Rachel Kim

Pten Deletion in Adult Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells Enhances Constitutive Neurogenesis

Here we show that conditional deletion of Pten in a subpopulation of adult neural stem cells in the subependymal zone (SEZ) leads to persistently enhanced neural stem cell self-renewal without sign of exhaustion. These Pten null SEZ-born neural stem cells and progenies can follow the endogenous migration, differentiation, and integration pathways and contribute to constitutive neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb. As a result, Pten deleted animals have increased olfactory bulb mass and enhanced olfactory function. Pten null cells in the olfactory bulb can establish normal connections with peripheral olfactory epithelium and help olfactory bulb recovery from acute damage. Following a focal stroke, Pten null progenitors give rise to greater numbers of neuroblasts that migrate to peri-infarct cortex. However, in contrast to the olfactory bulb, no significant long-term survival and integration can be observed, indicating that additional factors are necessary for long-term survival of newly born neurons after stroke. These data suggest that manipulating PTEN-controlled signaling pathways may be a useful step in facilitating endogenous neural stem/progenitor expansion for the treatment of disorders or lesions in regions associated with constitutive neurogenesis.

Protein Inhibitor of Activated STAT Y (PIASy) and a Splice Variant Lacking Exon 6 Enhance Sumoylation but Are Not Essential for Embryogenesis and Adult Life

ABSTRACT Protein inhibitor of activated STAT Y (PIASy) is the shortest member of the PIAS family and has been reported to modulate the transcriptional activities of STAT1, lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (LEF-1), and the androgen receptor. PIAS proteins have also been identified as E3 ligases for the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins. PIASy in particular has been reported to mediate SUMO-2/3 modification of LEF-1, sequestering it into nuclear bodies, and SUMO-1 ligation to c-Myb, modulating its transcriptional activation properties. We have cloned murine Piasy and a splice variant which omits exon 6, containing the nuclear retention PINIT motif. Cell culture studies indicate that both the full length and the splice variant are localized in the nucleus but differentially enhance SUMO ligation. To further understand the functions of PIASy, we have generated PIASy-deficient mice. Surprisingly, Piasy−/− mice appear phenotypically normal. Activation of STAT1 is not significantly perturbed in Piasy−/− cells, and sumoylation patterns for SUMO-1 or SUMO-3 modification are similar when comparing tissues and embryonic fibroblasts from wild-type and knockout mice. Our study demonstrates that at steady state, PIASy is either dispensable or compensated for by other PIAS family members or by other mechanisms when deleted.

Inducible and cardiac specific PTEN inactivation protects ischemia/reperfusion injury

PTEN is a dual lipid and protein phosphatase that antagonizes PI3K as well as other signaling pathways and regulates cellular survival and growth. However, its potential role in cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury remains unknown. We established a transgenic mouse model with inducible and cardiac specific deletion of Pten gene (Pten(CKO)) in adult heart via tamoxifen dependent Cre-loxP mediated DNA recombination. 3 weeks after tamoxifen induced PTEN inactivation, elevated PI3K activity was observed in the Pten(CKO) hearts as determined from downstream AKT signaling. No significant differences in cardiac function as well as chamber size were observed between Pten(CKO) and Control animals based on echocardiography. In response to 30 min ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion in Langendorff preparations, Pten(CKO) hearts developed significantly better function recovery than Control animals. At 60 min post reperfusion, the recovery of LVDP reached 77.9% of pre-ischemia basal in Pten(CKO) hearts vs 44.2% of Control (p<0.01). Consistent with the observed functional improvement, TTC staining revealed a significant reduction in infarct size in Pten(CKO) hearts compared with Control (24.2% vs 39.7%, p<0.05). Pten(CKO) hearts had significantly fewer apoptosis positive cardiomyocytes after I/R injury as identified by TUNEL staining. Furthermore, ERK activity and BCL-2 expression were not affected at basal but became significantly higher after ischemia/reperfusion in Pten(CKO) hearts. These data indicate that PTEN may play a role in ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting anti-apoptotic survival signals. Inhibiting PTEN may serve as a potential approach to exert cardiac protection against ischemia reperfusion injury.

