iPS Cell Lines Research Articles

Establishment of iPS cell line (SDQLCHi061-A) from a patient with carbamoylphosphate synthetase I deficiency due to CPS1 mutation

The induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) line was generated using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a patient with compound heterozygous mutation of c.2374A > G/p.M792V and c.3949C > T/p.R1317W in the CPS1 gene by non-integrating vectors. The expression of pluripotency markers, potential for in vitro trilineage differentiation and exhibiting normal karyotype were demonstrated in the SDQLCHi061-A cell line. This cell line could provide a useful CPS1D model in vitro for further study.

HLA-based banking of induced pluripotent stem cells in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundHuman iPSCs' derivation and use in clinical studies are transforming medicine. Yet, there is a high cost and long waiting time associated with autologous iPS-based cellular therapy, and the genetic engineering of hypo-immunogenic iPS cell lines is hampered with numerous hurdles. Therefore, it is increasingly interesting to create cell stocks based on HLA haplotype distribution in a given population. This study aimed to assess the potential of HLA-based iPS banking for the Saudi population.MethodsIn this study, we interrogated the HLA database of the Saudi Stem Cell Donor Registry (SSCDR), containing high-resolution HLA genotype data from 64,315 registered Saudi donors at the time of analysis. This database was considered to be a representative sample of the Saudi population. The most frequent HLA haplotypes in the Saudi population were determined, and an in-house developed iterative algorithm was used to identify their HLA matching percentages in the SSCDR database and cumulative coverage. Subsequently, to develop a clinically relevant protocol for iPSCs generation, and to illustrate the applicability of the concept of HLA-based banking for cell therapy purposes, the first HLA-based iPS cell line in Saudi Arabia was generated. Clinically relevant methods were employed to generate the two iPS clones from a homozygous donor for the most prevalent HLA haplotype in the Saudi population. The generated lines were then assessed for pluripotency markers, and their ability to differentiate into all three germ layers, beating cardiomyocytes, and neural progenitors was examined. Additionally, the genetic stability of the HLA-iPS cell lines was verified by comparing the mutational burden in the clones and the original blood sample, using whole-genome sequencing. The standards set by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) were used to determine the clinical significance of identified variants.ResultsThe analysis revealed that the establishment of only 13 iPSC lines would match 30% of the Saudi population, 39 lines would attain 50% coverage, and 596 lines would be necessary for over 90% coverage. The proof-of-concept HLA-iPSCs, which cover 6.1% of the Saudi population, successfully demonstrated pluripotency and the ability to differentiate into various cell types including beating cardiomyocytes and neuronal progenitors. The comprehensive genetic analysis corroborated that all identified variants in the derived iPSCs were inherently present in the original donor sample and were classified as benign according to the standards set by the ACMG.ConclusionsOur study sets a road map for introducing iPS-based cell therapy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It underscores the pragmatic approach of HLA-based iPSC banking which circumvents the limitations of autologous iPS-based cellular therapies. The successful generation and validation of iPSC lines based on the most prevalent HLA haplotype in the Saudi population signify a promising step toward broadening the accessibility and applicability of stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine in Saudi Arabia.

Generation of a control iPS cell line (JUCGRMi006-A) with no abnormalities in Parkinson's disease-related genes

The appropriate control of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is essential for studying iPSCs derived from patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Here, we established an iPSC line from a healthy female donor. The iPSCs were pluripotent, could differentiate into three germ layers, and had normal karyotypes. We also confirmed that the iPSC line exhibited no PD-related gene abnormalities. This iPSC line will be useful for PD research.

Generation of a control iPS cell line (JUCGRMi005-A) with no abnormalities in Parkinson's disease-related genes

Appropriate control induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are essential for studying iPSCs derived from patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this study, we established an iPSC line from a healthy male donor. The iPSCs showed pluripotency, capacity to differentiate into three germ layers, and normal karyotypes. Additionally, we confirmed that the iPSC line did not exhibit any PD-related gene abnormalities. This iPSC line will be useful for PD research.

