Jingli Cai

Dopaminergic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.

In this manuscript we report that human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) differentiated into dopaminergic neurons when cocultured with PA6 cells. After 3 weeks of differentiation, approximately 87% of hES colonies contained tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)–positive cells, and a high percentage of the cells in most of the colonies expressed TH. Differentiation was inhibited by exposure to BMP4 or serum.

Nitric oxide acts in a positive feedback loop with BDNF to regulate neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in the mammalian brain.

Nitric oxide (NO) is believed to act as an intercellular signal that regulates synaptic plasticity in mature neurons. We now report that NO also regulates the proliferation and differentiation of mouse brain neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Treatment of dissociated mouse cortical neuroepithelial cluster cell cultures with the NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME or the NO scavenger hemoglobin increased cell proliferation and decreased differentiation of the NPCs into neurons, whereas the NO donor sodium nitroprusside inhibited NPC proliferation and increased neuronal differentiation. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) reduced NPC proliferation and increased the expression of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) in differentiating neurons. The stimulatory effect of BDNF on neuronal differentation of NPC was blocked by L-NAME and hemoglobin, suggesting that NO produced by the latter cells inhibited proliferation and induced neuronal differentiation of neighboring NPCs. A similar role for NO in regulating the switch of neural stem cells from proliferation to differentiation in the adult brain is suggested by data showing that NO synthase inhibition enhances NPC proliferation and inhibits neuronal differentiation in the subventricular zone of adult mice. These findings identify NO as a paracrine messenger stimulated by neurotrophin signaling in newly generated neurons to control the proliferation and differentiation of NPC, a novel mechanism for the regulation of developmental and adult neurogenesis.

Membrane properties of rat embryonic multipotent neural stem cells

We have characterized several potential stem cell markers and defined the membrane properties of rat fetal (E10.5) neural stem cells (NSC) by immunocytochemistry, electrophysiology and microarray analysis. Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrates specificity of expression of Sox1, ABCG2/Bcrp1, and shows that nucleostemin labels both progenitor and stem cell populations. NSCs, like hematopoietic stem cells, express high levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) as assessed by Aldefluor labeling. Microarray analysis of 96 transporters and channels showed that Glucose transporter 1 (Glut1/Slc2a1) expression is unique to fetal NSCs or other differentiated cells. Electrophysiological examination showed that fetal NSCs respond to acetylcholine and its agonists, such as nicotine and muscarine. NSCs express low levels of tetrodotoxin (TTX) sensitive and insensitive sodium channels and calcium channels while expressing at least three kinds of potassium channels. We find that gap junction communication is mediated by connexin (Cx)43 and Cx45, and is essential for NSC survival and proliferation. Overall, our results show that fetal NSCs exhibit a unique signature that can be used to determine their location and assess their ability to respond to their environment.

Assessing Self‐Renewal and Differentiation in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines

Like other cell populations, undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) express a characteristic set of proteins and mRNA that is unique to the cells regardless of culture conditions, number of passages, and methods of propagation. We sought to identify a small set of markers that would serve as a reliable indicator of the balance of undifferentiated and differentiated cells in hESC populations. Markers of undifferentiated cells should be rapidly downregulated as the cells differentiate to form embryoid bodies (EBs), whereas markers that are absent or low during the undifferentiated state but that are induced as hESCs differentiate could be used to assess the presence of differentiated cells in the cultures. In this paper, we describe a list of markers that reliably distinguish undifferentiated and differentiated cells. An initial list of approximately 150 genes was generated by scanning published massively parallel signature sequencing, expressed sequence tag scan, and microarray datasets. From this list, a subset of 109 genes was selected that included 55 candidate markers of undifferentiated cells, 46 markers of hESC derivatives, four germ cell markers, and four trophoblast markers. Expression of these candidate marker genes was analyzed in undifferentiated hESCs and differentiating EB populations in four different lines by immunocytochemistry, reverse transcription–polymer‐ase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), microarray analysis, and quantitative RT‐PCR (qPCR). We show that qPCR, with as few as 12 selected genes, can reliably distinguish differentiated cells from undifferentiated hESC populations.

