Melanie J. Welham

Regulation of Nanog Expression by Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase-dependent Signaling in Murine Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cell pluripotency is regulated by a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Previously we have demonstrated that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent signaling is required for efficient self-renewal of murine ES cells. In the study presented here, we have investigated the downstream molecular mechanisms that contribute to the ability of PI3Ks to regulate pluripotency. We show that inhibition of PI3K activity with either pharmacological or genetic tools results in decreased expression of RNA for the homeodomain transcription factor Nanog and decreased Nanog protein levels. Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) activity by PI3Ks plays a key role in regulation of Nanog expression, because blockade of GSK-3 activity effectively reversed the effects of PI3K inhibition on Nanog RNA, and protein expression and self-renewal under these circumstances were restored. Furthermore, GSK-3 mutants mimicked the effects of PI3K or GSK-3 inhibition on Nanog expression. Importantly, expression of an inducible form of Nanog prevented the loss of self-renewal observed upon inhibition of PI3Ks, supporting a functional relationship between PI3Ks and Nanog expression. In addition, expression of a number of putative Nanog target genes was sensitive to PI3K inhibition. Thus, the new evidence provided in this study shows that PI3K-dependent regulation of ES cell self-renewal is mediated, at least in part, by the ability of PI3K signaling to maintain Nanog expression. Regulation of GSK-3 activity by PI3Ks appears to play a key role in this process.

Dissociation of Apoptosis from Proliferation, Protein Kinase B Activation, and BAD Phosphorylation in Interleukin-3-mediated Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Signaling

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) acts as both a growth and survival factor for many hemopoietic cells. IL-3 treatment of responsive cells leads to the rapid and transient activation of Class IA phosphoinositide-3-kinases (PI3Ks) and the serine/threonine kinase Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) and phosphorylation of BAD. Each of these molecules has been implicated in anti-apoptotic signaling in a wide range of cells. Using regulated expression of dominant-negative p85 (Δp85) in stably transfected IL-3-dependent BaF/3 cells, we have specifically investigated the role of class IA PI3K in IL-3 signaling. The major functional consequence of Δp85 expression in these cells is a highly reproducible, dramatic reduction in IL-3-induced proliferation. Expression of Δp85 reduces IL-3-induced PKB phosphorylation and activation and phosphorylation of BAD dramatically, to levels seen in unstimulated cells. Despite these reductions, the levels of apoptosis observed in the same cells are very low and do not account for the reduction in IL-3-dependent proliferation we observe. These results show that Δp85 inhibits both PKB activity and BAD phosphorylation without significantly affecting levels of apoptosis, suggesting that there are targets other than PKB and BAD that can transmit survival signals in these cells. Our data indicate that the prime target for PI3K action in IL-3 signaling is at the level of regulation of proliferation.

Autophosphorylation of p110delta phosphoinositide 3-kinase: a new paradigm for the regulation of lipid kinases in vitro and in vivo.

Phosphoinositide 3‐kinases (PI3Ks) are lipid kinases which also possess an in vitro protein kinase activity towards themselves or their adaptor proteins. The physiological relevance of these phosphorylations is unclear at present. Here, the protein kinase activity of the tyrosine kinase‐linked PI3K, p110δ, is characterized and its functional impact assessed. In vitro autophosphorylation of p110δ completely down‐regulates its lipid kinase activity. The single site of autophosphorylation was mapped to Ser1039 at the C‐terminus of p110δ. Antisera specific for phospho‐Ser1039 revealed a very low level of phosphorylation of this residue in cell lines. However, p110δ that is recruited to activated receptors (such as CD28 in T cells) shows a time‐dependent increase in Ser1039 phosphorylation and a concomitant decrease in associated lipid kinase activity. Treatment of cells with okadaic acid, an inhibitor of Ser/Thr phosphatases, also dramatically increases the level of Ser1039‐phosphorylated p110δ. LY294002 and wortmannin blocked these in vivo increases in Ser1039 phosphorylation, consistent with the notion that PI3Ks, and possibly p110δ itself, are involved in the in vivo phosphorylation of p110δ. In summary, we show that PI3Ks are subject to regulatory phosphorylations in vivo similar to those identified under in vitro conditions, identifying a new level of control of these signalling molecules.

A novel chemically directed route for the generation of definitive endoderm from human embryonic stem cells based on inhibition of GSK-3.

