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Ex vivo hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) expansion platforms are under active development, designed to increase HSPC numbers and thus engraftment ability of allogeneic cord blood grafts or autologous HSPCs for gene therapies. Murine and in vitro models have not correlated well with clinical outcomes of HSPC expansion, emphasizing the need for relevant pre-clinical models. Our rhesus macaque HSPC competitive autologous transplantation model utilizing genetically barcoded HSPC allows direct analysis of the relative short and long-term engraftment ability of lentivirally transduced HSPCs, along with additional critical characteristics such as HSPC clonal diversity and lineage bias. We investigated the impact of ex vivo expansion of macaque HSPCs on the engineered endothelial cell line (E-HUVECs) platform regarding safety, engraftment of transduced and E-HUVEC-expanded HSPC over time compared to non-expanded HSPC for up to 51 months post-transplantation, and both clonal diversity and lineage distribution of output from each engrafted cell source. Short and long-term engraftment were comparable for E-HUVEC expanded and the non-expanded HSPCs in both animals, despite extensive proliferation of CD34+ cells during 8 days of ex vivo culture for the E-HUVEC HSPCs, and optimization of harvesting and infusion of HSPCs co-cultured on E-HUVEC in the second animal. Long-term hematopoietic output from both E-HUVEC expanded and unexpanded HSPCs was highly polyclonal and multilineage. Overall, the comparable HSPC kinetics of macaques to humans, the ability to study post-transplant clonal patterns, and simultaneous multi-arm comparisons of grafts without the complication of interpreting allogeneic effects makes our model ideal to test ex vivo HSPC expansion platforms, particularly for gene therapy applications., Graphical Abstract, The rhesus macaque barcoded autologous competitive repopulation preclinical transplantation model was utilized to study the engraftment and safety of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells expanded in co-culture with E4ORF-1 gene transduced human umbilical vein endothelial cell as compared to non-expanded cells, documenting polyclonal long-term multilineage hematopoiesis.

In utero transplantation (IUT) of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) has been proposed as a strategy for the prenatal treatment of congenital hematological diseases. However, levels of long-term hematopoietic engraftment achieved in experimental IUT to date are sub-therapeutic, likely due to host fetal HSC out-competing their bone-marrow (BM) derived donor equivalents for space in the hematopoietic compartment. In the present study we demonstrate that amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSC; c-Kit+/Lin-) have hematopoietic characteristics and, thanks to their fetal origin, favourable proliferation kinetics in vitro and in vivo, which are maintained when the cells are expanded. IUT of autologous/congenic freshly-isolated or cultured AFSC resulted in stable mutli-lineage hematopoietic engraftment, far higher to that achieved with BM-HSC. Intravascular IUT of allogenic AFSC was not successful as recently reported after intraperitoneal IUT. Herein we demonstrated that this likely due to a failure of timely homing of donor cells to the host fetal thymus resulted in lack of tolerance induction and rejection. This study reveals that intravascular IUT leads to a remarkable hematopoietic engraftment of AFSC in the setting of autologous/congenic IUT, and confirms the requirement for induction of central tolerance for allogenic IUT to be successful. Autologous, gene engineered and in-vitro expanded AFSC could be used as a stem cell/gene therapy platform for the in utero treatment of inherited disorders of hematopoiesis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Amniotic fluid stem cells can be expanded without losing their hematopoietic characteristics In utero transplantation of allogenic AFSC results in adaptive immune response and donor cell rejection, due to failure of timely homing of donor cells to the host fetal thymus and lack of central tolerance induction. Autologous/congenic amniotic fluid stem cells can be transplanted in utero and result in stable, multi-lineage, long-term hematopoietic engraftment that is significantly higher to that achieved with bone marrow-derived cells and could be therapeutic in many inherited disorders of hematopoiesis. © AlphaMed Press 2019.

Cornea tissue is in high demand by tissue donation centres globally, and thus tissue engineering cornea, which is the main topic of corneal translational medicine, can serve as a limitless alternative to a donated human cornea tissue. Tissue engineering aims to produce solutions to the challenges associated with conventional cornea tissue, including transplantation and use of human amniotic membrane (HAM), which have issues with storage and immune rejection in patients. Accordingly, by carefully selecting biomaterials and fabrication methods to produce these therapeutic tissues, the demand for cornea tissue can be met, with an improved healing outcome for recipients with less associated harmful risks. In this review paper, we aim to present the recent advancements in the research and clinical applications of cornea tissue, applications including biomaterial selection, fabrication methods, scaffold structure, cellular response to these scaffolds, and future advancements of these techniques.

