Baoyang Hu

Neural differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells follows developmental principles but with variable potency

For the promise of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to be realized, it is necessary to ask if and how efficiently they may be differentiated to functional cells of various lineages. Here, we have directly compared the neural-differentiation capacity of human iPSCs and embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We have shown that human iPSCs use the same transcriptional network to generate neuroepithelia and functionally appropriate neuronal types over the same developmental time course as hESCs in response to the same set of morphogens; however, they do it with significantly reduced efficiency and increased variability. These results were consistent across iPSC lines and independent of the set of reprogramming transgenes used to derive iPSCs as well as the presence or absence of reprogramming transgenes in iPSCs. These findings, which show a need for improving differentiation potency of iPSCs, suggest the possibility of employing human iPSCs in pathological studies, therapeutic screening, and autologous cell transplantation.

Directed Differentiation of Ventral Spinal Progenitors and Motor Neurons from Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Small Molecules

Specification of distinct cell types from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is key to the potential application of these naïve pluripotent cells in regenerative medicine. Determination of the nontarget differentiated populations, which is lacking in the field, is also crucial. Here, we show an efficient differentiation of motor neurons (∼50%) by a simple sequential application of retinoid acid and sonic hedgehog (SHH) in a chemically defined suspension culture. We also discovered that purmorphamine, a small molecule that activates the SHH pathway, could replace SHH for the generation of motor neurons. Immunocytochemical characterization indicated that cells differentiated from hESCs were nearly completely restricted to the ventral spinal progenitor fate (NKX2.2+, Irx3+, and Pax7−), with the exception of motor neurons (HB9+) and their progenitors (Olig2+). Thus, the directed neural differentiation system with small molecules, even without further purification, will facilitate basic and translational studies using human motoneurons at a minimal cost.

Differentiation of spinal motor neurons from pluripotent human stem cells

We have devised a reproducible protocol by which human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are efficiently differentiated to functional spinal motor neurons. This protocol comprises four major steps. Pluripotent stem cells are induced to form neuroepithelial (NE) cells that form neural tube-like rosettes in the absence of morphogens in the first 2 weeks. The NE cells are then specified to OLIG2-expressing motoneuron progenitors in the presence of retinoic acid (RA) and sonic hedgehog (SHH) or purmorphamine in the next 2 weeks. These progenitor cells further generate post-mitotic, HB9-expressing motoneurons at the 5th week and mature to functional motor neurons thereafter. It typically takes 5 weeks to generate the post-mitotic motoneurons and 8–10 weeks for the production of functional mature motoneurons. In comparison with other methods, our protocol does not use feeder cells, has a minimum dependence on proteins (purmorphamine replacing SHH), has controllable adherent selection and is adaptable for scalable suspension culture.

Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived GABA Neurons Correct Locomotion Deficits in Quinolinic Acid-Lesioned Mice

Degeneration of medium spiny GABA neurons in the basal ganglia underlies motor dysfunction in Huntingtons disease (HD), which presently lacks effective therapy. In this study, we have successfully directed human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to enriched populations of DARPP32-expressing forebrain GABA neurons. Transplantation of these human forebrain GABA neurons and their progenitors, but not spinal GABA cells, into the striatum of quinolinic acid-lesioned mice results in generation of large populations of DARPP32(+) GABA neurons, which project to the substantia nigra as well as receiving glutamatergic and dopaminergic inputs, corresponding to correction of motor deficits. This finding raises hopes for cell therapy for HD.

Differentiation of human oligodendrocytes from pluripotent stem cells

We have developed a four-part protocol to differentiate human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) according to developmental principles. In the first 2 weeks, hESCs are induced to differentiate into neuroepithelial cells, which form neural tube–like rosettes. In the following 10 d, these neuroepithelial cells are specified to OLIG2-expressing progenitors in the presence of retinoic acid (RA) and sonic hedgehog (SHH). Upon treatment with fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) for another 10 d, these progenitors convert to OLIG2 and NKX2.2-expressing pre-OPCs. Finally, the pre-OPCs take 8–9 weeks to differentiate into OPCs, which express additional markers of oligodendrocytes, such as SOX10, platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) and NG2. The unique aspects of the protocol are the use of FGF2 to promote the differentiation of gliogenic pre-OPCs in the third part and the removal of FGF2 during the transition of pre-OPCs to OPCs. This 3-month differentiation protocol consistently yields OPCs of high purity capable of producing myelin sheaths in vivo.

