ESC & iPSC News Volume 15.15 | Apr 22 2020

TOP STORY

Small-Molecule PAPD5 Inhibitors Restore Telomerase Activity in Patient Stem Cells

Investigators describe small-molecule PAPD5 inhibitors that demonstrated telomere restoration in vitro, in stem cell models, and in vivo. They identified BCH001, a specific PAPD5 inhibitor that restored telomerase activity and telomere length in dyskeratosis congenita patient iPSCs. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

GATA3 Mediates a Fast, Irreversible Commitment to BMP4-Driven Differentiation in Human Embryonic Stem Cells

By combining single-cell imaging, genomic approaches, and mathematical modeling, researchers found that human ESCs committed to exiting pluripotency unexpectedly early. They showed that bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), an important differentiation trigger, induced a subset of early genes to mirror the sustained, bistable dynamics of upstream signaling. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Gene-Edited Human Stem Cell–Derived β Cells from a Patient with Monogenic Diabetes Reverse Preexisting Diabetes in Mice

The authors used CRISPR-Cas9 to correct a diabetes-causing pathogenic variant in Wolfram syndrome 1 in iPSCs derived from a patient with Wolfram syndrome. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release

iPS-Derived Intestinal Organoids from Cystic Fibrosis Patients Acquire CFTR Activity upon TALEN-Mediated Gene Correction of the p.F508del Mutation

Researchers present the results of applying genome editing techniques to the restoration of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) activity in p.F508del patient-derived iPS cells. [Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev] Abstract | Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Delta-1 Functionalized Hydrogel Promotes hESC-Cardiomyocyte Graft Proliferation and Maintains Heart Function Post-Injury

Transplantation of the delta-1 hydrogel + human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) augmented heart function and was significantly higher at three months compared to controls. Graft size and hESC-CM proliferation were also increased at three months post-implantation. [Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev] Abstract | Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Stem Cell-Derived Human Striatal Progenitors Innervate Striatal Targets and Alleviate Sensorimotor Deficit in a Rat Model of Huntington Disease

Investigators showed that in vitro differentiated human striatal progenitors undergwent maturation and integrate into host circuits upon intra-striatal transplantation in a rat model of Huntington disease. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Cell-Surface Proteomics Identifies Differences in Signaling and Adhesion Protein Expression between Naive and Primed Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Researchers used plasma membrane profiling to directly measure cell-surface protein expression in naive and primed human PSCs. This unbiased approach quantified over 1,700 plasma membrane proteins, including those involved in cell adhesion, signaling, and cell interactions. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Oligomeric Amyloid-β Induces Early and Widespread Changes to the Proteome in Human iPSC-Derived Neurons

Scientists used well characterized iPSC-derived human neurons to study the early changes to the proteome and phosphoproteome after 24 hour exposure to oligomeric amyloid-β 1-42. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Recapitulating Kidney Development In Vitro by Priming and Differentiating Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in Monolayers

Investigators developed a protocol to differentiate mouse ESCs to renal progenitors in a step-wise manner. [NPJ Regen Med] Full Article

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Cell Therapy News & Mesenchymal Cell News.

Cardiotoxicity and Heart Failure: Lessons from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes and Anticancer Drugs

The author discusses the applicability of the in vitro cardiotoxicity test systems as modeling for discovering preventive mechanisms/targets against cardiotoxicity and, therefore, for novel heart failure therapeutic concepts. [Cells] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the ESC & iPSC research field.

Mogrify and Sangamo Announce Collaboration and Exclusive License Agreement for Mogrify’s iPSC- and ESC-Derived Regulatory T Cells

Mogrify Ltd and Sangamo Therapeutics announced that they have executed a collaboration and exclusive license agreement for Sangamo to develop allogeneic cell therapies from Mogrify’s proprietary iPSCs and ESCs and Sangamo’s zinc finger protein gene-engineered chimeric antigen receptor regulatory T cell technology. [Mogrify Ltd] Press Release

NovelStem Announces New Research Collaborations for Stem-Cell Technology Platform in Cancer Immunotherapy and COVID-19 Resistance; Reports Progress Identifying Genetic Resistance to Additional Anti-Cancer Treatments

NovelStem International Corp. announced two new collaborations to apply NewStem’s technology platform, one to research a potential cancer immunotherapy drug and another to research genes responsible for COVID-19. [NovelStem International Corp. (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release

Untapped Potential: More US Labs Could Be Providing Tests for Coronavirus

A survey of more than 4,000 researchers in the United States suggests that better coordination at an institutional and national level could make hundreds of thousands more tests for coronavirus available. [Nature News] Editorial

How Research Funders Are Tackling Coronavirus Disruption

While science is crucial to the fight against COVID-19, researchers confined to their homes and unable to carry on with grant-funded work are becoming increasingly concerned about how the coronavirus pandemic will affect their funding. [Nature News] Editorial

In light of COVID-19, many conferences are being cancelled or postponed. As such:

We are suspending new event postings in our newsletters and on Twitter.
We will strive to keep our current event listings updated with event status.
We encourage you to visit event sites directly for updates.

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – ALS (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Wnt Signaling (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum)

Postdoctoral Position – iPSCs (KU Leuven)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes (The University of Arizona College of Medicine)

Faculty Position – Regenerative Medicine (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Developmental Neuroscience (Children’s National Hospital)

Postdoctoral Position – Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Human Lung Organoids (Columbia University Medical Center)

Technician – Stem Cell Culture (University of Luxembourg)

Research Specialist – Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine (University of Illinois at Chicago)

Postdoctoral Position – Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Hepatobiliary Tissues (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in ESC & iPSC News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.