Radiotherapy for head and neck cancer is associated with impairment of salivary gland function and consequent xerostomia, which has a devastating effect on the quality of life of the patients. The mechanism of radiation-induced salivary gland damage is not completely understood. Cellular senescence is a permanent state of cell cycle arrest accompanied by a secretory phenotype which contributes to inflammation and tissue deterioration. Genotoxic stresses, including radiation-induced DNA damage, are known to induce a senescence response. Here, we show that radiation induces cellular senescence preferentially in the salivary gland stem/progenitor cell niche of mouse models and patients. Similarly, salivary gland-derived organoids show increased expression of senescence markers and pro-inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors after radiation exposure. Clearance of senescent cells by selective removal of p16Ink4a-positive cells by the drug ganciclovir or the senolytic drug ABT263 lead to increased stem cell self-renewal capacity as measured by organoid formation efficiency. Additionally, pharmacological treatment with ABT263 in mice irradiated to the salivary glands mitigates tissue degeneration, thus preserving salivation. Our data suggest that senescence in the salivary gland stem/progenitor cell niche contributes to radiation-induced hyposalivation. Pharmacological targeting of senescent cells may represent a therapeutic strategy to prevent radiotherapy-induced xerostomia.

Vaccine development is an expensive and time-consuming process that heavily relies on animal models. Yet, vaccine candidates that have previously succeeded in animal experiments often fail in clinical trials questioning the predictive value of animal models. Alternative assay systems that can add to the screening and evaluation of functional characteristics of vaccines in a human context before embarking on costly clinical trials are therefore urgently needed. In this study, we have established an in vitro system consisting of long-term cultures of unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy volunteers to assess (recall) T cell responses to vaccine candidates. We observed that different types of influenza vaccines (whole inactivated virus (WIV), split, and peptide vaccines) were all able to stimulate CD4 and CD8 T cell responses but to different extents in line with their reported in vivo properties. In-depth analyses of different T cell subsets revealed that the tested vaccines evoked mainly recall responses as indicated by the fact that the vast majority of the responding T cells had a memory phenotype. Furthermore, we observed vaccine-induced activation of T follicular helper cells, which are associated with the induction of humoral immune responses. Our results demonstrate the suitability of the established PBMC-based system for the in vitro evaluation of memory T cell responses to vaccines and the comparison of vaccine candidates in a human immune cell context. As such, it can help to bridge the gap between animal experiments and clinical trials and assist in the selection of promising vaccine candidates, at least for recall antigens.

Cord blood (CB) has been used as a viable source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) in over 35,000 clinical hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) efforts to treat the same variety of malignant and non-malignant disorders treated by bone marrow (BM) and mobilized peripheral blood (mPB) using HLA-matched or partially HLA-disparate related or unrelated donor cells for adult and children recipients. This review documents the beginning of this clinical effort that started in the 1980’s, the pros and cons of CB HCT compared to BM and mPB HCT, and recent experimental and clinical efforts to enhance the efficacy of CB HCT. These efforts include means for increasing HSC numbers in single CB collections, expanding functional HSCs ex vivo, and improving CB HSC homing and engraftment, all with the goal of clinical translation. Concluding remarks highlight the need for phase I/II clinical trials to test the experimental procedures that are described, either alone or in combination.

Objective\ud \ud A major characteristic of the autoimmune disease primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is salivary gland (SG) hypofunction. The inability of resident SG stem cells (SGSCs) to maintain homeostasis and saliva production has never been explained and limits our comprehension of mechanisms underlying primary SS. The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of salivary gland stem cells in hyposalivation in primary SS.\ud \ud \ud Methods\ud \ud SGSCs were isolated from parotid biopsy samples from controls and patients classified as having primary SS or incomplete primary SS, according to the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria. Self‐renewal and differentiation assays were used to determine SGSC regenerative potential, RNA was extracted for sequencing analysis, single telomere length analysis was conducted to determine telomere length, and frozen tissue samples were used for immunohistochemical analysis.\ud \ud \ud Results\ud \ud SGSCs isolated from primary SS parotid gland biopsy samples were regeneratively inferior to healthy control specimens. We demonstrated that SGSCs from samples from patients with primary SS are not only lower in number and less able to differentiate, but are likely to be senescent, as revealed by telomere length analysis, RNA sequencing, and immunostaining. We further found that SGSCs exposed to primary SS–associated proinflammatory cytokines we induced to proliferate, express senescence‐associated genes, and subsequently differentiate into intercalated duct cells. We also localized p16+ senescent cells to the intercalated ducts in primary SS SG tissue, suggesting a block in SGSC differentiation into acinar cells.\ud \ud \ud Conclusion\ud \ud This study represents the first characterization of SGSCs in primary SS, and also the first demonstration of a linkage between an autoimmune disease and a parenchymal premature‐aging phenotype. The knowledge garnered in this study indicates that disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs used to treat primary SS are not likely to restore saliva production, and should be supplemented with fresh SGSCs to recover saliva production.

