ESC & iPSC News Volume 15.14 | Apr 15 2020

TOP STORY

Pharmacologic Fibroblast Reprogramming into Photoreceptors Restores Vision

Scientists report that the administration of a set of five small molecules could chemically induce the transformation of fibroblasts into rod photoreceptor-like cells. The transplantation of these chemically induced photoreceptor-like cells into the subretinal space of rod degeneration mice led to partial restoration of the pupil reflex and visual function. [Nature] Abstract | Press Release

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Nono Deficiency Compromises TET1 Chromatin Association and Impedes Neuronal Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Nono deletion impeded neuronal lineage commitment largely due to a failure of up-regulation of specific genes critical for neuronal differentiation. [Nucleic Acids Res] Full Article

A Monolayer hiPSC Culture System for Autophagy/Mitophagy Studies in Human Dopaminergic Neurons

The authors describe a reliable, monolayer differentiation protocol for the rapid and reproducible production of high numbers of mid-brain dopaminergic neurons from human iPSCs (hiPSCs) in a format that is amenable for autophagy/mitophagy research. [Autophagy] Full Article

A WIZ/Cohesin/CTCF Complex Anchors DNA Loops to Define Gene Expression and Cell Identity

Investigators report a previously unrecognized role for widely interspaced zinc finger-containing protein (WIZ) in DNA loop architecture and regulation of gene expression. WIZ formed a complex with cohesin and CTCF that occupied enhancers, promoters, insulators, and anchors of DNA loops. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Attenuate Chronic Allogeneic Vasculopathy in an Integrin Beta-1-Dependent Manner

Researchers found that integrin β1 was the dominant integrin β unit in iPSCs that mediated the adhesion of circulatory and endothelial cells. [Am J Transplant] Abstract

Long Noncoding RNA Q Associates with Sox2 and Is Involved in the Maintenance of Pluripotency in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Large intergenic noncoding RNA Q (LincQ) and Sox2 was required for the maintenance of pluripotency in ESCs and the transcription of pluripotency genes. Esrrb and Tfcp2l1 were key downstream targets of LincQ and Sox2, since overexpression of Esrrb and Tfcp2l1 could restore the loss of ESC pluripotency that was induced by LincQ depletion. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Genetically-Edited iPSCs Derived from HIV-1 Infected Patients on Therapy Can Give Rise to Immune Cells Resistant to HIV-1 Infection

iPSCs were genetically edited with TALENs or CRISPR/Cas9 endonucleases combined with PiggyBac technology to introduce the naturally occurring 32-bp deletion to the CCR5 gene. [AIDS] Abstract

Human Cardiac Organoids for the Modeling of Myocardial Infarction and Drug Cardiotoxicity

Scientists showed that cardiac organoids that incorporated an oxygen-diffusion gradient and that were stimulated with the neurotransmitter noradrenaline modeled the structure of the human heart after myocardial infarction, and recapitulated hallmarks of myocardial infarction at the transcriptomic, structural and functional levels. [Nat Biomed Eng] Abstract

Characterization of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Carrying Homozygous RB1 Gene Deletion

Investigators examined the expression of RB1 transcripts by RT-qPCR, and RB1 transcripts were expressed in immature human (iPSCs) hiPSCs and then the expression levels of RB1 transcripts consistently increased during retinal organoid differentiation in hiPSCs. Expression levels of immature markers including SSEA4, OCT3/4, and NANOG were indistinguishable between control iPSCs and RB1 knockout iPSCs. [Genes Cells] Abstract

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If Human Brain Organoids Are the Answer to Understanding Dementia, What Are the Questions?

The authors discuss ten puzzles, issues, and stumbling blocks to watch for in the quest to model “dementia in a dish.” [Neuroscientist] Full Article

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Orgenesis Announces Joint Venture Agreement with RevaTis to Produce Muscle-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (mdMSC) as a Source of Exosomes and Other Cellular Products for the Development of Related Therapies

Orgenesis Inc. announced a joint venture agreement with RevaTis S.A. The goal of the JV is to advance the development of autologous therapies, including in-licensed therapies through Orgenesis’s partners, utilizing and banking muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells as a source of exosomes and other cellular products. [Orgenesis Inc.] Press Release

CYTOVIA Therapeutics and MACROMOLTEK to Develop Dual-Acting Natural Killer Immunotherapy against SARS CoV2 (COVID-19)

Cytovia Therapeutics announced that it is expanding its programs to help urgently address the current COVID-19 crisis. [Cytovia Therapeutics (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release

COVID-19 ARDS Patients Added to Healios ONE-BRIDGE Study

HEALIOS K.K. continued to make enrolment progress in its ONE-BRIDGE study, a Phase II clinical trial in Japan evaluating the safety and efficacy of HLCM051, a somatic stem cell regenerative medicine therapy, for pneumonia-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). [HEALIOS K.K. (PR Newswire Association LLC)] Press Release

‘Short-Sighted.’ Health Experts Decry Trump’s Freeze on US Funding for WHO as World Fights Pandemic

President Donald Trump said he will suspend US funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) pending a 60- to 90-day investigation into how the agency has handled the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

How Scientists Can Volunteer to Help Fight COVID-19

Around the world, bench scientists other than those actively studying the pandemic have largely been forced to scale back or even shut down their experiments out of COVID-19 precautions. But that doesn’t mean their skills and expertise can’t contribute to the worldwide effort to address the disease. [The Scientist] Editorial

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NEW 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)

Researcher – iPSCs (European Molecular Biology Laboratory)

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)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cerebral Organoids (Weill Cornell Medicine)

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