Human Naive Pluripotent Stem Cells Model X Chromosome Dampening and X Inactivation

Naive human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can be derived from primed hESCs or directly from blastocysts, but their X chromosome state has remained unresolved. Here, we show that the inactive X chromosome (Xi) of primed hESCs was reactivated in naive culture conditions. Like cells of the blastocyst, the resulting naive cells contained two active X chromosomes with XIST expression and chromosome-wide transcriptional dampening and initiated XIST-mediated X inactivation upon differentiation. Both establishment of and exit from the naive state (differentiation) happened via an XIST-negative XaXa intermediate. Together, these findings identify a cell culture system for functionally exploring the two X chromosome dosage compensation processes in early human development: X dampening and X inactivation. However, remaining differences between naive hESCs and embryonic cells related to mono-allelic XIST expression and non-random X inactivation highlight the need for further culture improvement. As the naive state resets Xi abnormalities seen in primed hESCs, it may provide cells better suited for downstream applications.

Derivation of new human embryonic stem cell lines reveals rapid epigenetic progression in vitro that can be prevented by chemical modification of chromatin

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are pluripotent cell types derived from the inner cell mass of human blastocysts. Recent data indicate that the majority of established female XX hESC lines have undergone X chromosome inactivation (XCI) prior to differentiation, and XCI of hESCs can be either XIST-dependent (class II) or XIST-independent (class III). XCI of female hESCs precludes the use of XX hESCs as a cell-based model for examining mechanisms of XCI, and will be a challenge for studying X-linked diseases unless strategies are developed to reactivate the inactive X. In order to recover nuclei with two active X chromosomes (class I), we developed a reprogramming strategy by supplementing hESC media with the small molecules sodium butyrate and 3-deazaneplanocin A (DZNep). Our data demonstrate that successful reprogramming can occur from the XIST-dependent class II nuclear state but not class III nuclear state. To determine whether these small molecules prevent XCI, we derived six new hESC lines under normoxic conditions (UCLA1-UCLA6). We show that class I nuclei are present within the first 20 passages of hESC derivation prior to cryopreservation, and that supplementation with either sodium butyrate or DZNep preserve class I nuclei in the self-renewing state. Together, our data demonstrate that self-renewal and survival of class I nuclei are compatible with normoxic hESC derivation, and that chemical supplementation after derivation provides a strategy to prevent epigenetic progression and retain nuclei with two active X chromosomes in the self-renewing state.

Human Embryonic Stem Cells Do Not Change Their X Inactivation Status during Differentiation

Applications of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) require faithful chromatin changes during differentiation, but the fate of the X chromosome state in differentiating ESCs is unclear. Female human ESC lines either carry two active X chromosomes (XaXa), an Xa and inactive X chromosome with or without XIST RNA coating (XiXIST+Xa;XiXa), or an Xa and an eroded Xi (XeXa) where the Xi no longer expresses XIST RNA and has partially reactivated. Here, we established XiXa, XeXa, and XaXa ESC lines and followed their X chromosome state during differentiation. Surprisingly, we found that the X state pre-existing in primed ESCs is maintained in differentiated cells. Consequently, differentiated XeXa and XaXa cells lacked XIST, did not induce X inactivation, and displayed higher X-linked gene expression than XiXa cells. These results demonstrate that X chromosome dosage compensation is not required for ESC differentiation. Our data imply that XiXIST+Xa ESCs are most suited for downstream applications and show that all other X states are abnormal byproducts of our ESC derivation and propagation method.