Biomaterial-based scaffolds are promising tools for controlled immunomodulation. They can be applied as three dimensional (3D) culture systems in vitro, whereas in vivo they may be used to dictate cellular localization and exert spatiotemporal control over cues presented to the immune system. As such, scaffolds can be exploited to enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies such as adoptive T cell transfer, in which localization and persistence of tumor-specific T cells dictates treatment outcome. Biomimetic polyisocyanopeptide (PIC) hydrogels are polymeric scaffolds with beneficial characteristics as they display reversible thermally-induced gelation at temperatures above 16°C, which allows for their minimally invasive delivery via injection. Moreover, incorporation of azide-terminated monomers introduces functional handles that can be exploited to include immune cell-modulating cues. Here, we explore the potential of synthetic PIC hydrogels to promote the in vitro expansion and in vivo local delivery of pre-activated T cells. We found that PIC hydrogels support the survival and vigorous expansion of pre-stimulated T cells in vitro even at high cell densities, highlighting their potential as 3D culture systems for efficient expansion of T cells for their adoptive transfer. In particular, the reversible thermo-sensitive behavior of the PIC scaffolds favors straightforward recovery of cells. PIC hydrogels that were injected subcutaneously gelated instantly in vivo, after which a confined 3D structure was formed that remained localized for at least 4 weeks. Importantly, we noticed no signs of inflammation, indicating that PIC hydrogels are non-immunogenic. Cells co-delivered with PIC polymers were encapsulated within the scaffold in vivo. Cells egressed gradually from the PIC gel and migrated into distant organs. This confirms that PIC hydrogels can be used to locally deliver cells within a supportive environment. These results demonstrate that PIC hydrogels are highly promising for both the in vitro expansion and in vivo delivery of pre-activated T cells. Covalent attachment of biomolecules onto azide-functionalized PIC polymers provides the opportunity to steer the phenotype, survival or functional response of the adoptively transferred cells. As such, PIC hydrogels can be used as valuable tools to improve current adoptive T cell therapy strategies. ispartof: FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY vol:9 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Corrigendum: Biotechnology Advances, Volume 37, Issue 3, May–June 2019, Page 505 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.03.001 WOS: 000464301900010 Organoids are in vitro cultures of miniature fetal or adult organ-like structures. Their potentials for use in tissue and organ replacement, disease modeling, toxicology studies, and drug discovery are tremendous. Currently, major challenges facing human organoid technology include (i) improving the range of cellular heterogeneity for a particular organoid system, (ii) mimicking the native micro- and matrix-environment encountered by cells within organoids, and (iii) developing robust protocols for the in vitro maturation of organoids that remain mostly fetal-like in cultures. To tackle these challenges, we advocate the principle of reverse engineering that replicates the inner workings of in vivo systems with the goal of achieving functionality and maturation of the resulting organoid structures with the input of minimal intrinsic (cellular) and environmental (matrix and niche) constituents. Here, we present an overview of organoid technology development in several systems that employ cell materials derived from fetal and adult tissues and pluripotent stem cell cultures. We focus on key studies that exploit the self-organizing property of embryonic progenitors and the role of designer matrices and cell-free scaffolds in assisting organoid formation. We further explore the relationship between adult stem cells, niche factors, and other current developments that aim to enhance robust organoid maturation. From these works, we propose a standardized pipeline for the development of future protocols that would help generate more physiologically relevant human organoids for various biomedical applications.

Human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs, also known as bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells) are promising tools for the cellular therapy of human pathologies related to various forms of hypoxia. Although the current concepts of their clinical use include the expansion of hBMSC in standard cell culture conditions, the effect of the mitogen-driven ex vivo expansion on the adaptation to the hypoxic environment is unknown. Here, we provide data that the basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) enhances the induction of a wide range of hypoxia-related adaptive genes in hypoxic hBMSCs. We identified that the FGF2 signal is transmitted by the ERK pathway similar to that of hypoxia that also utilises the distal elements of the same signalling machinery including the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MEK1/2) in hBMSCs. We found that the simultaneous activation of ERK1/2 by FGF2 and hypoxia transforms the activation dynamics from oscillatory into sustained one. Activated ERKs co-localise with stabilised hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) followed by the reduction of its nuclear mobility as well as increased DNA binding capacity leading to the up-regulation of hypoxia-adaptive genes. Our findings indicate that the status of the ERK pathway has significant impacts on the molecular adaptation of hBMSCs to the hypoxic milieu.

Background Hematopoietic CD34+ stem cells are widely used in the clinical therapy of complicated blood diseases. Stem cell factor Sall4B is a zinc finger transcription factor that plays a vital role in hematopoietic stem cell expansion. The purpose of our current study is to further evaluate how Sall4B might affect the expansion of CD34+ cells derived from nonhuman primates. Methods Sall4B was overexpressed in nonhuman primate bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells via a lentiviral transduction system. The granulocyte–erythrocyte–macrophage–megakaryocyte colony-forming unit (CFU) assay evaluated the differentiation potential of primate CD34+ cells that were expanded with Sall4B. Furthermore, an in-vivo murine system was employed to evaluate the hematopoietic potential of primate Sall4B-expanded CD34+ cells. Results Overexpression of Sall4B promoted ex-vivo nonhuman primate CD34+ cell expansion by 9.21 ± 1.94-fold on day 9, whereas lentiviral transduction without Sall4B expanded cells by only 2.95 ± 0.77-fold. Sall4B maintained a significant percentage of CD34+ cells as well. The CFU assay showed that the Sall4B-expanded CD34+ cells still possessed multilineage differentiation potential. A study using nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice in vivo revealed that Sall4B led to an increase in the number of repopulating cells and the 9-day-old Sall4B-transduced CD34+ cells still possess self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capacity in vivo, which are similar stemness characteristics to those in freshly isolated primate bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells. Conclusions We investigated the expansion of nonhuman primate bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells using the Sall4B lentiviral overexpression approach; our findings provide a new perspective on mechanisms of rapid stem cell proliferation. The utilization of Sall4B to expand CD34+ cells on a large scale through use of suitable model systems would prove helpful towards preclinical trials of autologous transplantation.

