ESC & iPSC News Volume 12.07 | Feb 22 2017

TOP STORY

Stage-Specific Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Map the Progression of Myeloid Transformation to Transplantable Leukemia

Scientists derived a collection of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines capturing a range of disease stages encompassing preleukemia, low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), high-risk MDS, and secondary acute myeloid leukemia. Upon their differentiation, they found hematopoietic phenotypes of graded severity and/or stage specificity that together delineate a phenotypic roadmap of disease progression culminating in serially transplantable leukemia. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Catalytic-Independent Functions of PARP-1 Determine Sox2 Pioneer Activity at Intractable Genomic Loci

Researchers showed that PARP-1, a nucleosome-binding protein, cooperates with intrinsic properties of the pioneer transcription factor Sox2 to facilitate its binding to intractable genomic loci in embryonic stem cells. [Mol Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

Clonal Reversal of Aging-Associated Stem Cell Lineage Bias via a Pluripotent Intermediate

Investigators combined genetic barcoding of aged murine hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells. This allowed them to specifically focus on aged HSCs presenting with a pronounced lineage skewing, a hallmark of HSC aging. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Sirt1 Regulates DNA Methylation and Differentiation Potential of Embryonic Stem Cells by Antagonizing Dnmt3l

Scientists showed that the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent deacetylase, Sirt1, selectively prevents abnormal DNA methylation of some developmental genes in murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) by antagonizing Dnmt3l. Transcriptome and DNA methylome analyses demonstrated that Sirt1-null ESCs repress expression of a subset of imprinted and germline genes concomitant with increased DNA methylation of regulatory elements. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Patient iPSC-Derived Neurons for Disease Modeling of Frontotemporal Dementia with Mutation in CHMP2B

The authors differentiated frontotemporal dementia linked to chromosome 3 (FTD3) patient induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into forebrain-type cortical neurons. FTD3 neurons exhibited abnormal endosomes, as previously shown in patients. Moreover, mitochondria of FTD3 neurons displayed defective cristae formation, accompanied by deficiencies in mitochondrial respiration and increased levels of reactive oxygen. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Divergent Levels of Marker Chromosomes in an hiPSC-Based Model of Psychosis

In the process of generating presumably clonal human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from two carriers of a complex structural rearrangement, each having a psychotic disorder, investigators also serendipitously generated isogenic non-carrier control hiPSCs, finding that the rearrangement occurred as an extrachromosomal marker element. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Generation of Thalamic Neurons from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

The authors succeeded in the generation of thalamic neurons from mouse ES cells by modifying the default method that induces the most-anterior neural type in self-organizing culture. [Development] Abstract | Full Article

Generation of Storable Retinal Organoids and Retinal Pigmented Epithelium from Adherent Human iPS Cells in Xeno-Free and Feeder-Free Conditions

Researchers developed a two-step xeno-free/feeder-free culture system to efficiently differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into retinal cells. This simple method, relies only on adherent hiPSCs cultured in chemically defined media, bypassing embryoid body formation. In less than one month, adherent hiPSCs were able to generate self-forming neuroretinal-like structures containing retinal progenitor cells. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Genotoxic Effects of Culture Media on Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Scientists report that human pluripotent stem cells (HPSCs) cultured in Essential 8 and mTeSR, two widely used media for feeder-free culturing of HPSCs, had many fold higher levels of ROS and higher mitochondrial potential than cells cultured in knockout serum replacement containing media. HPSCs also exhibited increased levels of 8-hydroxyguanosine, phospho-histone-H2a.X and p53, as well as increased sensitivity to γ-irradiation in these two media. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Rbm46 Regulates Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation by Targeting β-Catenin mRNA for Degradation

Investigators report an RNA recognition motif-containing protein (RNA binding motif protein 46, RBM46) which regulates the degradation of β-Catenin mRNA. Their results showed that Rbm46 is distributed primarily in the cytoplasm of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and is elevated during the process of ESC differentiation. [PLoS One] Full Article

Reprogramming Cell Fates by Small Molecules

Small molecules not only are useful in generating desired cell types in vitro for various applications, such as disease modeling and cell-based transplantation, but also hold great promise to be further developed as drugs to stimulate patients’ endogenous cells to repair and regenerate in vivo. The authors focus on chemical approaches for generating induced pluripotent stem cells, neurons, cardiomyocytes, hepatocytes and pancreatic β cells. [Protein Cell] Full Article

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

Minerva Biotechnologies Launches AlphaSTEM™, A Naïve Stem Cell Culture System

Minerva Biotechnologies announced the launch of the AlphaSTEM™ Culture System. The system uses a newly discovered growth factor that is only expressed in the naïve cells of the inner cell mass during the earliest days of embryogenesis. [Minerva Biotechnologies] Press Release

The Scripps Research Institute Announces New Board Members and Chairman of the Board

The Scripps Research Institute announced the appointment of nine new members to its Board of Directors, including John D. Diekman, who will serve as chairman of the board. Diekman replaces Richard A. Gephardt, who is retiring from the board after seven years of service. [The Scripps Research Institute] Press Release

Firing of Veteran NIH Scientist Prompts Protests over Publication Ban

At least two dozen junior and senior researchers are stuck in scientific limbo after being barred from publishing data collected over a 25-year period at a National Institutes of Health (NIH) lab. The unusual ban follows the firing last summer of veteran neurologist Allen Braun by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders for what many scientists have told Science are relatively minor, if widespread, violations of his lab’s experimental protocol. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Why British Universities Are Unlikely to Accept Invitation to Set Up Campuses in France

A consortium of academic institutes near Paris is hoping to lure British universities to create research campuses in France, dangling as bait the possibility of access to European Union research funds after Brexit. [Nature News] Editorial

Delay in Hiring Science Advisers Intensifies Brexit Worries

Policy experts want scientists to be at the table when government decides on environmental protection and membership of international collaborations. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT)
May 10-13, 2017
Washington, DC, United States

NEW 2^nd International Conference on Stem Cells
September 27-October 2, 2017
Rhodes, Greece

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

NEW Postdoctoral Position – RNA, Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (Lund University)

NEW PhD Student – Epigenetics (Institut of Molecular Biology)

Research Associate – Bioengineering (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Research Associate – Research and Development (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Human Genome Editing (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Computational Single Cell Genomics (University Medical Center Groningen)

Postdoctoral Position – Cellular Genetics (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

Postdoctoral Associate – Epigenetic Drivers of Human Stem Cell Pluripotency and Differentiation (University of Miami)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Pluripotent Embryonic Stem Cells and Embryo Development (Oslo University Hospital)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Multiple Areas (University of Oklahoma)

Regulatory Support Scientist – Biological Product Development (Cook MyoSite, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Epigenetics of Pluripotent Stem Cells and Development (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

Assistant or Associate Member – Stem CellGene Therapy (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology (University of California, Davis)

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