iTP cells exhibit epithelial morphology and can be maintained in vitro for more than 2 months. Gene expression profile of these cells was tightly clustered with human trophectoderm but not with human neuron progenitor cells, mesenchymal stem cells, or endoderm cells. These cells are capable of differentiating into cells with an invasive capacity, suggesting extravillous trophoblasts. They also form multi-nucleated cells which secrete human chorionic gonadotropin and estradiol, consistent with a syncytiotrophoblast phenotype. Our results provide the evidence that transcription factors CDX2 and

  9. Pig but not Human Interferon-γ Initiates Human Cell-Mediated Rejection of Pig Tissue in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sultan, Parvez; Murray, Allan G.; McNiff, Jennifer M.; Lorber, Marc I.; Askenase, Philip W.; Bothwell, Alfred L. M.; Pober, Jordan S.

    1997-08-01

    Split-thickness pig skin was transplanted on severe combined immunodeficient mice so that pig dermal microvessels spontaneously inosculated with mouse microvessels and functioned to perfuse the grafts. Pig endothelial cells in the healed grafts constitutively expressed class I and class II major histocompatibility complex molecules. Major histocompatibility complex molecule expression could be further increased by intradermal injection of pig interferon-γ (IFN-γ ) but not human IFN-γ or tumor necrosis factor. Grafts injected with pig IFN-γ also developed a sparse infiltrate of mouse neutrophils and eosinophils without evidence of injury. Introduction of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells into the animals by intraperitoneal inoculation resulted in sparse perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrates in the grafts confined to the pig dermis. Injection of pig skin grafts on mice that received human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with pig IFN-γ (but not human IFN-γ or heat-inactivated pig IFN-γ ) induced human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and macrophages to more extensively infiltrate the pig skin grafts and injure pig dermal microvessels. These findings suggest that human T cell-mediated rejection of xenotransplanted pig organs may be prevented if cellular sources of pig interferon (e.g., passenger lymphocytes) are eliminated from the graft.

  10. Expression of Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands in human Granulosa lutein cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Y; Zagoura, D; Keck, C; Pietrowski, D

    2006-11-01

    Corpus luteum development is regulated by gonadotropins and accompanied by extremely rapid vascularization of the avascular granulosa cell compartiment by endothelial cells (EC). The proliferation of Granulosa cells (GC) and EC is a complex interplay and takes place in a spatially and temporarily coordinated manner. The erythropoietin-producing hepatoma amplified sequence (Eph) receptors and their ligands-the ephrins- are a recently detected family of membrane located protein tyrosine kinases which play a crucial role in the growth and development of nerve and blood vessel network. We report about the mRNA expression pattern of Ephs and their ligands in human GC, in human EC, and in carcinoma cell lines OvCar-3 and Hela. The mRNA of EphA4, EphA7, ephrinA4, ephrinB1 and ephrinB2 was detected in GC and EC, while EphA2 was expressed only in GC. The expression of various Ephs and ephrins did not change in GC after stimulation with human chorion gonadotropin. Our study analyzes for the first time the expression of the complete human Eph/ephriny-system in GC and in EC. The remarkable similarity between these two cell types supports the theory of a functional relationship of EC and GC. In addition, it was shown that hCG is not a major determinant of Eph/ephrin regulation in GC.

  11. Efficient Generation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Corneal Endothelial Cells by Directed Differentiation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kathryn L McCabe

    Full Text Available To generate human embryonic stem cell derived corneal endothelial cells (hESC-CECs for transplantation in patients with corneal endothelial dystrophies.Feeder-free hESC-CECs were generated by a directed differentiation protocol. hESC-CECs were characterized by morphology, expression of corneal endothelial markers, and microarray analysis of gene expression.hESC-CECs were nearly identical morphologically to primary human corneal endothelial cells, expressed Zona Occludens 1 (ZO-1 and Na+/K+ATPaseα1 (ATPA1 on the apical surface in monolayer culture, and produced the key proteins of Descemet's membrane, Collagen VIIIα1 and VIIIα2 (COL8A1 and 8A2. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed expression of all corneal endothelial pump transcripts. hESC-CECs were 96% similar to primary human adult CECs by microarray analysis.hESC-CECs are morphologically similar, express corneal endothelial cell markers and express a nearly identical complement of genes compared to human adult corneal endothelial cells. hESC-CECs may be a suitable alternative to donor-derived corneal endothelium.

  12. Reconstructing human pancreatic differentiation by mapping specific cell populations during development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramond, Cyrille; Glaser, Nicolas; Berthault, Claire

    2017-01-01

    . Endocrine maturation progresses by up-regulating SUSD2 and lowering ECAD levels. Finally, in vitro differentiation of pancreatic endocrine cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells mimics key in vivo events. Our work paves the way to extend our understanding of the origin of mature human pancreatic......Information remains scarce on human development compared to animal models. Here, we reconstructed human fetal pancreatic differentiation using cell surface markers. We demonstrate that at 7weeks of development, the glycoprotein 2 (GP2) marks a multipotent cell population that will differentiate...... cell types and how such lineage decisions are regulated....

  13. Human embryonic stem cell lines model experimental human cytomegalovirus latency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penkert, Rhiannon R; Kalejta, Robert F

    2013-05-28

    Herpesviruses are highly successful pathogens that persist for the lifetime of their hosts primarily because of their ability to establish and maintain latent infections from which the virus is capable of productively reactivating. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a betaherpesvirus, establishes latency in CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells during natural infections in the body. Experimental infection of CD34(+) cells ex vivo has demonstrated that expression of the viral gene products that drive productive infection is silenced by an intrinsic immune defense mediated by Daxx and histone deacetylases through heterochromatinization of the viral genome during the establishment of latency. Additional mechanistic details about the establishment, let alone maintenance and reactivation, of HCMV latency remain scarce. This is partly due to the technical challenges of CD34(+) cell culture, most notably, the difficulty in preventing spontaneous differentiation that drives reactivation and renders them permissive for productive infection. Here we demonstrate that HCMV can establish, maintain, and reactivate in vitro from experimental latency in cultures of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), for which spurious differentiation can be prevented or controlled. Furthermore, we show that known molecular aspects of HCMV latency are faithfully recapitulated in these cells. In total, we present ESCs as a novel, tractable model for studies of HCMV latency.

  14. Human immune cell targeting of protein nanoparticles - caveospheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glass, Joshua J.; Yuen, Daniel; Rae, James; Johnston, Angus P. R.; Parton, Robert G.; Kent, Stephen J.; de Rose, Robert

    2016-04-01

    Nanotechnology has the power to transform vaccine and drug delivery through protection of payloads from both metabolism and off-target effects, while facilitating specific delivery of cargo to immune cells. However, evaluation of immune cell nanoparticle targeting is conventionally restricted to monocultured cell line models. We generated human caveolin-1 nanoparticles, termed caveospheres, which were efficiently functionalized with monoclonal antibodies. Using this platform, we investigated CD4+ T cell and CD20+ B cell targeting within physiological mixtures of primary human blood immune cells using flow cytometry, imaging flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Antibody-functionalization enhanced caveosphere binding to targeted immune cells (6.6 to 43.9-fold) within mixed populations and in the presence of protein-containing fluids. Moreover, targeting caveospheres to CCR5 enabled caveosphere internalization by non-phagocytic CD4+ T cells--an important therapeutic target for HIV treatment. This efficient and flexible system of immune cell-targeted caveosphere nanoparticles holds promise for the development of advanced immunotherapeutics and vaccines.

  15. The PDL1-PD1 Axis Converts Human Th1 Cells Into Regulatory T Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amarnath, Shoba; Mangus, Courtney W.; Wang, James C.M.; Wei, Fang; He, Alice; Kapoor, Veena; Foley, Jason E.; Massey, Paul R.; Felizardo, Tania C.; Riley, James L.; Levine, Bruce L.; June, Carl H.; Medin, Jeffrey A.; Fowler, Daniel H.

    2011-01-01

    Immune surveillance by T helper type 1 (Th1) cells is critical for the host response to tumors and infection, but also contributes to autoimmunity and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after transplantation. The inhibitory molecule programmed death ligand-1 (PDL1) has been shown to anergize human Th1 cells, but other mechanisms of PDL1-mediated Th1 inhibition such as the conversion of Th1 cells to a regulatory phenotype have not been well characterized. We hypothesized that PDL1 may cause Th1 cells to manifest differentiation plasticity. Conventional T cells or irradiated K562 myeloid tumor cells overexpressing PDL1 converted TBET+ Th1 cells into FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (TREGS) in vivo, thereby preventing human-into-mouse xenogeneic GvHD (xGvHD). Either blocking PD1 expression on Th1 cells by siRNA targeting or abrogation of PD1 signaling by SHP1/2 pharmacologic inhibition stabilized Th1 cell differentiation during PDL1 challenge and restored the capacity of Th1 cells to mediate lethal xGVHD. PD1 signaling therefore induces human Th1 cells to manifest in vivo plasticity, resulting in a TREG phenotype that severely impairs cell-mediated immunity. Converting human Th1 cells to a regulatory phenotype with PD1 signaling provides a potential way to block GvHD after transplantation. Moreover, because this conversion can be prevented by blocking PD1 expression or pharmacologically inhibiting SHP1/2, this pathway provides a new therapeutic direction for enhancing T cell immunity to cancer and infection. PMID:22133721

  16. HLA engineering of human pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riolobos, Laura; Hirata, Roli K; Turtle, Cameron J; Wang, Pei-Rong; Gornalusse, German G; Zavajlevski, Maja; Riddell, Stanley R; Russell, David W

    2013-06-01

    The clinical use of human pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives is limited by the rejection of transplanted cells due to differences in their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. This has led to the proposed use of histocompatible, patient-specific stem cells; however, the preparation of many different stem cell lines for clinical use is a daunting task. Here, we develop two distinct genetic engineering approaches that address this problem. First, we use a combination of gene targeting and mitotic recombination to derive HLA-homozygous embryonic stem cell (ESC) subclones from an HLA-heterozygous parental line. A small bank of HLA-homozygous stem cells with common haplotypes would match a significant proportion of the population. Second, we derive HLA class I-negative cells by targeted disruption of both alleles of the Beta-2 Microglobulin (B2M) gene in ESCs. Mixed leukocyte reactions and peptide-specific HLA-restricted CD8(+) T cell responses were reduced in class I-negative cells that had undergone differentiation in embryoid bodies. These B2M(-/-) ESCs could act as universal donor cells in applications where the transplanted cells do not express HLA class II genes. Both approaches used adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for efficient gene targeting in the absence of potentially genotoxic nucleases, and produced pluripotent, transgene-free cell lines.

  17. HLA Engineering of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riolobos, Laura; Hirata, Roli K; Turtle, Cameron J; Wang, Pei-Rong; Gornalusse, German G; Zavajlevski, Maja; Riddell, Stanley R; Russell, David W

    2013-01-01

    The clinical use of human pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives is limited by the rejection of transplanted cells due to differences in their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. This has led to the proposed use of histocompatible, patient-specific stem cells; however, the preparation of many different stem cell lines for clinical use is a daunting task. Here, we develop two distinct genetic engineering approaches that address this problem. First, we use a combination of gene targeting and mitotic recombination to derive HLA-homozygous embryonic stem cell (ESC) subclones from an HLA-heterozygous parental line. A small bank of HLA-homozygous stem cells with common haplotypes would match a significant proportion of the population. Second, we derive HLA class I–negative cells by targeted disruption of both alleles of the Beta-2 Microglobulin (B2M) gene in ESCs. Mixed leukocyte reactions and peptide-specific HLA-restricted CD8+ T cell responses were reduced in class I–negative cells that had undergone differentiation in embryoid bodies. These B2M−/− ESCs could act as universal donor cells in applications where the transplanted cells do not express HLA class II genes. Both approaches used adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for efficient gene targeting in the absence of potentially genotoxic nucleases, and produced pluripotent, transgene-free cell lines. PMID:23629003

  18. Protein dynamics in individual human cells: experiment and theory.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ariel Aharon Cohen

    Full Text Available A current challenge in biology is to understand the dynamics of protein circuits in living human cells. Can one define and test equations for the dynamics and variability of a protein over time? Here, we address this experimentally and theoretically, by means of accurate time-resolved measurements of endogenously tagged proteins in individual human cells. As a model system, we choose three stable proteins displaying cell-cycle-dependant dynamics. We find that protein accumulation with time per cell is quadratic for proteins with long mRNA life times and approximately linear for a protein with short mRNA lifetime. Both behaviors correspond to a classical model of transcription and translation. A stochastic model, in which genes slowly switch between ON and OFF states, captures measured cell-cell variability. The data suggests, in accordance with the model, that switching to the gene ON state is exponentially distributed and that the cell-cell distribution of protein levels can be approximated by a Gamma distribution throughout the cell cycle. These results suggest that relatively simple models may describe protein dynamics in individual human cells.

  19. Generation of glucose-responsive, insulin-producing cells from human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prabakar, Kamalaveni R; Domínguez-Bendala, Juan; Molano, R Damaris; Pileggi, Antonello; Villate, Susana; Ricordi, Camillo; Inverardi, Luca

    2012-01-01

    We sought to assess the potential of human cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CB-MSCs) to derive insulin-producing, glucose-responsive cells. We show here that differentiation protocols based on stepwise culture conditions initially described for human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) lead to differentiation of cord blood-derived precursors towards a pancreatic endocrine phenotype, as assessed by marker expression and in vitro glucose-regulated insulin secretion. Transplantation of these cells in immune-deficient animals shows human C-peptide production in response to a glucose challenge. These data suggest that human cord blood may be a promising source for regenerative medicine approaches for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

  20. Cardiac glycosides induce cell death in human cells by inhibiting general protein synthesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Perne

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Cardiac glycosides are Na(+/K(+-pump inhibitors widely used to treat heart failure. They are also highly cytotoxic, and studies have suggested specific anti-tumor activity leading to current clinical trials in cancer patients. However, a definitive demonstration of this putative anti-cancer activity and the underlying molecular mechanism has remained elusive.Using an unbiased transcriptomics approach, we found that cardiac glycosides inhibit general protein synthesis. Protein synthesis inhibition and cytotoxicity were not specific for cancer cells as they were observed in both primary and cancer cell lines. These effects were dependent on the Na(+/K(+-pump as they were rescued by expression of a cardiac glycoside-resistant Na(+/K(+-pump. Unlike human cells, rodent cells are largely resistant to cardiac glycosides in vitro and mice were found to tolerate extremely high levels.The physiological difference between human and mouse explains the previously observed sensitivity of human cancer cells in mouse xenograft experiments. Thus, published mouse xenograft models used to support anti-tumor activity for these drugs require reevaluation. Our finding that cardiac glycosides inhibit protein synthesis provides a mechanism for the cytotoxicity of CGs and raises concerns about ongoing clinical trials to test CGs as anti-cancer agents in humans.

  1. A 310-bp minimal promoter mediates smooth muscle cell-specific expression of telokin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, A F; Bigsby, R M; Word, R A; Herring, B P

    1998-05-01

    A cell-specific promoter located in an intron of the smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase gene directs transcription of telokin exclusively in smooth muscle cells. Transgenic mice were generated in which a 310-bp rabbit telokin promoter fragment, extending from -163 to +147, was used to drive expression of simian virus 40 large T antigen. Smooth muscle-specific expression of the T-antigen transgene paralleled that of the endogenous telokin gene in all smooth muscle tissues except uterus. The 310-bp promoter fragment resulted in very low levels of transgene expression in uterus; in contrast, a transgene driven by a 2.4-kb fragment (-2250 to +147) resulted in high levels of transgene expression in uterine smooth muscle. Telokin expression levels correlate with the estrogen status of human myometrial tissues, suggesting that deletion of an estrogen response element (ERE) may account for the low levels of transgene expression driven by the 310-bp rabbit telokin promoter in uterine smooth muscle. Experiments in A10 smooth muscle cells directly showed that reporter gene expression driven by the 2.4-kb, but not 310-bp, promoter fragment could be stimulated two- to threefold by estrogen. This stimulation was mediated through an ERE located between -1447 and -1474. Addition of the ERE to the 310-bp fragment restored estrogen responsiveness in A10 cells. These data demonstrate that in addition to a minimal 310-bp proximal promoter at least one distal cis-acting regulatory element is required for telokin expression in uterine smooth muscle. The distal element may include an ERE between -1447 and -1474.

  2. Danshen extract circumvents drug resistance and represses cell growth in human oral cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Cheng-Yu; Hsieh, Cheng-Chih; Lin, Chih-Kung; Lin, Chun-Shu; Peng, Bo; Lin, Gu-Jiun; Sytwu, Huey-Kang; Chang, Wen-Liang; Chen, Yuan-Wu

    2017-12-29

    Danshen is a common traditional Chinese medicine used to treat neoplastic and chronic inflammatory diseases in China. However, the effects of Danshen on human oral cancer cells remain relatively unknown. This study investigated the antiproliferative effects of a Danshen extract on human oral cancer SAS, SCC25, OEC-M1, and KB drug-resistant cell lines and elucidated the possible underlying mechanism. We investigated the anticancer potential of the Danshen extract in human oral cancer cell lines and an in vivo oral cancer xenograft mouse model. The expression of apoptosis-related molecules was evaluated through Western blotting, and the concentration of in vivo apoptotic markers was measured using immunohistochemical staining. The antitumor effects of 5-fluorouracil and the Danshen extract were compared. Cell proliferation assays revealed that the Danshen extract strongly inhibited oral cancer cell proliferation. Cell morphology studies revealed that the Danshen extract inhibited the growth of SAS, SCC25, and OEC-M1 cells by inducing apoptosis. The Flow cytometric analysis indicated that the Danshen extract induced cell cycle G0/G1 arrest. Immunoblotting analysis for the expression of active caspase-3 and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein indicated that Danshen extract-induced apoptosis in human oral cancer SAS cells was mediated through the caspase pathway. Moreover, the Danshen extract significantly inhibited growth in the SAS xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, the Danshen extract circumvented drug resistance in KB drug-resistant oral cancer cells. The study results suggest that the Danshen extract could be a potential anticancer agent in oral cancer treatment.

  3. Curcumin affects cell survival and cell volume regulation in human renal and intestinal cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kössler, Sonja; Nofziger, Charity; Jakab, Martin; Dossena, Silvia; Paulmichl, Markus

    2012-01-01

    Curcumin (1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1E,6E-heptadiene-3,5-dione or diferuloyl methane) is a polyphenol derived from the Curcuma longa plant, commonly known as turmeric. This substance has been used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries for its anti-oxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic activity. More recently curcumin has been found to possess anti-cancer properties linked to its pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative actions. The underlying mechanisms of these diverse effects are complex, not fully elucidated and subject of intense scientific debate. Despite increasing evidence indicating that different cation channels can be a molecular target for curcumin, very little is known about the effect of curcumin on chloride channels. Since, (i) the molecular structure of curcumin indicates that the substance could potentially interact with chloride channels, (ii) chloride channels play a role during the apoptotic process and regulation of the cell volume, and (iii) apoptosis is a well known effect of curcumin, we set out to investigate whether or not curcumin could (i) exert a modulatory effect (direct or indirect) on the swelling activated chloride current IClswell in a human cell system, therefore (ii) affect cell volume regulation and (iii) ultimately modulate cell survival. The IClswell channels, which are essential for regulating the cell volume after swelling, are also known to be activated under isotonic conditions as an early event in the apoptotic process. Here we show that long-term exposure of a human kidney cell line to extracellular 0.1–10 μM curcumin modulates IClswell in a dose-dependent manner (0.1 μM curcumin is ineffective, 0.5–5.0 μM curcumin increase, while 10 μM curcumin decrease the current), and short-term exposure to micromolar concentrations of curcumin does not affect IClswell neither if applied from the extracellular nor from the intracellular side – therefore, a direct effect of curcumin on

  4. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in human pluripotent stem cells: Harnessing human genetics in a dish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Federico

    2016-07-01

    Because of their extraordinary differentiation potential, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can differentiate into virtually any cell type of the human body, providing a powerful platform not only for generating relevant cell types useful for cell replacement therapies, but also for modeling human development and disease. Expanding this potential, structures resembling human organs, termed organoids, have been recently obtained from hPSCs through tissue engineering. Organoids exhibit multiple cell types self-organizing into structures recapitulating in part the physiology and the cellular interactions observed in the organ in vivo, offering unprecedented opportunities for human disease modeling. To fulfill this promise, tissue engineering in hPSCs needs to be supported by robust and scalable genome editing technologies. With the advent of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, manipulating the genome of hPSCs has now become an easy task, allowing modifying their genome with superior precision, speed, and throughput. Here we review current and potential applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology in hPSCs and how they contribute to establish hPSCs as a model of choice for studying human genetics. Developmental Dynamics 245:788-806, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Modeling human neurological disorders with induced pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imaizumi, Yoichi; Okano, Hideyuki

    2014-05-01

    Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells obtained by reprogramming technology are a source of great hope, not only in terms of applications in regenerative medicine, such as cell transplantation therapy, but also for modeling human diseases and new drug development. In particular, the production of iPS cells from the somatic cells of patients with intractable diseases and their subsequent differentiation into cells at affected sites (e.g., neurons, cardiomyocytes, hepatocytes, and myocytes) has permitted the in vitro construction of disease models that contain patient-specific genetic information. For example, disease-specific iPS cells have been established from patients with neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and autism, as well as from those with neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. A multi-omics analysis of neural cells originating from patient-derived iPS cells may thus enable investigators to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of neurological diseases that have heretofore been unknown. In addition, large-scale screening of chemical libraries with disease-specific iPS cells is currently underway and is expected to lead to new drug discovery. Accordingly, this review outlines the progress made via the use of patient-derived iPS cells toward the modeling of neurological disorders, the testing of existing drugs, and the discovery of new drugs. The production of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from the patients' somatic cells and their subsequent differentiation into specific cells have permitted the in vitro construction of disease models that contain patient-specific genetic information. Furthermore, innovations of gene-editing technologies on iPS cells are enabling new approaches for illuminating the pathogenic mechanisms of human diseases. In this review article, we outlined the current status of neurological diseases-specific iPS cell research and described recently obtained

  6. Human natural killer cell development in secondary lymphoid tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freud, Aharon G.; Yu, Jianhua; Caligiuri, Michael A.

    2014-01-01

    For nearly a decade it has been appreciated that critical steps in human natural killer (NK) cell development likely occur outside of the bone marrow and potentially necessitate distinct microenvironments within extramedullary tissues. The latter include the liver and gravid uterus as well as secondary lymphoid tissues such as tonsils and lymph nodes. For as yet unknown reasons these tissues are naturally enriched with NK cell developmental intermediates (NKDI) that span a maturation continuum starting from an oligopotent CD34+CD45RA+ hematopoietic precursor cell to a cytolytic mature NK cell. Indeed despite the detection of NKDI within the aforementioned tissues, relatively little is known about how, why, and when these tissues may be most suited to support NK cell maturation and how this process fits in with other components of the human immune system. With the discovery of other innate lymphoid subsets whose immunophenotypes overlap with those of NKDI, there is also need to revisit and potentially re-characterize the basic immunophenotypes of the stages of the human NK cell developmental pathway in vivo. In this review, we provide an overview of human NK cell development in secondary lymphoid tissues and discuss the many questions that remain to be answered in this exciting field. PMID:24661538

  7. Infection of endothelial cells by common human viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedman, H M

    1989-01-01

    Common human viruses were evaluated for their ability to replicate in the endothelial cells of human umbilical vein and bovine thoracic aorta in vitro. Infection occurred with most viruses. The susceptibilities of endothelial cells derived from bovine aorta, pulmonary artery, and vena cava were compared. Among the viruses studied, no differences were noted in the ability to grow in endothelial cells from these three large vessels. One virus, herpes simplex virus type 1, was evaluated for its ability to produce persistent infection of endothelial cells. Infection developed and persisted for up to 3 months. After the first week, productive infection was found in less than 1% of cells. Nevertheless, the infection markedly affected the growth and morphology of the endothelial monolayer. Infection with any of several different viruses was noted to alter endothelial cell functions, including adherence of granulocytes, production of colony-stimulating factor, and synthesis of matrix protein. In addition, herpes simplex virus type 1 induced receptors for the Fc portion of IgG and for complement component C3b. These findings indicate that common human viruses can profoundly affect the biology of the endothelium.

  8. Human skeletal muscle-derived stem cells retain stem cell properties after expansion in myosphere culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Yan; Li, Yuan; Chen, Chao; Stoelzel, Katharina; Kaufmann, Andreas M.; Albers, Andreas E.

    2011-01-01

    Human skeletal muscle contains an accessible adult stem-cell compartment in which differentiated myofibers are maintained and replaced by a self-renewing stem cell pool. Previously, studies using mouse models have established a critical role for resident stem cells in skeletal muscle, but little is known about this paradigm in human muscle. Here, we report the reproducible isolation of a population of cells from human skeletal muscle that is able to proliferate for extended periods of time as floating clusters of rounded cells, termed 'myospheres' or myosphere-derived progenitor cells (MDPCs). The phenotypic characteristics and functional properties of these cells were determined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. Our results showed that these cells are clonogenic, express skeletal progenitor cell markers Pax7, ALDH1, Myod, and Desmin and the stem cell markers Nanog, Sox2, and Oct3/4 significantly elevated over controls. They could be maintained proliferatively active in vitro for more than 20 weeks and passaged at least 18 times, despite an average donor-age of 63 years. Individual clones (4.2%) derived from single cells were successfully expanded showing clonogenic potential and sustained proliferation of a subpopulation in the myospheres. Myosphere-derived cells were capable of spontaneous differentiation into myotubes in differentiation media and into other mesodermal cell lineages in induction media. We demonstrate here that direct culture and expansion of stem cells from human skeletal muscle is straightforward and reproducible with the appropriate technique. These cells may provide a viable resource of adult stem cells for future therapies of disease affecting skeletal muscle or mesenchymal lineage derived cell types.

  9. Radiosensitivity of four human tumor xenografts. Influence of hypoxia and cell-cell contact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guichard, M.; Dertinger, H.; Malaise, E.P.

    1983-01-01

    Contact effect (CE) and hypoxia have been studied in human tumor cell lines transplanted in athymic nude mice. Four cell lines - one melanoma (Bell) and three colorectal adenocarcinomas (HT29, HRT18, and HCT8) - were studied. Cell survival was determined with an in vivo in vitro colony-forming assay. Survival curves were obtained under three different conditions: (1) tumor cells irradiated in air-breathing mice, (2) tumor cells irradiated in animals asphyxiated for 10 min, and (3) tumor cells plated and irradiated either immediately or 5 hr later. For all cell lines, radiosensitivity appeared to be lower when cells were irradiated in vivo than when they were irradiated in vitro. Only in the case of the HCT8 tumor did the relative in vivo radioresistance seem to be linked to hypoxia; in the other cell lines, hypoxia alone could not account for the lower in vivo radiosensitivity. Our results suggest that a CE plays an important role in the response of human xenografts to irradiation

  10. Human CD56bright NK Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Michel, Tatiana; Poli, Aurélie; Cuapio, Angelica

    2016-01-01

    Human NK cells can be subdivided into various subsets based on the relative expression of CD16 and CD56. In particular, CD56(bright)CD16(-/dim) NK cells are the focus of interest. They are considered efficient cytokine producers endowed with immunoregulatory properties, but they can also become c...... NK cell subsets is not fully defined, nor is their precise hematopoietic origin. In this article, we summarize recent studies about CD56(bright) NK cells in health and disease and briefly discuss the current controversies surrounding them....

  11. In Vitro Large Scale Production of Human Mature Red Blood Cells from Hematopoietic Stem Cells by Coculturing with Human Fetal Liver Stromal Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiafei Xi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In vitro models of human erythropoiesis are useful in studying the mechanisms of erythroid differentiation in normal and pathological conditions. Here we describe an erythroid liquid culture system starting from cord blood derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs. HSCs were cultured for more than 50 days in erythroid differentiation conditions and resulted in a more than 109-fold expansion within 50 days under optimal conditions. Homogeneous erythroid cells were characterized by cell morphology, flow cytometry, and hematopoietic colony assays. Furthermore, terminal erythroid maturation was improved by cosculturing with human fetal liver stromal cells. Cocultured erythroid cells underwent multiple maturation events, including decrease in size, increase in glycophorin A expression, and nuclear condensation. This process resulted in extrusion of the pycnotic nuclei in up to 80% of the cells. Importantly, they possessed the capacity to express the adult definitive β-globin chain upon further maturation. We also show that the oxygen equilibrium curves of the cord blood-differentiated red blood cells (RBCs are comparable to normal RBCs. The large number and purity of erythroid cells and RBCs produced from cord blood make this method useful for fundamental research in erythroid development, and they also provide a basis for future production of available RBCs for transfusion.