Sox2 expression defines a heterogeneous population of neurosphere-forming cells in the adult murine brain.

The identification of neural stem cells (NSCs) in situ has been prevented by the inability to identify a marker consistently expressed in all adult NSCs and is thus generally accomplished using the in vitro neurosphere‐forming assay. The high‐mobility group transcription factor Sox2 is expressed in embryonic neural epithelial stem cells; because these cells are thought to give rise to the adult NSC population, we hypothesized that Sox2 may continue to be expressed in adult NSCs. Using Sox2:EGFP transgenic mice, we show that Sox2 is expressed in neurogenic regions along the rostral–caudal axis of the central nervous system throughout life. Furthermore, all neurospheres derived from these neurogenic regions express Sox2, suggesting that Sox2 is indeed expressed in adult NSCs. We demonstrate that NSCs are heterogeneous within the adult brain, with differing capacities for cell production. In vitro, all neurospheres express Sox2, but the expression of markers common to early progenitor cells within individual neurospheres varies; this heterogeneity of NSCs is mirrored in vivo. For example, both glial fibrillary acidic protein and NG2 are expressed within individual neurospheres, but their expression is mutually exclusive; likewise, these two markers show distinct staining patterns within the Sox2+ regions of the brains neurogenic regions. Thus, we propose that the expression of Sox2 is a unifying characteristic of NSCs in the adult brain, but that not all NSCs maintain the ability to form all neural cell types in vivo.

Dopaminergic Neurons Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Survive and Integrate into 6-OHDA-Lesioned Rats

Cell replacement therapy could be an important treatment strategy for Parkinsons disease (PD), which is caused by the degeneration of dopamine neurons in the midbrain (mDA). The success of this approach greatly relies on the discovery of an abundant source of cells capable of mDAergic function in the brain. With the paucity of available human fetal tissue, efforts have increasingly focused on renewable stem cells. Human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells offer great promise in this regard. If hiPS cells can be differentiated into authentic mDA neuron, hiPS could provide a potential autologous source of transplant tissue when generated from PD patients, a clear advantage over human embryonic stem (hES) cells. Here, we report that mDA neurons can be derived from a commercially available hiPS cell line, IMR90 clone 4, using a modified hES differentiation protocol established in our lab. These cells express all the markers (Lmx1a, Aldh1a1, TH, TrkB), follow the same mDA lineage pathway as H9 hES cells, and have similar expression levels of DA and DOPAC. Moreover, when hiPS mDA progenitor cells are transplanted into 6-OHDA-lesioned PD rats, they survive long term and many develop into bona fide mDA neurons. Despite their differentiation and integration into the brain, many Nestin+ tumor-like cells remain at the site of the graft. Our data suggest that as with hES cells, selecting the appropriate population of mDA lineage cells and eliminating actively dividing hiPS cells before transplantation will be critical for the future success of hiPS cell replacement therapy in PD patients.

Microarray analysis of selected genes in neural stem and progenitor cells.

To access and compare gene expression in fetal neuroepithelial cells (NEPs) and progenitor cells, we have used microarrays containing approximately 500 known genes related to cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, growth and differentiation. We have identified 152 genes that are expressed in NEPs and 209 genes expressed by progenitor cells. The majority of genes (141) detected in NEPs are also present in progenitor populations. There are 68 genes specifically expressed in progenitors with little or no expression in NEPs, and a few genes that appear to be present exclusively in NEPs. Using cell sorting, RT–PCR, in situ hybridization or immunocytochemistry, we have examined the segregation of expression to neuronal and glial progenitors, and identified several that appeared to be enriched in neuronal (e.g. CDK5, neuropilin, EphrinB2, FGF11) or glial (e.g. CXCR4, RhoC, CD44, tenascin C) precursors. Our data provide a first report of gene expression profiles of neural stem and progenitor cells at early stages of development, and provide evidence for the potential roles of specific cell cycle regulators, chemokines, cytokines and extracellular matrix molecules in neural development and lineage segregation.