Most hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in the bone marrow reside in a quiescent state and occasionally enter the cell cycle upon cytokine-induced activation. Although the mechanisms regulating HSC quiescence and activation remain poorly defined, recent studies have revealed a role of lipid raft clustering (LRC) in HSC activation. Here, we tested the hypothesis that changes in lipid raft distribution could serve as an indicator of the quiescent and activated state of HSCs in response to putative niche signals. A semi-automated image analysis tool was developed to map the presence or absence of lipid raft clusters in live HSCs cultured for just one hour in serum-free medium supplemented with stem cell factor (SCF). By screening the ability of 19 protein candidates to alter lipid raft dynamics, we identified six factors that induced either a marked decrease (Wnt5a, Wnt3a and Osteopontin) or increase (IL3, IL6 and VEGF) in LRC. Cell cycle kinetics of single HSCs exposed to these factors revealed a correlation of LRC dynamics and proliferation kinetics: factors that decreased LRC slowed down cell cycle kinetics, while factors that increased LRC led to faster and more synchronous cycling. The possibility of identifying, by LRC analysis at very early time points, whether a stem cell is activated and possibly committed upon exposure to a signaling cue of interest could open up new avenues for large-scale screening efforts.

Attempts to improve hematopoietic reconstitution and engraftment potential of ex vivo-expanded hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) have been largely unsuccessful due to the inability to generate sufficient stem cell numbers and to excessive differentiation of the starting cell population. Although hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) will rapidly expand after in vivo transplantation, experience from in vitro studies indicates that control of HSPC self-renewal and differentiation in culture remains difficult. Protocols that are based on hematopoietic cytokines have failed to support reliable amplification of immature stem cells in culture, suggesting that additional factors are required. In recent years, several novel factors, including developmental factors and chemical compounds, have been reported to affect HSC self-renewal and improve ex vivo stem cell expansion protocols. Here, we highlight early expansion attempts and review recent development in the extrinsic control of HSPC fate in vitro.

In human hematopoietic malignancies, RAS mutations are frequently observed. Yet, little is known about signal transduction pathways that mediate KRAS-induced phenotypes in human CD34(+) stem/progenitor cells. When cultured on bone marrow stroma, we observed that KRAS(G12V)-transduced cord blood (CB) CD34(+) cells displayed a strong proliferative advantage over control cells, which coincided with increased early cobblestone (CAFC) formation and induction of myelomonocytic differentiation. However, the KRAS(G12V)-induced proliferative advantage was transient. By week three no progenitors remained in KRAS(G12V)-transduced cultures and cells were all terminally differentiated into monocytes/macrophages. In line with these results, LTC-IC frequencies were strongly reduced. Both the ERK and p38 MAPK pathways, but not JNK, were activated by KRAS(G12V) and we observed that proliferation and CAFC formation were mediated via ERK, while differentiation was predominantly mediated via p38. Interestingly, we observed that KRAS(G12V)-induced proliferation and CAFC formation, but not differentiation, were largely mediated via secreted factors, since these phenotypes could be recapitulated by treating non-transduced cells with conditioned medium harvested from KRAS(G12V)-transduced cultures. Multiplex cytokine arrays and genome-wide gene expression profiling were performed to gain further insight into the mechanisms by which oncogenic KRAS(G12V) can contribute to the process of leukemic transformation. Thus, angiopoietin-like 6 (ANGPTL6) was identified as an important factor in the KRAS(G12V) secretome that enhanced proliferation of human CB CD34(+) cells.

Jingwei Lu, Vincent J Pompili, Hiranmoy DasCardiovascular Stem Cell Research Laboratory, The Dorothy M Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USAAbstract: Despite recent advances in cardiovascular medicine, ischemic heart disease remains the major cause of death in the United States and abroad. Cell-based therapy for degenerative diseases like myocardial ischemia using stem cells is currently under serious investigation. Various types of stem cells are being considered to be candidates for cell transplantation in cell-based therapy. Hematopoietic stem cells are one of the most promising cell types as several studies demonstrated their ability to improve ischemic cardiac functions by enhancing neovascularization and by reducing the total size of scar tissue. However, in order to procure sufficient numbers of functional stem cells, ex-vivo expansion technology became critically important. In this review, we focus on the state-of-the-art ex-vivo technology for the expansion of hematopoietic stem cells, and the underlying mechanisms regulating stem cell self-renewal as well as differentiation.Keywords: ischemic heart disease, ex-vivo expansion, hematopoietic stem cells, cytokines, nanofibers