  12. Burn injury suppresses human dermal dendritic cell and Langerhans cell function

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Berg, Linda M.; de Jong, Marein A. W. P.; Witte, Lot de; Ulrich, Magda M. W.; Geijtenbeek, Teunis B. H.

    2011-01-01

    Human skin contains epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) and dermal dendritic cells (DCs) that are key players in induction of adaptive immunity upon infection. After major burn injury, suppressed adaptive immunity has been observed in patients. Here we demonstrate that burn injury affects adaptive

  13. Effect of cell-phone radiofrequency on angiogenesis and cell invasion in human head and neck cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alahmad, Yaman M; Aljaber, Mohammed; Saleh, Alaaeldin I; Yalcin, Huseyin C; Aboulkassim, Tahar; Yasmeen, Amber; Batist, Gerald; Moustafa, Ala-Eddin Al

    2018-05-13

    Today, the cell phone is the most widespread technology globally. However, the outcome of cell-phone radiofrequency on head and neck cancer progression has not yet been explored. The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and human head and neck cancer cell lines, FaDu and SCC25, were used to explore the outcome of cell-phone radiofrequency on angiogenesis, cell invasion, and colony formation of head and neck cancer cells, respectively. Western blot analysis was used to investigate the impact of the cell phone on the regulation of E-cadherin and Erk1/Erk2 genes. Our data revealed that cell-phone radiofrequency promotes angiogenesis of the CAM. In addition, the cell phone enhances cell invasion and colony formation of human head and neck cancer cells; this is accompanied by a downregulation of E-cadherin expression. More significantly, we found that the cell phone can activate Erk1/Erk2 in our experimental models. Our investigation reveals that cell-phone radiofrequency could enhance head and neck cancer by stimulating angiogenesis and cell invasion via Erk1/Erk2 activation. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Th1-like human T-cell clones recognizing Leishmania gp63 inhibit Leishmania major in human macrophages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kemp, M; Hey, A S; Bendtzen, K

    1994-01-01

    The major surface protease of Leishmania major, gp63, has been suggested as a vaccine candidate for cutaneous leishmaniasis. In this study gp63 was purified from L. major promastigotes. A panel of human T-cell clones recognizing this protein were generated from individuals who had previously had...... resembling Th1 cells. Autologous mononuclear cells and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cell lines were equally efficient in presenting the antigen to the T cells. The gp63 reactive T cells induced resistance to infection in cultured human macrophages by L. major. The data confirm that human CD4+ T cells...... recognizing gp63 can take part in the host defence against L. major infections....

  15. Characterizing the radioresponse of pluripotent and multipotent human stem cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary L Lan

    Full Text Available The potential capability of stem cells to restore functionality to diseased or aged tissues has prompted a surge of research, but much work remains to elucidate the response of these cells to genotoxic agents. To more fully understand the impact of irradiation on different stem cell types, the present study has analyzed the radioresponse of human pluripotent and multipotent stem cells. Human embryonic stem (ES cells, human induced pluripotent (iPS cells, and iPS-derived human neural stem cells (iPS-hNSCs cells were irradiated and analyzed for cell survival parameters, differentiation, DNA damage and repair and oxidative stress at various times after exposure. While irradiation led to dose-dependent reductions in survival, the fraction of surviving cells exhibited dose-dependent increases in metabolic activity. Irradiation did not preclude germ layer commitment of ES cells, but did promote neuronal differentiation. ES cells subjected to irradiation exhibited early apoptosis and inhibition of cell cycle progression, but otherwise showed normal repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Cells surviving irradiation also showed acute and persistent increases in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that were significant at nearly all post-irradiation times analyzed. We suggest that stem cells alter their redox homeostasis to adapt to adverse conditions and that radiation-induced oxidative stress plays a role in regulating the function and fate of stem cells within tissues compromised by radiation injury.

  16. Zebularine exerts its antiproliferative activity through S phase delay and cell death in human malignant mesothelioma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takemura, Yukitoshi; Satoh, Motohiko; Hatanaka, Kenichi; Kubota, Shunichiro

    2018-04-24

    Malignant mesothelioma is an asbestos-related aggressive tumor and current therapy remains ineffective. Zebularine as a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor has an anti-tumor effect in several human cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether zebularine could induce antiproliferative effect in human malignant mesothelioma cells. Zebularine induced cell growth inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, zebularine dose-dependently decreased expression of DNMT1 in all malignant mesothelioma cells tested. Cell cycle analysis indicated that zebularine induced S phase delay. Zebularine also induced cell death in malignant mesothelioma cells. In contrast, zebularine did not induce cell growth inhibition and cell death in human normal fibroblast cells. These results suggest that zebularine has a potential for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma by inhibiting cell growth and inducing cell death.

  17. CD83 Antibody Inhibits Human B Cell Responses to Antigen as well as Dendritic Cell-Mediated CD4 T Cell Responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Kuan Y; Baron, Rebecca; Seldon, Therese A; Jones, Martina L; Rice, Alison M; Munster, David J

    2018-05-15

    Anti-CD83 Ab capable of Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity can deplete activated CD83 + human dendritic cells, thereby inhibiting CD4 T cell-mediated acute graft-versus-host disease. As CD83 is also expressed on the surface of activated B lymphocytes, we hypothesized that anti-CD83 would also inhibit B cell responses to stimulation. We found that anti-CD83 inhibited total IgM and IgG production in vitro by allostimulated human PBMC. Also, Ag-specific Ab responses to immunization of SCID mice xenografted with human PBMC were inhibited by anti-CD83 treatment. This inhibition occurred without depletion of all human B cells because anti-CD83 lysed activated CD83 + B cells by Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and spared resting (CD83 - ) B cells. In cultured human PBMC, anti-CD83 inhibited tetanus toxoid-stimulated B cell proliferation and concomitant dendritic cell-mediated CD4 T cell proliferation and expression of IFN-γ and IL-17A, with minimal losses of B cells (80% of B cells but had no effect on CD4 T cell proliferation and cytokine expression. By virtue of the ability of anti-CD83 to selectively deplete activated, but not resting, B cells and dendritic cells, with the latter reducing CD4 T cell responses, anti-CD83 may be clinically useful in autoimmunity and transplantation. Advantages might include inhibited expansion of autoantigen- or alloantigen-specific B cells and CD4 T cells, thus preventing further production of pathogenic Abs and inflammatory cytokines while preserving protective memory and regulatory cells. Copyright © 2018 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  18. A novel method to generate and culture human mast cells: Peripheral CD34+ stem cell-derived mast cells (PSCMCs).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmetzer, Oliver; Valentin, Patricia; Smorodchenko, Anna; Domenis, Rossana; Gri, Giorgia; Siebenhaar, Frank; Metz, Martin; Maurer, Marcus

    2014-11-01

    The identification and characterization of human mast cell (MC) functions are hindered by the shortage of MC populations suitable for investigation. Here, we present a novel technique for generating large numbers of well differentiated and functional human MCs from peripheral stem cells (=peripheral stem cell-derived MCs, PSCMCs). Innovative and key features of this technique include 1) the use of stem cell concentrates, which are routinely discarded by blood banks, as the source of CD34+ stem cells, 2) cell culture in serum-free medium and 3) the addition of LDL as well as selected cytokines. In contrast to established and published protocols that use CD34+ or CD133+ progenitor cells from full blood, we used a pre-enriched cell population obtained from stem cell concentrates, which yielded up to 10(8) differentiated human MCs per batch after only three weeks of culture starting with 10(6) total CD34+ cells. The total purity on MCs (CD117+, FcεR1+) generated by this method varied between 55 and 90%, of which 4-20% were mature MCs that contain tryptase and chymase and show expression of FcεRI and CD117 in immunohistochemistry. PSCMCs showed robust histamine release in response to stimulation with anti-FcεR1 or IgE/anti-IgE, and increased proliferation and differentiation in response to IL-1β or IFN-γ. Taken together, this new protocol of the generation of large numbers of human MCs provides for an innovative and suitable option to investigate the biology of human MCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Generating a non-integrating human induced pluripotent stem cell bank from urine-derived cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanting Xue

    Full Text Available Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS cell holds great potential for applications in regenerative medicine, drug discovery, and disease modeling. We describe here a practical method to generate human iPS cells from urine-derived cells (UCs under feeder-free, virus-free, serum-free condition and without oncogene c-MYC. We showed that this approach could be applied in a large population with different genetic backgrounds. UCs are easily accessible and exhibit high reprogramming efficiency, offering advantages over other cell types used for the purpose of iPS generation. Using the approach described in this study, we have generated 93 iPS cell lines from 20 donors with diverse genetic backgrounds. The non-viral iPS cell bank with these cell lines provides a valuable resource for iPS cells research, facilitating future applications of human iPS cells.

  20. induced acute cytotoxicity in human cervical epithelial carcinoma cells

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Molecular basis of arsenite (As +3 )-induced acute cytotoxicity in human cervical epithelial carcinoma cells. ... Libyan Journal of Medicine ... Methods: After performing cytotoxic assays on a human epithelial carcinoma cell line, expression analysis was done by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and ...

  1. Effects of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Human Trophoblast Cell Functions In Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yajing Huang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Trophoblast cell dysfunction is involved in many disorders during pregnancy such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. Few treatments exist, however, that target improving trophoblast cell function. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs are capable of self-renewing, can undergo multilineage differentiation, and have homing abilities; in addition, they have immunomodulatory effects and paracrine properties and thus are a prospective source for cell therapy. To identify whether hUCMSCs can regulate trophoblast cell functions, we treated trophoblast cells with hUCMSC supernatant or cocultured them with hUCMSCs. Both treatments remarkably enhanced the migration and invasion abilities of trophoblast cells and upregulated their proliferation ability. At a certain concentration, hUCMSCs also modulated hCG, PIGF, and sEndoglin levels in the trophoblast culture medium. Thus, hUCMSCs have a positive effect on trophoblast cellular functions, which may provide a new avenue for treatment of placenta-related diseases during pregnancy.

  2. Isolation and in vitro expansion of human colonic stem cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jung, P.; Sato, T.; Merlos-Suarez, A.; Barriga, F.M.; Iglesias, M.; Rossell, D.; Auer, H.; Gallardo, M.; Blasco, M.A.; Sancho, E.; Clevers, H.; Batlle, E.

    2011-01-01

    Here we describe the isolation of stem cells of the human colonic epithelium. Differential cell surface abundance of ephrin type-B receptor 2 (EPHB2) allows the purification of different cell types from human colon mucosa biopsies. The highest EPHB2 surface levels correspond to epithelial colonic

  3. Efflux protein expression in human stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kati Juuti-Uusitalo

    Full Text Available Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE cells in the back of the eye nourish photoreceptor cells and form a selective barrier that influences drug transport from the blood to the photoreceptor cells. At the molecular level, ATP-dependent efflux transporters have a major role in drug delivery in human RPE. In this study, we assessed the relative expression of several ATP-dependent efflux transporter genes (MRP1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, p-gp, and BCRP, the protein expression and localization of MRP1, MRP4, and MRP5, and the functionality of MRP1 efflux pumps at different maturation stages of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESC and RPE derived from the hESC (hESC-RPE. Our findings revealed that the gene expression of ATP-dependent efflux transporters MRP1, -3, -4, -5, and p-gp fluctuated during hESC-RPE maturation from undifferentiated hESC to fusiform, epithelioid, and finally to cobblestone hESC-RPE. Epithelioid hESC-RPE had the highest expression of MRP1, -3, -4, and P-gp, whereas the most mature cobblestone hESC-RPE had the highest expression of MRP5 and MRP6. These findings indicate that a similar efflux protein profile is shared between hESC-RPE and the human RPE cell line, ARPE-19, and suggest that hESC-RPE cells are suitable in vitro RPE models for drug transport studies. Embryonic stem cell model might provide a novel tool to study retinal cell differentiation, mechanisms of RPE-derived diseases, drug testing and targeted drug therapy.

  4. Haemopoietic progenitor cells in human peripheral blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zwaan, F.E.

    1980-01-01

    The purpose of the investigation reported is to purify haemopoietic progenitor cells from human peripheral blood using density gradient centrifugation in order to isolate a progenitor cell fraction without immunocompetent cells. The purification technique of peripheral blood flow colony forming unit culture (CFU-c) by means of density gradient centrifugation and a combined depletion of various rosettes is described. The results of several 'in vitro' characteristics of purified CFU-c suspensions and of the plasma clot diffusion chamber culture technique are presented. Irradiation studies revealed that for both human bone marrow and peripheral blood the CFU-c were less radioresistant than clusters. Elimination of monocytes (and granulocytes) from the test suspensions induced an alteration in radiosensitivity pararmeters. The results obtained with the different techniques are described by analysing peripheral progenitor cell activity in myeloproliferative disorders. (Auth.)

  5. Directed Differentiation of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lian, Qizhou; Zhang, Yuelin; Liang, Xiaoting; Gao, Fei; Tse, Hung-Fat

    2016-01-01

    Multipotent stromal cells, also known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), possess great potential to generate a wide range of cell types including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, bone, cartilage, and lipid cells. This protocol describes in detail how to perform highly efficient, lineage-specific differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with an MSCs fate. The approach uses a clinically compliant protocol with chemically defined media, feeder-free conditions, and a CD105 positive and CD24 negative selection to achieve a single cell-based MSCs derivation from differentiating human pluripotent cells in approximately 20 days. Cells generated with this protocol express typical MSCs surface markers and undergo adipogenesis, osteogenesis, and chondrogenesis similar to adult bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). Nonetheless, compared with adult BM-MSCs, iPSC-MSCs display a higher proliferative capacity, up to 120 passages, without obvious loss of self-renewal potential and constitutively express MSCs surface antigens. MSCs generated with this protocol have numerous applications, including expansion to large scale cell numbers for tissue engineering and the development of cellular therapeutics. This approach has been used to rescue limb ischemia, allergic disorders, and cigarette smoke-induced lung damage and to model mesenchymal and vascular disorders of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS).

  6. Effect of cell phone-like electromagnetic radiation on primary human thyroid cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Veronica; Hilly, Ohad; Strenov, Yulia; Tzabari, Cochava; Hauptman, Yirmi; Feinmesser, Raphael

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the potential carcinogenic effects of radiofrequency energy (RFE) emitted by cell phones on human thyroid primary cells. Primary thyroid cell culture was prepared from normal thyroid tissue obtained from patients who underwent surgery at our department. Subconfluent thyroid cells were irradiated under different conditions inside a cell incubator using a device that simulates cell phone-RFE. Proliferation of control and irradiated cells was assessed by the immunohistochemical staining of antigen Kiel clone-67 (Ki-67) and tumor suppressor p53 (p53) expression. DNA ploidy and the stress biomarkers heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was evaluated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Our cells highly expressed thyroglobulin (Tg) and sodium-iodide symporter (NIS) confirming the origin of the tissue. None of the irradiation conditions evaluated here had an effect neither on the proliferation marker Ki-67 nor on p53 expression. DNA ploidy was also not affected by RFE, as well as the expression of the biomarkers HSP70 and ROS. Our conditions of RFE exposure seem to have no potential carcinogenic effect on human thyroid cells. Moreover, common biomarkers usually associated to environmental stress also remained unchanged. We failed to find an association between cell phone-RFE and thyroid cancer. Additional studies are recommended.

  7. Volume-dependent K+ transport in rabbit red blood cells comparison with oxygenated human SS cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-Rohil, N.; Jennings, M.L.

    1989-07-01

    In this study the volume-dependent or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-stimulated, ouabain-insensitive K+ influx and efflux were measured with the tracer 86Rb+ in rabbit red blood cells. The purpose of the work was to examine the rabbit as a potential model for cell volume regulation in human SS red blood cells and also to investigate the relationship between the NEM-reactive sulfhydryl group(s) and the signal by which cell swelling activates the transport. Ouabain-resistant K+ efflux and influx increase nearly threefold in cells swollen hypotonically by 15%. Pretreatment with 2 mM NEM stimulates efflux 5-fold and influx 10-fold (each measured in an isotonic medium). The ouabain-resistant K+ efflux was dependent on the major anion in the medium. The anion dependence of K+ efflux in swollen or NEM-stimulated cells was as follows: Br- greater than Cl- much greater than NO3- = acetate. The magnitudes of both the swelling- and the NEM-stimulated fluxes are much higher in young cells (density separated but excluding reticulocytes) than in older cells. Swelling- or NEM-stimulated K+ efflux in rabbit red blood cells was inhibited 50% by 1 mM furosemide, and the inhibitory potency of furosemide was enhanced by extracellular K+, as is known to be true for human AA and low-K+ sheep red blood cells. The swelling-stimulated flux in both rabbit and human SS cells has a pH optimum at approximately 7.4. We conclude that rabbit red blood cells are a good model for swelling-stimulated K+ transport in human SS cells.

  8. Xenotransplantation of human adipose-derived stem cells in zebrafish embryos.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin Li

    Full Text Available Zebrafish is a widely used animal model with well-characterized background in developmental biology. The fate of human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs after their xenotransplantation into the developing embryos of zebrafish is unknown. Therefore, human ADSCs were firstly isolated, and then transduced with lentiviral vector system carrying a green fluorescent protein (GFP reporter gene, and followed by detection of their cell viability and the expression of cell surface antigens. These GFP-expressing human ADSCs were transplanted into the zebrafish embryos at 3.3-4.3 hour post-fertilization (hpf. Green fluorescent signal, the proliferation and differentiation of human ADSCs in recipient embryos were respectively examined using fluorescent microscopy and immunohistochemical staining. The results indicated that human ADSCs did not change their cell viability and the expression levels of cell surface antigens after GFP transduction. Microscopic examination demonstrated that green fluorescent signals of GFP expressed in the transplanted cells were observed in the embryos and larva fish at post-transplantation. The positive staining of Ki-67 revealed the survival and proliferation of human ADSCs in fish larvae after transplantation. The expression of CD105 was observable in the xenotransplanted ADSCs, but CD31 expression was undetectable. Therefore, our results indicate that human ADSCs xenotransplanted in the zebrafish embryos not only can survive and proliferate at across-species circumstance, but also seem to maintain their undifferentiation status in a short term. This xenograft model of zebrafish embryos may provide a promising and useful technical platform for the investigation of biology and physiology of stem cells in vivo.

  9. Generation of Corneal Keratocytes from Human Embryonic Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hertsenberg, Andrew J; Funderburgh, James L

    2016-01-01

    Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC) offer an important resource as a limitless supply of any differentiated cell type of the human body. Keratocytes, cells from the corneal stroma, may have the potential for restoration of vision in cell therapy and biomedical engineering applications, but these specialized cells are not readily expanded in vitro. Here we describe a two-part method to produce keratocytes from the H1 hESC cell line. The hESC cells, maintained and expanded in feeder-free culture medium are first differentiated to neural crest cells using the stromal-derived inducing activity (SDIA) of the PA6 mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line. The resulting neural crest cells are selected by their expression of cell-surface CD271 and subsequently cultured as 3D pellets in a defined differentiation medium to induce a keratocyte phenotype.

  10. Erythroid differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells is independent of donor cell type of origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorn, Isabel; Klich, Katharina; Arauzo-Bravo, Marcos J; Radstaak, Martina; Santourlidis, Simeon; Ghanjati, Foued; Radke, Teja F; Psathaki, Olympia E; Hargus, Gunnar; Kramer, Jan; Einhaus, Martin; Kim, Jeong Beom; Kögler, Gesine; Wernet, Peter; Schöler, Hans R; Schlenke, Peter; Zaehres, Holm

    2015-01-01

    Epigenetic memory in induced pluripotent stem cells, which is related to the somatic cell type of origin of the stem cells, might lead to variations in the differentiation capacities of the pluripotent stem cells. In this context, induced pluripotent stem cells from human CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells might be more suitable for hematopoietic differentiation than the commonly used fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. To investigate the influence of an epigenetic memory on the ex vivo expansion of induced pluripotent stem cells into erythroid cells, we compared induced pluripotent stem cells from human neural stem cells and human cord blood-derived CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells and evaluated their potential for differentiation into hematopoietic progenitor and mature red blood cells. Although genome-wide DNA methylation profiling at all promoter regions demonstrates that the epigenetic memory of induced pluripotent stem cells is influenced by the somatic cell type of origin of the stem cells, we found a similar hematopoietic induction potential and erythroid differentiation pattern of induced pluripotent stem cells of different somatic cell origin. All human induced pluripotent stem cell lines showed terminal maturation into normoblasts and enucleated reticulocytes, producing predominantly fetal hemoglobin. Differences were only observed in the growth rate of erythroid cells, which was slightly higher in the induced pluripotent stem cells derived from CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells. More detailed methylation analysis of the hematopoietic and erythroid promoters identified similar CpG methylation levels in the induced pluripotent stem cell lines derived from CD34(+) cells and those derived from neural stem cells, which confirms their comparable erythroid differentiation potential. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

  11. Generation of Spinal Motor Neurons from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, David P; Kiskinis, Evangelos

    2017-01-01

    Human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are characterized by their unique ability to self-renew indefinitely, as well as to differentiate into any cell type of the human body. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) share these salient characteristics with ESCs and can easily be generated from any given individual by reprogramming somatic cell types such as fibroblasts or blood cells. The spinal motor neuron (MN) is a specialized neuronal subtype that synapses with muscle to control movement. Here, we present a method to generate functional, postmitotic, spinal motor neurons through the directed differentiation of ESCs and iPSCs by the use of small molecules. These cells can be utilized to study the development and function of human motor neurons in healthy and disease states.

  12. Enterochromaffin cells of the human gut: sensors for spices and odorants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braun, Thomas; Voland, Petra; Kunz, Lars; Prinz, Christian; Gratzl, Manfred

    2007-05-01

    Release of serotonin from mucosal enterochromaffin cells triggered by luminal substances is the key event in the regulation of gut motility and secretion. We were interested to know whether nasal olfactory receptors are also expressed in the human gut mucosa by enterochromaffin cells and whether their ligands and odorants present in spices, fragrances, detergents, and cosmetics cause serotonin release. Receptor expression was studied by the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction method in human mucosal enterochromaffin cells isolated by laser microdissection and in a cell line derived from human enterochromaffin cells. Activation of the cells by odorants was investigated by digital fluorescence imaging using the fluorescent Ca(2+) indicator Fluo-4. Serotonin release was measured in culture supernatants by a serotonin enzyme immunoassay and amperometry using carbon fiber microelectrodes placed on single cells. We found expression of 4 olfactory receptors in microdissected human mucosal enterochromaffin cells and in a cell line derived from human enterochromaffin cells. Ca(2+) imaging studies revealed that odorant ligands of the identified olfactory receptors cause Ca(2+) influx, elevation of intracellular free Ca(2+) levels, and, consequently, serotonin release. Our results show that odorants present in the luminal environment of the gut may stimulate serotonin release via olfactory receptors present in human enterochromaffin cells. Serotonin controls both gut motility and secretion and is implicated in pathologic conditions such as vomiting, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome. Thus, olfactory receptors are potential novel targets for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and motility disorders.

  13. Depleted uranium induces neoplastic transformation in human lung epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Hong; LaCerte, Carolyne; Thompson, W Douglas; Wise, John Pierce

    2010-02-15

    Depleted uranium (DU) is commonly used in military armor and munitions, and thus, exposure of soldiers and noncombatants is frequent and widespread. Previous studies have shown that DU has both chemical and radiological toxicity and that the primary route of exposure of DU to humans is through inhalation and ingestion. However, there is limited research information on the potential carcinogenicity of DU in human bronchial cells. Accordingly, we determined the neoplastic transforming ability of particulate DU to human bronchial epithelial cells (BEP2D). We observed the loss of contact inhibition and anchorage independent growth in cells exposed to DU after 24 h. We also characterized these DU-induced transformed cell lines and found that 40% of the cell lines exhibit alterations in plating efficiency and no significant changes in the cytotoxic response to DU. Cytogenetic analyses showed that 53% of the DU-transformed cell lines possess a hypodiploid phenotype. These data indicate that human bronchial cells are transformed by DU and exhibit significant chromosome instability consistent with a neoplastic phenotype.

  14. A Cell Culture Platform to Maintain Long-term Phenotype of Primary Human Hepatocytes and Endothelial Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ware, Brenton R; Durham, Mitchell J; Monckton, Chase P; Khetani, Salman R

    2018-03-01

    Modeling interactions between primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) and primary human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) in vitro can help elucidate human-specific mechanisms underlying liver physiology/disease and drug responses; however, existing hepatocyte/endothelial coculture models are suboptimal because of their use of rodent cells, cancerous cell lines, and/or nonliver endothelial cells. Hence, we sought to develop a platform that could maintain the long-term phenotype of PHHs and primary human LSECs. Primary human LSECs or human umbilical vein endothelial cells as the nonliver control were cocultivated with micropatterned PHH colonies (to control homotypic interactions) followed by an assessment of PHH morphology and functions (albumin and urea secretion, and cytochrome P-450 2A6 and 3A4 enzyme activities) over 3 weeks. Endothelial phenotype was assessed via gene expression patterns and scanning electron microscopy to visualize fenestrations. Hepatic responses in PHH/endothelial cocultures were benchmarked against responses in previously developed PHH/3T3-J2 fibroblast cocultures. Finally, PHH/fibroblast/endothelial cell tricultures were created and characterized as described previously. LSECs, but not human umbilical vein endothelial cells, induced PHH albumin secretion for ∼11 days; however, neither endothelial cell type could maintain PHH morphology and functions to the same magnitude/longevity as the fibroblasts. In contrast, both PHHs and endothelial cells displayed stable phenotype for 3 weeks in PHH/fibroblast/endothelial cell tricultures; furthermore, layered tricultures in which PHHs and endothelial cells were separated by a protein gel to mimic the space of Disse displayed similar functional levels as the coplanar tricultures. PHH/fibroblast/endothelial tricultures constitute a robust platform to elucidate reciprocal interactions between PHHs and endothelial cells in physiology, disease, and after drug exposure.

  15. Studies on catecholamine function in human fat cells

    OpenAIRE

    Hellström, Lena

    1996-01-01

    Catecholamine function in human fat cells Lena Hellström, Centre for Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, S-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden Human adipose tissue is a heterogeneous organ as regards metabolism. The effects of catecholamines, the main lipolytic hormones in man vary considerably in different regions. Fat cell lipolysis also changes in a number of physiological and pathophysiological states...