Differential fate of multipotent and lineage-restricted neural precursors following transplantation into the adult CNS

Multiple classes of precursor cells have been isolated and characterized from the developing spinal cord including multipotent neuroepithelial (NEP) stem cells and lineage-restricted precursors for neurons (NRPs) and glia (GRPs). We have compared the survival, differentiation and integration of multipotent NEP cells with lineage-restricted NRPs and GRPs using cells isolated from transgenic rats that express the human placental alkaline phosphatase gene. Our results demonstrate that grafted NEP cells survive poorly, with no cells observed 3 days after transplant in the adult hippocampus, striatum and spinal cord, indicating that most CNS regions are not compatible with transplants of multipotent cells derived from fetal CNS. By contrast, at 3 weeks and 5 weeks post-engraftment, lineage-restricted precursors showed selective migration along white-matter tracts and robust survival in all three CNS regions. The grafted precursors expressed the mature neuronal markers NeuN and MAP2, the astrocytic marker GFAP, the oligodendrocytic markers RIP, NG2 and Sox-10, and the synaptic marker synaptophysin. Similar behavior was observed when these precursors were transplanted into the injured spinal cord. Predifferentiated, multipotent NEP cells also survive and integrate, which indicates that lineage-restricted CNS precursors are well suited for transplantation into the adult CNS and provide a promising cellular replacement candidate.

The Role of Lmx1a in the Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Midbrain Dopamine Neurons in Culture and After Transplantation into a Parkinson's Disease Model

Recent studies have provided important insight into the homeoprotein LIM homeobox transcription factor 1α (Lmx1a) and its role in the commitment of cells to a midbrain dopamine (mDA) fate in the developing mouse. We show here that Lmx1a also plays a pivotal role in the mDA differentiation of human embryonic stem (hES) cells. Thus, as indicated by small interfering RNA experiments, the transient early expression of Lmx1a is necessary for the coordinated expression of all other dopamine (DA)‐specific phenotypic traits as hES cells move from multipotent human neural progenitor cells (hNPs) to more restricted precursor cells in vitro. Moreover, only Lmx1a‐specified hNPs have the potential to differentiate into bona fide mDA neurons after transplantation into the 6‐hydroxydopamine‐treated rat striatum. In contrast, cortical human neuronal precursor cells (HNPCs) and mouse subventricular zone cells do not express Lmx1a or become mDA neurons even when placed in an environment that fosters their DA differentiation in vitro or in vivo. These findings suggest that Lmx1a may be critical to the development of mDA neurons from hES cells and that, along with other key early DA markers (i.e., Aldh1a1), may prove to be extremely useful for the selection of appropriately staged and suitably mDA‐specified hES cells for cell replacement in Parkinsons disease. STEM CELLS 2009;27:220–229

Whole Genome Analysis of Human Neural Stem Cells Derived from Embryonic Stem Cells and Stem and Progenitor Cells Isolated from Fetal Tissue

Multipotent neural stem cells (NSC) have been derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) as well as isolated from fetal tissues. However, there have been few exclusive markers of NSC identified to date, and the differences between NSC from various sources are poorly understood. Although cells isolated from these two sources share many important characteristics, it is not clear how closely they are related in terms of gene expression. Here, we compare the gene expression profiles of 11 lines of NSC derived from hESC (ES_NSC), four lines of NSC isolated from fetus (F_NSC), and two lines of restricted progenitors in order to characterize these cell populations and identify differences between NSC derived from these two sources. We showed that ES_NSC were clustered together with high transcriptional similarities but were distinguished from F_NSC, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, and astrocyte precursor cells. There were 17 genes expressed in both ES_NSC and F_NSC whose expression was not identified in restricted neural progenitors. Furthermore, the major differences between ES_NSC and F_NSC were mostly observed in genes related to the key neural differentiation pathways. Here, we show that comparison of global gene expression profiles of ES_NSC, F_NSC, and restricted neural progenitor cells makes it possible to identify some of the common characteristics of NSC and differences between similar stem cell populations derived from hESCs or isolated from fetal tissue.