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that hold great promise in the field of regenerative medicine. They can be isolated from almost any tissue of the body and display, after expansion, very similar properties and minor differences, probably due to their microenvironment of origin. Expansion in vitro can be obtained in cytokine-free, serum-enriched media, as well as in serum-free, basic fibroblast growth factor-enriched media. A detailed immunophenotypic analysis is required to test the purity of the preparation, but no unique distinguishing marker has been described as yet. Functional assays, that is, differentiation studies in vitro, are needed to prove multilineage differentiation of expanded cells, and demonstration of pluripotency is necessary to identify most immature precursors. MSCs show powerful immunomodulative properties toward most of the cells of the immune system: this strengthens the theoretical rationale for their use also in an allogeneic setting across the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) immunological barriers. Systemic intravenous injection and local use have been tried: after systemic injection, MSCs show a high degree of chemotaxis based on pro-inflammatory cytokines, and localize at inflamed and neoplastic tissues; local regeneration has been improved using synthetic, as well as organic scaffolds. On the other hand, inadequate heterotopic in vivo differentiation and neoplastic transformation are potential risks of this form of cell therapy, even if evidence of this sort has been collected only from studies in mice, and generally after prolonged in vitro expansion. This review tries to provide a detailed technical overview of the methods used for human bone-marrow (BM)-derived and adipose-tissue (AT)-derived MSC isolation, in vitro expansion, and characterization for tissue repair. We chose to use BM-MSCs as a model to describe techniques that have been used for MSC isolation and expansion from very different sources, and AT-MSCs as an example of a reliable and increasingly common alternative source.

The polycomb group (PcG) gene BMI1 has been identified as one of the key epigenetic regulators of cell fates during different stages of development in multiple murine tissues. In a clinically relevant model, we demonstrate that enforced expression of BMI1 in cord blood CD34+ cells results in long-term maintenance and self-renewal of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Long-term culture-initiating cell frequencies were increased upon stable expression of BMI1 and these cells engrafted more efficiently in NOD-SCID mice. Week 5 cobblestone area-forming cells (CAFCs) were replated to give rise to secondary CAFCs. Serial transplantation studies in NOD-SCID mice revealed that secondary engraftment was only achieved with cells overexpressing BMI1. Importantly, BMI1-transduced cells proliferated in stroma-free cytokine-dependent cultures for more than 20 weeks, while a stable population of approximately 1% to 5% of CD34+ cells was preserved that retained colony-forming capacity. Whereas control cells lost most of their NOD-SCID engraftment potential after 10 days of ex vivo culturing in absence of stroma, NOD-SCID multilineage engraftment was retained by overexpression of BMI1. Thus, our data indicate that self-renewal of human hematopoietic stem cells is enhanced by BMI1, and we classify BMI1 as an intrinsic regulator of human stem/progenitor cell self-renewal.

Previously, we demonstrated that enforced activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5A) in human cord blood (CB)-derived stem/progenitor cells results in enhanced self-renewal and impaired myelopoiesis. The present study identifies C/EBP alpha as a critical component that is down-regulated by STAT5. Microarray and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis on STAT5A(1.6)-transduced CD34(+) cells identified C/EBP alpha as the most prominently down-regulated gene. To determine the cell-biological relevance of these observations, a 4-OHT-inducible C/EBP alpha-ER protein was co-expressed with the STAT5A(1*6) mutant in CB COW cells using a retroviral approach. Re-expression of C/EBP alpha in STAT5A(1*6) cells resulted in a marked restoration of myelopoiesis. The proliferative advantage imposed on CD34(+) cells by STAT5A(1*6) depended on the down-modulation of C/EBP alpha, as reintroduction of C/EBPa induced a quick cell-cycle arrest and the onset of myeloid differentiation. Longterm culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) frequencies were elevated from 0.8% +/- 0.6% to 7.8% +/- 1.9% by STAT5A(1*6) as compared with controls, but these elevated LTC-IC frequencies were strongly reduced upon re-introduction of C/EBP alpha in STAT5A(1*6) cells, and no second cobblestone area-forming cells (CAFCs) could be generated from double-transduced cells. Enumeration of progenitors revealed that the number of colony-forming cells (CFCs) was reduced more than 20-fold when C/EBP alpha was co-expressed in STAT5A(1*6) cells. Our data indicate that down-modulation of C/EBP alpha is a prerequisite for STAT5-induced effects on self-renewal and myelopoiesis.