  16. Leiomyoma Cells in 3-Dimensional Cultures Demonstrate an Attenuated Response to Fasudil, a Rho-Kinase Inhibitor, When Compared to 2-Dimensional Cultures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malik, Minnie; Britten, Joy; Segars, James

    2014-01-01

    Uterine leiomyomata are common benign tumors in women of reproductive age and demonstrate an attenuated response to mechanical signaling that involves Rho and integrins. To further characterize the impairment in Rho signaling, we studied the effect of Rho-kinase inhibitor, fasudil, on extracellular matrix production, in 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) cultures of leiomyoma and myometrial cells. Leiomyoma 2D cultures demonstrated a rapid decrease in gene transcripts and protein for fibronectin, procollagen 1A, and versican. In 3D cultures, fibronectin and procollagen 1A proteins demonstrated increased levels at lower concentrations of fasudil, followed by a concentration-dependent decrease. Versican protein increased up to 3-fold, whereas fibromodulin demonstrated a significant decrease of 1.92-fold. Myometrial 2D or 3D cultures demonstrated a decrease in all proteins after 72 hours of treatment. The 3D leiomyoma cultures demonstrated a significant increase in active RhoA, followed by a concentration-dependent decrease at higher concentrations. A concentration-dependent increase in phospho-extracellular regulated signal kinase and proapoptotic protein Bax was observed in 3D leiomyoma cultures. Fasudil relaxed the contraction of the 3D collagen gels caused by myometrium and leiomyoma cell growth. These findings indicate that the altered state of Rho signaling in leiomyoma was more clearly observed in 3D cultures. The results also suggest that fasudil may have clinical applicability for treatment of uterine leiomyoma. PMID:25084783

  17. Triazole fungicide tebuconazole disrupts human placental trophoblast cell functions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Jinghua [Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Zhang, Jianyun [Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Li, Feixue [Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036 (China); Liu, Jing, E-mail: jliue@zju.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China)

    2016-05-05

    Highlights: • Tebuconazole (TEB) inhibited the proliferation of human placental trophoblasts. • TEB changed cell cycle distribution of G1 and G2 phases of trophoblasts. • TEB induced apoptosis of trophoblasts via mitochondrial pathway. • TEB decreased the invasive and migratory capacities of trophoblasts. • TEB altered the mRNA levels of key regulatory genes in trophoblasts - Abstract: Triazole fungicides are one of the top ten classes of current-use pesticides. Although exposure to triazole fungicides is associated with reproductive toxicity in mammals, limited information is available regarding the effects of triazole fungicides on human placental trophoblast function. Tebuconazole (TEB) is a common triazole fungicide that has been extensively used for fungi control. In this work, we showed that TEB could reduce cell viability, disturb normal cell cycle distribution and induce apoptosis of human placental trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo (HTR-8). Bcl-2 protein expression decreased and the level of Bax protein increased after TEB treatment in HTR-8 cells. The results demonstrated that this fungicide induced apoptosis of trophoblast cells via mitochondrial pathway. Importantly, we found that the invasive and migratory capacities of HTR-8 cells decreased significantly after TEB administration. TEB altered the expression of key regulatory genes involved in the modulation of trophoblast functions. Taken together, TEB suppressed human trophoblast invasion and migration through affecting the expression of protease, hormones, angiogenic factors, growth factors and cytokines. As the invasive and migratory abilities of trophoblast are essential for successful placentation and fetus development, our findings suggest a potential risk of triazole fungicides to human pregnancy.

  18. Human neuronal cell protein responses to Nipah virus infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Sharifah

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Nipah virus (NiV, a recently discovered zoonotic virus infects and replicates in several human cell types. Its replication in human neuronal cells, however, is less efficient in comparison to other fully susceptible cells. In the present study, the SK-N-MC human neuronal cell protein response to NiV infection is examined using proteomic approaches. Results Method for separation of the NiV-infected human neuronal cell proteins using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE was established. At least 800 protein spots were resolved of which seven were unique, six were significantly up-regulated and eight were significantly down-regulated. Six of these altered proteins were identified using mass spectrometry (MS and confirmed using MS/MS. The heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP F, guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein, voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2 and cytochrome bc1 were present in abundance in the NiV-infected SK-N-MC cells in contrast to hnRNPs H and H2 that were significantly down-regulated. Conclusion Several human neuronal cell proteins that are differentially expressed following NiV infection are identified. The proteins are associated with various cellular functions and their abundance reflects their significance in the cytopathologic responses to the infection and the regulation of NiV replication. The potential importance of the ratio of hnRNP F, and hnRNPs H and H2 in regulation of NiV replication, the association of the mitochondrial protein with the cytopathologic responses to the infection and induction of apoptosis are highlighted.

  19. Triazole fungicide tebuconazole disrupts human placental trophoblast cell functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Jinghua; Zhang, Jianyun; Li, Feixue; Liu, Jing

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Tebuconazole (TEB) inhibited the proliferation of human placental trophoblasts. • TEB changed cell cycle distribution of G1 and G2 phases of trophoblasts. • TEB induced apoptosis of trophoblasts via mitochondrial pathway. • TEB decreased the invasive and migratory capacities of trophoblasts. • TEB altered the mRNA levels of key regulatory genes in trophoblasts - Abstract: Triazole fungicides are one of the top ten classes of current-use pesticides. Although exposure to triazole fungicides is associated with reproductive toxicity in mammals, limited information is available regarding the effects of triazole fungicides on human placental trophoblast function. Tebuconazole (TEB) is a common triazole fungicide that has been extensively used for fungi control. In this work, we showed that TEB could reduce cell viability, disturb normal cell cycle distribution and induce apoptosis of human placental trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo (HTR-8). Bcl-2 protein expression decreased and the level of Bax protein increased after TEB treatment in HTR-8 cells. The results demonstrated that this fungicide induced apoptosis of trophoblast cells via mitochondrial pathway. Importantly, we found that the invasive and migratory capacities of HTR-8 cells decreased significantly after TEB administration. TEB altered the expression of key regulatory genes involved in the modulation of trophoblast functions. Taken together, TEB suppressed human trophoblast invasion and migration through affecting the expression of protease, hormones, angiogenic factors, growth factors and cytokines. As the invasive and migratory abilities of trophoblast are essential for successful placentation and fetus development, our findings suggest a potential risk of triazole fungicides to human pregnancy.

  20. Tumorigenicity studies for human pluripotent stem cell-derived products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuroda, Takuya; Yasuda, Satoshi; Sato, Yoji

    2013-01-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), i.e. human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells, are able to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types. Because of these abilities, numerous attempts have been made to utilize hPSCs in regenerative medicine/cell therapy. hPSCs are, however, also tumorigenic, that is, they can give rise to the progressive growth of tumor nodules in immunologically unresponsive animals. Therefore, assessing and managing the tumorigenicity of all final products is essential in order to prevent ectopic tissue formation, tumor development, and/or malignant transformation elicited by residual pluripotent stem cells after implantation. No detailed guideline for the tumorigenicity testing of hPSC-derived products has yet been issued for regenerative medicine/cell therapy, despite the urgent necessity. Here, we describe the current situations and issues related to the tumorigenicity testing of hPSC-derived products and we review the advantages and disadvantages of several types of tumorigenicity-associated tests. We also refer to important considerations in the execution and design of specific studies to monitor the tumorigenicity of hPSC-derived products.

  1. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells increase interleukin-9 production of CD4+ T cells

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Zhou Xin; Chi, Ying; Ji, Yue Ru; Wang, You Wei; Zhang, Jing; Luo, Wei Feng; Li, Li Na; Hu, Cai Dong; Zhuo, Guang Sheng; Wang, Li Fang; Han, Zhi-Bo; Han, Zhong Chao

    2017-01-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are able to differentiate into cells of multiple lineage, and additionally act to modulate the immune response. Interleukin (IL)-9 is primarily produced by cluster of differentiation (CD)4+ T cells to regulate the immune response. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of human umbilical cord derived-MSC (UC-MSC) on IL-9 production of human CD4+ T cells. It was demonstrated that the addition of UC-MSC to the culture of CD4+ T cells significantly enhance...

  2. The biology of human innate lymphoid cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bernink, J.H.J.

    2016-01-01

    In this thesis I performed studies to investigate the contribution of human innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in maintaining the mucosal homeostasis, initiating and/or propagating inflammatory responses, but also - when not properly regulated - how these cells contribute to immunopathology. First I

  3. Dosage and cell line dependent inhibitory effect of bFGF supplement in human pluripotent stem cell culture on inactivated human mesenchymal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quang, Tara; Marquez, Maribel; Blanco, Giselle; Zhao, Yuanxiang

    2014-01-01

    Many different culture systems have been developed for expanding human pluripotent stem cells (hESCs and hiPSCs). In general, 4-10 ng/ml of bFGF is supplemented in culture media in feeder-dependent systems regardless of feeder cell types, whereas in feeder-free systems, up to 100 ng/ml of bFGF is required for maintaining long-term culture on various substrates. The amount of bFGF required in native hESCs growth niche is unclear. Here we report using inactivated adipose-derived human mesenchymal stem cells as feeder cells to examine long-term parallel cultures of two hESCs lines (H1 and H9) and one hiPSCs line (DF19-9-7T) in media supplemented with 0, 0.4 or 4 ng/ml of bFGF for up to 23 passages, as well as parallel cultures of H9 and DF19 in media supplemented with 4, 20 or 100 ng/ml bFGF for up to 13 passages for comparison. Across all cell lines tested, bFGF supplement demonstrated inhibitory effect over growth expansion, single cell colonization and recovery from freezing in a dosage dependent manner. In addition, bFGF exerted differential effects on different cell lines, inducing H1 and DF19 differentiation at 4 ng/ml or higher, while permitting long-term culture of H9 at the same concentrations with no apparent dosage effect. Pluripotency was confirmed for all cell lines cultured in 0, 0.4 or 4 ng/ml bFGF excluding H1-4 ng, as well as H9 cultured in 4, 20 and 100 ng/ml bFGF. However, DF19 demonstrated similar karyotypic abnormality in both 0 and 4 ng/ml bFGF media while H1 and H9 were karyotypically normal in 0 ng/ml bFGF after long-term culture. Our results indicate that exogenous bFGF exerts dosage and cell line dependent effect on human pluripotent stem cells cultured on mesenchymal stem cells, and implies optimal use of bFGF in hESCs/hiPSCs culture should be based on specific cell line and its culture system.

  4. X-ray sensitivity of human tumor cells in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weichselbaum, R.R.; Nove, J.; Little, J.B.

    1980-01-01

    Clonally-derived cells from ten human malignant tumors considered radiocurable (breast, neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma) or non-radiocurable (osteosarcoma, hypernephroma, glioblastoma, melanoma) were studied in cell culture and their in vitro x-ray survival curve parameters determined (anti n, D 0 ). There were no significant differences among the tumor cell lines suggesting that survival parameters in vitro do not explain differences in clinical radiocurability. Preliminary investigation with density inhibited human tumor cells indicate that such an approach may yield information regarding inherent cellular differences in radiocurability

  5. Evaluating human cancer cell metastasis in zebrafish

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teng, Yong; Xie, Xiayang; Walker, Steven; White, David T; Mumm, Jeff S; Cowell, John K

    2013-01-01

    In vivo metastasis assays have traditionally been performed in mice, but the process is inefficient and costly. However, since zebrafish do not develop an adaptive immune system until 14 days post-fertilization, human cancer cells can survive and metastasize when transplanted into zebrafish larvae. Despite isolated reports, there has been no systematic evaluation of the robustness of this system to date. Individual cell lines were stained with CM-Dil and injected into the perivitelline space of 2-day old zebrafish larvae. After 2-4 days fish were imaged using confocal microscopy and the number of metastatic cells was determined using Fiji software. To determine whether zebrafish can faithfully report metastatic potential in human cancer cells, we injected a series of cells with different metastatic potential into the perivitelline space of 2 day old embryos. Using cells from breast, prostate, colon and pancreas we demonstrated that the degree of cell metastasis in fish is proportional to their invasion potential in vitro. Highly metastatic cells such as MDA231, DU145, SW620 and ASPC-1 are seen in the vasculature and throughout the body of the fish after only 24–48 hours. Importantly, cells that are not invasive in vitro such as T47D, LNCaP and HT29 do not metastasize in fish. Inactivation of JAK1/2 in fibrosarcoma cells leads to loss of invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo, and in zebrafish these cells show limited spread throughout the zebrafish body compared with the highly metastatic parental cells. Further, knockdown of WASF3 in DU145 cells which leads to loss of invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo also results in suppression of metastasis in zebrafish. In a cancer progression model involving normal MCF10A breast epithelial cells, the degree of invasion/metastasis in vitro and in mice is mirrored in zebrafish. Using a modified version of Fiji software, it is possible to quantify individual metastatic cells in the transparent larvae to correlate with

  6. Assignment of adenosine deaminase complexing protein (ADCP) gene(s) to human chromosome 2 in rodent-human somatic cell hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herbschleb-Voogt, E; Grzeschik, K H; Pearson, P L; Meera Khan, P

    1981-01-01

    The experiments reported in this paper indicate that the expression of human adenosine deaminase complexing protein (ADCP) in the human-rodent somatic cell hybrids is influenced by the state of confluency of the cells and the background rodent genome. Thus, the complement of the L-cell derived A9 or B82 mouse parent apparently prevents the expression of human ADCP in the interspecific somatic cell hybrids. In the a3, E36, or RAG hybrids the human ADCP expression was not prevented by the rodent genome and was found to be proportional to the degree of confluency of the cell in the culture as in the case of primary human fibroblasts. An analysis of human chromosomes, chromosome specific enzyme markers, and ADCP in a panel of rodent-human somatic cell hybrids optimally maintained and harvested at full confluency has shown that the expression of human ADCP in the mouse (RAG)-human as well as in the hamster (E36 or a3)-human hybrids is determined by a gene(s) in human chromosome 2 and that neither chromosome 6 nor any other of the chromosomes of man carry any gene(s) involved in the formation of human ADCP at least in the Chinese hamster-human hybrids. A series of rodent-human hybrid clones exhibiting a mitotic separation of IDH1 and MDH1 indicated that ADCP is most probably situated between corresponding loci in human chromosome 2.

  7. In vitro cardiomyogenic potential of human umbilical vein-derived mesenchymal stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kadivar, Mehdi; Khatami, Shohreh; Mortazavi, Yousef; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Taghikhani, Mohammad; Soleimani, Masoud

    2006-01-01

    Cardiomyocyte loss in the ischemically injured human heart often leads to irreversible defects in cardiac function. Recently, cellular cardiomyoplasty with mesenchymal stem cells, which are multipotent cells with the ability to differentiate into specialized cells under appropriate stimuli, has emerged as a new approach for repairing damaged myocardium. In the present study, the potential of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into cells with characteristics of cardiomyocyte was investigated. Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from endothelial/subendothelial layers of the human umbilical cords using a method similar to that of human umbilical vein endothelial cell isolation. Isolated cells were characterized by transdifferentiation ability to adipocytes and osteoblasts, and also with flow cytometry analysis. After treatment with 5-azacytidine, the human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells were morphologically transformed into cardiomyocyte-like cells and expressed cardiac differentiation markers. During the differentiation, cells were monitored by a phase contrast microscope and their morphological changes were demonstrated. Immunostaining of the differentiated cells for sarcomeric myosin (MF20), desmin, cardiac troponin I, and sarcomeric α-actinin was positive. RT-PCR analysis showed that these differentiated cells express cardiac-specific genes. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a cardiomyocyte-like ultrastructure and typical sarcomers. These observations confirm that human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells can be chemically transformed into cardiomyocytes and can be considered as a source of cells for cellular cardiomyoplasty

  8. Solutions for the Cell Cycle in Cell Lines Derived from Human Tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Zubik-Kowal

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The goal of the paper is to compute efficiently solutions for model equations that have the potential to describe the growth of human tumor cells and their responses to radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The mathematical model involves four unknown functions of two independent variables: the time variable t and dimensionless relative DNA content x. The unknown functions can be thought of as the number density of cells and are solutions of a system of four partial differential equations. We construct solutions of the system, which allow us to observe the number density of cells for different t and x values. We present results of our experiments which simulate population kinetics of human cancer cells in vitro. Our results show a correspondence between predicted and experimental data.

  9. MCF-7 human mammary adenocarcinoma cells exhibit augmented responses to human insulin on a collagen IV surface

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Listov-Saabye, Nicolai; Jensen, Marianne Blirup; Kiehr, Benedicte

    2009-01-01

    Human mammary cell lines are extensively used for preclinical safety assessment of insulin analogs. However, it is essentially unknown how mitogenic responses can be optimized in mammary cell-based systems. We developed an insulin mitogenicity assay in MCF-7 human mammary adenocarcinoma cells......, under low serum (0.1% FCS) and phenol red-free conditions, with 3H thymidine incorporation as endpoint. Based on EC50 values determined from 10-fold dilution series, beta-estradiol was the most potent mitogen, followed by human IGF-1, human AspB10 insulin and native human insulin. AspB10 insulin...... was significantly more mitogenic than native insulin, validating the ability of the assay to identify hypermitogenic human insulin analogs. With MCF-7 cells on a collagen IV surface, the ranking of mitogens was maintained, but fold mitogenic responses and dynamic range and steepness of dose-response curves were...

  10. EMMPRIN is secreted by human uterine epithelial cells in microvesicles and stimulates metalloproteinase production by human uterine fibroblast cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braundmeier, A G; Dayger, C A; Mehrotra, P; Belton, R J; Nowak, R A

    2012-12-01

    Endometrial remodeling is a physiological process involved in the gynecological disease, endometriosis. Tissue remodeling is directed by uterine fibroblast production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Several MMPs are regulated directly by the protein extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and also by proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)1-α/β. We hypothesized that human uterine epithelial cells (HESs) secrete intact EMMPRIN to stimulate MMPs. Microvesicles from HES cell-conditioned medium (CM) expressed intact EMMPRIN protein. Treatment of HES cells with estradiol or phorbyl 12-myristate-13-acetate increased the release of EMMPRIN-containing microvesicles. The HES CM stimulated MMP-1, -2, and -3 messenger RNA levels in human uterine fibroblasts (HUFs) and EMMPRIN immunodepletion from HES-cell concentrated CM reduced MMP stimulation (P EMMPRIN, in response to ovarian hormones, proinflammatory cytokines as well as activation of protein kinase C.

  11. Isolation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Dopaminergic Progenitors by Cell Sorting for Successful Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daisuke Doi

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs can provide a promising source of midbrain dopaminergic (DA neurons for cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease. However, iPSC-derived donor cells inevitably contain tumorigenic or inappropriate cells. Here, we show that human iPSC-derived DA progenitor cells can be efficiently isolated by cell sorting using a floor plate marker, CORIN. We induced DA neurons using scalable culture conditions on human laminin fragment, and the sorted CORIN+ cells expressed the midbrain DA progenitor markers, FOXA2 and LMX1A. When transplanted into 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, the CORIN+ cells survived and differentiated into midbrain DA neurons in vivo, resulting in significant improvement of the motor behavior, without tumor formation. In particular, the CORIN+ cells in a NURR1+ cell-dominant stage exhibited the best survival and function as DA neurons. Our method is a favorable strategy in terms of scalability, safety, and efficiency and may be advantageous for clinical application.

  12. Selective destruction of mouse islet beta cells by human T lymphocytes in a newly-established humanized type 1 diabetic model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Yong, E-mail: yongzhao@uic.edu [Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Guo, Chengshan; Hwang, David; Lin, Brian; Dingeldein, Michael; Mihailescu, Dan; Sam, Susan; Sidhwani, Seema [Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Zhang, Yongkang [Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Jain, Sumit [Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Skidgel, Randal A. [Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Prabhakar, Bellur S. [Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Mazzone, Theodore [Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Holterman, Mark J. [Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States)

    2010-09-03

    Research highlights: {yields} Establish a human immune-mediated type 1 diabetic model in NOD-scid IL2r{gamma}{sup null} mice. {yields} Using the irradiated diabetic NOD mouse spleen mononuclear cells as trigger. {yields} The islet {beta} cells were selectively destroyed by infiltrated human T cells. {yields} The model can facilitate translational research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. -- Abstract: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by a T cell-mediated autoimmune response that leads to the loss of insulin-producing {beta} cells. The optimal preclinical testing of promising therapies would be aided by a humanized immune-mediated T1D model. We develop this model in NOD-scid IL2r{gamma}{sup null} mice. The selective destruction of pancreatic islet {beta} cells was mediated by human T lymphocytes after an initial trigger was supplied by the injection of irradiated spleen mononuclear cells (SMC) from diabetic nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. This resulted in severe insulitis, a marked loss of total {beta}-cell mass, and other related phenotypes of T1D. The migration of human T cells to pancreatic islets was controlled by the {beta} cell-produced highly conserved chemokine stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) and its receptor C-X-C chemokine receptor (CXCR) 4, as demonstrated by in vivo blocking experiments using antibody to CXCR4. The specificity of humanized T cell-mediated immune responses against islet {beta} cells was generated by the local inflammatory microenvironment in pancreatic islets including human CD4{sup +} T cell infiltration and clonal expansion, and the mouse islet {beta}-cell-derived CD1d-mediated human iNKT activation. The selective destruction of mouse islet {beta} cells by a human T cell-mediated immune response in this humanized T1D model can mimic those observed in T1D patients. This model can provide a valuable tool for translational research into T1D.

  13. Proliferation-promoting effect of platelet-rich plasma on human adipose-derived stem cells and human dermal fibroblasts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakudo, Natsuko; Minakata, Tatsuya; Mitsui, Toshihito; Kushida, Satoshi; Notodihardjo, Frederik Zefanya; Kusumoto, Kenji

    2008-11-01

    This study evaluated changes in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AB and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 release from platelets by platelet-rich plasma activation, and the proliferation potential of activated platelet-rich plasma and platelet-poor plasma on human adipose-derived stem cells and human dermal fibroblasts. Platelet-rich plasma was prepared using a double-spin method, with the number of platelets counted in each preparation stage. Platelet-rich and platelet-poor plasma were activated with autologous thrombin and calcium chloride, and levels of platelet-released PDGF-AB and TGF-beta1 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cells were cultured for 1, 4, or 7 days in serum-free Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium supplemented with 5% whole blood plasma, nonactivated platelet-rich plasma, nonactivated platelet-poor plasma, activated platelet-rich plasma, or activated platelet-poor plasma. In parallel, these cells were cultured for 1, 4, or 7 days in serum-free Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium supplemented with 1%, 5%, 10%, or 20% activated platelet-rich plasma. The cultured human adipose-derived stem cells and human dermal fibroblasts were assayed for proliferation. Platelet-rich plasma contained approximately 7.9 times as many platelets as whole blood, and its activation was associated with the release of large amounts of PDGF-AB and TGF-beta1. Adding activated platelet-rich or platelet-poor plasma significantly promoted the proliferation of human adipose-derived stem cells and human dermal fibroblasts. Adding 5% activated platelet-rich plasma to the medium maximally promoted cell proliferation, but activated platelet-rich plasma at 20% did not promote it. Platelet-rich plasma can enhance the proliferation of human adipose-derived stem cells and human dermal fibroblasts. These results support clinical platelet-rich plasma application for cell-based, soft-tissue engineering and wound healing.

  14. Cell wall trapping of autocrine peptides for human G-protein-coupled receptors on the yeast cell surface.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Ishii

    Full Text Available G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs regulate a wide variety of physiological processes and are important pharmaceutical targets for drug discovery. Here, we describe a unique concept based on yeast cell-surface display technology to selectively track eligible peptides with agonistic activity for human GPCRs (Cell Wall Trapping of Autocrine Peptides (CWTrAP strategy. In our strategy, individual recombinant yeast cells are able to report autocrine-positive activity for human GPCRs by expressing a candidate peptide fused to an anchoring motif. Following expression and activation, yeast cells trap autocrine peptides onto their cell walls. Because captured peptides are incapable of diffusion, they have no impact on surrounding yeast cells that express the target human GPCR and non-signaling peptides. Therefore, individual yeast cells can assemble the autonomous signaling complex and allow single-cell screening of a yeast population. Our strategy may be applied to identify eligible peptides with agonistic activity for target human GPCRs.

  15. Human borna disease virus infection impacts host proteome and histone lysine acetylation in human oligodendroglia cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Xia [Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Department of Neurology, The Fifth People' s Hospital of Shanghai, School of Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240 (China); Zhao, Libo [Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Department of Neurology, The Third People' s Hospital of Chongqing, 400014 (China); Yang, Yongtao [Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 (China); Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 (China); Bode, Liv [Bornavirus Research Group affiliated to the Free University of Berlin, Berlin (Germany); Huang, Hua [Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 (China); Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 (China); Liu, Chengyu [Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 (China); Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 (China); Huang, Rongzhong [Department of Rehabilitative Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010 (China); Zhang, Liang [Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 (China); Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 (China); and others

    2014-09-15

    Background: Borna disease virus (BDV) replicates in the nucleus and establishes persistent infections in mammalian hosts. A human BDV strain was used to address the first time, how BDV infection impacts the proteome and histone lysine acetylation (Kac) of human oligodendroglial (OL) cells, thus allowing a better understanding of infection-driven pathophysiology in vitro. Methods: Proteome and histone lysine acetylation were profiled through stable isotope labeling for cell culture (SILAC)-based quantitative proteomics. The quantifiable proteome was annotated using bioinformatics. Histone acetylation changes were validated by biochemistry assays. Results: Post BDV infection, 4383 quantifiable differential proteins were identified and functionally annotated to metabolism pathways, immune response, DNA replication, DNA repair, and transcriptional regulation. Sixteen of the thirty identified Kac sites in core histones presented altered acetylation levels post infection. Conclusions: BDV infection using a human strain impacted the whole proteome and histone lysine acetylation in OL cells. - Highlights: • A human strain of BDV (BDV Hu-H1) was used to infect human oligodendroglial cells (OL cells). • This study is the first to reveal the host proteomic and histone Kac profiles in BDV-infected OL cells. • BDV infection affected the expression of many transcription factors and several HATs and HDACs.

  16. Human borna disease virus infection impacts host proteome and histone lysine acetylation in human oligodendroglia cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Xia; Zhao, Libo; Yang, Yongtao; Bode, Liv; Huang, Hua; Liu, Chengyu; Huang, Rongzhong; Zhang, Liang

    2014-01-01

    Background: Borna disease virus (BDV) replicates in the nucleus and establishes persistent infections in mammalian hosts. A human BDV strain was used to address the first time, how BDV infection impacts the proteome and histone lysine acetylation (Kac) of human oligodendroglial (OL) cells, thus allowing a better understanding of infection-driven pathophysiology in vitro. Methods: Proteome and histone lysine acetylation were profiled through stable isotope labeling for cell culture (SILAC)-based quantitative proteomics. The quantifiable proteome was annotated using bioinformatics. Histone acetylation changes were validated by biochemistry assays. Results: Post BDV infection, 4383 quantifiable differential proteins were identified and functionally annotated to metabolism pathways, immune response, DNA replication, DNA repair, and transcriptional regulation. Sixteen of the thirty identified Kac sites in core histones presented altered acetylation levels post infection. Conclusions: BDV infection using a human strain impacted the whole proteome and histone lysine acetylation in OL cells. - Highlights: • A human strain of BDV (BDV Hu-H1) was used to infect human oligodendroglial cells (OL cells). • This study is the first to reveal the host proteomic and histone Kac profiles in BDV-infected OL cells. • BDV infection affected the expression of many transcription factors and several HATs and HDACs

  17. Isolation, Characterization, Cryopreservation of Human Amniotic Stem Cells and Differentiation to Osteogenic and Adipogenic Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiva Gholizadeh-Ghaleh Aziz

    Full Text Available Human stem cells and progenitor cells can be used to treat cancer and replace dysfunctional cells within a tissue or organ. The objective of this study was to identify the appropriate cells type in regenerative medicine and targeted therapy. As an alternative to embryonic and bone marrow stem cells, we examined human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs, one of the potential source of multipotent stem cells isolated from both cell pellet (using single-stage method, and supernatant of human amniotic fluid. Source of isolation and unique property of the cells emphasize that these cells are one of the promising new tools in therapeutic field. Double sources for isolation and availability of the left over samples in diagnostic laboratory at the same time have less legal and ethical concerns compared with embryonic stem cell studies. Cells were isolated, cultured for 18th passage for 6 months and characterized using qPCR and flow cytometry. Cells showed good proliferative ability in culture condition. The cells successfully differentiated into the adipogenic and osteogenic lineages. Based on these findings, amniotic fluid can be considered as an appropriate and convenient source of human amniotic fluid stem cells. These cells provide potential tools for therapeutic applications in the field of regenerative medicine. To get a better understanding of crosstalk between Oct4/NANOG with osteogenesis and adipogenesis, we used network analysis based on Common Targets algorithm and Common Regulators algorithm as well as subnetwork discovery based on gene set enrichment. Network analysis highlighted the possible role of MIR 302A and MIR let-7g. We demonstrated the high expression of MIR 302A and low expression of MIR let7g in hAFSCs by qPCR.

