Transcriptional profiling reveals fundamental differences in iPS-derived CD34+ Cells versus adult circulating CD34+

Abstract

CD34+ cells hold significant promise in regenerative medicine and the treatment of various vascular degenerative diseases primarily because of their ability to regenerate and differentiate into various cell types. These cells can be derived from embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), or adult stem cells like blood and bone marrow, and can differentiate into endothelial, hematopoietic, myeloid, and other cell types. However, their characteristics vary based on the source, making detailed definitions essential for specific therapeutic applications. In this study, it was aimed to compare these two different CD34-positive cell populations by full genome transcriptional profiling (RNAseq). To this end, we first optimized a CD34+ cell differentiation protocol and found that Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is critical for the transition of cells from mesodermal precursors to CD34+ cells. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) of RNAseq data showed that blood-derived CD34+ cells clustered far from iPS-derived CD34+ cells which illustrates these populations are fundamentally different. This data will be useful to better define these cell populations and facilitate the translation of regenerative approaches in this field as well as providing potentially novel diagnostic tools.