Nuclear Localization of Mitochondrial TCA Cycle Enzymes as a Critical Step in Mammalian Zygotic Genome Activation

Transcriptional control requires epigenetic changes directed by mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites. In the mouse embryo, global epigenetic changes occur during zygotic genome activation (ZGA) at the 2-cell stage. Pyruvate is essential for development beyond this stage, which is at odds with the low activity of mitochondria in this period. We now show that a number of enzymatically active mitochondrial enzymes associated with the TCA cycle are essential for epigenetic remodeling and are transiently and partially localized to the nucleus. Pyruvate is essential for this nuclear localization, and a failure of TCA cycle enzymes to enter the nucleus correlates with loss of specific histone modifications and a block in ZGA. At later stages, however, these enzymes are exclusively mitochondrial. In humans, the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase is transiently nuclear at the 4/8-cell stage coincident with timing of human embryonic genome activation, suggesting a conserved metabolic control mechanism underlying early pre-implantation development.

Germline competency of human embryonic stem cells depends on EOMESODERMIN.

Abstract In humans, germline competency and the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs) are thought to occur in a restricted developmental window during early embryogenesis. Despite the importance of specifying the appropriate number of PGCs for human reproduction, the molecular mechanisms governing PGC formation remain largely unexplored. Here, we compared PGC-like cell (PGCLC) differentiation from 18 independently derived human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines, and discovered that the expression of primitive streak genes were positively associated with hESC germline competency. Furthermore, we show that chemical inhibition of TGFβ and WNT signaling, which are required for primitive streak formation and CRISPR/Cas9 deletion of Eomesodermin (EOMES), significantly impacts PGCLC differentiation from hESCs. Taken together, our results suggest that human PGC formation involves signaling and transcriptional programs associated with somatic germ layer induction and expression of EOMES. Summary Sentence EOMES induction in the progenitor cell prior to germ cell formation in vitro from hESCs is required for efficient PGC-like cell formation.

An integration-free, virus-free rhesus macaque induced pluripotent stem cell line (riPSC89) from embryonic fibroblasts

We generated a rhesus macaque induced pluripotent stem cell (riPSC) line, riPSC89, from rhesus embryonic fibroblasts (REFs). Fibroblasts were expanded from the skin of a rhesus macaque embryo at embryonic day 47. REFs and riPSCs had a normal male (42, XY) karyotype. The riPSC89 line was positive for markers of self-renewal including OCT4, NANOG, TRA-1-81 and SSEA4. Pluripotency was demonstrated through the generation of teratomas using transplantation into immunocompromised mice. The riPSC89 line may be a useful non-human primate resource to uncover developmental origins of disease, or used as a basic model to understand lineage specification in the primate embryo.

Emergent Life Events: An In-Depth Investigation of Characteristics and Provider Responses during Youth Evidence-Based Treatment

Emergent life events (ELEs), or acute client stressors disclosed within psychotherapy sessions, are not addressed by many evidence-based psychosocial treatments (EBTs). Preliminary provider-report studies suggest that ELEs may interfere with effective EBT implementation. The present study offers a detailed, observational examination of ELEs and their impact on EBT within therapy sessions. Data were observationally coded from 274 sessions with 55 primarily low-income, Latino youth clients (58% male, ages 5–15) in the modular EBT condition (Modular Approach to Therapy for Children [MATCH]) of the Child STEPs California trial. The ELE Coding System–Revised was used to measure ELEs, their characteristics, and provider responses to ELEs, including provider adherence to MATCH. Interrater reliability was generally high. At least one ELE was identified in 13% of randomly selected sessions. ELEs ranged widely in content, and their characteristics did not cluster together. Providers responded more frequently to ELEs with non-EBT content (e.g., information gathering, empathy) than EBT content; use of the ELE as a “teaching moment” for EBT content was the least common response (40% of ELEs). Multilevel regression analyses revealed that compared to sessions without an ELE, ELE sessions were significantly associated with reduced provider adherence to MATCH. Within ELE sessions, higher client distress when discussing the ELE was associated with reduced provider adherence to MATCH, but only when ELE severity was high. Beyond provider report, observational measures indicate that ELEs are prevalent and unpredictable in community settings and disrupt EBT delivery. Findings can inform the development of structured ELE management procedures to enhance existing EBTs.