  18. Derivation of transgene-free human induced pluripotent stem cells from human peripheral T cells in defined culture conditions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshikazu Kishino

    Full Text Available Recently, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs were established as promising cell sources for revolutionary regenerative therapies. The initial culture system used for iPSC generation needed fetal calf serum in the culture medium and mouse embryonic fibroblast as a feeder layer, both of which could possibly transfer unknown exogenous antigens and pathogens into the iPSC population. Therefore, the development of culture systems designed to minimize such potential risks has become increasingly vital for future applications of iPSCs for clinical use. On another front, although donor cell types for generating iPSCs are wide-ranging, T cells have attracted attention as unique cell sources for iPSCs generation because T cell-derived iPSCs (TiPSCs have a unique monoclonal T cell receptor genomic rearrangement that enables their differentiation into antigen-specific T cells, which can be applied to novel immunotherapies. In the present study, we generated transgene-free human TiPSCs using a combination of activated human T cells and Sendai virus under defined culture conditions. These TiPSCs expressed pluripotent markers by quantitative PCR and immunostaining, had a normal karyotype, and were capable of differentiating into cells from all three germ layers. This method of TiPSCs generation is more suitable for the therapeutic application of iPSC technology because it lowers the risks associated with the presence of undefined, animal-derived feeder cells and serum. Therefore this work will lead to establishment of safer iPSCs and extended clinical application.

  19. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV in two human glioma cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Sedo

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available There is growing evidence that dipeptidyl peptidase IV [DPP-IV, EC 3.4.14.5] takes part in the metabolism of biologically active peptides participating in the regulation of growth and transformation of glial cells. However, the knowledge on the DPP-IV expression in human glial and glioma cells is still very limited. In this study, using histochemical and biochemical techniques, the DPP-IV activity was demonstrated in two commercially available human glioma cell lines of different transformation degree, as represented by U373 astrocytoma (Grade III and U87 glioblastoma multiforme (Grade IV lines. Higher total activity of the enzyme, as well as its preferential localisation in the plasma membrane, was observed in U87 cells. Compared to U373 population, U87 cells were morphologically more pleiomorphic, they were cycling at lower rate and expressing less Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein. The data revealed positive correlation between the degree of transformation of cells and activity of DPP-IV. Great difference in expression of this enzyme, together with the phenotypic differences of cells, makes these lines a suitable standard model for further 57 studies of function of this enzyme in human glioma cells.

  20. Transcriptional profiling of putative human epithelial stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koçer Salih S

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Human interfollicular epidermis is sustained by the proliferation of stem cells and their progeny, transient amplifying cells. Molecular characterization of these two cell populations is essential for better understanding of self renewal, differentiation and mechanisms of skin pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to obtain gene expression profiles of alpha 6+/MHCI+, transient amplifying cells and alpha 6+/MHCI-, putative stem cells, and to compare them with existing data bases of gene expression profiles of hair follicle stem cells. The expression of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC class I, previously shown to be absent in stem cells in several tissues, and alpha 6 integrin were used to isolate MHCI positive basal cells, and MHCI low/negative basal cells. Results Transcriptional profiles of the two cell populations were determined and comparisons made with published data for hair follicle stem cell gene expression profiles. We demonstrate that presumptive interfollicular stem cells, alpha 6+/MHCI- cells, are enriched in messenger RNAs encoding surface receptors, cell adhesion molecules, extracellular matrix proteins, transcripts encoding members of IFN-alpha family proteins and components of IFN signaling, but contain lower levels of transcripts encoding proteins which take part in energy metabolism, cell cycle, ribosome biosynthesis, splicing, protein translation, degradation, DNA replication, repair, and chromosome remodeling. Furthermore, our data indicate that the cell signaling pathways Notch1 and NF-κB are downregulated/inhibited in MHC negative basal cells. Conclusion This study demonstrates that alpha 6+/MHCI- cells have additional characteristics attributed to stem cells. Moreover, the transcription profile of alpha 6+/MHCI- cells shows similarities to transcription profiles of mouse hair follicle bulge cells known to be enriched for stem cells. Collectively, our data suggests that alpha 6+/MHCI- cells

  1. DNA amplification is rare in normal human cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wright, J.A.; Watt, F.M.; Hudson, D.L.; Stark, G.R.; Smith, H.S.; Hancock, M.C.

    1990-01-01

    Three types of normal human cells were selected in tissue culture with three drugs without observing a single amplification event from a total of 5 x 10 8 cells. No drug-resistant colonies were observed when normal foreskin keratinocytes were selected with N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate or with hydroxyurea or when normal mammary epithelial cells were selected with methotrexate. Some slightly resistant colonies with limited potential for growth were obtained when normal diploid fibroblast cells derived from fetal lung were selected with methotrexate or hydroxyurea but careful copy-number analysis of the dihydrofolate reductase and ribonucleotide reductase genes revealed no evidence of amplification. The rarity of DNA amplification in normal human cells contrasts strongly with the situation in tumors and in established cell lines, where amplification of onogenes and of genes mediating drug resistance is frequent. The results suggest that tumors and cell lines have acquired the abnormal ability to amplify DNA with high frequency

  2. Signaling hierarchy regulating human endothelial cell development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Our present knowledge of the regulation of mammalian endothelial cell differentiation has been largely derived from studies of mouse embryonic development. However, unique mechanisms and hierarchy of signals that govern human endothelial cell development are unknown and, thus, explored in these stud...

  3. Generation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Using Sendai Virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, Filipa A C; Pedersen, Roger A; Vallier, Ludovic

    2016-01-01

    This protocol describes the efficient isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from circulating blood via density gradient centrifugation and subsequent generation of integration-free human induced pluripotent stem cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells are cultured for 9 days to allow expansion of the erythroblast population. The erythroblasts are then used to derive human induced pluripotent stem cells using Sendai viral vectors, each expressing one of the four reprogramming factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc.

  4. Human embryonic stem cell technologies and drug discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Janne; Hyllner, Johan; Björquist, Petter

    2009-06-01

    Development of new drugs is costly and takes huge resources into consideration. The big pharmaceutical companies are currently facing increasing developmental costs and a lower success-rate of bringing new compounds to the market. Therefore, it is now of outmost importance that the drug-hunting companies minimize late attritions due to sub-optimal pharmacokinetic properties or unexpected toxicity when entering the clinical programs. To achieve this, a strong need to test new candidate drugs in assays of high human relevance in vitro as early as possible has been identified. The traditionally used cell systems are however remarkably limited in this sense, and new improved technologies are of greatest importance. The human embryonic stem cells (hESC) is one of the most powerful cell types known. They have not only the possibility to divide indefinitely; these cells can also differentiate into all mature cell types of the human body. This makes them potentially very valuable for pharmaceutical development, spanning from use as tools in early target studies, DMPK or safety assessment, as screening models to find new chemical entities modulating adult stem cell fate, or as the direct use in cell therapies. This review illustrates the use of hESC in the drug discovery process, today, as well as in a future perspective. This will specifically be exemplified with the most important cell type for pharmaceutical development-the hepatocyte. We discuss how hESC-derived hepatocyte-like cells could improve this process, and how these cells should be cultured if optimized functionality and usefulness should be achieved. J. Cell. Physiol. 219: 513-519, 2009. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  5. PlGF gene knockdown in human retinal pigment epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akrami, Hassan; Soheili, Zahra-Soheila; Sadeghizadeh, Majid; Ahmadieh, Hamid; Rezaeikanavi, Mozhgan; Samiei, Shahram; Khalooghi, Keynoush

    2011-04-01

    To evaluate the knockdown of placental growth factor (PlGF) gene expression in human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and its effect on cell proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenic potential of RPE cells. Human RPE cells were isolated by dispase I solution and cultured in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). A small interfering RNA (siRNA) corresponding to PlGF mRNA and a scrambled siRNA (scRNA) were introduced into the cells. Cell proliferation and cell death were examined by ELISA. PlGF mRNA and protein were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot. The levels of gene expression for human retinal pigment epithelium-specific protein 65 kDa (RPE65), cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP) and tyrosinase were examined by real-time PCR. The angiogenic activity of RPE cell-derived conditioned media was assayed by a tube formation assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). At a final siRNA concentration of 20 pmol/ml, the transfection efficiency was about 80%. The amount of PlGF transcripts was reduced to 10% after 36 h of incubation, and the amount of PlGF protein in culture supernatant was significantly decreased. Suppression of PlGF gene had no effect on RPE cell proliferation and survival, and there were no notable changes in the transcript levels of RPE65, CRALBP or tyrosinase for the cultures treated by siRNA cognate to PlGF. Vascular tube formation was efficiently reduced in HUVECs. Our findings present PlGF as a key modulator of angiogenic potential in RPE cells of the human retina.

  6. Human dental pulp cells exhibit bone cell-like responsiveness to fluid shear stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraft, David Christian Evar; Bindslev, Dorth Arenholt; Melsen, Birte; Klein-Nulend, Jenneke

    2011-02-01

    For engineering bone tissue to restore, for example, maxillofacial defects, mechanosensitive cells are needed that are able to conduct bone cell-specific functions, such as bone remodelling. Mechanical loading affects local bone mass and architecture in vivo by initiating a cellular response via loading-induced flow of interstitial fluid. After surgical removal of ectopically impacted third molars, human dental pulp tissue is an easily accessible and interesting source of cells for mineralized tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to determine whether human dental pulp-derived cells (DPC) are responsive to mechanical loading by pulsating fluid flow (PFF) upon stimulation of mineralization in vitro. Human DPC were incubated with or without mineralization medium containing differentiation factors for 3 weeks. Cells were subjected to 1-h PFF (0.7 ± 0.3 Pa, 5 Hz) and the response was quantified by measuring nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production, and gene expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2. We found that DPC are intrinsically mechanosensitive and, like osteogenic cells, respond to PFF-induced fluid shear stress. PFF stimulated NO and PGE₂ production, and up-regulated COX-2 but not COX-1 gene expression. In DPC cultured under mineralizing conditions, the PFF-induced NO, but not PGE₂, production was significantly enhanced. These data suggest that human DPC, like osteogenic cells, acquire responsiveness to pulsating fluid shear stress in mineralizing conditions. Thus DPC might be able to perform bone-like functions during mineralized tissue remodeling in vivo, and therefore provide a promising new tool for mineralized tissue engineering to restore, for example, maxillofacial defects.

  7. Chemical Conversion of Human Fibroblasts into Functional Schwann Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva C. Thoma

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Direct transdifferentiation of somatic cells is a promising approach to obtain patient-specific cells for numerous applications. However, conversion across germ-layer borders often requires ectopic gene expression with unpredictable side effects. Here, we present a gene-free approach that allows efficient conversion of human fibroblasts via a transient progenitor stage into Schwann cells, the major glial cell type of peripheral nerves. Using a multikinase inhibitor, we transdifferentiated fibroblasts into transient neural precursors that were subsequently further differentiated into Schwann cells. The resulting induced Schwann cells (iSCs expressed numerous Schwann cell-specific proteins and displayed neurosupportive and myelination capacity in vitro. Thus, we established a strategy to obtain mature Schwann cells from human postnatal fibroblasts under chemically defined conditions without the introduction of ectopic genes.

  8. Enhanced casein kinase II activity in human tumour cell cultures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prowald, K; Fischer, H; Issinger, O G

    1984-01-01

    Casein kinase II (CKII) activity is enhanced as much as 2-3 fold in established and 4-5-fold in transformed human cell lines when compared to that of fibroblasts and primary human tumour cell cultures where CKII activity never exceeded a basic level. The high activity of CKII in transformed cells...

  9. Nanotopography Promotes Pancreatic Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jong Hyun; Kim, Hyung Woo; Cha, Kyoung Je; Han, Jiyou; Jang, Yu Jin; Kim, Dong Sung; Kim, Jong-Hoon

    2016-03-22

    Although previous studies suggest that nanotopographical features influence properties and behaviors of stem cells, only a few studies have attempted to derive clinically useful somatic cells from human pluripotent stem cells using nanopatterned surfaces. In the present study, we report that polystyrene nanopore-patterned surfaces significantly promote the pancreatic differentiation of human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. We compared different diameters of nanopores and showed that 200 nm nanopore-patterned surfaces highly upregulated the expression of PDX1, a critical transcription factor for pancreatic development, leading to an approximately 3-fold increase in the percentage of differentiating PDX1(+) pancreatic progenitors compared with control flat surfaces. Furthermore, in the presence of biochemical factors, 200 nm nanopore-patterned surfaces profoundly enhanced the derivation of pancreatic endocrine cells producing insulin, glucagon, or somatostatin. We also demonstrate that nanopore-patterned surface-induced upregulation of PDX1 is associated with downregulation of TAZ, suggesting the potential role of TAZ in nanopore-patterned surface-mediated mechanotransduction. Our study suggests that appropriate cytokine treatments combined with nanotopographical stimulation could be a powerful tool for deriving a high purity of desired cells from human pluripotent stem cells.

  10. DNA repair in human bronchial epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fornace, A.J. Jr.; Lechner, J.F.; Grafstrom, R.C.; Harris, C.C.

    1982-01-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to compare the response of human cell types (bronchial epithelial cells and fibroblasts and skin fibroblasts) to various DNA damaging agents. Repair of DNA single strand breaks (SSB) induced by 5 krads of X-ray was similar for all cell types; approximately 90% of the DNA SSB were rejoined within one hour. During excision repair of DNA damage from u.v.-radiation, the frequencies of DNA SSB as estimated by the alkaline elution technique, were similar in all cell types. Repair replication as measured by BND cellulose chromatography was also similar in epithelial and fibroblastic cells after u.v.-irradiation. Similar levels of SSB were also observed in epithelial and fibroblastic cells after exposure to chemical carcinogens: 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene; benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE); or N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Significant repair replication of BPDE-induced DNA damage was detected in both bronchial epithelial and fibroblastic cells, although the level in fibroblasts was approximately 40% of that in epithelial cells. The pulmonary carcinogen asbestos did not damage DNA. DNA-protein crosslinks induced by formaldehyde were rapidly removed in bronchial cells. Further, epithelial and fibroblastic cells, which were incubated with formaldehyde and the polymerase inhibitor combination of cytosine arabinoside and hydroxyurea, accumulated DNA SSB at approximately equal frequencies. These results should provide a useful background for further investigations of the response of human bronchial cells to various DNA damaging agents

  11. Presence of estrogen receptors in human myeloid monocytic cells (THP-1 cell line).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cutolo, M; Villaggio, B; Bisso, A; Sulli, A; Coviello, D; Dayer, J M

    2001-01-01

    To test THP-1 cells for the presence of estrogen receptors (ER) since studies have demonstrated in vivo and in vitro, the influence of estrogens on cells involved in immune response (i.e. macrophages), and since it has been demonstrated that human myeloid monocytic THP-1 cells acquire phenotypic and functional macrophage-like features after incubation with several cytokines or pharmacological agents. Stimulation of THP-1 cells with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) to prompt their differentiation into macrophage-like cells and evaluation of the possible induction of ER. The expression of ER was analyzed by immunocytochemical assay, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. After stimulation by PMA, the human myeloid monocytic THP-1 cells showed the presence of ER, together with markers of monocytic cell differentiation such as CD68, CD54 and HLA-DR. Estrogen effects may be exerted directly through ER on monocytes/macrophages. PMA-treated THP-1 cells may constitute a useful in vitro model to determine the effects of estrogens on macrophage-like cells and their implications in the inflammatory and immune processes.

  12. Human retinal pigment epithelial cell-induced apoptosis in activated T cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, A; Wiencke, A K; la Cour, M

    1998-01-01

    human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells can induce apoptosis in activated T cells. METHODS: Fas ligand (FasL) expression was detected by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Cultured RPE cells were cocultured with T-cell lines and peripheral blood lymphocytes for 6 hours to 2 days. Induction...... of apoptosis was detected by 7-amino-actinomycin D and annexin V staining. RESULTS: Retinal pigment epithelial cells expressed FasL and induced apoptosis in activated Fas+ T cells. Blocking of Fas-FasL interaction with antibody strongly inhibited RPE-mediated T-cell apoptosis. Retinal pigment epithelial cells...... induced apoptosis in several activated T-cell populations and T-cell lines, including T-cell antigen receptor (TCR)-CD3-negative T-cell lines. In contrast, RPE cells induced little or no apoptosis in resting peripheral T cells. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II monoclonal antibodies, which...

  13. Self-contained induction of neurons from human embryonic stem cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsuyoshi Okuno

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Neurons and glial cells can be efficiently induced from mouse embryonic stem (ES cells in a conditioned medium collected from rat primary-cultured astrocytes (P-ACM. However, the use of rodent primary cells for clinical applications may be hampered by limited supply and risk of contamination with xeno-proteins. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have developed an alternative method for unimpeded production of human neurons under xeno-free conditions. Initially, neural stem cells in sphere-like clusters were induced from human ES (hES cells after being cultured in P-ACM under free-floating conditions. The resultant neural stem cells could circumferentially proliferate under subsequent adhesive culture, and selectively differentiate into neurons or astrocytes by changing the medium to P-ACM or G5, respectively. These hES cell-derived neurons and astrocytes could procure functions similar to those of primary cells. Interestingly, a conditioned medium obtained from the hES cell-derived astrocytes (ES-ACM could successfully be used to substitute P-ACM for induction of neurons. Neurons made by this method could survive in mice brain after xeno-transplantation. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: By inducing astrocytes from hES cells in a chemically defined medium, we could produce human neurons without the use of P-ACM. This self-serving method provides an unlimited source of human neural cells and may facilitate clinical applications of hES cells for neurological diseases.

  14. Ex-vivo α-galactosylceramide activation of NKT cells in humans and macaques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Caroline S; Cameron, Garth; Godfrey, Dale I; Kent, Stephen J

    2012-08-31

    NKT cells are key mediators of antiviral and anticancer immunity. Experiments in mice have demonstrated that activation of NKT cells in vivo induces the expression of multiple effector molecules critical to successful immunity. Human clinical trials have shown similar responses, although in vivo activation of NKT cells in humans or primate models are far more limited in number and scope. Measuring ex vivo activation of NKT cells by the CD1d-restricted glycolipid ligand α-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) through cytokine expression profiles is a useful marker of NKT cell function, but for reasons that are unclear, this approach does not appear to work as well in humans and non-human primate macaque models in comparison to mice. We performed a series of experiments on human and macaque (Macaca nemestrina) fresh whole blood samples to define optimal conditions to detect NKT cell cytokine (TNF, IFNγ, IL-2) and degranulation marker (CD107a) expression by flow cytometry. We found that conditions previously described for mouse splenocyte NKT cell activation were suboptimal on human or macaque blood NKT cells. In contrast, a 6h incubation with brefeldin A added for the last 4h, in a 96-well plate based assay, and using an α-GalCer concentration of 1 μg/ml were optimal methods to stimulate NKT cells in fresh blood from both humans and macaques. Unexpectedly, we noted that blood NKT cells from macaques infected with SIV were more readily activated by α-GalCer than NKT cells from uninfected macaques, suggesting that SIV infection may have primed the NKT cells. In conclusion, we describe optimized methods for the ex vivo antigen-specific activation of human and macaque blood NKT cells. These assays should be useful in monitoring NKT cells in disease and in immunotherapy studies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Possible Involvement of Human Mast Cells in the Establishment of Pregnancy via Killer Cell Ig-Like Receptor 2DL4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueshima, Chiyuki; Kataoka, Tatsuki R; Hirata, Masahiro; Sugimoto, Akihiko; Iemura, Yoshiki; Minamiguchi, Sachiko; Nomura, Takashi; Haga, Hironori

    2018-06-01

    The involvement of mast cells in the establishment of pregnancy is unclear. Herein, we found that human mast cells are present in the decidual tissues of parous women and expressed a human-specific protein killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) 2DL4, a receptor for human leukocyte antigen G expressed on human trophoblasts. In contrast, decreased numbers of decidual mast cells and reduced KIR2DL4 expression were observed in these cells of infertile women who had undergone long-term corticosteroid treatment. Co-culture of the human mast cell line, LAD2, and human trophoblast cell line, HTR-8/SVneo, accelerated the migration and tube formation of HTR-8/SVneo cells in a KIR2DL4-dependent manner. These observations suggest the possible involvement of human mast cells in the establishment of pregnancy via KIR2DL4 and that long-term corticosteroid treatment may cause infertility by influencing the phenotypes of decidual mast cells. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Radiosensitivity evaluation of Human tumor cell lines by single cell gel electrophoresis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Yipei; Cao Jia; Wang Yan; Du Liqing; Li Jin; Wang Qin; Fan Feiyue; Liu Qiang

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To explore the feasibility of determining radiosensitivity of human tumor cell lines in vitro using single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE). Methods: Three human tumor cell lines were selected in this study, HepG 2 , EC-9706 and MCF-7. The surviving fraction (SF) and DNA damage were detected by MTT assay, nested PCR technique and comet assay respectively. Results: MTT assay: The SF of HepG 2 and EC-9706 after irradiated by 2, 4 and 8 Gy was lower significantly than that of MCF-7, which showed that the radiosensitivity of HepG 2 and EC-9706 was higher than that of MCF-7. But there was no statistical difference of SF between HepG 2 and EC-9706. SCGE: The difference of radiosensitivity among these three tumor cell lines was significant after 8 Gy γ-ray irradiation. Conclusion: The multi-utilization of many biological parameter is hopeful to evaluate the radiosensitivity of tumor cells more objectively and exactly. (authors)

  17. Protease activation involved in resistance of human cells to x-ray cell killing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Hong-Chang; Takahashi, Shuji; Karata, Kiyonobu; Kita, Kazuko; Suzuki, Nobuo

    2003-01-01

    Little is known of proteases that play roles in the early steps of X-ray irradiation response. In the present study, we first searched for proteases whose activity is induced in human RSa-R cells after X-ray irradiation. The activity was identified as fibrinolytic, using 125 I-labeled fibrin as a substrate. Protease samples were prepared by lysation of cells with a buffer containing MEGA-8. RSa-R cells showed an increased level of protease activity 10 min after X-ray (up to 3 Gy) irradiation. We next examined whether this protease inducibility is causally related with the X-ray susceptibility of cells. Leupeptin, a serine-cysteine protease inhibitor, inhibited the protease activity in samples obtained from X-ray-irradiated RSa-R cells. Treatment of RSa-R cells with the inhibitor before and after X-ray irradiation resulted in an increased susceptibility of the cells to X-ray cell killing. However, the treatment of cells with other inhibitors tested did not modulate the X-ray susceptibility. These results suggest that leupeptin-sensitive proteases are involved in the resistance of human cells to X-ray cell killing. (author)

  18. The role of CD133 in normal human prostate stem cells and malignant cancer-initiating cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vander Griend, Donald J; Karthaus, Wouter L; Dalrymple, Susan; Meeker, Alan; DeMarzo, Angelo M; Isaacs, John T

    2008-12-01

    Resolving the specific cell of origin for prostate cancer is critical to define rational targets for therapeutic intervention and requires the isolation and characterization of both normal human prostate stem cells and prostate cancer-initiating cells (CIC). Single epithelial cells from fresh normal human prostate tissue and prostate epithelial cell (PrEC) cultures derived from them were evaluated for the presence of subpopulations expressing stem cell markers and exhibiting stem-like growth characteristics. When epithelial cell suspensions containing cells expressing the stem cell marker CD133+ are inoculated in vivo, regeneration of stratified human prostate glands requires inductive prostate stromal cells. PrEC cultures contain a small subpopulation of CD133+ cells, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting-purified CD133+ PrECs self-renew and regenerate cell populations expressing markers of transit-amplifying cells (DeltaNp63), intermediate cells (prostate stem cell antigen), and neuroendocrine cells (CD56). Using a series of CD133 monoclonal antibodies, attachment and growth of CD133+ PrECs requires surface expression of full-length glycosylated CD133 protein. Within a series of androgen receptor-positive (AR+) human prostate cancer cell lines, CD133+ cells are present at a low frequency, self-renew, express AR, generate phenotypically heterogeneous progeny negative for CD133, and possess an unlimited proliferative capacity, consistent with CD133+ cells being CICs. Unlike normal adult prostate stem cells, prostate CICs are AR+ and do not require functional CD133. This suggests that (a) AR-expressing prostate CICs are derived from a malignantly transformed intermediate cell that acquires "stem-like activity" and not from a malignantly transformed normal stem cell and (b) AR signaling pathways are a therapeutic target for prostate CICs.

  19. Retroviral-mediated transfer and expression of human β-globin genes in cultured murine and human erythroid cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weber-Benarous, A.; Cone, R.D.; London, I.M.; Mulligan, R.C.

    1988-01-01

    The authors cloned human β-globin DNA sequences from a genomic library prepared from DNA isolated from the human leukemia cell line K562 and have used the retroviral vector pZip-NeoSV(X)1 to introduce a 3.0-kilobase segment encompassing the globin gene into mouse erythroleukemia cells. Whereas the endogenous K562 β-globin gene is repressed in K562 cells, when introduced into mouse erythroleukemia cells by retroviral-mediated gene transfer, the β-globin gene from K562 cells was transcribed and induced 5-20-fold after treatment of the cells with dimethyl sulfoxide. The transcripts were correctly initiated, and expression and regulation of the K562 gene were identical to the expression of a normal human β-globin gene transferred into mouse erythroleukemia cells in the same way. They have also introduced the normal human β-globin gene into K562 cells using the same retrovirus vector. SP6 analysis of the RNA isolated from the transduced cells showed that the normal β-globin gene was transcribed at a moderately high level, before or after treatment with hemin. Based on these data, they suggest that the lack of expression of the endogenous β-globin gene in K562 cells does not result from an alteration in the gene itself and may not result from a lack of factor(s) necessary for β-lobin gene transcription. Retroviral-mediated transfer of the human β-globin gene may, however, uniquely influence expression of the gene K562 cells

  20. A practical guide for the identification of membrane and plasma membrane proteins in human embryonic stem cells and human embryonal carcinoma cells.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dormeyer, W.; van Hoof, D.; Mummery, C.L.; Krijgsveld, J.; Heck, A.

    2008-01-01

    The identification of (plasma) membrane proteins in cells can provide valuable insights into the regulation of their biological processes. Pluripotent cells such as human embryonic stem cells and embryonal carcinoma cells are capable of unlimited self-renewal and share many of the biological

  1. Generation of hepatocyte- and endocrine pancreatic-like cells from human induced endodermal progenitor cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sambathkumar, Rangarajan; Akkerman, Renate; Dastidar, Sumitava; Roelandt, Philip; Kumar, Manoj; Bajaj, Manmohan; Mestre Rosa, Ana Rita; Helsen, Nicky; Vanslembrouck, Veerle; Kalo, Eric; Khurana, Satish; Laureys, Jos; Gysemans, Conny; Faas, Marijke M; de Vos, Paul; Verfaillie, Catherine M

    2018-01-01

    Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells (MAPCs) are one potential stem cell source to generate functional hepatocytes or β-cells. However, human MAPCs have less plasticity than pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), as their ability to generate endodermal cells is not robust. Here we studied the role of 14

  2. Reconstituting development of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia from primary human pancreas duct cells

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Jonghyeob; Snyder, Emily R.; Liu, Yinghua; Gu, Xueying; Wang, Jing; Flowers, Brittany M.; Kim, Yoo Jung; Park, Sangbin; Szot, Gregory L.; Hruban, Ralph H.; Longacre, Teri A.; Kim, Seung K.

    2017-01-01

    Development of systems that reconstitute hallmark features of human pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanINs), the precursor to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, could generate new strategies for early diagnosis and intervention. However, human cell-based PanIN models with defined mutations are unavailable. Here, we report that genetic modification of primary human pancreatic cells leads to development of lesions resembling native human PanINs. Primary human pancreas duct cells harbouring...