Comparative Study of Metastasis Suppression Effects of Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Anaplastic Cell Lines, Nanog-Overexpressing Melanoma, and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Previous studies have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from an anaplastic mouse melanoma cell line made using Nanog overexpression of F10 (Nanog+F10) suppressed the metastasis of Nanog+F10. Here, an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell line was focused as a more anaplastic cell line, potentially producing EVs with higher metastasis-suppressive effects. The EVs were introduced into the tail vein nine times before introducing Nanog+F10 cells. Two weeks later, the liver and lung were resected and metastatic colonies were quantified. The involvement of macrophages (invasion inhibiting ability, phagocytic activity) and cytotoxic T cells (cytotoxicity) was evaluated using J774.1 and CTLL-2 cell lines. iPS EVs showed similar level effects to Nanog+F10 EVs in every item relevant to metastasis suppression. Differential expression analysis of miRNAs in EVs and functional network database analysis revealed that dominant regulatory miRNAs were predicted. The candidate hub genes most highly associated with the metastasis suppression mechanism were predicted as six genes, including Trp53 and Hif1a, for Nanog+F10 EVs and ten genes, including Ins1 and Kitl, for iPS EVs. Regarding the mechanism, Nanog+F10 EVs and iPS EVs were very different. This suggests synergistic effect when used together as metastasis preventive vaccine.

Generation of an integration-free induced pluripotent stem cell line, FJMUUHi002-A, from a Rett syndrome patient with a heterozygous mutation p. R133C in MeCP2

The human iPS cell line, hiPS-RTT (FJMUi002-A), is derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a 12-year-old female RTT patient carrying a heterozygous p. R133C (c.397C > T) mutation in the MeCP2 gene. The hiPS-RTT cell line was generated by non-integrative reprogramming vectors encoding OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC and was free of genomically integrated reprogramming genes. The hiPS-RTT cell line had a normal karyotype, expressed pluripotency markers, and had capacity to form three germ layers in vitro and in vivo, which offering a useful resource to study the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of RTT.

Unlocking the Role of Endothelial MPL Receptor and JAK2V617F Mutation: Insights into Cardiovascular Dysfunction in MPNs and Chip

Introduction Patients with JAK2V617F-positive myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) are at a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) carrying the JAK2V617F mutation can be detected in many MPN patients. The thrombopoietin receptor MPL is expressed on vascular ECs, though its role in endothelial function is unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms through which the JAK2V617F mutation induces endothelial dysfunction to accelerate CVDs, shedding light on endothelial MPL as a potential therapeutic target for preventing or mitigating cardiovascular complications in JAK2V617F-positive MPNs. Methods JAK2V617F Flip-Flop mice (FF1; provided by Dr. Radek Skoda) were crossed with VEcadherin-creERT2 mice (CDH5) to generate CDH5 +/-FF1 +/- mice, which can be induced by tamoxifen to express human JAK2V617F specifically in vascular ECs but not in blood cells. MPL fl mice (provided by Dr. Warren Alexander) were crossed with CDH5 +FF1 + mice to generate CDH5 +FF1 +MPL fl/fl mice. To validate findings in transgenic murine models in human cells, we utilized a pair of isogenic induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines derived from the same MPN patient, one carrying the JAK2V617F mutation (PVB1.4) and the other being JAK2 wild-type (PVB1.11). These iPS cell lines were differentiated into human ECs using a modified iPS differentiation protocol. Results CDH5 +FF1 + mice exhibited mild thrombocytosis but no cardiac dysfunction. However, when challenged with a high-fat diet, these mice developed dilated cardiomyopathy with significant decreases in LV ejection fraction and increases in LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes. Pathological evaluation revealed the presence of thromboses in segment pulmonary arteries and scattered coronary capillaries. There was intimal thickening, smooth muscle cell thickening, and perivascular fibrosis of scattered coronary arterioles in CDH5 +FF1 + mice compared to control mice. These findings, along with impaired cardiac EC function (measured by angiogenesis in vitro) and loss of EC markers, as well as significant enrichment of gene expression signatures associated with inflammatory response and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in JAK2V617F mutant cardiac ECs, suggest that the JAK2V617F mutation induces endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in cardiac ECs from the CDH5 +FF1 + mice. Similarly, JAK2 wild-type ECs derived from PVB1.11 iPS cell line maintained the expression of EC markers and the characteristic cobblestone endothelial morphology throughout serial passages in vitro; in contrast, JAK2V617F mutant ECs derived from PVB1.4 exhibited a gradual loss of EC marker expression, decreased EC function, and underwent a phenotypical transition toward a fibroblastoid morphology, providing compelling evidence of EndMT induction by the JAK2V617F mutation in human ECs. We noticed that the thrombopoietin receptor MPL is abundantly expressed in the heart's vascular endothelium, compared to other tissues (e.g., lung, marrow, spleen). MPL expression is upregulated in JAK2V617F mutant ECs compared to wild-type ECs, and Inhibiting JAK-STAT signaling using Ruxolitinib abolished this MPL upregulation. To investigate the role of endothelial TPO/MPL signaling in JAK2V617F-induced cardiovascular dysfunction, we generated CDH5 +FF1 +MPL fl/fl mice to knock down MPL in JAK2V617F-bearing vascular ECs. The CDH5 +FF1 +MPL fl/fl mice maintained normal blood counts and cardiac function even after a high-fat diet challenge. In JAK2V617F mutant human ECs derived from PVB1.4 iPS cell line, treatment with AMM2, an anti-MPL neutralizing antibody, preserved EC markers and endothelial morphology compared to untreated mutant ECs. These results demonstrated that inhibiting the endothelial MPL can suppress JAK2V617F-induced EndMT and prevent cardiovascular dysfunction caused by mutant ECs. Notably, the endothelial MPL receptor is not indispensable for the normal physiological regulation of blood cell counts and cardiac function. Conclusion Our study provides valuable insights into the increased risk of CVDs observed in patients with JAK2V617F-positive CHIP and MPNs. Further investigations into the role of EndMT in other CHIP-associated mutations may shed light on the diverse CVD risks associated with different CHIP mutations.

Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Line iTAF15Xsk4 from Fibroblasts of a Patient with Microdeletion at Xq24

Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from patients and healthy donors allows in vitro study of genetic disorders. We have previously reported a clinical case of recurrent pregnancy loss in a patient with skewed X-chromosome inactivation in peripheral blood lymphocytes, endometrium, and buccal epithelium. We have found a 239 kb microdeletion at Xq24 that affected eight genes including UBE2A. In this work, we produced iPS cell line iTAF15Xsk4 from the patient’s skin fibroblasts using non-integrating episomal vectors. iPS cell line had a normal karyotype, expressed pluripotency markers, and upon differentiation in embryoid bodies expressed markers of all three germ layers. This cell line could be used for the UBE2A deficiency syndrome study.

Generation and characterization of iPS cell line (SYSUSHi002-A) from PBMCs of an AML patient with TP53 mutation

We have generated an iPSCs line (IPS-AML2-C3, SYSUSHi002-A) from AML cells of a 71-year-old male Acute Myeloid Leukaemia patient with TP53 gene mutation (TP53: c.824G > A, p.Cys275Tyr) using episomal plasmids encoding the factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, L-MYC and human miR-302. The IPS-AML2-C3 (SYSUSHi002-A) iPSC line displayed typical embryonic stem cell-like morphology, carried the TP53 gene mutation, expressed several pluripotent stem cell makers, retained normal karyotype (46, XY), and was capable of forming three germ layer cells in vitro.

Creating an HLA-homozygous iPS cell bank for the Brazilian population: Challenges and opportunities.

Identifying human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotype-homozygous donors for the generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines permits the construction of biobanks immunologically compatible with significant numbers of individuals for use in therapy. However, two questions must be addressed to create such a bank: how many cell lines are necessary to match most of the recipient population and how many people should be tested to find these donors? In Japan and the UK, 50 and 100 distinct HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 triple-homozygous haplotypes would cover 90% of those populations, respectively. Using data from the Brazilian National Registry of Bone Marrow Donors (REDOME), encompassing 4,017,239 individuals, we identified 1,906 distinct triple-homozygous HLA haplotypes. In Brazil, 559 triple-homozygous cell lines cover 95% of the population, and 3.8 million people would have to be screened. Finally, we show the contribution of the 30 most frequent triple-homozygous HLA haplotypes in Brazil to populations of different countries.