Human oligodendrocytes from embryonic stem cells: conserved SHH signaling networks and divergent FGF effects

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) offer a platform to bridge what we have learned from animal studies to human biology. Using oligodendrocyte differentiation as a model system, we show that sonic hedgehog (SHH)-dependent sequential activation of the transcription factors OLIG2, NKX2.2 and SOX10 is required for sequential specification of ventral spinal OLIG2-expressing progenitors, pre-oligodendrocyte precursor cells (pre-OPCs) and OPCs from hESC-derived neuroepithelia, indicating that a conserved transcriptional network underlies OPC specification in human as in other vertebrates. However, the transition from pre-OPCs to OPCs is protracted. FGF2, which promotes mouse OPC generation, inhibits the transition of pre-OPCs to OPCs by repressing SHH-dependent co-expression of OLIG2 and NKX2.2. Thus, despite the conservation of a similar transcriptional network across vertebrates, human stem/progenitor cells may respond differently to those of other vertebrates to certain extrinsic factors.

A single mutation in the prM protein of Zika virus contributes to fetal microcephaly

Mutation for microcephaly Zika virus infections in humans have been known since 1947. Microcephaly and neuropathologies associated with Zika have only been reported recently, most prevalently in the Americas. Yuan et al. investigated recent stable mutations in the virus genome and engineered them into a low-virulence ancestral strain (see the Perspective by Screaton and Mongkolsapaya). A single amino acid substitution (serine to asparagine, S139N) in the viral precursor membrane protein exacerbated symptoms in pregnant mice. The reverse mutation (N139S) was less virulent. The S139N mutation arose in 2013 in French Polynesia before the virus jumped to Brazil in 2015. In vitro, this amino acid change made the virus more infectious for mouse and human neural progenitor cells and promoted apoptosis. The terrible sequelae of infection during pregnancy could thus be the result of a simple viral mutation. Science, this issue p. 933; see also p. 863 Zika virus has recently acquired a single mutation in its precursor membrane protein (prM) that exacerbates fetal microcephaly. Zika virus (ZIKV) has evolved into a global health threat because of its unexpected causal link to microcephaly. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that contemporary epidemic strains have accumulated multiple substitutions from their Asian ancestor. Here we show that a single serine-to-asparagine substitution [Ser139→Asn139 (S139N)] in the viral polyprotein substantially increased ZIKV infectivity in both human and mouse neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and led to more severe microcephaly in the mouse fetus, as well as higher mortality rates in neonatal mice. Evolutionary analysis indicates that the S139N substitution arose before the 2013 outbreak in French Polynesia and has been stably maintained during subsequent spread to the Americas. This functional adaption makes ZIKV more virulent to human NPCs, thus contributing to the increased incidence of microcephaly in recent ZIKV epidemics.

Directed Differentiation of Neural-stem cells and Subtype-Specific Neurons from hESCs

We describe a chemically defined protocol for efficient differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to neural epithelial cells and then to functional spinal motor neurons. This protocol comprises four major steps. Human ESCs are differentiated without morphogens into neuroepithelial cells that form neural tube-like rosettes in the first 2 weeks. The neuroepithelial cells are then specified to OLIG2-expressing motoneuron progenitors in the presence of retinoic acid (RA) and sonic hedgehog (SHH) in the following 2 weeks. These OLIG2 progenitors generate postmitotic, HB9 expressing motoneurons at the fifth week and mature to functional motor neurons thereafter. The protein factor SHH can be replaced by a small molecule purmorphamine in the entire process, which may facilitate potential clinical applications. This protocol has been shown equally effective in generating motor neurons from human induced pluropotent stem (iPS) cells.

One-step generation of p53 gene biallelic mutant Cynomolgus monkey via the CRISPR/Cas system

One-step generation of p53 gene biallelic mutant Cynomolgus monkey via the CRISPR/Cas system

Cre Recombination‐Mediated Cassette Exchange for Building Versatile Transgenic Human Embryonic Stem Cells Lines

To circumvent the silencing effect of transgene expression in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), we employed the Cre recombination‐mediated cassette exchange strategy to target the silencing‐resistant site in the genome. We have identified new loci that sustain transgene expression during stem cell expansion and differentiation to cells representing the three germ layers in vitro and in vivo. The built‐in double loxP cassette in the established master hESC lines was specifically replaced by a targeting vector containing the same loxP sites, using the cell‐permeable Cre protein transduction method, resulting in successful generation of new hESC lines with constitutive functional gene expression, inducible transgene expression, and lineage‐specific reporter gene expression. This strategy and the master cell lines allow for rapid production of transgenic hESC lines in ordinary laboratories. Stem Cells 2009;27:1032–1041