  3. Antibody repertoires in humanized NOD-scid-IL2Rγ(null mice and human B cells reveals human-like diversification and tolerance checkpoints in the mouse.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gregory C Ippolito

    Full Text Available Immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human hematopoietic stem cells enable the in vivo study of human hematopoiesis. In particular, NOD-scid-IL2Rγ(null engrafted mice have been shown to have reasonable levels of T and B cell repopulation and can mount T-cell dependent responses; however, antigen-specific B-cell responses in this model are generally poor. We explored whether developmental defects in the immunoglobulin gene repertoire might be partly responsible for the low level of antibody responses in this model. Roche 454 sequencing was used to obtain over 685,000 reads from cDNA encoding immunoglobulin heavy (IGH and light (IGK and IGL genes isolated from immature, naïve, or total splenic B cells in engrafted NOD-scid-IL2Rγ(null mice, and compared with over 940,000 reads from peripheral B cells of two healthy volunteers. We find that while naïve B-cell repertoires in humanized mice are chiefly indistinguishable from those in human blood B cells, and display highly correlated patterns of immunoglobulin gene segment use, the complementarity-determining region H3 (CDR-H3 repertoires are nevertheless extremely diverse and are specific for each individual. Despite this diversity, preferential D(H-J(H pairings repeatedly occur within the CDR-H3 interval that are strikingly similar across all repertoires examined, implying a genetic constraint imposed on repertoire generation. Moreover, CDR-H3 length, charged amino-acid content, and hydropathy are indistinguishable between humans and humanized mice, with no evidence of global autoimmune signatures. Importantly, however, a statistically greater usage of the inherently autoreactive IGHV4-34 and IGKV4-1 genes was observed in the newly formed immature B cells relative to naïve B or total splenic B cells in the humanized mice, a finding consistent with the deletion of autoreactive B cells in humans. Overall, our results provide evidence that key features of the primary repertoire are shaped by

  4. The association between human papillomavirus and oropharyngeal squamous cell Carcinoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walvik, Lena; Svensson, Amanda Björk; Friborg, Jeppe

    2016-01-01

    carcinoma using the Bradford Hill criteria. The strength of the association is supported by, detection of human papillomavirus infection and antibodies prior to oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. This is furthermore reinforced by the absence of human papillomavirus DNA in healthy tonsils...... incidence in human papillomavirus positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma is associated with sexual behaviour. These associations have been repeatedly observed and are in accordance with our current knowledge. The time relation between cause and effect remains the main challenge, due to the lack...... of well-defined premalignant lesions. However, a causal relationship between human papillomavirus infection and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma seems evident....

  5. Neocortical glial cell numbers in human brains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelvig, D P; Pakkenberg, H; Stark, A K; Pakkenberg, B

    2008-11-01

    Stereological cell counting was applied to post-mortem neocortices of human brains from 31 normal individuals, age 18-93 years, 18 females (average age 65 years, range 18-93) and 13 males (average age 57 years, range 19-87). The cells were differentiated in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia and neurons and counting were done in each of the four lobes. The study showed that the different subpopulations of glial cells behave differently as a function of age; the number of oligodendrocytes showed a significant 27% decrease over adult life and a strong correlation to the total number of neurons while the total astrocyte number is constant through life; finally males have a 28% higher number of neocortical glial cells and a 19% higher neocortical neuron number than females. The overall total number of neocortical neurons and glial cells was 49.3 billion in females and 65.2 billion in males, a difference of 24% with a high biological variance. These numbers can serve as reference values in quantitative studies of the human neocortex.

  6. Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Macrophages for Unraveling Human Macrophage Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hanrui; Reilly, Muredach P

    2017-11-01

    Despite a substantial appreciation for the critical role of macrophages in cardiometabolic diseases, understanding of human macrophage biology has been hampered by the lack of reliable and scalable models for cellular and genetic studies. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived macrophages (IPSDM), as an unlimited source of subject genotype-specific cells, will undoubtedly play an important role in advancing our understanding of the role of macrophages in human diseases. In this review, we summarize current literature in the differentiation and characterization of IPSDM at phenotypic, functional, and transcriptomic levels. We emphasize the progress in differentiating iPSC to tissue resident macrophages, and in understanding the ontogeny of in vitro differentiated IPSDM that resembles primitive hematopoiesis, rather than adult definitive hematopoiesis. We review the application of IPSDM in modeling both Mendelian genetic disorders and host-pathogen interactions. Finally, we highlighted the potential areas of research using IPSDM in functional validation of coronary artery disease loci in genome-wide association studies, functional genomic analyses, drug testing, and cell therapeutics in cardiovascular diseases. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  7. Generation of Functional Thymic Epithelium from Human Embryonic Stem Cells that Supports Host T Cell Development

    OpenAIRE

    Parent, Audrey V.; Russ, Holger A.; Khan, Imran S.; LaFlam, Taylor N.; Metzger, Todd C.; Anderson, Mark S.; Hebrok, Matthias

    2013-01-01

    Inducing immune tolerance to prevent rejection is a key step toward successful engraftment of stem-cell-derived tissue in a clinical setting. Using human pluripotent stem cells to generate thymic epithelial cells (TECs) capable of supporting T cell development represents a promising approach to reach this goal; however, progress toward generating functional TECs has been limited. Here, we describe a robust in vitro method to direct differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into th...

  8. Induction of apoptosis by eugenol in human breast cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vidhya, N.; Niranjali Devaraj, S.

    2011-01-01

    In the present study, potential anticancer effect of eugenol on inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells was investigated. Induction of cell death by eugenol was evaluated following MTT assay and monitoring lactate dehydrogenase released into the culture medium for cell viability and cytotoxicity, giemsa staining for morphological alterations, fluorescence microscopy analysis of cells using ethidium bromide and acridine orange and quantitation of DNA fragments for induction of apoptosis. Effect of eugenol on intracellular redox status of the human breast cancer cells was assessed by determining the level of glutathione and lipid peroxidation products (TBARS). Eugenol treatment inhibited the growth and proliferation of human MCF-7 breast cancer cells through induction of cell death, which was dose and time dependent. Microscopic examination of eugenol treated cells showed cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing and apoptotic body formation. Further, eugenol treatment also depleted the level of intracellular glutathione and increased the level of lipid peroxidation. The dose dependent increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells and DNA fragments suggested that apoptosis was involved in eugenol induced cell death and apoptosis might have played a role in the chemopreventive action of eugenol. (author)

  9. Human influenza viruses and CD8(+) T cell responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Emma J; Quiñones-Parra, Sergio M; Clemens, E Bridie; Kedzierska, Katherine

    2016-02-01

    Influenza A viruses (IAVs) cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite new strain-specific vaccines being available annually. As IAV-specific CD8(+) T cells promote viral control in the absence of neutralizing antibodies, and can mediate cross-reactive immunity toward distinct IAVs to drive rapid recovery from both mild and severe influenza disease, there is great interest in developing a universal T cell vaccine. However, despite detailed studies in mouse models of influenza virus infection, there is still a paucity of data on human epitope-specific CD8(+) T cell responses to IAVs. This review focuses on our current understanding of human CD8(+) T cell immunity against distinct IAVs and discusses the possibility of achieving a CD8(+) T cell mediated-vaccine that protects against multiple, distinct IAV strains across diverse human populations. We also review the importance of CD8(+) T cell immunity in individuals highly susceptible to severe influenza infection, including those hospitalised with influenza, the elderly and Indigenous populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Nonsense-Mediated RNA Decay Influences Human Embryonic Stem Cell Fate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Hong Lou

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD is a highly conserved pathway that selectively degrades specific subsets of RNA transcripts. Here, we provide evidence that NMD regulates early human developmental cell fate. We found that NMD factors tend to be expressed at higher levels in human pluripotent cells than in differentiated cells, raising the possibility that NMD must be downregulated to permit differentiation. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs demonstrated that, indeed, NMD downregulation is essential for efficient generation of definitive endoderm. RNA-seq analysis identified NMD target transcripts induced when NMD is suppressed in hESCs, including many encoding signaling components. This led us to test the role of TGF-β and BMP signaling, which we found NMD acts through to influence definitive endoderm versus mesoderm fate. Our results suggest that selective RNA decay is critical for specifying the developmental fate of specific human embryonic cell lineages.

  11. Comparative study of human embryonic stem cells (hESC and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC as a treatment for retinal dystrophies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Riera

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Retinal dystrophies (RD are major causes of familial blindness and are characterized by progressive dysfunction of photoreceptor and/or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE cells. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the therapeutic effects of two pluripotent stem cell (PSC-based therapies. We differentiated RPE from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs or human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs and transplanted them into the subretinal space of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS rat. Once differentiated, cells from either source of PSC resembled mature RPE in their morphology and gene expression profile. Following transplantation, both hESC- and hiPSC-derived cells maintained the expression of specific RPE markers, lost their proliferative capacity, established tight junctions, and were able to perform phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments. Remarkably, grafted areas showed increased numbers of photoreceptor nuclei and outer segment disk membranes. Regardless of the cell source, human transplants protected retina from cell apoptosis, glial stress and accumulation of autofluorescence, and responded better to light stimuli. Altogether, our results show that hESC- and hiPSC-derived cells survived, migrated, integrated, and functioned as RPE in the RCS rat retina, providing preclinical evidence that either PSC source could be of potential benefit for treating RD.

  12. Comparative study of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) as a treatment for retinal dystrophies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riera, Marina; Fontrodona, Laura; Albert, Silvia; Ramirez, Diana Mora; Seriola, Anna; Salas, Anna; Muñoz, Yolanda; Ramos, David; Villegas-Perez, Maria Paz; Zapata, Miguel Angel; Raya, Angel; Ruberte, Jesus; Veiga, Anna; Garcia-Arumi, Jose

    2016-01-01

    Retinal dystrophies (RD) are major causes of familial blindness and are characterized by progressive dysfunction of photoreceptor and/or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the therapeutic effects of two pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-based therapies. We differentiated RPE from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and transplanted them into the subretinal space of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat. Once differentiated, cells from either source of PSC resembled mature RPE in their morphology and gene expression profile. Following transplantation, both hESC- and hiPSC-derived cells maintained the expression of specific RPE markers, lost their proliferative capacity, established tight junctions, and were able to perform phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments. Remarkably, grafted areas showed increased numbers of photoreceptor nuclei and outer segment disk membranes. Regardless of the cell source, human transplants protected retina from cell apoptosis, glial stress and accumulation of autofluorescence, and responded better to light stimuli. Altogether, our results show that hESC- and hiPSC-derived cells survived, migrated, integrated, and functioned as RPE in the RCS rat retina, providing preclinical evidence that either PSC source could be of potential benefit for treating RD. PMID:27006969

  13. Ethacrynic acid: a novel radiation enhancer in human carcinoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khil, Mark S.; Sang, Hie Kim; Pinto, John T.; Jae, Ho Kim

    1996-01-01

    Purpose: Because agents that interfere with thiol metabolism and glutathione S-transferase (GST) functions have been shown to enhance antitumor effects of alkylating agents in vitro and in vivo, the present study was conceived on the basis that an inhibitor of GST would enhance the radiation response of some selected human carcinoma cells. Ethacrynic acid (EA) was chosen for the study because it is an effective inhibitor of GST and is a well known diuretic in humans. Methods and Materials: Experiments were carried out with well-established human tumor cells in culture growing in Eagle's minimum essential medium (MEM) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Cell lines used were MCF-7, MCF-7 adriamycin resistant (AR) cells (breast carcinoma), HT-29 cells (colon carcinoma), DU-145 cells (prostate carcinoma), and U-373 cells (malignant glioma). Cell survival following the exposure of cells to drug alone, radiation alone, and a combined treatment was assayed by determining the colony-forming ability of single plated cells in culture to obtain dose-survival curves. The drug enhancement ratio was correlated with levels of GST. Results: The cytotoxicity of EA was most pronounced in MCF-7, U-373, and DU-145 cells compared to MCF-7 AR and HT-29 cells. The levels of GST activity were found to be lower in those EA-sensitive cells. A significant radiation enhancement was obtained with EA-sensitive cells exposed to nontoxic concentrations of the drug immediately before or after irradiation. The sensitizer enhancement ratio (SER) of MCF-7 cells was 1.55 with EA (20 μg/ml), while the SER of MCF-7 AR was less than 1.1. Based on five different human tumor cells, a clear inverse relationship was demonstrated between the magnitude of SER and GST levels of tumor cells prior to the combined treatment. Conclusion: The present results suggest that EA, which acts as both a reversible and irreversible inhibitor of GST activity, could significantly enhance the radiation response of

  14. Strand displacement amplification for ultrasensitive detection of human pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wei; Mao, Yiping; Zhao, Shiming; Lu, Xuewen; Liang, Xingguo; Zeng, Lingwen

    2015-06-30

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), provide a powerful model system for studies of cellular identity and early mammalian development, which hold great promise for regenerative medicine. It is necessary to develop a convenient method to discriminate hPSCs from other cells in clinics and basic research. Herein, a simple and reliable biosensor for stem cell detection was established. In this biosensor system, stage-specific embryonic antigen-3 (SSEA-3) and stage-specific embryonic antigen-4 (SSEA-4) were used to mark human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Antibody specific for SSEA-3 was coated onto magnetic beads for hPSCs enrichment, and antibody specific for SSEA-4 was conjugated with carboxyl-modified tDNA sequence which was used as template for strand displacement amplification (SDA). The amplified single strand DNA (ssDNA) was detected with a lateral flow biosensor (LFB). This biosensor is capable of detecting a minimum of 19 human embryonic stem cells by a strip reader and 100 human embryonic stem cells by the naked eye within 80min. This approach has also shown excellent specificity to distinguish hPSCs from other types of cells, showing that it is promising for specific and handy detection of human pluripotent stem cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Human X chromosome inactivation and reactivation: implications for cell reprogramming and disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantone, Irene; Fisher, Amanda G

    2017-11-05

    X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an exemplar of epigenetic regulation that is set up as pluripotent cells differentiate. Once established, XCI is stably propagated, but can be reversed in vivo or by pluripotent reprogramming in vitro Although reprogramming provides a useful model for inactive X (Xi) reactivation in mouse, the relative instability and heterogeneity of human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem cells hampers comparable progress in human. Here we review studies aimed at reactivating the human Xi using different reprogramming strategies. We outline our recent results using mouse ES cells to reprogramme female human fibroblasts by cell-cell fusion. We show that pluripotent reprogramming induces widespread and rapid chromatin remodelling in which the human Xi loses XIST and H3K27m3 enrichment and selected Xi genes become reactivated, ahead of mitotic division. Using RNA sequencing to map the extent of human Xi reactivation, and chromatin-modifying drugs to potentiate reactivation, we outline how this approach could be used to better design strategies to re-express human X-linked loci. As cell fusion induces the expression of human pluripotency genes that represent both the 'primed' and 'naive' states, this approach may also offer a fresh opportunity to segregate human pluripotent states with distinct Xi expression profiles, using single-cell-based approaches.This article is part of the themed issue 'X-chromosome inactivation: a tribute to Mary Lyon'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  16. Culture models of human mammary epithelial cell transformation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stampfer, Martha R.; Yaswen, Paul

    2000-11-10

    Human pre-malignant breast diseases, particularly ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)3 already display several of the aberrant phenotypes found in primary breast cancers, including chromosomal abnormalities, telomerase activity, inactivation of the p53 gene and overexpression of some oncogenes. Efforts to model early breast carcinogenesis in human cell cultures have largely involved studies in vitro transformation of normal finite lifespan human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) to immortality and malignancy. We present a model of HMEC immortal transformation consistent with the know in vivo data. This model includes a recently described, presumably epigenetic process, termed conversion, which occurs in cells that have overcome stringent replicative senescence and are thus able to maintain proliferation with critically short telomeres. The conversion process involves reactivation of telomerase activity, and acquisition of good uniform growth in the absence and presence of TFGB. We propose th at overcoming the proliferative constraints set by senescence, and undergoing conversion, represent key rate-limiting steps in human breast carcinogenesis, and occur during early stage breast cancer progression.

  17. Cell cycle regulation in human embryonic stem cells: links to adaptation to cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barta, Tomas; Dolezalova, Dasa; Holubcova, Zuzana; Hampl, Ales

    2013-03-01

    Cell cycle represents not only a tightly orchestrated mechanism of cell replication and cell division but it also plays an important role in regulation of cell fate decision. Particularly in the context of pluripotent stem cells or multipotent progenitor cells, regulation of cell fate decision is of paramount importance. It has been shown that human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) show unique cell cycle characteristics, such as short doubling time due to abbreviated G1 phase; these properties change with the onset of differentiation. This review summarizes the current understanding of cell cycle regulation in hESCs. We discuss cell cycle properties as well as regulatory machinery governing cell cycle progression of undifferentiated hESCs. Additionally, we provide evidence that long-term culture of hESCs is accompanied by changes in cell cycle properties as well as configuration of several cell cycle regulatory molecules.

  18. Differentiation, Evaluation, and Application of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Endothelial Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yang; Gil, Chang-Hyun; Yoder, Mervin C

    2017-11-01

    The emergence of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology paves the way to generate large numbers of patient-specific endothelial cells (ECs) that can be potentially delivered for regenerative medicine in patients with cardiovascular disease. In the last decade, numerous protocols that differentiate EC from iPSC have been developed by many groups. In this review, we will discuss several common strategies that have been optimized for human iPSC-EC differentiation and subsequent studies that have evaluated the potential of human iPSC-EC as a cell therapy or as a tool in disease modeling. In addition, we will emphasize the importance of using in vivo vessel-forming ability and in vitro clonogenic colony-forming potential as a gold standard with which to evaluate the quality of human iPSC-EC derived from various protocols. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  19. A review of human cell radiosensitivity in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deschavanne, Patrick J.; Fertil, Bernard

    1996-01-01

    The survival curves of 694 human cell lines irradiated in exponentially growing phase in vitro were collected from the literature. Among them, 271 were derived from tumors, 423 were nontransformed fibroblasts and other normal cell strains from healthy people or people with some genetic disorders. Seventy-six different cell types are identified, and a specific radiosensitivity could be associated with each, using D-bar and surviving fraction at 2 Gy. Technical factors such as culture medium, feeder cells, and scoring method were found to affect intrinsic radiosensitivity. In particular, the cell type is not a discriminating factor when cells are studied in agar. Results obtained with cells irradiated in agar must be used cautiously, depending on how the cells were prepared for the experiments. The use of feeder cells narrows the range of radiosensitivity of human cells. For cells irradiated as monolayer, it was possible to build a scale of radiosensitivity according to cell type, ranging, in terms of D-bar from 0.6 Gy for the most sensitive cell lines to more than 4 Gy for the most resistant. Considering that, in most cases, we could estimate the variation of radiosensitivity within each cell type, our classification among cell types can be used by researchers to place their results in the context of the literature

  20. Regulatory T Cells in Human Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong-Jun Peng

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Multiple layers of suppressive components including regulatory T (TReg cells, suppressive antigen-presenting cells, and inhibitory cytokines form suppressive networks in the ovarian cancer microenvironment. It has been demonstrated that as a major suppressive element, TReg cells infiltrate tumor, interact with several types of immune cells, and mediate immune suppression through different molecular and cellular mechanisms. In this paper, we focus on human ovarian cancer and will discuss the nature of TReg cells including their subsets, trafficking, expansion, and function. We will briefly review the development of manipulation of TReg cells in preclinical and clinical settings.

  1. Billion-scale production of hepatocyte-like cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamashita, Tomoki; Takayama, Kazuo; Sakurai, Fuminori; Mizuguchi, Hiroyuki

    2018-02-19

    Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells are expected to be utilized in drug screening and regenerative medicine. However, hepatocyte-like cells have not been fully used in such applications because it is difficult to produce such cells on a large scale. In this study, we tried to establish a method to mass produce hepatocyte-like cells using a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture bioreactor called the Rotary Cell Culture System (RCCS). RCCS enabled us to obtain homogenous hepatocyte-like cells on a billion scale (>10 9  cells). The gene expression levels of some hepatocyte markers (alpha-1 antitrypsin, cytochrome (CYP) 1A2, CYP2D6, and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha) were higher in 3D-cultured hepatocyte-like cells than in 2D-cultured hepatocyte-like cells. This result suggests that RCCS could provide more suitable conditions for hepatocyte maturation than the conventional 2D cell culture conditions. In addition, more than 90% of hepatocyte-like cells were positive for albumin and could uptake low-density lipoprotein in the culture medium. We succeeded in the large-scale production of homogenous and functional hepatocyte-like cells from human iPS cells. This technology will be useful in drug screening and regenerative medicine, which require enormous numbers of hepatocyte-like cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Abnormal number cell division of human thyroid anaplastic carcinoma cell line, SW 1736

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keiichi Ikeda

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Cell division, during which a mother cell usually divides into two daughter cells during one cell cycle, is the most important physiological event of cell biology. We observed one-to-four cell division during imaging of live SW1736 human thyroid anaplastic carcinoma cells transfected with a plasmid expressing the hybrid protein of green fluorescent protein and histone 2B (plasmid eGFP-H2B. Analysis of the images revealed a mother cell divided into four daughter cells. And one of the abnormally divided daughter cells subsequently formed a dinucleate cell.

  3. Human pluripotent stem cells in modeling human disorders: the case of fragile X syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vershkov, Dan; Benvenisty, Nissim

    2017-01-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) generated from affected blastocysts or from patient-derived somatic cells are an emerging platform for disease modeling and drug discovery. Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the leading cause of inherited intellectual disability, was one of the first disorders modeled in both embryonic stem cells and induced PCSs and can serve as an exemplary case for the utilization of human PSCs in the study of human diseases. Over the past decade, FXS-PSCs have been used to address the fundamental questions regarding the pathophysiology of FXS. In this review we summarize the methodologies for generation of FXS-PSCs, discuss their advantages and disadvantages compared with existing modeling systems and describe their utilization in the study of FXS pathogenesis and in the development of targeted treatment.

  4. Sphere-forming cell subpopulations with cancer stem cell properties in human hepatoma cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Lei

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cancer stem cells (CSCs are regarded as the cause of tumor formation and recurrence. The isolation and identification of CSCs could help to develop novel therapeutic strategies specifically targeting CSCs. Methods Human hepatoma cell lines were plated in stem cell conditioned culture system allowed for sphere forming. To evaluate the stemness characteristics of spheres, the self-renewal, proliferation, chemoresistance, tumorigenicity of the PLC/PRF/5 sphere-forming cells, and the expression levels of stem cell related proteins in the PLC/PRF/5 sphere-forming cells were assessed, comparing with the parental cells. The stem cell RT-PCR array was performed to further explore the biological properties of liver CSCs. Results The PLC/PRF/5, MHCC97H and HepG2 cells could form clonal nonadherent 3-D spheres and be serially passaged. The PLC/PRF/5 sphere-forming cells possessed a key criteria that define CSCs: persistent self-renewal, extensive proliferation, drug resistance, overexpression of liver CSCs related proteins (Oct3/4, OV6, EpCAM, CD133 and CD44. Even 500 sphere-forming cells were able to form tumors in NOD/SCID mice, and the tumor initiating capability was not decreased when spheres were passaged. Besides, downstream proteins DTX1 and Ep300 of the CSL (CBF1 in humans, Suppressor of hairless in Drosophila and LAG1 in C. elegans -independent Notch signaling pathway were highly expressed in the spheres, and a gamma-secretase inhibitor MRK003 could significantly inhibit the sphere formation ability. Conclusions Nonadherent tumor spheres from hepatoma cell lines cultured in stem cell conditioned medium possess liver CSC properties, and the CSL-independent Notch signaling pathway may play a role in liver CSCs.

  5. CULTIVATION OF HUMAN LIVER CELLS AND ADIPOSE-DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STROMAL CELLS IN PERFUSION BIOREACTOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu. В. Basok

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: to show the progress of the experiment of cultivation of human liver cells and adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in perfusion bioreactor.Materials and methods. The cultivation of a cell-engineered construct, consisting of a biopolymer microstructured collagen-containing hydrogel, human liver cells, adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells, and William’s E Medium, was performed in a perfusion bioreactor.Results. On the 7th day large cells with hepatocyte morphology – of a polygonal shape and a centrally located round nucleus, – were present in the culture chambers of the bioreactor. The metabolic activity of hepatocytes in cell-engineered constructs was confi rmed by the presence of urea in the culture medium on the seventh day of cultivation in the bioreactor and by the resorption of a biopolymer microstructured collagen-containing hydrogel.

  6. Titanium phosphate glass microcarriers induce enhanced osteogenic cell proliferation and human mesenchymal stem cell protein expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilay J Lakhkar

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we have developed 50- to 100-µm-sized titanium phosphate glass microcarriers (denoted as Ti5 that show enhanced proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells and MG63 osteosarcoma cells, as well as enhanced human mesenchymal stem cell expression of bone differentiation markers, in comparison with commercially available glass microspheres at all time points. We also demonstrate that these microcarriers provide superior human mesenchymal stem cell proliferation with conventional Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle medium than with a specially developed commercial stem cell medium. The microcarrier proliferative capacity is revealed by a 24-fold increase in MG63 cell numbers in spinner flask bioreactor studies performed over a 7-day period, versus only a 6-fold increase in control microspheres under the same conditions; the corresponding values of Ti5 and control microspheres under static culture are 8-fold and 7-fold, respectively. The capability of guided osteogenic differentiation is confirmed by ELISAs for bone morphogenetic protein-2 and osteopontin, which reveal significantly greater expression of these markers, especially osteopontin, by human mesenchymal stem cells on the Ti5 microspheres than on the control. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy images reveal favorable MG63 and human mesenchymal stem cell adhesion on the Ti5 microsphere surfaces. Thus, the results demonstrate the suitability of the developed microspheres for use as microcarriers in bone tissue engineering applications.

  7. HLA‐G modulates the radiosensitivity of human neoplastic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Michelin, Severino; Gallegos, Cristina; Baffa Trasci, Sofía; Dubner, Diana; Favier, B.; Carosella, E.D.

    2011-01-01

    Tumor cells show a very broad range of radiosensitivities. The differential radiosensitivity may depend on many factors, being the efficiency to recognize and/or repair the DNA lesion, and the cell cycle control mechanisms, the most important (Jeggo and Lavin, 2009; Kumala et al., 2003). Human leukocyte antigen‐G (HLA‐G) is a non‐classical HLA class I molecule involved in fetus protection form the maternal immune system, transplant tolerance, and viral and tumoral immune escape (Carosella et al., 2008). It has been determined that gamma radiation modulates HLA‐G expression at the plasma membrane of human melanoma cells. However, its role in tumoral radiosensitivity has not been demonstrated yet. The objective of this work was to determine if the radiosensitivity of human neoplastic cell lines cultured in vitro was mediated by HLA‐G expression. (authors)

  8. Cell adhesion-mediated radioresistance (CAM-RR). Extracellular matrix-dependent improvement of cell survival in human tumor and normal cells in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cordes, N.; Meineke, V.

    2003-01-01

    Background: Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) contact is thought to have great impact on cellular mechanisms resulting in increased cell survival upon exposure to ionizing radiation. Several human tumor cell lines and normal human fibroblastic cell strains of different origin, all of them expressing the wide-spread and important integrin subunit β1, were irradiated, and clonogenic cell survival, β1-integrin cell surface expression, and adhesive functionality were investigated. Material and Methods: Human tumor cell lines A172 (glioblastoma), PATU8902 (pancreas carcinoma), SKMES1 (lung carcinoma), A549 (lung carcinoma), and IPC298 (melanoma) as well as normal human skin (HSF1) and lung fibroblasts (CCD32) and human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were irradiated with 0-8 Gy. Besides colony formation assays, β1-integrin cell surface expression by flow cytometry and adhesive functionality by adhesion assays were analyzed. Results: All cell lines showed improved clonogenic survival after irradiation in the presence of fibronectin as compared to plastic. Irradiated cells exhibited a significant, dose-dependent increase in β1-integrin cell surface expression following irradiation. As a parameter of the adhesive functionality of the β1-integrin, a radiation-dependent elevation of cell adhesion to fibronectin in comparison with adhesion to plastic was demonstrated. Conclusion: The in vitro cellular radiosensitivity is highly influenced by fibronectin according to the phenomenon of cell adhesion-mediated radioresistance. Additionally, our emerging data question the results of former and current in vitro cytotoxicity studies performed in the absence of an ECM. These findings might also be important for the understanding of malignant transformation, anchorage-independent cell growth, optimization of radiotherapeutic regimes and the prevention of normal tissue side effects on the basis of experimental radiobiological data. (orig.)

  9. Derivation of Stromal (Skeletal, Mesenchymal) Stem-like cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mahmood, Amer; Harkness, Linda; Abdallah, Basem

    2012-01-01

    EBs using BMP2 (bone morphogenic protein 2) combined with standard osteoblast induction medium led to weak osteoblastic induction. Conversely, subcutaneous in vivo implantation of day 20 hEBs in immune deficient mice, mixed with hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP) as an osteoconductive scaffold......Derivation of bone forming cells (osteoblasts) from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) is a pre-requisite for their use in clinical applications. However, there is no standard protocol for differentiating hESC into osteoblastic cells. The aim of this study was to identify the emergence of a human...... stromal (mesenchymal, skeletal) stem cell (hMSC)-like population, known to be osteoblastic cell precursors and to test their osteoblastic differentiation capacity in ex vivo cultures and in vivo. We cultured hESC in a feeder-free environment using serum replacement and as suspension aggregates (embryoid...