Generation of a Syngeneic Heterozygous ACVRL1(wt/mut) Knockout iPS Cell Line for the In Vitro Study of HHT2-Associated Angiogenesis

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) type 2 is an autosomal dominant disease in which one allele of the ACVRL1 gene is mutated. Patients exhibit disturbances in TGF-beta/BMP-dependent angiogenesis and, clinically, often present with severe nosebleeds as well as a reduced quality of life. The aim of our study was to use CRISPR/Cas9 to knockout ACVRL1 in normal induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and evaluate the effects on TGF-beta- and BMP-related gene expression as well as angiogenesis. The CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of the ACVRL1 gene was carried out in previously characterized wild-type (ACVRL1wt/wt) iPSCs. An HHT type 2 iPS cell line was generated via a single-allele knockout (ACVRL1wt/mut) in wild-type (ACVRL1wt/wt) iPSCs, resulting in a heterozygous 17 bp frameshift deletion in the ACVRL1 gene [NG_009549.1:g.13707_13723del; NM_000020.3:c.1137_1153del]. After the generation of embryoid bodies (EBs), endothelial differentiation was induced via adding 4 ng/mL BMP4, 2% B27, and 10 ng/mL VEGF. Endothelial differentiation was monitored via immunocytochemistry. An analysis of 151 TGF-beta/BMP-related genes was performed via RT-qPCR through the use of mRNA derived from single iPS cell cultures as well as endothelial cells derived from EBs after endothelial differentiation. Differential TGF-beta/BMP gene expression was observed between ACVRL1wt/wt and ACVRL1wt/mut iPSCs as well as endothelial cells. EBs derived from CRISPR/Cas9-designed ACVRL1 mutant HHT type 2 iPSCs, together with their isogenic wild-type iPSC counterparts, can serve as valuable resources for HHT type 2 in vitro studies.

Generation of a transgene-free iPS cell line (SDQLCHi053-A) from a young girl carrying a heterozygous mutation (c.427C > T) in SYNGAP1 gene

The pathogenic mutations of Synaptic Ras GTPase-activating protein 1 (SYNGAP1) gene (OMIM #603384) have been tightly associated with a neurodevelopmental disease, also called autosomal dominant mental retardation type 5 (MRD5, OMIM #612621). We generated a human iPS cell line from a 34-month-old young girl bearing a recurrent heterozygous mutation (c.427C > T) of SYNGAP1. This cell line has great performance in pluripotency and shows differentiation potential towards three germ layers in vitro.

Generation of gene-corrected isogenic controls from Parkinson's disease patient iPSC lines carrying the pathogenic SNCA p.A53T variant

Pathogenic variants in the alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene cause familial forms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Here, we describe generation of six isogenic controls from iPS cell lines derived from two PD disease patients carrying the SNCAp.A53T variant. The controls were created using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and are available for use by the PD research community to study A53T-related synucleinopathies.

Establishment of Skeletal Myogenic Progenitors from Non-Human Primate Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Pluripotent stem (PS) cells enable the scalable production of tissue-specific derivatives with therapeutic potential for various clinical applications, including muscular dystrophies. Given the similarity to human counterparts, the non-human primate (NHP) is an ideal preclinical model to evaluate several questions, including delivery, biodistribution, and immune response. While the generation of human-induced PS (iPS)-cell-derived myogenic progenitors is well established, there have been no data for NHP counterparts, probably due to the lack of an efficient system to differentiate NHP iPS cells towards the skeletal muscle lineage. Here, we report the generation of three independent Macaca fascicularis iPS cell lines and their myogenic differentiation using PAX7 conditional expression. The whole-transcriptome analysis confirmed the successful sequential induction of mesoderm, paraxial mesoderm, and myogenic lineages. NHP myogenic progenitors efficiently gave rise to myotubes under appropriate in vitro differentiation conditions and engrafted in vivo into the TA muscles of NSG and FKRP-NSG mice. Lastly, we explored the preclinical potential of these NHP myogenic progenitors in a single wild-type NHP recipient, demonstrating engraftment and characterizing the interaction with the host immune response. These studies establish an NHP model system through which iPS-cell-derived myogenic progenitors can be studied.