The quest for a therapy for muscular dystrophy has been the driving force behind the past 40 years of advances in this field. Numerous results, such as the identification of satellite cells and gene mutations that are responsible for most forms of dystrophies, advances in gene transfer and modification technology and, more recently, stem cells, have fueled hopes. However, administering cortical-steroids still remains the only effective treatment available. Several recent advances have uncovered a diversity of possible therapeutic approaches, from pharmacological treatments to gene therapy (exon-skipping and adeno-associated viruses) and cell therapy with different types of newly identified stem cells' Importantly, a combination of these strategies might greatly enhance the possibility of successful therapy. ispartof: Trends in Molecular Medicine vol:10 issue:10 pages:516-520 ispartof: location:England status: published

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold great promise in regenerative medicine due to their wide multilineage potential as well as their ability to suppress/modulate the immune response. Maintaining these cells in vitro and expanding them on a clinically relevant scale remains a challenge that needs to be addressed to realise their full potential. Current culture methods for MSCs typically rely on animal sourced substrates and often result in a heterogeneous population of cells with varying degrees of differentiation capacity. Here, a high-throughput platform was used to identify synthetic substrates for MSC culture that not only facilitated growth but also maintained the MSC phenotype. Two polymers, PU157 (synthesised from poly(butyleneglycol) and 4,4'-methylenediphenyldiisocyanate with 3-(dimethylamino)-1,2-propanediol as a chain extender) and PA338 (N-methylaniline modified poly(methylmethacrylate-co-glycidylmethacrylate)) were able to maintain the growth and phenotype of human embryonic derived mesenchymal progenitors (hES-MPs) and adipose derived MSCs (ADMSCs) for five and ten passages, respectively. Cell phenotype and multipotency were confirmed by flow cytometry analysis of ten MSC markers and differentiation analysis. These new polymer substrates provide a chemically defined synthetic surface for efficient, long-term MSC culture.

Despite the progress in our understanding of genes essential for stem cell regulation and development, little is known about the factors secreted by stem cells and their effect on tissue regeneration. In particular, the factors secreted by human CD34+ cells remain to be elucidated. We have approached this challenge by performing a cytokine/growth factor microarray analysis of secreted soluble factors in medium conditioned by adherent human CD34+ cells. Thirty-two abundantly secreted factors have been identified, all of which are associated with cell proliferation, survival, tissue repair, and wound healing. The cultured CD34+ cells expressed known stem cell genes such as Nanog, Oct4, Sox2, c-kit, and HoxB4. The conditioned medium containing the secreted factors prevented cell death in liver cells exposed to liver toxin in vitro via inhibition of the caspase-3 signaling pathway. More importantly, in vivo studies using animal models of liver damage demonstrated that injection of the conditioned medium could repair damaged liver tissue (significant reduction in the necroinflammatory activity), as well as enable the animals to survive. Thus, we demonstrate that medium conditioned by human CD34+ cells has the potential for therapeutic repair of damaged tissue in vivo.

Attempts to improve hematopoietic reconstitution and engraftment potential of ex vivo-expanded hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) have been largely unsuccessful due to the inability to generate sufficient stem cell numbers and to excessive differentiation of the starting cell population. Although hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) will rapidly expand after in vivo transplantation, experience from in vitro studies indicates that control of HSPC self-renewal and differentiation in culture remains difficult. Protocols that are based on hematopoietic cytokines have failed to support reliable amplification of immature stem cells in culture, suggesting that additional factors are required. In recent years, several novel factors, including developmental factors and chemical compounds, have been reported to affect HSC self-renewal and improve ex vivo stem cell expansion protocols. Here, we highlight early expansion attempts and review recent development in the extrinsic control of HSPC fate in vitro.

Objective. With the emergence of the concept of the leukemia stem cell, assays to study them remain pivotal in understanding (leukemic) stem cell biology.Methods. We have cultured acute myeloid leukemia CD34(+) cells on bone marrow stroma. Long-term expansion was monitored and self-renewal was addressed by replating of Leukemic-cobblestone area-forming cells (L-CAs). Also, lentiviral vectors were generated that could target L-CAs.Results. A strong expansion was observed in about 75% of the acute myeloid leukemia cases (n = 30) and long-term cultures could be maintained for up to 24 weeks on MS5 bone marrow stromal cells. Cells that were able to initiate leukemic cobblestone areas resided in the CD34(+) population and were absent from the CD34(-) population. Self-renewal within these L-CAs was determined by sequential passaging of these L-CAs onto new MS5 stromal layers, which resulted in the generation of second, third, and fourth L-CAs, which were able to sustain long-term expansion and generated high numbers of immature undifferentiated suspension cells. CD34(+) cells that were able to initiate long-term cultures all coexpressed MEIS1 and HOXA9, and expressed elevated BMI1 levels.Conclusion. We present a novel long-term leukemic stem/progenitor assay in which new drugs can be tested and in which genes can be overexpressed or downmodulated using a lentiviral approach in order to obtain more insight into the process of leukemic transformation and self-renewal. (c) 2007 ISEH-Society for Hematology and Stem Cells. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Previously, we demonstrated that enforced activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5A) in human cord blood (CB)-derived stem/progenitor cells results in enhanced self-renewal and impaired myelopoiesis. The present study identifies C/EBP alpha as a critical component that is down-regulated by STAT5. Microarray and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis on STAT5A(1.6)-transduced CD34(+) cells identified C/EBP alpha as the most prominently down-regulated gene. To determine the cell-biological relevance of these observations, a 4-OHT-inducible C/EBP alpha-ER protein was co-expressed with the STAT5A(1*6) mutant in CB COW cells using a retroviral approach. Re-expression of C/EBP alpha in STAT5A(1*6) cells resulted in a marked restoration of myelopoiesis. The proliferative advantage imposed on CD34(+) cells by STAT5A(1*6) depended on the down-modulation of C/EBP alpha, as reintroduction of C/EBPa induced a quick cell-cycle arrest and the onset of myeloid differentiation. Longterm culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) frequencies were elevated from 0.8% +/- 0.6% to 7.8% +/- 1.9% by STAT5A(1*6) as compared with controls, but these elevated LTC-IC frequencies were strongly reduced upon re-introduction of C/EBP alpha in STAT5A(1*6) cells, and no second cobblestone area-forming cells (CAFCs) could be generated from double-transduced cells. Enumeration of progenitors revealed that the number of colony-forming cells (CFCs) was reduced more than 20-fold when C/EBP alpha was co-expressed in STAT5A(1*6) cells. Our data indicate that down-modulation of C/EBP alpha is a prerequisite for STAT5-induced effects on self-renewal and myelopoiesis.