  10. DNA repair in human cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Regan, J.D.; Carrier, W.L.; Kusano, I.; Furuno-Fukushi, I.; Dunn, W.C. Jr.; Francis, A.A.; Lee, W.H.

    1982-01-01

    Our primary objective is to elucidate the molecular events in human cells when cellular macromolecules such as DNA are damaged by radiation or chemical agents. We study and characterize (i) the sequence of DNA repair events, (ii) the various modalities of repair, (iii) the genetic inhibition of repair due to mutation, (iv) the physiological inhibition of repair due to mutation, (v) the physiological inhibition of repair due to biochemical inhibitors, and (vi) the genetic basis of repair. Our ultimate goals are to (i) isolate and analyze the repair component of the mutagenic and/or carcinogenic event in human cells, and (ii) elucidate the magnitude and significance of this repair component as it impinges on the practical problems of human irradiation or exposure to actual or potential chemical mutagens and carcinogens. The significance of these studies lies in (i) the ubiquitousness of repair (most organisms, including man, have several complex repair systems), (ii) the belief that mutagenic and carcinogenic events may arise only from residual (nonrepaired) lesions or that error-prone repair systems may be the major induction mechanisms of the mutagenic or carcinogenic event, and (iii) the clear association of repair defects and highly carcinogenic disease states in man [xeroderma pigmentosum (XP)

  11. In vitro transdifferentiation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to photoreceptor-like cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yukari Komuta

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Direct reprogramming is a promising, simple and low-cost approach to generate target cells from somatic cells without using induced pluripotent stem cells. Recently, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs have attracted considerable attention as a somatic cell source for reprogramming. As a cell source, PBMCs have an advantage over dermal fibroblasts with respect to the ease of collecting tissues. Based on our studies involving generation of photosensitive photoreceptor cells from human iris cells and human dermal fibroblasts by transduction of photoreceptor-related transcription factors via retrovirus vectors, we transduced these transcription factors into PBMCs via Sendai virus vectors. We found that retinal disease-related genes were efficiently detected in CRX-transduced cells, most of which are crucial to photoreceptor functions. In functional studies, a light-induced inward current was detected in some CRX-transduced cells. Moreover, by modification of the culture conditions including additional transduction of RAX1 and NEUROD1, we found a greater variety of retinal disease-related genes than that observed in CRX-transduced PBMCs. These data suggest that CRX acts as a master control gene for reprogramming PBMCs into photoreceptor-like cells and that our induced photoreceptor-like cells might contribute to individualized drug screening and disease modeling of inherited retinal degeneration.

  12. Radiation-induced inhibition of human endothelial cells replicating in culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeGowin, R.L.; Lewis, L.J.; Mason, R.E.; Borke, M.K.; Hoak, J.C.

    1976-01-01

    The radiosensitivity of some tumors may depend upon the sensitivity of their microvasculature to radiation. Heretofore, the dose-response of human endothelial cells replicating in tissue culture has not been published. In studies reported here, we exposed flasks containing 4 to 7 x 10 4 genetically identical human endothelial cells to doses of x irradiation from 125 to 1000 rad. During the phase of logarithmic growth, cell counts were compared to those of an unirradiated control to construct a dose--response curve. Similar studies were performed with normal fibroblasts. We found that 160 rad suppressed endothelial cell replication by 37 percent. Although recovery was evident with doses of 500 rad, no net increase in cell number occurred in 3 weeks in flasks of endothelial cells that received 750 or 1000 rad. Fibroblasts were slightly less sensitive under these conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a radiation dose--response curve for human endothelial cells replicating in culture

  13. Characterization of cryopreserved primary human corneal endothelial cells cultured in human serum-supplemented media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucas Monferrari Monteiro Vianna

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare cryopreserved human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs grown in human serum-supplemented media (HS-SM with cryopreserved HCECs grown in fetal bovine serum-supplemented media (FBS-SM. Methods: Three pairs of human corneas from donors aged 8, 28, and 31 years were obtained from the eye bank. From each pair, one cornea was used to start a HCEC culture using HS-SM; the other cornea was grown in FBS-SM. On reaching confluence, the six cell populations were frozen using 10% dimethyl sulfoxidecontaining medium. Thawed cells grown in HS-SM were compared with those grown in FBS-SM with respect to morphology, growth curves, immunohistochemistry, real time-reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR for endothelial cell markers, and detachment time. Results: No difference in morphology was observed for cells grown in the two media before or after cryopreservation. By growth curves, cell counts after thawing were similar in both media, with a slight trend toward higher cell counts in FBS-SM. Cells grown in both the media demonstrated a similar expression of endothelial cell markers when assessed by immunohistochemistry, although HCEC marker gene expression was higher in cells grown in HS-SM than in those grown in FBS-SM as assessed by RT-PCR. With FBS-SM, there was a tendency of longer detachment time and lower cell passages. Conclusions: HS-SM was similar to FBS-SM for cryopreservation of cultured HCECs as assessed by analysis of cell morphology, proliferation, and protein expression, although marker gene expression was higher in cells grown in HS-SM than in those grown in FBS-SM. Detachment time was longer with FBS-SM and in lower passages.

  14. Human Salivary Gland Stem Cells Functionally Restore Radiation Damaged Salivary Glands

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pringle, Sarah; Maimets, Martti; van der Zwaag, Marianne

    2016-01-01

    Adult stem cells are often touted as therapeutic agents in the regenerative medicine field, however data detailing both the engraftment and functional capabilities of solid tissue derived human adult epithelial stem cells is scarce. Here we show the isolation of adult human salivary gland (SG) st...... for the first time that salispheres cultured from human SGs contain stem/progenitor cells capable of self-renewal and differentiation and rescue of saliva production. Our study underpins the therapeutic promise of salisphere cell therapy for the treatment of xerostomia....

  15. A Dimeric Mutant of Human Pancreatic Ribonuclease with Selective Cytotoxicity toward Malignant Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piccoli, Renata; di Gaetano, Sonia; de Lorenzo, Claudia; Grauso, Michela; Monaco, Carmen; Spalletti-Cernia, Daniela; Laccetti, Paolo; Cinatl, Jaroslav; Matousek, Josef; D'Alessio, Giuseppe

    1999-07-01

    Monomeric human pancreatic RNase, devoid of any biological activity other than its RNA degrading ability, was engineered into a dimeric protein with a cytotoxic action on mouse and human tumor cells, but lacking any appreciable toxicity on mouse and human normal cells. This dimeric variant of human pancreas RNase selectively sensitizes to apoptotic death cells derived from a human thyroid tumor. Because of its selectivity for tumor cells, and because of its human origin, this protein represents a potentially very attractive, novel tool for anticancer therapy.

  16. Imaging Proteolysis by Living Human Breast Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mansoureh Sameni

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Malignant progression is accompanied by degradation of extracellular matrix proteins. Here we describe a novel confocal assay in which we can observe proteolysis by living human breast cancer cells (BT20 and BT549 through the use of quenchedfluorescent protein substrates. Degradation thus was imaged, by confocal optical sectioning, as an accumulation of fluorescent products. With the BT20 cells, fluorescence was localized to pericellular focal areas that coincide with pits in the underlying matrix. In contrast, fluorescence was localized to intracellular vesicles in the BT549 cells, vesicles that also label for lysosomal markers. Neither intracellular nor pericellular fluorescence was observed in the BT549 cells in the presence of cytochalasin B, suggesting that degradation occurred intracellularly and was dependent on endocytic uptake of substrate. In the presence of a cathepsin 13-selective cysteine protease inhibitor, intracellular fluorescence was decreased ~90% and pericellular fluorescence decreased 67% to 96%, depending on the protein substrate. Matrix metallo protease inhibitors reduced pericellular fluorescence ~50%, i.e., comparably to a serine and a broad spectrum cysteine protease inhibitor. Our results suggest that: 1 a proteolytic cascade participates in pericellular digestion of matrix proteins by living human breast cancer cells, and 2 the cysteine protease cathepsin B participates in both pericellular and intracellular digestion of matrix proteins by living human breast cancer cells.

  17. Human T-cell responses to oral streptococci in human PBMC-NOD/SCID mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salam, M A; Nakao, R; Yonezawa, H; Watanabe, H; Senpuku, H

    2006-06-01

    We investigated cellular and humoral immune responses to oral biofilm bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus sobrinus, and Streptococcus sanguinis, in NOD/SCID mice immunized with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hu-PBMC-NOD/SCID mice) to explore the pathogenicity of each of those organisms in dental and oral inflammatory diseases. hu-PBMC-NOD/SCID mice were immunized by intraperitoneal injections with the whole cells of the streptococci once a week for 3 weeks. FACS analyses were used to determine the percentages of various hu-T cell types, as well as intracellular cytokine production of interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma. Serum IgG and IgM antibody levels in response to the streptococci were also determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. S. anginosus induced a significant amount of the proinflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in comparison with the other streptococci. However, there was no significant differences between the streptococci in interleukin-4 production by CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells after inoculation. Further, S. mutans significantly induced human anti-S. mutans IgG, IgG(1), IgG(2), and IgM antibodies in comparison with the other organisms. In conclusion, S. anginosus up-regulated Th1 and Tc1 cells, and S. mutans led to increasing levels of their antibodies, which was associated with the induction of Th2 cells. These results may contribute to a better understanding of human lymphocyte interactions to biofilm bacteria, along with their impact on dental and mucosal inflammatory diseases, as well as endocarditis.

  18. Trichodermin induces cell apoptosis through mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress in human chondrosarcoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Su, Chen-Ming; Wang, Shih-Wei; Lee, Tzong-Huei; Tzeng, Wen-Pei; Hsiao, Che-Jen; Liu, Shih-Chia; Tang, Chih-Hsin

    2013-01-01

    Chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary bone tumor, and it responds poorly to both chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Nalanthamala psidii was described originally as Myxosporium in 1926. This is the first study to investigate the anti-tumor activity of trichodermin (trichothec-9-en-4-ol, 12,13-epoxy-, acetate), an endophytic fungal metabolite from N. psidii against human chondrosarcoma cells. We demonstrated that trichodermin induced cell apoptosis in human chondrosarcoma cell lines (JJ012 and SW1353 cells) instead of primary chondrocytes. In addition, trichodermin triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress protein levels of IRE1, p-PERK, GRP78, and GRP94, which were characterized by changes in cytosolic calcium levels. Furthermore, trichodermin induced the upregulation of Bax and Bid, the downregulation of Bcl-2, and the dysfunction of mitochondria, which released cytochrome c and activated caspase-3 in human chondrosarcoma. In addition, animal experiments illustrated reduced tumor volume, which led to an increased number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells and an increased level of cleaved PARP protein following trichodermin treatment. Together, this study demonstrates that trichodermin is a novel anti-tumor agent against human chondrosarcoma cells both in vitro and in vivo via mitochondrial dysfunction and ER stress. - Highlights: • Trichodermin induces chondrosarcoma apoptosis. • ER stress is involved in trichodermin-induced cell death. • Trichodermin induces chondrosarcoma death in vivo.

  19. Trichodermin induces cell apoptosis through mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress in human chondrosarcoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Su, Chen-Ming [Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Wang, Shih-Wei [Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan (China); Lee, Tzong-Huei [Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Tzeng, Wen-Pei [Graduate Institute of Sports and Health, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan (China); Hsiao, Che-Jen [School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Liu, Shih-Chia [Department of Orthopaedics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Tang, Chih-Hsin, E-mail: chtang@mail.cmu.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Department of Biotechnology, College of Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan (China)

    2013-10-15

    Chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary bone tumor, and it responds poorly to both chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Nalanthamala psidii was described originally as Myxosporium in 1926. This is the first study to investigate the anti-tumor activity of trichodermin (trichothec-9-en-4-ol, 12,13-epoxy-, acetate), an endophytic fungal metabolite from N. psidii against human chondrosarcoma cells. We demonstrated that trichodermin induced cell apoptosis in human chondrosarcoma cell lines (JJ012 and SW1353 cells) instead of primary chondrocytes. In addition, trichodermin triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress protein levels of IRE1, p-PERK, GRP78, and GRP94, which were characterized by changes in cytosolic calcium levels. Furthermore, trichodermin induced the upregulation of Bax and Bid, the downregulation of Bcl-2, and the dysfunction of mitochondria, which released cytochrome c and activated caspase-3 in human chondrosarcoma. In addition, animal experiments illustrated reduced tumor volume, which led to an increased number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells and an increased level of cleaved PARP protein following trichodermin treatment. Together, this study demonstrates that trichodermin is a novel anti-tumor agent against human chondrosarcoma cells both in vitro and in vivo via mitochondrial dysfunction and ER stress. - Highlights: • Trichodermin induces chondrosarcoma apoptosis. • ER stress is involved in trichodermin-induced cell death. • Trichodermin induces chondrosarcoma death in vivo.

  20. Dissecting human cerebral organoids and fetal neocortex using single-cell RNAseq

    Science.gov (United States)

    Treutlein, Barbara

    Cerebral organoids - three-dimensional cultures of human cerebral tissue derived from pluripotent stem cells - have emerged as models of human cortical development. However, the extent to which in vitro organoid systems recapitulate neural progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation programs observed in vivo remains unclear. Here we use single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to dissect and compare cell composition and progenitor-to-neuron lineage relationships in human cerebral organoids and fetal neocortex. Covariation network analysis using the fetal neocortex data reveals known and novel interactions among genes central to neural progenitor proliferation and neuronal differentiation. In the organoid, we detect diverse progenitors and differentiated cell types of neuronal and mesenchymal lineages, and identify cells that derived from regions resembling the fetal neocortex. We find that these organoid cortical cells use gene expression programs remarkably similar to those of the fetal tissue in order to organize into cerebral cortex-like regions. Our comparison of in vivo and in vitro cortical single cell transcriptomes illuminates the genetic features underlying human cortical development that can be studied in organoid cultures.

  1. Live cell imaging of in vitro human trophoblast syncytialization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Rui; Dang, Yan-Li; Zheng, Ru; Li, Yue; Li, Weiwei; Lu, Xiaoyin; Wang, Li-Juan; Zhu, Cheng; Lin, Hai-Yan; Wang, Hongmei

    2014-06-01

    Human trophoblast syncytialization, a process of cell-cell fusion, is one of the most important yet least understood events during placental development. Investigating the fusion process in a placenta in vivo is very challenging given the complexity of this process. Application of primary cultured cytotrophoblast cells isolated from term placentas and BeWo cells derived from human choriocarcinoma formulates a biphasic strategy to achieve the mechanism of trophoblast cell fusion, as the former can spontaneously fuse to form the multinucleated syncytium and the latter is capable of fusing under the treatment of forskolin (FSK). Live-cell imaging is a powerful tool that is widely used to investigate many physiological or pathological processes in various animal models or humans; however, to our knowledge, the mechanism of trophoblast cell fusion has not been reported using a live- cell imaging manner. In this study, a live-cell imaging system was used to delineate the fusion process of primary term cytotrophoblast cells and BeWo cells. By using live staining with Hoechst 33342 or cytoplasmic dyes or by stably transfecting enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and DsRed2-Nuc reporter plasmids, we observed finger-like protrusions on the cell membranes of fusion partners before fusion and the exchange of cytoplasmic contents during fusion. In summary, this study provides the first video recording of the process of trophoblast syncytialization. Furthermore, the various live-cell imaging systems used in this study will help to yield molecular insights into the syncytialization process during placental development. © 2014 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

  2. Delocalized Claudin-1 promotes metastasis of human osteosarcoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jian, Yuekui; Chen, Changqiong; Li, Bo; Tian, Xiaobin, E-mail: drtxb_guiyang@sina.com

    2015-10-23

    Tight junction proteins (TJPs) including Claudins, Occludin and tight junction associated protein Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), are the most apical component of junctional complex that mediates cell–cell adhesion in epithelial and endothelial cells. In human malignancies, TJPs are often deregulated and affect cellular behaviors of tumor cells. In this study, we investigated alternations of TJPs and related biological characteristics in human osteosarcoma (OS). Claudin1 was increased in the metastatic OS cells (KRIB and KHOS) compared with the normal osteoblast cells (hFOB1.19) or primary tumor cells (HOS and U2OS), whereas no significant difference was found in Occludin and ZO-1. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and Western blotting revealed that Claudin1 was initially localized at cell junctions of normal osteoblasts, but substantially delocalized to the nucleus of metastatic OS cells. Phenotypically, inhibition of the nucleus Claudin1 expression compromised the metastatic potential of KRIB and KHOS cells. Moreover, we found that protein kinase C (PKC) but not PKA phosphorylation influenced Claudin1 expression and cellular functions, as PKC inhibitor (Go 6983 and Staurosporine) or genetic silencing of PKC reduced Claudin1 expression and decreased the motility of KRIB and KHOS cells. Taken together, our study implied that delocalization of claudin-1 induced by PKC phosphorylation contributes to metastatic capacity of OS cells. - Highlights: • Claudin1 is increased during the malignant transformation of human OS. • Delocalization of Claudin1 in metastatic OS cells. • Silencing nuclear Claudin1 expression inhibits cell invasion of OS. • Deregulated Claudin1 is regulated by PKC.

  3. Dihydroartemisinin inhibits the human erythroid cell differentiation by altering the cell cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finaurini, Sara; Basilico, Nicoletta; Corbett, Yolanda; D’Alessandro, Sarah; Parapini, Silvia; Olliaro, Piero; Haynes, Richard K.; Taramelli, Donatella

    2012-01-01

    Artemisinin derivatives such as dihydroartemisinin (DHA) induce significant depletion of early embryonic erythroblasts in animal models. We have reported previously that DHA specifically targets pro-erythroblasts and basophilic erythroblasts, when human CD34+ stem cells are differentiated toward the erythroid lineage, indicating that a window of susceptibility to artemisinins may exist also in human developmental erythropoiesis during pregnancy. To better investigate the toxicity of artemisinin derivatives, the structure–activity relationship was evaluated against the K562 leukaemia cell line, used as a model for differentiating early human erythroblasts. All artemisinins derivatives, except deoxyartemisinin, inhibited both spontaneous and induced erythroid differentiation, confirming that the peroxide bridge is responsible for the erythro-toxicity. On the contrary, cell growth was markedly reduced by DHA, artemisone and artesunate but not by artemisinin, 10-deoxoartemisinin or deoxy-artemisinin. The substituent at position C-10 is responsible only for the anti-proliferative effect, since 10-deoxoartemisinin did not reduce cell growth but arrested the differentiation of K562 cells. In particular, the results showed that DHA resulted the most potent and rapidly acting compound of the drug family, causing (i) the decreased expression of GpA surface receptors and the down regulation the γ-globin gene; (ii) the alteration of S phase of cell cycle and (iii) the induction of programmed cell death of early erythroblasts in a dose dependent manner within 24 h. In conclusion, these findings confirm that the active metabolite DHA is responsible for the erythro-toxicity of most of artemisinins used in therapy. Thus, as long as no further clinical data are available, current WHO recommendations of avoiding malaria treatment with artemisinins during the first trimester of pregnancy remain valid.

  4. Cell-surface glycoproteins of human sarcomas: differential expression in normal and malignant tissues and cultured cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rettig, W.F.; Garin-Chesa, P.; Beresford, H.R.; Oettgen, H.F.; Melamed, M.R.; Old, L.J.

    1988-01-01

    Normal differentiation and malignant transformation of human cells are characterized by specific changes in surface antigen phenotype. In the present study, the authors have defined six cell-surface antigens of human sarcomas and normal mesenchymal cells, by using mixed hemadsorption assays and immunochemical methods for the analysis of cultured cells and immunohistochemical staining for the analysis of normal tissues and > 200 tumor specimens. Differential patterns of F19, F24, G171, G253, S5, and Thy-1 antigen expression were found to characterize (i) subsets of cultured sarcoma cell lines, (ii) cultured fibroblasts derived from various organs, (iii) normal resting and activated mesenchymal tissues, and (iv) sarcoma and nonmesenchymal tumor tissues. These results provide a basic surface antigenic map for cultured mesenchymal cells and mesenchymal tissues and permit the classification of human sarcomas according to their antigenic phenotypes

  5. Expression of a humanized viral 2A-mediated lux operon efficiently generates autonomous bioluminescence in human cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tingting Xu

    Full Text Available Expression of autonomous bioluminescence from human cells was previously reported to be impossible, suggesting that all bioluminescent-based mammalian reporter systems must therefore require application of a potentially influential chemical substrate. While this was disproven when the bacterial luciferase (lux cassette was demonstrated to function in a human cell, its expression required multiple genetic constructs, was functional in only a single cell type, and generated a significantly reduced signal compared to substrate-requiring systems. Here we investigate the use of a humanized, viral 2A-linked lux genetic architecture for the efficient introduction of an autobioluminescent phenotype across a variety of human cell lines.The lux cassette was codon optimized and assembled into a synthetic human expression operon using viral 2A elements as linker regions. Human kidney, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer cell lines were both transiently and stably transfected with the humanized operon and the resulting autobioluminescent phenotype was evaluated using common imaging instrumentation. Autobioluminescent cells were screened for cytotoxic effects resulting from lux expression and their utility as bioreporters was evaluated through the demonstration of repeated monitoring of single populations over a prolonged period using both a modified E-SCREEN assay for estrogen detection and a classical cytotoxic compound detection assay for the antibiotic Zeocin. Furthermore, the use of self-directed bioluminescent initiation in response to target detection was assessed to determine its amenability towards deployment as fully autonomous sensors. In all cases, bioluminescent measurements were supported with traditional genetic and transcriptomic evaluations.Our results demonstrate that the viral 2A-linked, humanized lux genetic architecture successfully produced autobioluminescent phenotypes in all cell lines tested without the induction of cytotoxicity

  6. Agonist-induced desensitization of human β3-adrenoceptors expressed in human embryonic kidney cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Michel-Reher, Martina B.; Michel, Martin C.

    2013-01-01

    β3-Adrenoceptors are resistant to agonist-induced desensitization in some cell types but susceptible in others including transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. Therefore, we have studied cellular and molecular changes involved in agonist-induced β3-adrenoceptor desensitization in HEK cells.

  7. Human pluripotent stem cells: an emerging model in developmental biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Zengrong; Huangfu, Danwei

    2013-02-01

    Developmental biology has long benefited from studies of classic model organisms. Recently, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells, have emerged as a new model system that offers unique advantages for developmental studies. Here, we discuss how studies of hPSCs can complement classic approaches using model organisms, and how hPSCs can be used to recapitulate aspects of human embryonic development 'in a dish'. We also summarize some of the recently developed genetic tools that greatly facilitate the interrogation of gene function during hPSC differentiation. With the development of high-throughput screening technologies, hPSCs have the potential to revolutionize gene discovery in mammalian development.

  8. Experimental Human Cell and Tissue Models of Pemphigus

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Wier, Gerda; Pas, Hendri H.; Jonkman, Marcel F.

    2010-01-01

    Pemphigus is a chronic mucocutaneous autoimmune bullous disease that is characterized by loss of cell-cell contact in skin and/or mucous membranes. Past research has successfully identified desmosomes as immunological targets and has demonstrated that acantholysis is initiated through direct binding of IgG. The exact mechanisms of acantholysis, however, are still missing. Experimental model systems have contributed considerably to today's knowledge and are still a favourite tool of research. In this paper we will describe to what extent human cell and tissue models represent the in vivo situation, for example, organ cultures of human skin, keratinocyte cultures, and human skin grafted on mice and, furthermore, how suitable they are to study the pathogenesis of pemphigus. Organ cultures closely mimic the architecture of the epidermis but are less suitable to answer posed biochemical questions. Cultured keratinocyte monolayers are convenient in this respect, but their desmosomal make-up in terms of adhesion molecules does not exactly reflect the in vivo situation. Reconstituted skin is a relatively new model that approaches organ culture. In models of human skin grafted on mice, acantholysis can be studied in actual human skin but now with all the advantages of an animal model. PMID:20585596

  9. Generation of Megakaryocytes and Platelets from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pick, Marjorie

    2016-01-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) have the potential to produce any tissue type in the body and thus represent a source of cells for regenerative medicine. Here we have shown that human platelets can be produced from embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells in a defined culture system. We describe a serum- and feeder-free culture system that enabled the generation of megakaryocyte (Mk) progenitors and functional platelets from hPSCs. After 13 days the differentiated population included precursor cells that formed colonies containing differentiated Mks, and after 20 days these Mks were able to fragment into platelet-like particles that were functional. This protocol represents an important step towards the generation of human platelets for therapeutic use.

  10. Analysis of multiple types of human cells subsequent to bioprinting with electrospraying technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, Yu; Chai, Gang; Zhang, Ting; Wang, Xiangsheng; Qu, Miao; Tan, Andy; Bogari, Melia; Zhu, Ming; Lin, Li; Hu, Qingxi; Liu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yan

    2016-12-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate bioprinting with electrospraying technology using multiple types of human cell suspensions as bio-ink, in order to lay the initial foundations for the application of the bioprinting technology in tissue engineering. In the current study, six types of human cells were selected and cultured, including human fibroblasts, human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs), human periodontal ligament cells (HPDLCs), adult human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19), human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human gastric epithelial cell line (GES-1). Each cell type was divided into two groups, the experimental and control group. All the experimental group cells were electrosprayed using an electrospraying printer (voltage, 15 kV; flow rate, 150 µl/min) and collected in a petri dish placed 15 cm away from the needle (needle diameter, 0.5 mm). Subsequently, cell viability was detected by flow cytometry with a Live/Dead Viability kit. In addition, the cell morphological characteristics were observed with a phase-contrast microscope after 6 h of culturing in order to obtain adherent cells, while cell proliferation was analyzed using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The control groups, without printing, were subjected to the same procedures as the experimental groups. The results of the cell viability and proliferation assays indicated a statistically significant difference after printing between the experiments and control groups only for the hADSCs (P0.05). In addition, there were no observable differences between all experimental and the control groups at any examined time point in the terms of cell morphological characteristics. In conclusion, bioprinting based on electrospraying technology demonstrated no distinct negative effect on cell vitality, proliferation and morphology in the present study, and thus the application of this novel technology to cell printing may provide a promising method in tissue engineering.

  11. NKT cell depletion in humans during early HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Caroline S; Kelleher, Anthony D; Finlayson, Robert; Godfrey, Dale I; Kent, Stephen J

    2014-08-01

    Natural killer T (NKT) cells bridge across innate and adaptive immune responses and have an important role in chronic viral infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). NKT cells are depleted during chronic HIV infection, but the timing, drivers and implications of this NKT cell depletion are poorly understood. We studied human peripheral blood NKT cell levels, phenotype and function in 31 HIV-infected subjects not on antiretroviral treatment from a mean of 4 months to 2 years after HIV infection. We found that peripheral CD4(+) NKT cells were substantially depleted and dysfunctional by 4 months after HIV infection. The depletion of CD4(+) NKT cells was more marked than the depletion of total CD4(+) T cells. Further, the early depletion of NKT cells correlated with CD4(+) T-cell decline, but not HIV viral levels. Levels of activated CD4(+) T cells correlated with the loss of NKT cells. Our studies suggest that the early loss of NKT cells is associated with subsequent immune destruction during HIV infection.

  12. Cytotoxicity of four denture adhesives on human gingival fibroblast cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yoon; Ahn, Jin-Soo; Yi, Young-Ah; Chung, Shin-Hye; Yoo, Yeon-Jee; Ju, Sung-Won; Hwang, Ji-Yun; Seo, Deog-Gyu

    2015-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the cytotoxicity of four denture adhesives on human gingival fibroblast cells. Immortalized human gingival fibroblasts were cultured with one of four different denture adhesives, Polident, Protefix, Staydent or Denfix-A, which was placed in insert dishes (10% w/v concentration) for 48 h. The MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay and flow cytometric apoptosis assay were used to evaluate cell viability and apoptosis rates. The fibroblasts were also examined under a scanning electron microscope. The MTT assay showed that all denture adhesives resulted in a significantly lower cell viability compared to the control cells propagated in normal culture medium (p 0.05). Staydent showed the highest apoptosis rate. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the cells of the Staydent group underwent cytoplasmic membrane shrinkage, with cell free areas containing residual fragments of the membrane of dead cells. The four denture adhesives evaluated in this study imparted cytotoxic effects on human gingival fibroblast cells. Staydent showed the highest toxicity.