Generation of two human NRF2 knockout iPSC clones using CRISPR/Cas9 editing

The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2, known as NRF2) regulates the expression of antioxidative and anti-inflammatory proteins. In order to investigate its impact during viral infections and testing of antiviral compounds, we applied CRISPR/Cas9 editing to eliminate NRF2 in the human iPS cell line MHHi001-A and generated two NRF2 knockout iPSC clones MHHi001-A-6 and MHHi001-A-7. After differentiation into epithelia or endothelial cells, these cells are useful tools to examine the antiviral effects of activators of the NRF2 signaling pathway.

KIT D816V Mast Cells Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Recapitulate Systemic Mastocytosis Transcriptional Profile.

Mast cells (MCs) represent a population of hematopoietic cells with a key role in innate and adaptive immunity and are well known for their detrimental role in allergic responses. Yet, MCs occur in low abundance, which hampers their detailed molecular analysis. Here, we capitalized on the potential of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to give rise to all cells in the body and established a novel and robust protocol for human iPS cell differentiation toward MCs. Relying on a panel of systemic mastocytosis (SM) patient-specific iPS cell lines carrying the KIT D816V mutation, we generated functional MCs that recapitulate SM disease features: increased number of MCs, abnormal maturation kinetics and activated phenotype, CD25 and CD30 surface expression and a transcriptional signature characterized by upregulated expression of innate and inflammatory response genes. Therefore, human iPS cell-derived MCs are a reliable, inexhaustible, and close-to-human tool for disease modeling and pharmacological screening to explore novel MC therapeutics.

Generation and characterization of iPS cell line (CTGUi001-A) from skin fibroblasts of a patient with Fabry disease

We have generated an iPSCs line (CTGUi001-A) from dermal fibroblasts of a 16-year-old male Fabry disease patient with a novel GLA gene mutation (c.156C > A) using Sendai virus encoding the four Yamanaka factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC. The CTGUi001-A iPSC line displayed typical embryonic stem cell-like morphology, carried the GLA gene mutation, expressed several pluripotent stem cell makers, retained normal karyotype (46, XY) and was capable of forming teratomas containing three germ layers.

Establishment of iPS cell line (KLRMMEi003-A) from a patient with Usher syndrome due to USH2A mutation

We generated an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell line by reprogramming peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with Usher syndrome type II carrying USH2A gene mutation (c.8559-2A > G). The iPS cell line with confirmed patient-specific point mutation exhibited typical iPS cell characteristics and maintained a normal karyotype. It can be used as 2D and 3D models to investigate the underlying pathogenic mechanism and lay a solid foundation for future personalized therapy.

Establishment of a transgene-free iPS cell line (SDQLCHi046-A) from a young patient bearing a HDAC8 mutation and suffering from Cornelia de Lange Syndrome

In this study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from a young male patient bearing a histone deacetyl-lase 8 (HDAC8) mutation and suffering from Cornelia de Lange Syndrome verified by clinical and genetic diagnosis. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were established by a non-integrative method, using plasmids carrying OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, BCL-XL and C-MYC. The established iPSCs presented typical pluripotent cells morphology, and expressed pluripotent stem cell markers at the mRNA and protein level. The iPSCs also showed differentiative capacity in vitro, and a normal karyotype. In addition, the established iPSCs still carried the HDAC8 mutation observed in the donor tissue.

Sorting and Manipulation of Human PGC-LC Using PDPN and Hanging Drop Cultures.

The generation of oocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) was proven efficient with mouse cells. However, no human iPSCs have yet been reported to generate cells able to complete oogenesis. Additionally, efficient sorting of human Primordial Germ Cell-like Cells (hPGC-LCs) without genomic integration of fluorescent reporter for their downstream manipulation is still lacking. Here, we aimed to develop a model that allows human germ cell differentiation in vitro in order to study the developing human germline. The hPGC-LCs specified from two iPS cell lines were sorted and manipulated using the PDPN surface marker without genetic modification. hPGC-LCs obtained remain arrested at early stages of maturation and no further differentiation nor meiotic onset occurred when these were cultured with human or mouse fetal ovarian somatic cells. However, when cultured independently of somatic ovarian cells, using BMP4 and the hanging drop-transferred EBs system, early hPGC-LCs further differentiate efficiently and express late PGC (DDX4) and meiotic gene markers, although no SYCP3 protein was detected. Altogether, we characterized a tool to sort hPGC-LCs and an efficient in vitro differentiation system to obtain pre-meiotic germ cell-like cells without using a gonadal niche.