We have integrated gene expression profiling with database and literature mining, mechanistic modeling, and cell culture experiments to identify intercellular and intracellular networks regulating blood stem cell self-renewal. Blood stem cell fate in vitro is regulated non-autonomously by a coupled positive–negative intercellular feedback circuit, composed of megakaryocyte-derived stimulatory growth factors (VEGF, PDGF, EGF, and serotonin) versus monocyte-derived inhibitory factors (CCL3, CCL4, CXCL10, TGFB2, and TNFSF9). The antagonistic signals converge in a core intracellular network focused around PI3K, Raf, PLC, and Akt. Model simulations enable functional classification of the novel endogenous ligands and signaling molecules., Intercellular (between cell) communication networks are required to maintain homeostasis and coordinate regenerative and developmental cues in multicellular organisms. Despite the recognized importance of intercellular networks in regulating adult stem and progenitor cell fate, the specific cell populations involved, and the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely undefined. Although a limited number of studies have applied novel bioinformatic approaches to unravel intercellular signaling in other cell systems (Frankenstein et al, 2006), a comprehensive analysis of intercellular communication in a stem cell-derived, hierarchical tissue network has yet to be reported. As a model system to explore intercellular communication networks in a hierarchically organized tissue, we cultured human umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived stem and progenitor cells in defined, minimal cytokine-supplemented liquid culture (Madlambayan et al, 2006). To systematically explore the molecular and cellular dynamics underlying primitive progenitor growth and differentiation, gene expression profiles of primitive (lineage negative; Lin−) and mature (lineage positive; Lin+) populations were generated during phases of stem cell expansion versus depletion. Parallel phenotypic and subproteomic experiments validated that mRNA expression correlated with complex measures of proteome activity (protein secretion and cell surface expression). Using a curated list of secreted ligand–receptor interactions and published expression profiles of purified mature blood populations, we implemented a novel algorithm to reconstruct the intercellular signaling networks established between stem cells and multi-lineage progeny in vitro. By correlating differential expression patterns with stem cell growth, we predict cell populations, pathways, and secreted ligands associated with stem cell self-renewal and differentiation (Figure 3A). We then tested the correlative predictions in a series of cell culture experiments. UCB progenitor cell cultures were supplemented with saturating amounts of 18 putative regulatory ligands, or cocultured with purified mature blood lineages (megakaryocytes, monocytes, and erythrocytes), and analyzed for effects on total cell, progenitor, and primitive progenitor growth. At the primitive progenitor level, 3/5 novel predicted stimulatory ligands (EGF, PDGFB, and VEGF) displayed significant positive effects, 5/7 predicted inhibitory factors (CCL3, CCL4, CXCL10, TNFSF9, and TGFB2) displayed negative effects, whereas only 1/5 non-correlated ligand (CXCL7) displayed an effect. Also consistent with predictions from gene expression data, megakaryocytes and monocytes were found to stimulate and inhibit primitive progenitor growth, respectively, and these effects were attributable to differential secretome profiles of stimulatory versus inhibitory ligands. Cellular responses to external stimuli, particularly in heterogeneous and dynamic cell populations, represent complex functions of multiple cell fate decisions acting both directly and indirectly on the target (stem cell) populations. Experimentally distinguishing the mode of action of cytokines is thus a difficult task. To address this we used our previously published interactive model of hematopoiesis (Kirouac et al, 2009) to classify experimentally identified regulatory ligands into one of four distinct functional categories based on their differential effects on cell population growth. TGFB2 was classified as a proliferation inhibitor, CCL4, CXCL10, SPARC, and TNFSF9 as self-renewal inhibitors, CCL3 a proliferation stimulator, and EGF, VEGF, and PDGFB as self-renewal stimulators. Stem and progenitor cells exposed to combinatorial extracellular signals must propagate this information through intracellular molecular networks, and respond appropriately by modifying cell fate decisions. To explore how our experimentally identified positive and negative regulatory signals are integrated at the intracellular level, we constructed a blood stem cell self-renewal signaling network through extensive literature curation and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network mapping. We find that signal transduction pathways activated by the various stimulatory and inhibitory ligands converge on a limited set of molecular control nodes, forming a core subnetwork enriched for known regulators of self-renewal (Figure 6A). To experimentally test the intracellular signaling molecules computationally predicted as regulators of stem cell self-renewal, we obtained five small molecule antagonists against the kinases Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Raf, Akt, Phospholipase C (PLC), and MEK1. Liquid cultures were supplemented with the five molecules individually, and resultant cell population outputs compared against model simulations to deconvolute the functional effects on proliferation (and survival) versus self-renewal. This analysis classifies inhibition of PI3K and Raf activity as selectively targeting self-renewal, PLC as selectively targeting survival, and Akt as selectively targeting proliferation; MEK inhibition appears non-specific for these processes. This represents the first systematic characterization of how cell fate decisions are regulated non-autonomously through lineage-specific interactions with differentiated progeny. The complex intercellular communication networks can be approximated as an antagonistic positive–negative feedback circuit, wherein progenitor expansion is modulated by a balance of megakaryocyte-derived stimulatory factors (EGF, PDGF, VEGF, and possibly serotonin) versus monocyte-derived inhibitory factors (CCL3, CCL4, CXCL10, TGFB2, and TNFSF9). This complex milieu of endogenous regulatory signals is integrated and processed within a core intracellular signaling network, resulting in modulation of cell-level kinetic parameters (proliferation, survival, and self-renewal). We reconstruct a stem cell associated intracellular network, and identify PI3K, Raf, Akt, and PLC as functionally distinct signal integration nodes, linking extracellular and intracellular signaling. These findings lay the groundwork for novel strategies to control blood stem cell self-renewal in vitro and in vivo., Intercellular (between cell) communication networks maintain homeostasis and coordinate regenerative and developmental cues in multicellular organisms. Despite the importance of intercellular networks in stem cell biology, their rules, structure and molecular components are poorly understood. Herein, we describe the structure and dynamics of intercellular and intracellular networks in a stem cell derived, hierarchically organized tissue using experimental and theoretical analyses of cultured human umbilical cord blood progenitors. By integrating high-throughput molecular profiling, database and literature mining, mechanistic modeling, and cell culture experiments, we show that secreted factor-mediated intercellular communication networks regulate blood stem cell fate decisions. In particular, self-renewal is modulated by a coupled positive–negative intercellular feedback circuit composed of megakaryocyte-derived stimulatory growth factors (VEGF, PDGF, EGF, and serotonin) versus monocyte-derived inhibitory factors (CCL3, CCL4, CXCL10, TGFB2, and TNFSF9). We reconstruct a stem cell intracellular network, and identify PI3K, Raf, Akt, and PLC as functionally distinct signal integration nodes, linking extracellular, and intracellular signaling. This represents the first systematic characterization of how stem cell fate decisions are regulated non-autonomously through lineage-specific interactions with differentiated progeny.