The use of small molecules to ‘chemically direct’ differentiation represents a powerful approach to promote specification of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) towards particular functional cell types for use in regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical applications. Here, we demonstrate a novel route for chemically directed differentiation of human ESCs (hESCs) into definitive endoderm (DE) exploiting a selective small-molecule inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). This GSK-3 inhibitor, termed 1m, when used as the only supplement to a chemically defined feeder-free culture system, effectively promoted differentiation of ESC lines towards primitive streak (PS), mesoderm and DE. This contrasts with the role of GSK-3 in murine ESCs, where GSK-3 inhibition promotes pluripotency. Interestingly, 1m-mediated induction of differentiation involved transient NODAL expression and Nodal signalling. Prolonged treatment of hESCs with 1m resulted in the generation of a population of cells displaying hepatoblast characteristics, that is expressing α-fetoprotein and HNF4α. Furthermore, 1m-induced DE had the capacity to mature and generate hepatocyte-like cells capable of producing albumin. These findings describe, for the first time, the utility of GSK-3 inhibition, in a chemically directed approach, to a method of DE generation that is robust, potentially scalable and applicable to different hESC lines.

Insulin Receptor Substrate-2 Is the Major 170-kDa Protein Phosphorylated on Tyrosine in Response to Cytokines in Murine Lymphohemopoietic Cells

Insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), and its structural relative IRS-2, are both phosphorylated on tyrosine following treatment of cells with interleukin-4 (IL-4) and insulin. We have investigated whether both IRS-1 and IRS-2 are expressed in murine lymphohemopoietic cells. T and B lymphocytes and macrophages from primary cultures expressed only IRS-2, which became phosphorylated on tyrosine following stimulation with both IL-4 and insulin. Likewise, the murine myeloid cell line FD-5 expressed only IRS-2, which was tyrosine phosphorylated in response to IL-4 and insulin, as well as interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. Neither IRS-1 nor IRS-2 were expressed at detectable levels in primary bone marrow mast cells although these cells do respond to IL-4. Moreover, a factor-dependent lymphocyte cell line, CT.4S, which grows continuously in IL-4, did not express detectable levels of IRS-1 or IRS-2. IRS-2 from FD-5 cells stimulated with either IL-4 or insulin bound to glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins of the p85 subunit of phosphoinositol 3′-kinase, Grb2, and Syp, paralleling reported associations of IRS-1 with these molecules and indicating phosphorylation of the corresponding residues on IRS-2.

Involvement of GSK-3 in Regulation of Murine Embryonic Stem Cell Self-Renewal Revealed by a Series of Bisindolylmaleimides

The ability to propagate embryonic stem cells (ESCs) while maintaining their pluripotency is critical if their potential use in regenerative medicine is to be realized. The mechanisms controlling ESC self-renewal are under intense investigation, and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) has been implicated in regulating both self-renewal and differentiation. To clarify its role in ESCs we have used chemical genetics. We synthesized a series of bisindolylmaleimides, a subset of which inhibit GSK-3 in murine ESCs and robustly enhance self-renewal in the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and serum, but not in the absence of LIF. Importantly, these molecules appear selective for GSK-3 and do not perturb other signaling pathways regulating self-renewal. Our study clarifies the functional importance of GSK-3 in regulation of ESC self-renewal and provides tools for investigating its role further.

Three-Dimensional Culture Systems for the Expansion of Pluripotent Embryonic Stem Cells

Mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC) lines, and more recently human ESC lines, have become valuable tools for studying early mammalian development. Increasing interest in ESCs and their differentiated progeny in drug discovery and as potential therapeutic agents has highlighted the fact that current two‐dimensional (2D) static culturing techniques are inadequate for large‐scale production. The culture of mammalian cells in three‐dimensional (3D) agitated systems has been shown to overcome many of the restrictions of 2D and is therefore likely to be effective for ESC proliferation. Using murine ESCs as our initial model, we investigated the effectiveness of different 3D culture environments for the expansion of pluripotent ESCs. Solohill Collagen, Solohill FACT, and Cultispher‐S microcarriers were employed and used in conjunction with stirred bioreactors. Initial seeding parameters, including cell number and agitation conditions, were found to be critical in promoting attachment to microcarriers and minimizing the size of aggregates formed. While all microcarriers supported the growth of undifferentiated mESCs, Cultispher‐S out‐performed the Solohill microcarriers. When cultured for successive passages on Cultispher‐S microcarriers, mESCs maintained their pluripotency, demonstrated by self‐renewal, expression of pluripotency markers and the ability to undergo multi‐lineage differentiation. When these optimized conditions were applied to unweaned human ESCs, Cultispher‐S microcarriers supported the growth of hESCs that retained expression of pluripotency markers including SSEA4, Tra‐1–60, NANOG, and OCT‐4. Our study highlights the importance of optimization of initial seeding parameters and provides proof‐of‐concept data demonstrating the utility of microcarriers and bioreactors for the expansion of hESCs. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;107:683–695.