  13. Hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 2 (HAVCR2) is decreased with viral infection and regulates pro-labour mediators OA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liong, Stella; Lim, Ratana; Barker, Gillian; Lappas, Martha

    2017-07-01

    Intrauterine infection caused by viral infection has been implicated to contribute to preterm birth. Hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 2 (HAVCR2) regulates inflammation in non-gestational tissues in response to viral infection. The aims of this study were to determine the effect of: (i) viral dsRNA analogue polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) on HAVCR2 expression; and (ii) HAVCR2 silencing by siRNA (siHAVCR2) in primary amnion and myometrial cells on poly(I:C)-induced inflammation. In human foetal membranes and myometrium, HAVCR2 mRNA and protein expression was decreased when exposed to poly(I:C). Treatment of primary amnion and myometrial cells with poly(I:C) significantly increased the expression and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF, IL1A, IL1B and IL6; the expression of chemokines CXCL8 and CCL2; the expression and secretion of adhesion molecules ICAM1 and VCAM1; and PTGS2 and PTGFR mRNA expression and the release of prostaglandin PGF 2α . This increase was significantly augmented in cells transfected with siHAVCR2. Furthermore, mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL4 and IL10 was significantly decreased. Collectively, our data suggest that HAVCR2 regulates cytokines, chemokines, prostaglandins and cell adhesion molecules in the presence of viral infection. This suggests a potential for HAVCR2 activators as therapeutics for the management of preterm birth associated with viral infections. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. NCR1 Expression Identifies Canine Natural Killer Cell Subsets with Phenotypic Similarity to Human Natural Killer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Ann Foltz

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Canines spontaneously develop many cancers similar to humans - including osteosarcoma, leukemia, and lymphoma - offering the opportunity to study immune therapies in a genetically heterogeneous and immunocompetent environment. However, a lack of antibodies recognizing canine NK cell markers has resulted in suboptimal characterization and unknown purity of NK cell products, hindering the development of canine models of NK cell adoptive immunotherapy. To this end, we generated a novel antibody to canine NCR1 (NKp46, the putative species-wide marker of NK cells, enabling purification of NK cells for further characterization. We demonstrate that CD3-/NKp46+ cells in healthy and osteosarcoma-bearing canines have phenotypic similarity to human CD3-/NKp46+ NK cells, expressing mRNA for CD16 and the natural cytotoxicity receptors NKp30, NKp44, and NKp80. Functionally, we demonstrate with the calcein release assay that canine CD3-/NKp46+ cells kill canine tumor cell lines without prior sensitization and secrete IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-8, IL-10, and GM-CSF as measured by Luminex. Like human NK cells, CD3-/NKp46+ cells expand rapidly on feeder cells expressing 4-1BBL and membrane-bound IL-21 (median= 20,283-fold in 21 days. Further, we identify a minor Null population (CD3-/CD21-/CD14-/NKp46- with reduced cytotoxicity against osteosarcoma cells, but similar cytokine secretion as CD3-/NKp46+ cells. Null cells in canines and humans have reduced expression of NKG2D, NKp44, and CD16 compared to NKp46+ NK cells, and can be induced to express NKp46 with further expansion on feeder cells. In conclusion, we have identified and characterized canine NK cells, including an NKp46- subset of canine and human NK cells, using a novel anti-canine NKp46 antibody, and report robust ex vivo expansion of canine NK cells sufficient for adoptive immunotherapy.

  15. Comparison of Gene Expression in Human Embryonic Stem Cells, hESC-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbet, Romain; Peiffer, Isabelle; Hatzfeld, Antoinette; Charbord, Pierre; Hatzfeld, Jacques A

    2011-01-01

    We present a strategy to identify developmental/differentiation and plasma membrane marker genes of the most primitive human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs). Using sensitive and quantitative TaqMan Low Density Arrays (TLDA) methodology, we compared the expression of 381 genes in human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs), hESC-derived MSCs (hES-MSCs), and hMSCs. Analysis of differentiation genes indicated that hES-MSCs express the sarcomeric muscle lineage in addition to the classical mesenchymal lineages, suggesting they are more primitive than hMSCs. Transcript analysis of membrane antigens suggests that IL1R1(low), BMPR1B(low), FLT4(low), LRRC32(low), and CD34 may be good candidates for the detection and isolation of the most primitive hMSCs. The expression in hMSCs of cytokine genes, such as IL6, IL8, or FLT3LG, without expression of the corresponding receptor, suggests a role for these cytokines in the paracrine control of stem cell niches. Our database may be shared with other laboratories in order to explore the considerable clinical potential of hES-MSCs, which appear to represent an intermediate developmental stage between hESCs and hMSCs.

  16. Expression of Siglec-11 by human and chimpanzee ovarian stromal cells, with uniquely human ligands: implications for human ovarian physiology and pathology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoxia; Chow, Renee; Deng, Liwen; Anderson, Dan; Weidner, Noel; Godwin, Andrew K; Bewtra, Chanda; Zlotnik, Albert; Bui, Jack; Varki, Ajit; Varki, Nissi

    2011-01-01

    Siglecs (Sialic acid-binding Immunoglobulin Superfamily Lectins) are cell surface signaling receptors of the I-type lectin group that recognize sialic acid-bearing glycans. CD33-related-Siglecs are a subset with expression primarily in cells of hematopoietic origin and functional relevance to immune reactions. Earlier we reported a human-specific gene conversion event that markedly changed the coding region for the extracellular domain of Siglec-11, associated with human-specific expression in microglia (Hayakawa T, Angata T, Lewis AL, Mikkelsen TS, Varki NM, Varki A. 2005. A human-specific gene in microglia. Science. 309:1693). Analyzing human gene microarrays to define new patterns of expression, we observed high levels of SIGLEC11 transcript in the ovary and adrenal cortex. Thus, we examined human and chimpanzee tissues using a well-characterized anti-Siglec-11 mouse monoclonal antibody. Although adrenal expression was variable and confined to infiltrating macrophages in capillaries, ovarian expression of Siglec-11 in both humans and chimpanzees was on fibroblasts, the first example of Siglec expression on mesenchyme-derived stromal cells. Cytokines from such ovarian stromal fibroblasts play important roles in follicle development and ovulation. Stable transfection of SIGLEC11 into a primary human ovarian stromal fibroblast cell line altered the secretion of growth-regulated oncogene α, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-7, transforming growth factor β1 and tumor necrosis factor-α, cytokines involved in ovarian physiology. Probing for Siglec-11 ligands revealed distinct and strong mast cell expression in human ovaries, contrasting to diffuse stromal ligands in chimpanzee ovaries. Interestingly, there was a trend of increased Siglec-11 expression in post-menopausal ovaries compared with pre-menopausal ones. Siglec-11 expression was also found on human ovarian stromal tumors and in polycystic ovarian syndrome, a human-specific disease. These results indicate potential

  17. Acetylcholine release by human colon cancer cells mediates autocrine stimulation of cell proliferation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Kunrong; Samimi, Roxana; Xie, Guofeng; Shant, Jasleen; Drachenberg, Cinthia; Wade, Mark; Davis, Richard J; Nomikos, George; Raufman, Jean-Pierre

    2008-09-01

    Most colon cancers overexpress M3 muscarinic receptors (M3R), and post-M3R signaling stimulates human colon cancer cell proliferation. Acetylcholine (ACh), a muscarinic receptor ligand traditionally regarded as a neurotransmitter, may be produced by nonneuronal cells. We hypothesized that ACh release by human colon cancer cells results in autocrine stimulation of proliferation. H508 human colon cancer cells, which have robust M3R expression, were used to examine effects of muscarinic receptor antagonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, and choline transport inhibitors on cell proliferation. A nonselective muscarinic receptor antagonist (atropine), a selective M3R antagonist (p-fluorohexahydro-sila-difenidol hydrochloride), and a choline transport inhibitor (hemicholinum-3) all inhibited unstimulated H508 colon cancer cell proliferation by approximately 40% (P<0.005). In contrast, two acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (eserine-hemisulfate and bis-9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine) increased proliferation by 2.5- and 2-fold, respectively (P<0.005). By using quantitative real-time PCR, expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), a critical enzyme for ACh synthesis, was identified in H508, WiDr, and Caco-2 colon cancer cells. By using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection, released ACh was detected in H508 and Caco-2 cell culture media. Immunohistochemistry in surgical specimens revealed weak or no cytoplasmic staining for ChAT in normal colon enterocytes (n=25) whereas half of colon cancer specimens (n=24) exhibited moderate to strong staining (P<0.005). We conclude that ACh is an autocrine growth factor in colon cancer. Mechanisms that regulate colon epithelial cell production and release of ACh warrant further investigation.

  18. Differentiation of the SH-SY5Y Human Neuroblastoma Cell Line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipley, Mackenzie M; Mangold, Colleen A; Szpara, Moriah L

    2016-02-17

    Having appropriate in vivo and in vitro systems that provide translational models for human disease is an integral aspect of research in neurobiology and the neurosciences. Traditional in vitro experimental models used in neurobiology include primary neuronal cultures from rats and mice, neuroblastoma cell lines including rat B35 and mouse Neuro-2A cells, rat PC12 cells, and short-term slice cultures. While many researchers rely on these models, they lack a human component and observed experimental effects could be exclusive to the respective species and may not occur identically in humans. Additionally, although these cells are neurons, they may have unstable karyotypes, making their use problematic for studies of gene expression and reproducible studies of cell signaling. It is therefore important to develop more consistent models of human neurological disease. The following procedure describes an easy-to-follow, reproducible method to obtain homogenous and viable human neuronal cultures, by differentiating the chromosomally stable human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y. This method integrates several previously described methods(1-4) and is based on sequential removal of serum from media. The timeline includes gradual serum-starvation, with introduction of extracellular matrix proteins and neurotrophic factors. This allows neurons to differentiate, while epithelial cells are selected against, resulting in a homogeneous neuronal culture. Representative results demonstrate the successful differentiation of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells from an initial epithelial-like cell phenotype into a more expansive and branched neuronal phenotype. This protocol offers a reliable way to generate homogeneous populations of neuronal cultures that can be used for subsequent biochemical and molecular analyses, which provides researchers with a more accurate translational model of human infection and disease.

  19. Isolation of Human Skin Dendritic Cell Subsets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunawan, Merry; Jardine, Laura; Haniffa, Muzlifah

    2016-01-01

    Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized leukocytes with antigen-processing and antigen-presenting functions. DCs can be divided into distinct subsets by anatomical location, phenotype and function. In human, the two most accessible tissues to study leukocytes are peripheral blood and skin. DCs are rare in human peripheral blood (skin covering an average total surface area of 1.8 m(2) has approximately tenfold more DCs than the average 5 L of total blood volume (Wang et al., J Invest Dermatol 134:965-974, 2014). DCs migrate spontaneously from skin explants cultured ex vivo, which provide an easy method of cell isolation (Larsen et al., J Exp Med 172:1483-1493, 1990; Lenz et al., J Clin Invest 92:2587-2596, 1993; Nestle et al., J Immunol 151:6535-6545, 1993). These factors led to the extensive use of skin DCs as the "prototype" migratory DCs in human studies. In this chapter, we detail the protocols to isolate DCs and resident macrophages from human skin. We also provide a multiparameter flow cytometry gating strategy to identify human skin DCs and to distinguish them from macrophages.

  20. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from human fetal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guillot, Pascale V

    2016-02-01

    Pluripotency defines the ability of stem cells to differentiate into all the lineages of the three germ layers and self-renew indefinitely. Somatic cells can regain the developmental potential of embryonic stem cells following ectopic expression of a set of transcription factors or, in certain circumstances, via modulation of culture conditions and supplementation with small molecule, that is, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Here, we discuss the use of fetal tissues for reprogramming, focusing in particular on stem cells derived from human amniotic fluid, and the development of chemical reprogramming. We next address the advantages and disadvantages of deriving pluripotent cells from fetal tissues and the potential clinical applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Human mesenchymal stem cells suppress donor CD4(+) T cell proliferation and reduce pathology in a humanized mouse model of acute graft-versus-host disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tobin, L M; Healy, M E; English, K; Mahon, B P

    2013-05-01

    Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a life-threatening complication following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), occurring in up to 30-50% of patients who receive human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling transplants. Current therapies for steroid refractory aGVHD are limited, with the prognosis of patients suboptimal. Mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSC), a heterogeneous cell population present in many tissues, display potent immunomodulatory abilities. Autologous and allogeneic ex-vivo expanded human MSC have been utilized to treat aGVHD with promising results, but the mechanisms of therapeutic action remain unclear. Here a robust humanized mouse model of aGVHD based on delivery of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to non-obese diabetic (NOD)-severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) interleukin (IL)-2rγ(null) (NSG) mice was developed that allowed the exploration of the role of MSC in cell therapy. MSC therapy resulted in the reduction of liver and gut pathology and significantly increased survival. Protection was dependent upon the timing of MSC therapy, with conventional MSC proving effective only after delayed administration. In contrast, interferon (IFN)-γ-stimulated MSC were effective when delivered with PBMC. The beneficial effect of MSC therapy in this model was not due to the inhibition of donor PBMC chimerism, as CD45(+) and T cells engrafted successfully in this model. MSC therapy did not induce donor T cell anergy, FoxP3(+) T regulatory cells or cause PBMC apoptosis in this model; however, it was associated with the direct inhibition of donor CD4(+) T cell proliferation and reduction of human tumour necrosis factor-α in serum. © 2012 British Society for Immunology.

  2. Glycoconjugates reveal diversity of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandasamy, Majury; Roll, Lars; Langenstroth, Daniel; Brüstle, Oliver; Faissner, Andreas

    2017-06-01

    Neural stem cells (NSCs) have the ability to self-renew and to differentiate into various cell types of the central nervous system. This potential can be recapitulated by human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in vitro. The differentiation capacity of hiPSCs is characterized by several stages with distinct morphologies and the expression of various marker molecules. We used the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) 487 LeX , 5750 LeX and 473HD to analyze the expression pattern of particular carbohydrate motifs as potential markers at six differentiation stages of hiPSCs. Mouse ESCs were used as a comparison. At the pluripotent stage, 487 LeX -, 5750 LeX - and 473HD-related glycans were differently expressed. Later, cells of the three germ layers in embryoid bodies (hEBs) and, even after neuralization of hEBs, subpopulations of cells were labeled with these surface antibodies. At the human rosette-stage of NSCs (hR-NSC), LeX- and 473HD-related epitopes showed antibody-specific expression patterns. We also found evidence that these surface antibodies could be used to distinguish the hR-NSCs from the hSR-NSCs stages. Characterization of hNSCs FGF-2/EGF derived from hSR-NSCs revealed that both LeX antibodies and the 473HD antibody labeled subpopulations of hNSCs FGF-2/EGF . Finally, we identified potential LeX carrier molecules that were spatiotemporally regulated in early and late stages of differentiation. Our study provides new insights into the regulation of glycoconjugates during early human stem cell development. The mAbs 487 LeX , 5750 LeX and 473HD are promising tools for identifying distinct stages during neural differentiation.

  3. Human mast cell and airway smooth muscle cell interactions: implications for asthma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Page, S; Ammit, A J; Black, J L; Armour, C L

    2001-12-01

    Asthma is characterized by inflammation, hyperresponsiveness, and remodeling of the airway. Human mast cells (HMCs) play a central role in all of these changes by releasing mediators that cause exaggerated bronchoconstriction, induce human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cell proliferation, and recruit and activate inflammatory cells. Moreover, the number of HMCs present on asthmatic HASM is increased compared with that on nonasthmatic HASM. HASM cells also have the potential to actively participate in the inflammatory process by synthesizing cytokines and chemokines and expressing surface molecules, which have the capacity to perpetuate the inflammatory mechanisms present in asthma. This review specifically examines how the mediators of HMCs have the capacity to modulate many functions of HASM; how the synthetic function of HASM, particularly through the release and expression of stem cell factor, has the potential to influence HMC number and activation in an extraordinarily potent and proinflammatory manner; and how these interactions between HMCs and HASM have potential consequences for airway structure and inflammation relevant to the disease process of asthma.

  4. Single-cell cloning and expansion of human induced pluripotent stem cells by a microfluidic culture device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumura, Taku; Tatsumi, Kazuya; Noda, Yuichiro; Nakanishi, Naoyuki; Okonogi, Atsuhito; Hirano, Kunio; Li, Liu; Osumi, Takashi; Tada, Takashi; Kotera, Hidetoshi

    2014-10-10

    The microenvironment of cells, which includes basement proteins, shear stress, and extracellular stimuli, should be taken into consideration when examining physiological cell behavior. Although microfluidic devices allow cellular responses to be analyzed with ease at the single-cell level, few have been designed to recover cells. We herein demonstrated that a newly developed microfluidic device helped to improve culture conditions and establish a clonality-validated human pluripotent stem cell line after tracing its growth at the single-cell level. The device will be a helpful tool for capturing various cell types in the human body that have not yet been established in vitro. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. FGF7 and cell density are required for final differentiation of pancreatic amylase-positive cells from human ES cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takizawa-Shirasawa, Sakiko; Yoshie, Susumu; Yue, Fengming; Mogi, Akimi; Yokoyama, Tadayuki; Tomotsune, Daihachiro; Sasaki, Katsunori

    2013-12-01

    The major molecular signals of pancreatic exocrine development are largely unknown. We examine the role of fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7) in the final induction of pancreatic amylase-containing exocrine cells from induced-pancreatic progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem (hES) cells. Our protocol consisted in three steps: Step I, differentiation of definitive endoderm (DE) by activin A treatment of hES cell colonies; Step II, differentiation of pancreatic progenitor cells by re-plating of the cells of Step I onto 24-well plates at high density and stimulation with all-trans retinoic acid; Step III, differentiation of pancreatic exocrine cells with a combination of FGF7, glucagon-like peptide 1 and nicotinamide. The expression levels of pancreatic endodermal markers such as Foxa2, Sox17 and gut tube endoderm marker HNF1β were up-regulated in both Step I and II. Moreover, in Step III, the induced cells expressed pancreatic markers such as amylase, carboxypeptidase A and chymotrypsinogen B, which were similar to those in normal human pancreas. From day 8 in Step III, cells immunohistochemically positive for amylase and for carboxypeptidase A, a pancreatic exocrine cell product, were induced by FGF7. Pancreatic progenitor Pdx1-positive cells were localized in proximity to the amylase-positive cells. In the absence of FGF7, few amylase-positive cells were identified. Thus, our three-step culture protocol for human ES cells effectively induces the differentiation of amylase- and carboxypeptidase-A-containing pancreatic exocrine cells.

  6. Human Endothelial Cells: Use of Heparin in Cloning and Long-Term Serial Cultivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornton, Susan C.; Mueller, Stephen N.; Levine, Elliot M.

    1983-11-01

    Endothelial cells from human blood vessels were cultured in vitro, with doubling times of 17 to 21 hours for 42 to 79 population doublings. Cloned human endothelial cell strains were established for the first time and had similar proliferative capacities. This vigorous cell growth was achieved by addition of heparin to culture medium containing reduced concentrations of endothelial cell growth factor. The routine cloning and long-term culture of human endothelial cells will facilitate studying the human endothelium in vitro.

  7. DNA fork displacement rates in human cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kapp, L.N.; Painter, R.B.

    1981-01-01

    DNA fork displacement rates were measured in 20 human cell lines by a bromodeoxyuridine-313 nm photolysis technique. Cell lines included representatives of normal diploid, Fanconi's anemia, ataxia telangiectasia, xeroderma pigmentosum, trisomy-21 and several transformed lines. The average value for all the cell lines was 0.53 +- 0.08 μm/min. The average value for individual cell lines, however, displayed a 30% variation. Less than 10% of variation in the fork displacement rate appears to be due to the experimental technique; the remainder is probably due to true variation among the cell types and to culture conditions. (Auth.)

  8. DNA fork displacement rates in human cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kapp, L.N.; Painter, R.B. (California Univ., San Francisco (USA). Lab. of Radiobiology)

    1981-11-27

    DNA fork displacement rates were measured in 20 human cell lines by a bromodeoxyuridine-313 nm photolysis technique. Cell lines included representatives of normal diploid, Fanconi's anemia, ataxia telangiectasia, xeroderma pigmentosum, trisomy-21 and several transformed lines. The average value for all the cell lines was 0.53 +- 0.08 ..mu..m/min. The average value for individual cell lines, however, displayed a 30% variation. Less than 10% of variation in the fork displacement rate appears to be due to the experimental technique; the remainder is probably due to true variation among the cell types and to culture conditions.

  9. Activated human mast cells induce LOX-1-specific scavenger receptor expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mervi Alanne-Kinnunen

    Full Text Available Activated mast cells in atherosclerotic lesions degranulate and release bioactive compounds capable of regulating atherogenesis. Here we examined the ability of activated human primary mast cells to regulate the expression of the major scavenger receptors in cultured human primary monocyte-derived macrophages (HMDMs.Components released by immunologically activated human primary mast cells induced a transient expression of lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1 mRNA in HMDMs, while the expression of two other scavenger receptors, MSR1 and CD36, remained unaffected. The LOX-1-inducing secretory components were identified as histamine, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1, which exhibited a synergistic effect on LOX-1 mRNA expression. Histamine induced a transient expression of LOX-1 protein. Mast cell -induced increase in LOX-1 expression was not associated with increased uptake of oxidized LDL by the macrophages.Mast cell-derived histamine, TNF-α, and TGF-β1 act in concert to induce a transient increase in LOX-1 expression in human primary monocyte-derived macrophages. The LOX-1-inducing activity potentially endows mast cells a hitherto unrecognized role in the regulation of innate immune reactions in atherogenesis.

  10. Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines from human dermal fibroblasts using a non-integration system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyung-Ok Uhm

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available We generated human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs from dermal fibroblasts using a Sendai virus (SeV-based gene delivery method. The generated hiPSC line, KSCBi002-A, has a normal karyotype (46,XY. The pluripotency and differentiation capacity were characterized by comparison with those of a human embryonic stem cell line. This cell line is registered and available from the National Stem Cell Bank, Korea National Institute of Health.

  11. Efficacy and Safety of Human Retinal Progenitor Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semo, Ma'ayan; Haamedi, Nasrin; Stevanato, Lara; Carter, David; Brooke, Gary; Young, Michael; Coffey, Peter; Sinden, John; Patel, Sara; Vugler, Anthony

    2016-01-01

    Purpose We assessed the long-term efficacy and safety of human retinal progenitor cells (hRPC) using established rodent models. Methods Efficacy of hRPC was tested initially in Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) dystrophic rats immunosuppressed with cyclosporine/dexamethasone. Due to adverse effects of dexamethasone, this drug was omitted from a subsequent dose-ranging study, where different hRPC doses were tested for their ability to preserve visual function (measured by optokinetic head tracking) and retinal structure in RCS rats at 3 to 6 months after grafting. Safety of hRPC was assessed by subretinal transplantation into wild type (WT) rats and NIH-III nude mice, with analysis at 3 to 6 and 9 months after grafting, respectively. Results The optimal dose of hRPC for preserving visual function/retinal structure in dystrophic rats was 50,000 to 100,000 cells. Human retinal progenitor cells integrated/survived in dystrophic and WT rat retina up to 6 months after grafting and expressed nestin, vimentin, GFAP, and βIII tubulin. Vision and retinal structure remained normal in WT rats injected with hRPC and there was no evidence of tumors. A comparison between dexamethasone-treated and untreated dystrophic rats at 3 months after grafting revealed an unexpected reduction in the baseline visual acuity of dexamethasone-treated animals. Conclusions Human retinal progenitor cells appear safe and efficacious in the preclinical models used here. Translational Relevance Human retinal progenitor cells could be deployed during early stages of retinal degeneration or in regions of intact retina, without adverse effects on visual function. The ability of dexamethasone to reduce baseline visual acuity in RCS dystrophic rats has important implications for the interpretation of preclinical and clinical cell transplant studies. PMID:27486556

  12. Survey of radiosensitivity in a variety of human cell strains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arlett, C.F.; Harcourt, S.A.

    1980-03-01

    Gamma-ray sensitivity for cell killing was assayed in 54 human cell strains, including some derived from individuals suffering from certain hereditary diseases. The overall range of Do values in this study was 38 to 180 rads, indicating a considerable range of variability in humans. The normal sensitivity was described by a range of Do values of 97 to 180 rads. All ten ataxia telangiectasia cell strains tested proved radiosensitive and gave a mean Do value of 57 +- 15 (S.E.) rads, and these represent the most radiosensitive human skin fibroblasts currently available. Representative cell strains from familial retinoblastoma, Fanconi's anemia, and Hutchinson-Gilford progeria occupied positions of intermediate sensitivity, as did one of two ataxia telangiectasia heterozygotes. Six xeroderma pigmentosum cell strains together with two Cockayne's syndrome cell strains (all known to be sensitive to ultraviolet light) fell into the normal range, indicating an absence of cross-sensitivity between ultraviolet light and gamma-irradiation.

  13. Generation of functional podocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Osele Ciampi

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Generating human podocytes in vitro could offer a unique opportunity to study human diseases. Here, we describe a simple and efficient protocol for obtaining functional podocytes in vitro from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Cells were exposed to a three-step protocol, which induced their differentiation into intermediate mesoderm, then into nephron progenitors and, finally, into mature podocytes. After differentiation, cells expressed the main podocyte markers, such as synaptopodin, WT1, α-Actinin-4, P-cadherin and nephrin at the protein and mRNA level, and showed the low proliferation rate typical of mature podocytes. Exposure to Angiotensin II significantly decreased the expression of podocyte genes and cells underwent cytoskeleton rearrangement. Cells were able to internalize albumin and self-assembled into chimeric 3D structures in combination with dissociated embryonic mouse kidney cells. Overall, these findings demonstrate the establishment of a robust protocol that, mimicking developmental stages, makes it possible to derive functional podocytes in vitro.

  14. FMSP-Nanoparticles Induced Cell Death on Human Breast Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (MCF-7 Cells: Morphometric Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Firdos Alam Khan

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Currently, breast cancer treatment mostly revolves around radiation therapy and surgical interventions, but often these treatments do not provide satisfactory relief to the patients and cause unmanageable side-effects. Nanomaterials show promising results in treating cancer cells and have many advantages such as high biocompatibility, bioavailability and effective therapeutic capabilities. Interestingly, fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles have been used in many biological and diagnostic applications, but there is no report of use of fluorescent magnetic submicronic polymer nanoparticles (FMSP-nanoparticles in the treatment of human breast cancer cells. In the present study, we tested the effect of FMSP-nanoparticles on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7. We tested different concentrations (1.25, 12.5 and 50 µg/mL of FMSP-nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells and evaluated the nanoparticles response morphometrically. Our results revealed that FMSP-nanoparticles produced a concentration dependent effect on the cancer cells, a dose of 1.25 µg/mL produced no significant effect on the cancer cell morphology and cell death, whereas dosages of 12.5 and 50 µg/mL resulted in significant nuclear augmentation, disintegration, chromatic condensation followed by dose dependent cell death. Our results demonstrate that FMSP-nanoparticles induce cell death in MCF-7 cells and may be a potential anti-cancer agent for breast cancer treatment.