Traditional tumor vaccination approaches mostly focus on activating dendritic cells (DCs) by providing them with a source of tumor antigens and/or adjuvants, which in turn activate tumor-reactive T cells. Novel biomaterial-based cancer immunotherapeutic strategies focus on directly activating and stimulating T cells through molecular cues presented on synthetic constructs with the aim of improving T cell survival, more precisely steer T cell activation and direct T cell differentiation. Synthetic artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs) decorated with T cell-activating ligands are being developed to induce robust tumor-specific T cell responses, essentially bypassing DCs. In this perspective, we approach these promising new technologies from an immunological angle, first by identifying the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subtypes that are imperative for robust anti-cancer immunity and subsequently discussing the molecular cues needed to induce these cells types. We will elaborate on how biomaterials can be applied to stimulate T cells in vitro and in vivo to improve their survival, activation and function. Scaffold-based methods can also be used as delivery vehicles for adoptive transfer of T cells, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and chimeric antigen receptor expressing (CAR) T cells, while simultaneously stimulating these cells. Finally, we provide suggestions on how these insights could advance the field of biomaterial-based activation and expansion of tumor-specific T cells in the future. ispartof: FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY vol:10 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are rare, self-renewing cells that perch on top of the hematopoietic tree. The HSCs ensure the constant supply of mature blood cells in a tightly regulated process producing peripheral blood cells. Intense efforts are ongoing to optimize HSC engraftment as therapeutic strategy to treat patients suffering from hematopoietic diseases. Preclinical research paves the way by developing methods to maintain, manipulate and expand HSCs ex vivo to understand their regulation and molecular make-up. The generation of a sufficient number of transplantable HSCs is the Holy Grail for clinical therapy. Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) are characterized by their acquired stem cell characteristics and are responsible for disease initiation, progression, and relapse. We summarize efforts, that have been undertaken to increase the number of long-term (LT)-HSCs and to prevent differentiation towards committed progenitors in ex vivo culture. We provide an overview and compare methods currently available to isolate, maintain and enrich HSC subsets, progenitors and LSCs and discuss their individual advantages and drawbacks.