SHP1 and SHP2 Protein-tyrosine Phosphatases Associate with βc after Interleukin-3-induced Receptor Tyrosine Phosphorylation IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL BINDING SITES AND SUBSTRATES

The cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatases, SHP1 and SHP2, are implicated in the control of cellular proliferation and survival. Here we demonstrate that both SHP1 and SHP2 associate with the βc subunit of the human interleukin-3 (IL-3) receptor following IL-3 stimulation and that the src homology region 2 (SH2) domains of these phosphatases mediate this interaction. Sequential immunoprecipitation analyses suggest this interaction is direct. Competition studies, using phosphotyrosine-containing peptides based on sequences surrounding key tyrosine residues within βc, suggest that phosphorylation of tyrosine 612 is the key event mediating the association of βc with SHP1 and SHP2. However, inhibition of SHP2 binding to βc, did not prevent tyrosine phosphorylation of SHP2. Interestingly, this same phosphopeptide served as a substrate for the tyrosine phosphatase activity of both SHP1 and SHP2. Binding of these protein-tyrosine phosphatases to the IL-3 receptor may regulate IL-3 signal transduction pathways, both through their catalytic activity and through the recruitment of other molecules to the receptor complex.

Characterization of the Phosphoinositide 3‐Kinase‐Dependent Transcriptome in Murine Embryonic Stem Cells: Identification of Novel Regulators of Pluripotency

Phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K)‐dependent signaling has been implicated in the regulation of embryonic stem (ES) cell fate. To gain further insight into the mechanisms regulated by PI3Ks in murine ES cells, we have performed expression profiling using Affymetrix GeneChips to characterize the transcriptional changes that arise as a result of inhibition of PI3K‐dependent signaling. Using filtering of greater than 1.5‐fold change in expression and an analysis of variance significance level of p < .05, we have defined a dataset comprising 646 probe sets that detect changes in transcript expression (469 down and 177 up) on inhibition of PI3Ks. Changes in expression of selected genes have been validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Gene ontology analyses reveal significant over‐representation of transcriptional regulators within our dataset. In addition, several known regulators of ES cell pluripotency, for example, Nanog, Esrrb, Tbx3, and Tcl‐1, are among the downregulated genes. To evaluate the functional involvement of selected genes in regulation of ES cell self‐renewal, we have used short interfering RNA‐mediated knockdown. These studies identify genes not previously associated with control of ES cell fate that are involved in regulating ES cell pluripotency, including the protein tyrosine phosphatase Shp‐1 and the Zscan4 family of zinc finger proteins. Further gain‐of‐function analyses demonstrate the importance of Zscan4c in regulation of ES cell pluripotency. STEM CELLS 2009;27:764–775

Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase-dependent Regulation of Interleukin-3-induced Proliferation INVOLVEMENT OF MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASES, SHP2 AND Gab2

We have demonstrated previously that class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinases play a major role in regulation of interleukin-3 (IL)-3-dependent proliferation. Investigations into the downstream targets involved have identified the MAPK cascade as a target. Expression of Δp85 and incubation with LY294002 both inhibited IL-3-induced activation of Mek, Erk1, and Erk2. This was most pronounced during the initial phase of Erk activation. The Mek inhibitor, PD98059, blocked IL-3-driven proliferation, an effect enhanced by Δp85 expression, suggesting that inhibition of Mek and Erks by Δp85 contributes to the decrease in IL-3-induced proliferation in these cells but that additional pathways may also be involved. To investigate the mechanism leading to decreased activation of Erks, we investigated effects on SHP2 and Gab2, both implicated in IL-3 regulation of Erk activation. Expression of Δp85 led to a reduction in SHP2 tyrosine phosphorylation and its ability to interact with Grb2 and Gab2 but increased overall tyrosine phosphorylation of Gab2. LY294002 did not perturb SHP2 interactions, potentially related to differences in the effects of these inhibitors on levels of phosphoinositides. These results imply that the regulation of Erks by class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase may contribute to IL-3-driven proliferation and that both SHP2 and Gab2 are possibly involved in this regulation.