  15. Sequential cancer mutations in cultured human intestinal stem cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drost, Jarno; van Jaarsveld, Richard H.; Ponsioen, Bas; Zimberlin, Cheryl; van Boxtel, Ruben; Buijs, Arjan; Sachs, Norman; Overmeer, René M.; Offerhaus, G. Johan; Begthel, Harry; Korving, Jeroen; van de Wetering, Marc; Schwank, Gerald; Logtenberg, Meike; Cuppen, Edwin; Snippert, Hugo J.; Medema, Jan Paul; Kops, Geert J. P. L.; Clevers, Hans

    2015-01-01

    Crypt stem cells represent the cells of origin for intestinal neoplasia. Both mouse and human intestinal stem cells can be cultured in medium containing the stem-cell-niche factors WNT, R-spondin, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and noggin over long time periods as epithelial organoids that remain

  16. Physical passaging of embryoid bodies generated from human pluripotent stem cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mi-Young Son

    Full Text Available Spherical three-dimensional cell aggregates called embryoid bodies (EBs, have been widely used in in vitro differentiation protocols for human pluripotent stem cells including human embryonic stem cells (hESCs and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs. Recent studies highlight the new devices and techniques for hEB formation and expansion, but are not involved in the passaging or subculture process. Here, we provide evidence that a simple periodic passaging markedly improved hEB culture condition and thus allowed the size-controlled, mass production of human embryoid bodies (hEBs derived from both hESCs and hiPSCs. hEBs maintained in prolonged suspension culture without passaging (>2 weeks showed a progressive decrease in the cell growth and proliferation and increase in the apoptosis compared to 7-day-old hEBs. However, when serially passaged in suspension, hEB cell populations were significantly increased in number while maintaining the normal rates of cell proliferation and apoptosis and the differentiation potential. Uniform-sized hEBs produced by manual passaging using a 1∶4 split ratio have been successfully maintained for over 20 continuous passages. The passaging culture method of hEBs, which is simple, readily expandable, and reproducible, could be a powerful tool for improving a robust and scalable in vitro differentiation system of human pluripotent stem cells.

  17. Gallic Acid Induces Apoptosis in Human Gastric Adenocarcinoma Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Chung-Lin; Chiu, Ying-Ming; Ho, Tin-Yun; Hsieh, Chin-Tung; Shieh, Dong-Chen; Lee, Yi-Ju; Tsay, Gregory J; Wu, Yi-Ying

    2018-04-01

    Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers with a poor prognosis and high mortality rate worldwide. Current treatment of gastric cancer includes surgery and chemotherapy as the main modalities, but the potentially severe side-effects of chemotherapy present a considerable challenge. Gallic acid is a trihydroxybenzoic acid found to exert an anticancer effect against a variety of cancer cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-cancer activity of Galla chinensis and its main component gallic acid on human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. MTT assay and cell death ELISA were used to determine the apoptotic effect of Gallic Chinensis and gallic acid on human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. To determine the pathway and relevant components by which gallic acid-induced apoptosis is mediated through, cells were transfected with siRNA (Fas, FasL, DR5, p53) using Lipofectamine 2000. Reults: Gallic Chinensis and gallic acid induced apoptosis of human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Gallic acid induced up-regulation of Fas, FasL, and DR5 expression in AGS cells. Transfection of cells with Fas, FasL, or DR5 siRNA reduced gallic acid-induced cell death. In addition, p53 was shown to be involved in gallic acid-mediated Fas, FasL, and DR5 expression as well as cell apoptosis in AGS cells. These results suggest that gallic acid has a potential role in the treatment of gastric cancer. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  18. Molecular characterisation of stromal populations derived from human embryonic stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Harkness, L.; Twine, N. A.; Abu Dawud, R.

    2015-01-01

    Human bone marrow-derived stromal (skeletal) stem cells (BM-hMSC) are being employed in an increasing number of clinical trials for tissue regeneration. A limiting factor for their clinical use is the inability to obtain sufficient cell numbers. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) can provide an un...

  19. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection induces non-apoptotic cell death of human dendritic cells

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ryan, Ruth CM

    2011-10-24

    Abstract Background Dendritic cells (DCs) connect innate and adaptive immunity, and are necessary for an efficient CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response after infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). We previously described the macrophage cell death response to Mtb infection. To investigate the effect of Mtb infection on human DC viability, we infected these phagocytes with different strains of Mtb and assessed viability, as well as DNA fragmentation and caspase activity. In parallel studies, we assessed the impact of infection on DC maturation, cytokine production and bacillary survival. Results Infection of DCs with live Mtb (H37Ra or H37Rv) led to cell death. This cell death proceeded in a caspase-independent manner, and without nuclear fragmentation. In fact, substrate assays demonstrated that Mtb H37Ra-induced cell death progressed without the activation of the executioner caspases, 3\\/7. Although the death pathway was triggered after infection, the DCs successfully underwent maturation and produced a host-protective cytokine profile. Finally, dying infected DCs were permissive for Mtb H37Ra growth. Conclusions Human DCs undergo cell death after infection with live Mtb, in a manner that does not involve executioner caspases, and results in no mycobactericidal effect. Nonetheless, the DC maturation and cytokine profile observed suggests that the infected cells can still contribute to TB immunity.

  20. HCG-Activated Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC Promote Trophoblast Cell Invasion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nan Yu

    Full Text Available Successful embryo implantation and placentation depend on appropriate trophoblast invasion into the maternal endometrial stroma. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG is one of the earliest embryo-derived secreted signals in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC that abundantly expresses hCG receptors. The aims of this study were to estimate the effect of human embryo-secreted hCG on PBMC function and investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of activated PBMC in trophoblast invasion. Blood samples were collected from women undergoing benign gynecological surgery during the mid-secretory phase. PBMC were isolated and stimulated with or without hCG for 0 or 24 h. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF expressions in PBMC were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR. The JAR cell line served as a model for trophoblast cells and was divided into four groups: control, hCG only, PBMC only, and PBMC with hCG. JAR cell invasive and proliferative abilities were detected by trans-well and CCK8 assays and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2 (MMP-2, MMP-9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 expressions in JAR cells were detected by western blotting and real-time PCR analysis. We found that hCG can remarkably promote IL-1β and LIF promotion in PBMC after 24-h culture. PBMC activated by hCG significantly increased the number of invasive JAR cells in an invasion assay without affecting proliferation, and hCG-activated PBMC significantly increased MMP-2, MMP-9, and VEGF and decreased TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expressions in JAR cells in a dose-dependent manner. This study demonstrated that hCG stimulates cytokine secretion in human PBMC and could stimulate trophoblast invasion.

  1. Characterization of primary human mammary epithelial cells isolated and propagated by conditional reprogrammed cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Liting; Qu, Ying; Gomez, Liliana J; Chung, Stacey; Han, Bingchen; Gao, Bowen; Yue, Yong; Gong, Yiping; Liu, Xuefeng; Amersi, Farin; Dang, Catherine; Giuliano, Armando E; Cui, Xiaojiang

    2018-02-20

    Conditional reprogramming methods allow for the inexhaustible in vitro proliferation of primary epithelial cells from human tissue specimens. This methodology has the potential to enhance the utility of primary cell culture as a model for mammary gland research. However, few studies have systematically characterized this method in generating in vitro normal human mammary epithelial cell models. We show that cells derived from fresh normal breast tissues can be propagated and exhibit heterogeneous morphologic features. The cultures are composed of CK18, desmoglein 3, and CK19-positive luminal cells and vimentin, p63, and CK14-positive myoepithelial cells, suggesting the maintenance of in vivo heterogeneity. In addition, the cultures contain subpopulations with different CD49f and EpCAM expression profiles. When grown in 3D conditions, cells self-organize into distinct structures that express either luminal or basal cell markers. Among these structures, CK8-positive cells enclosing a lumen are capable of differentiation into milk-producing cells in the presence of lactogenic stimulus. Furthermore, our short-term cultures retain the expression of ERα, as well as its ability to respond to estrogen stimulation. We have investigated conditionally reprogrammed normal epithelial cells in terms of cell type heterogeneity, cellular marker expression, and structural arrangement in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) systems. The conditional reprogramming methodology allows generation of a heterogeneous culture from normal human mammary tissue in vitro . We believe that this cell culture model will provide a valuable tool to study mammary cell function and malignant transformation.

  2. Human thymic epithelial cells express functional HLA-DP molecules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, A; Röpke, C; Nielsen, M

    1996-01-01

    T lymphocytes, we examined whether human thymic epithelial cells (TEC) expressed HLA-DP molecules. We present evidence that TEC obtained from short time culture express low but significant levels of HLA-DP molecules. The expression of HLA-DP molecules was comparable to or higher than the expression...... of HLA-DP allospecific primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) CD4 T cell lines. IFN-gamma treatment strongly upregulated the HLA-DP allospecific PLT responses whereas other PLT responses remained largely unchanged. In conclusion, these data indicate that human thymus epithelial cells express significant levels...

  3. New paradigms for metabolic modeling of human cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mardinoglu, Adil; Nielsen, Jens

    2015-01-01

    review recent work on reconstruction of GEMs for human cell/tissue types and cancer, and the use of GEMs for identification of metabolic changes occurring in response to disease development. We further discuss how GEMs can be used for the development of efficient therapeutic strategies. Finally......, challenges in integration of cell/tissue models for simulation of whole body functions as well as integration of GEMs with other biological networks for generating complete cell/tissue models are presented.......Abnormalities in cellular functions are associated with the progression of human diseases, often resulting in metabolic reprogramming. GEnome-scale metabolic Models (GEMs) have enabled studying global metabolic reprogramming in connection with disease development in a systematic manner. Here we...

  4. Generation, isolation, and maintenance of human mast cells and mast cell lines derived from peripheral blood or cord blood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rådinger, Madeleine; Jensen, Bettina M; Kuehn, Hye Sun

    2010-01-01

    Antigen-mediated mast cell activation is a pivotal step in the initiation of allergic disorders including anaphylaxis and atopy. To date, studies aimed at investigating the mechanisms regulating these responses, and studies designed to identify potential ways to prevent them, have primarily been...... conducted in rodent mast cells. However, to understand how these responses pertain to human disease, and to investigate and develop novel therapies for the treatment of human mast cell-driven disease, human mast cell models may have greater relevance. Recently, a number of systems have been developed...... to allow investigators to readily obtain sufficient quantities of human mast cells to conduct these studies. These mast cells release the appropriate suite of inflammatory mediators in response to known mast cell activators including antigen. These systems have also been employed to examine the signaling...

  5. Human papilloma virus DNAs immortalize normal human mammary epithelial cells and reduce their growth factor requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Band, V.; Zajchowski, D.; Kulesa, V.; Sager, R.

    1990-01-01

    Human papilloma virus (HPV) types 16 and 18 are most commonly associated with cervical carcinoma in patients and induce immortalization of human keratinocytes in culture. HPV has not been associated with breast cancer. This report describes the immortalization of normal human mammary epithelial cells (76N) by plasmid pHPV18 or pHPV16, each containing the linearized viral genome. Transfectants were grown continuously for more than 60 passages, whereas 76N cells senesce after 18-20 passages. The transfectants also differ from 76N cells in cloning in a completely defined medium called D2 and growing a minimally supplemented defined medium (D3) containing epidermal growth factor. All transfectant tested contain integrated HPV DNA, express HPV RNA, and produce HPV E7 protein. HPV transfectants do not form tumors in a nude mouse assay. It is concluded that products of the HPV genome induce immortalization of human breast epithelial cells and reduce their growth factor requirements. This result raises the possibility that HPV might be involved in breast cancer. Furthermore, other tissue-specific primary epithelial cells that are presently difficult to grown and investigate may also be immortalized by HPV

  6. Cell-autonomous intracellular androgen receptor signaling drives the growth of human prostate cancer initiating cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vander Griend, Donald J; D'Antonio, Jason; Gurel, Bora; Antony, Lizamma; Demarzo, Angelo M; Isaacs, John T

    2010-01-01

    The lethality of prostate cancer is due to the continuous growth of cancer initiating cells (CICs) which are often stimulated by androgen receptor (AR) signaling. However, the underlying molecular mechanism(s) for such AR-mediated growth stimulation are not fully understood. Such mechanisms may involve cancer cell-dependent induction of tumor stromal cells to produce paracrine growth factors or could involve cancer cell autonomous autocrine and/or intracellular AR signaling pathways. We utilized clinical samples, animal models and a series of AR-positive human prostate cancer cell lines to evaluate AR-mediated growth stimulation of prostate CICs. The present studies document that stromal AR expression is not required for prostate cancer growth, since tumor stroma surrounding AR-positive human prostate cancer metastases (N = 127) are characteristically AR-negative. This lack of a requirement for AR expression in tumor stromal cells is also documented by the fact that human AR-positive prostate cancer cells grow equally well when xenografted in wild-type versus AR-null nude mice. AR-dependent growth stimulation was documented to involve secretion, extracellular binding, and signaling by autocrine growth factors. Orthotopic xenograft animal studies documented that the cellautonomous autocrine growth factors which stimulate prostate CIC growth are not the andromedins secreted by normal prostate stromal cells. Such cell autonomous and extracellular autocrine signaling is necessary but not sufficient for the optimal growth of prostate CICs based upon the response to anti-androgen plus/or minus preconditioned media. AR-induced growth stimulation of human prostate CICs requires AR-dependent intracellular pathways. The identification of such AR-dependent intracellular pathways offers new leads for the development of effective therapies for prostate cancer. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  7. Interleukin-33 induces mucin gene expression and goblet cell hyperplasia in human nasal epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishinaga, Hajime; Kitano, Masako; Toda, Masaaki; D'Alessandro-Gabazza, Corina N; Gabazza, Esteban C; Shah, Said Ahmad; Takeuchi, Kazuhiko

    2017-02-01

    We investigated whether IL-33 is involved in mucus overproduction and goblet cell hyperplasia in eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS). IL-33 mRNA was significantly higher in the eosinophilic CRS group than in the non-eosinophilic CRS group from human nasal polyps. IL-33 induced MUC5AC mRNA and MUC5AC protein, and also goblet cell hyperplasia at air liquid interface culture in human nasal epithelial cells. In addition to that, IL-33 induced MUC5B and FOXA3, and reduces FOXJmRNA. In conclusion, our present study demonstrated that the direct evidence of IL-33 which lead to increase mucin gene and protein expression, as well as goblet cell hyperplasia. This study provides novel insights into the role of IL-33 on mucus overproduction in eosinophilic inflammation of human airways. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Transvaginal ultrasound versus magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative assessment of myometrial infiltration in patients with endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Objective To compare the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting myometrial infiltration (MI) in endometrial carcinoma. Methods An extensive search of papers comparing TVS and MRI in assessing MI in endometrial cancer was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, and Cochrane Database from January 1989 to January 2017. Quality was assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Results Our extended search identified 747 citations but after exclusions we finally included in the meta-analysis 8 articles. The risk of bias for most studies was low for most 4 domains assessed in QUADAS-2. Overall, pooled estimated sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing deep MI were 75% (95% confidence interval [CI]=67%–82%) and 82% (95% CI=75%–93%) for TVS, and 83% (95% CI=76%–89%) and 82% (95% CI=72%–89%) for MRI, respectively. No statistical differences were found when comparing both methods (p=0.314). Heterogeneity was low for sensitivity and high for specificity for TVS and MRI. Conclusion MRI showed a better sensitivity than TVS for detecting deep MI in women with endometrial cancer. However, the difference observed was not statistically significant. PMID:29027404

  9. Directed Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Microglia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panagiotis Douvaras

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Microglia, the immune cells of the brain, are crucial to proper development and maintenance of the CNS, and their involvement in numerous neurological disorders is increasingly being recognized. To improve our understanding of human microglial biology, we devised a chemically defined protocol to generate human microglia from pluripotent stem cells. Myeloid progenitors expressing CD14/CX3CR1 were generated within 30 days of differentiation from both embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs. Further differentiation of the progenitors resulted in ramified microglia with highly motile processes, expressing typical microglial markers. Analyses of gene expression and cytokine release showed close similarities between iPSC-derived (iPSC-MG and human primary microglia as well as clear distinctions from macrophages. iPSC-MG were able to phagocytose and responded to ADP by producing intracellular Ca2+ transients, whereas macrophages lacked such response. The differentiation protocol was highly reproducible across several pluripotent stem cell lines.

  10. Nicotinamide extends replicative lifespan of human cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Hyun Tae; Lee, Hyung Il; Hwang, Eun Seong

    2006-10-01

    We found that an ongoing application of nicotinamide to normal human fibroblasts not only attenuated expression of the aging phenotype but also increased their replicative lifespan, causing a greater than 1.6-fold increase in the number of population doublings. Although nicotinamide by itself does not act as an antioxidant, the cells cultured in the presence of nicotinamide exhibited reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative damage products associated with cellular senescence, and a decelerated telomere shortening rate without a detectable increase in telomerase activity. Furthermore, in the treated cells growing beyond the original Hayflick limit, the levels of p53, p21WAF1, and phospho-Rb proteins were similar to those in actively proliferating cells. The nicotinamide treatment caused a decrease in ATP levels, which was stably maintained until the delayed senescence point. Nicotinamide-treated cells also maintained high mitochondrial membrane potential but a lower respiration rate and superoxide anion level. Taken together, in contrast to its demonstrated pro-aging effect in yeast, nicotinamide extends the lifespan of human fibroblasts, possibly through reduction in mitochondrial activity and ROS production.

  11. Isolation of Human Innate Lymphoid Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krabbendam, Lisette; Nagasawa, Maho; Spits, Hergen; Bal, Suzanne M

    2018-06-29

    Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are innate immune cells of lymphoid origin that have important effector and regulatory functions in the first line of defense against pathogens, but also regulate tissue homeostasis, remodeling, and repair. Their function mirrors T helper cells and cytotoxic CD8 + T lymphocytes, but they lack expression of rearranged antigen-specific receptors. Distinct ILC subsets are classified in group 1 ILCs (ILC1s), group 2 ILCs (ILC2s), and group 3 ILCs (ILC3s and lymphoid tissue-inducer cells), based on the expression of transcription factors and the cytokines they produce. As the frequency of ILCs is low, their isolation requires extensive depletion of other cell types. The lack of unique cell surface antigens further complicates the identification of these cells. Here, methods for ILC isolation and characterization from human peripheral blood and different tissues are described. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  12. Different Chondrogenic Potential among Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Diverse Origin Primary Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeri Alice Rim

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Scientists have tried to reprogram various origins of primary cells into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs. Every somatic cell can theoretically become a hiPSC and give rise to targeted cells of the human body. However, there have been debates on the controversy about the differentiation propensity according to the origin of primary cells. We reprogrammed hiPSCs from four different types of primary cells such as dermal fibroblasts (DF, n=3, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC, n=3, cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC, n=3, and osteoarthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (OAFLS, n=3. Established hiPSCs were differentiated into chondrogenic pellets. All told, cartilage-specific markers tended to express more by the order of CBMC > DF > PBMC > FLS. Origin of primary cells may influence the reprogramming and differentiation thereafter. In the context of chondrogenic propensity, CBMC-derived hiPSCs can be a fairly good candidate cell source for cartilage regeneration. The differentiation of hiPSCs into chondrocytes may help develop “cartilage in a dish” in the future. Also, the ideal cell source of hiPSC for chondrogenesis may contribute to future application as well.

  13. Human serum activates CIDEB-mediated lipid droplet enlargement in hepatoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singaravelu, Ragunath [Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5 (Canada); National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6 (Canada); Lyn, Rodney K. [Department of Chemistry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5 (Canada); National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6 (Canada); Srinivasan, Prashanth [National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6 (Canada); Delcorde, Julie [Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5 (Canada); National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6 (Canada); Steenbergen, Rineke H.; Tyrrell, D. Lorne [Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta (Canada); Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Katz Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2S2 (Canada); Pezacki, John P., E-mail: John.Pezacki@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca [Department of Chemistry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5 (Canada); National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6 (Canada)

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: •Human serum induced differentiation of hepatoma cells increases cellular lipid droplet (LD) size. •The observed increase in LD size correlates with increased PGC-1α and CIDEB expression. •Induction of CIDEB expression correlates with rescue of VLDL secretion and loss of ADRP. •siRNA knockdown of CIDEB impairs the human serum mediated increase in LD size. •This system represents a cost-efficient model to study CIDEB’s role in lipid biology. -- Abstract: Human hepatocytes constitutively express the lipid droplet (LD) associated protein cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector B (CIDEB). CIDEB mediates LD fusion, as well as very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) maturation. However, there are limited cell culture models readily available to study CIDEB’s role in these biological processes, as hepatoma cell lines express negligible levels of CIDEB. Recent work has highlighted the ability of human serum to differentiate hepatoma cells. Herein, we demonstrate that culturing Huh7.5 cells in media supplemented with human serum activates CIDEB expression. This activation occurs through the induced expression of PGC-1α, a positive transcriptional regulator of CIDEB. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy revealed a correlation between CIDEB levels and LD size in human serum treated Huh7.5 cells. Human serum treatment also resulted in a rapid decrease in the levels of adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP). Furthermore, individual overexpression of CIDEB was sufficient to down-regulate ADRP protein levels. siRNA knockdown of CIDEB revealed that the human serum mediated increase in LD size was CIDEB-dependent. Overall, our work highlights CIDEB’s role in LD fusion, and presents a new model system to study the PGC-1α/CIDEB pathway’s role in LD dynamics and the VLDL pathway.

  14. Human serum activates CIDEB-mediated lipid droplet enlargement in hepatoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singaravelu, Ragunath; Lyn, Rodney K.; Srinivasan, Prashanth; Delcorde, Julie; Steenbergen, Rineke H.; Tyrrell, D. Lorne; Pezacki, John P.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Human serum induced differentiation of hepatoma cells increases cellular lipid droplet (LD) size. •The observed increase in LD size correlates with increased PGC-1α and CIDEB expression. •Induction of CIDEB expression correlates with rescue of VLDL secretion and loss of ADRP. •siRNA knockdown of CIDEB impairs the human serum mediated increase in LD size. •This system represents a cost-efficient model to study CIDEB’s role in lipid biology. -- Abstract: Human hepatocytes constitutively express the lipid droplet (LD) associated protein cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector B (CIDEB). CIDEB mediates LD fusion, as well as very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) maturation. However, there are limited cell culture models readily available to study CIDEB’s role in these biological processes, as hepatoma cell lines express negligible levels of CIDEB. Recent work has highlighted the ability of human serum to differentiate hepatoma cells. Herein, we demonstrate that culturing Huh7.5 cells in media supplemented with human serum activates CIDEB expression. This activation occurs through the induced expression of PGC-1α, a positive transcriptional regulator of CIDEB. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy revealed a correlation between CIDEB levels and LD size in human serum treated Huh7.5 cells. Human serum treatment also resulted in a rapid decrease in the levels of adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP). Furthermore, individual overexpression of CIDEB was sufficient to down-regulate ADRP protein levels. siRNA knockdown of CIDEB revealed that the human serum mediated increase in LD size was CIDEB-dependent. Overall, our work highlights CIDEB’s role in LD fusion, and presents a new model system to study the PGC-1α/CIDEB pathway’s role in LD dynamics and the VLDL pathway

  15. Developmental neurotoxicity screening using human embryonic stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bosnjak, Zeljko J

    2012-09-01

    Research in the area of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, along with neuroscience, will further our understanding of drug-induced death of neurons during their development. With the development of an in vitro model of stem cell-derived human neural cell lines investigators can, under control conditions and during intense neuronal growth, examine molecular mechanisms of various drugs and conditions on early developmental neuroapoptosis in humans. If the use of this model will lead to fewer risks, or identification of drugs and anesthetics that are less likely to cause the death of neurons, this approach will be a major stride toward assuring the safety of drugs during the brain development. The ultimate goal would be not only to find the trigger for the catastrophic chain of events, but also to prevent neuronal cell death itself. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. Human natural killer cell committed thymocytes and their relation to the T cell lineage

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sánchez, M. J.; Spits, H.; Lanier, L. L.; Phillips, J. H.

    1993-01-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated that mature natural killer (NK) cells can be grown from human triple negative (TN; CD3-, CD4-, CD8-) thymocytes, suggesting that a common NK/T cell precursor exists within the thymus that can give rise to both NK cells and T cells under appropriate conditions. In the

  17. Reversal of hyperglycemia in mice by using human expandable insulin-producing cells differentiated from fetal liver progenitor cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zalzman, Michal; Gupta, Sanjeev; Giri, Ranjit K.; Berkovich, Irina; Sappal, Baljit S.; Karnieli, Ohad; Zern, Mark A.; Fleischer, Norman; Efrat, Shimon

    2003-06-01

    Beta-cell replacement is considered to be the most promising approach for treatment of type 1 diabetes. Its application on a large scale is hindered by a shortage of cells for transplantation. Activation of insulin expression, storage, and regulated secretion in stem/progenitor cells offers novel ways to overcome this shortage. We explored whether fetal human progenitor liver cells (FH) could be induced to differentiate into insulin-producing cells after expression of the pancreatic duodenal homeobox 1 (Pdx1) gene, which is a key regulator of pancreatic development and insulin expression in beta cells. FH cells possess a considerable replication capacity, and this was further extended by introduction of the gene for the catalytic subunit of human telomerase. Immortalized FH cells expressing Pdx1 activated multiple beta-cell genes, produced and stored considerable amounts of insulin, and released insulin in a regulated manner in response to glucose. When transplanted into hyperglycemic immunodeficient mice, the cells restored and maintained euglycemia for prolonged periods. Quantitation of human C-peptide in the mouse serum confirmed that the glycemia was normalized by the transplanted human cells. This approach offers the potential of a novel source of cells for transplantation into patients with type 1 diabetes.

  18. Knowledge Gaps in Rodent Pancreas Biology: Taking Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Beta Cells into Our Own Hands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santosa, Munirah Mohamad; Low, Blaise Su Jun; Pek, Nicole Min Qian; Teo, Adrian Kee Keong

    2015-01-01

    In the field of stem cell biology and diabetes, we and others seek to derive mature and functional human pancreatic β cells for disease modeling and cell replacement therapy. Traditionally, knowledge gathered from rodents is extended to human pancreas developmental biology research involving human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). While much has been learnt from rodent pancreas biology in the early steps toward Pdx1(+) pancreatic progenitors, much less is known about the transition toward Ngn3(+) pancreatic endocrine progenitors. Essentially, the later steps of pancreatic β cell development and maturation remain elusive to date. As a result, the most recent advances in the stem cell and diabetes field have relied upon combinatorial testing of numerous growth factors and chemical compounds in an arbitrary trial-and-error fashion to derive mature and functional human pancreatic β cells from hPSCs. Although this hit-or-miss approach appears to have made some headway in maturing human pancreatic β cells in vitro, its underlying biology is vaguely understood. Therefore, in this mini-review, we discuss some of these late-stage signaling pathways that are involved in human pancreatic β cell differentiation and highlight our current understanding of their relevance in rodent pancreas biology. Our efforts here unravel several novel signaling pathways that can be further studied to shed light on unexplored aspects of rodent pancreas biology. New investigations into these signaling pathways are expected to advance our knowledge in human pancreas developmental biology and to aid in the translation of stem cell biology in the context of diabetes treatments.

  19. Human retinal pigment epithelial cell-induced apoptosis in activated T cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, A; Wiencke, A K; la Cour, M

    1998-01-01

    PURPOSE: The immune privilege of the eye has been thought to be dependent on physical barriers and absence of lymphatic vessels. However, the immune privilege may also involve active immunologic processes, as recent studies have indicated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether...... human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells can induce apoptosis in activated T cells. METHODS: Fas ligand (FasL) expression was detected by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Cultured RPE cells were cocultured with T-cell lines and peripheral blood lymphocytes for 6 hours to 2 days. Induction...... of apoptosis was detected by 7-amino-actinomycin D and annexin V staining. RESULTS: Retinal pigment epithelial cells expressed FasL and induced apoptosis in activated Fas+ T cells. Blocking of Fas-FasL interaction with antibody strongly inhibited RPE-mediated T-cell apoptosis. Retinal pigment epithelial cells...

  20. Hydroxytyrosol Protects against Oxidative DNA Damage in Human Breast Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José J. Gaforio

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Over recent years, several studies have related olive oil ingestion to a low incidence of several diseases, including breast cancer. Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol are two of the major phenols present in virgin olive oils. Despite the fact that they have been linked to cancer prevention, there is no evidence that clarifies their effect in human breast tumor and non-tumor cells. In the present work, we present hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol’s effects in human breast cell lines. Our results show that hydroxytyrosol acts as a more efficient free radical scavenger than tyrosol, but both fail to affect cell proliferation rates, cell cycle profile or cell apoptosis in human mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A or breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7. We found that hydroxytyrosol decreases the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS level in MCF10A cells but not in MCF7 or MDA-MB-231 cells while very high amounts of tyrosol is needed to decrease the ROS level in MCF10A cells. Interestingly, hydroxytyrosol prevents oxidative DNA damage in the three breast cell lines. Therefore, our data suggest that simple phenol hydroxytyrosol could contribute to a lower incidence of breast cancer in populations that consume virgin olive oil due to its antioxidant activity and its protection against oxidative DNA damage in mammary cells.