Lower Genomic Stability of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reflects

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Lower Genomic Stability of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reflects Zhang et al. Cancer Commun (2018) 38:49 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40880-018-0313-0 Cancer Communications ORIGINAL ARTICLE Open Access Lower genomic stability of induced pluripotent stem cells refects increased non‑homologous end joining Minjie Zhang1,2†, Liu Wang3†, Ke An1,2†, Jun Cai1, Guochao Li1,2, Caiyun Yang1, Huixian Liu1, Fengxia Du1, Xiao Han1,2, Zilong Zhang1,2, Zitong Zhao1,2, Duanqing Pei4, Yuan Long5, Xin Xie5, Qi Zhou3 and Yingli Sun1* Abstract Background: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and embryonic stem cells (ESCs) share many common features, including similar morphology, gene expression and in vitro diferentiation profles. However, genomic stability is much lower in iPSCs than in ESCs. In the current study, we examined whether changes in DNA damage repair in iPSCs are responsible for their greater tendency towards mutagenesis. Methods: Mouse iPSCs, ESCs and embryonic fbroblasts were exposed to ionizing radiation (4 Gy) to introduce dou- ble-strand DNA breaks. At 4 h later, fdelity of DNA damage repair was assessed using whole-genome re-sequencing. We also analyzed genomic stability in mice derived from iPSCs versus ESCs. Results: In comparison to ESCs and embryonic fbroblasts, iPSCs had lower DNA damage repair capacity, more somatic mutations and short indels after irradiation. iPSCs showed greater non-homologous end joining DNA repair and less homologous recombination DNA repair. Mice derived from iPSCs had lower DNA damage repair capacity than ESC-derived mice as well as C57 control mice. Conclusions: The relatively low genomic stability of iPSCs and their high rate of tumorigenesis in vivo appear to be due, at least in part, to low fdelity of DNA damage repair. Keywords: Genomic stability, DNA damage repair, iPSCs, ESCs Background morphology, gene expression profle, epigenetic status Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent and could and in vitro diferentiation capacity. Te development of diferentiate into all types of somatic cells [1]. ESCc have iPSCs raises new hope for personalized clinical therapy enormous potential in the treatment of a variety of dis- [3–5]. eases, but their clinical application has been limited by Te four transcription factors (Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc and ethical controversy. In 2006, Yamanaka and colleagues Klf4) that are critical for the production of iPSCs are overexpressed four transcription factors (Oct4, Sox2, frequently overexpressed in various cancers, and mice c-Myc and Klf4) in mouse somatic cells and obtained derived from iPSCs are prone to develop tumors [6–9]. ESC-like pluripotent stem cells, termed induced pluri- Although only a small population of transformed cells potent stem cells (iPSCs) [2]. iPSCs resemble ESCs in with genetic mutations is likely to develop into tumors [10], the genomic instability of iPSCs is a major concern *Correspondence: [email protected]; [email protected] that could produce huge impact on their eventual clinical †Minjie Zhang, Liu Wang and Ke An are co-frst authors and contributed use [11–16]. equally to this work One possible explanation for the observed greater 1 Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, China Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, genomic instability of iPSCs is alterations in the fdelity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China DNA repair pathways. Double-stranded DNA breaks, for Full list of author information is available at the end of the article example, can be repaired via homologous recombination © The Author(s) 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creat​iveco​mmons​.org/licen​ses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creat​iveco​mmons​.org/ publi​cdoma​in/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. Zhang et al. Cancer Commun (2018) 38:49 Page 2 of 22 (HR) with high fdelity, or via non-homologous end join- 1500g for 10 min at 4 °C. Te pellet was washed with 1.5- ing (NHEJ) with lower fdelity [17–20]. In the current mL TEB, re-suspended in 0.2 mol/L HCl, and incubated study, we examined whether iPSCs difer from other at 4 °C overnight. Samples were centrifuged at 6500g types of pluripotent cells in their ability to perform these for 10 min, after which 200-µL supernatant was trans- types of DNA repair. Briefy, ionizing radiation was used ferred to a new tube, and neutralized with 20-µL 2 mol/L to induce double-stranded DNA breaks in the following NaOH. cells: mouse iPSCs induced using lentivirus (lv-iPSCs) Samples were separated using SDS-PAGE and trans- or chemically with CHR99021, Repsox and forskolin (ci- ferred to PVDF membranes (Millipore, Billerica, MA, iPSCs) [21]; mouse ESCs; and mouse embryonic fbro- USA). Blots were incubated with a primary antibody blasts (MEFs) [22–26]. against one of the following proteins: phospho-ATM Te experiments showed that lv-iPSCs are more likely (1:1000; R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA), β-actin than the other cell types to harbor genomic abnormali- (1:3000; Beyotime Biotech, Beijing, China), H3 (1:30,000; ties, likely due to lower genomic fdelity of DNA damage Abcam, Cambridge, MA, USA) and H3K9me3 (1:3000; repair. We also found greater genomic stability in ci- Abcam). Blots were washed three times with phosphate- iPSCs than lv-iPSCs. bufered saline (PBS), and then incubated with a horse- radish peroxidase-conjugated anti-mouse secondary Methods antibody (1:3000; Gene Tex, San Diego, CA, USA) or Cell lines and culture anti-rabbit secondary antibody (1:3000; Abcam). Protein Te lv- and ci-iPSCs were derived from female transgenic bands of interest were visualized using an Image Quant OG2 mice carrying an Oct4-GFP transgene. Both types ECL system (GE Healthcare, Piscataway, NJ, USA). of iPSCs and ESCs were cultured in Dulbecco’s Modifed Eagle Medium (DMEM; Gibco, Grand Island, NY, USA) Immunofuorescence labeling of γ‑H2AX foci supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum (FBS; Gibco), Cells were passaged onto slides, exposed 24 h later to 1% MEM non-essential amino acids (Gibco), 1% penicil- 4 Gy of γ-irradiation, and incubated at 37 °C for 4 h. Cells lin/streptomycin (Gibco), 2 mmol/L l-glutamine (Gibco), were washed with PBS, fxed with 4% paraformaldehyde 3 1 × 10 units/mL of mouse leukemia inhibitory factor for 10 min at room temperature, washed again with PBS, (Millipore, Temecula, CA, USA) and 0.1 mmol/L 2-mer- permeabilized for 10 min using 0.05% Triton X-100 and captoethanol (Gibco) [27]. Te medium was changed 0.5% NP-40, and then washed three times (5 min each) in daily, and cells were passaged every 2 days using 0.25% PBS. Te cells were blocked for 1 h with 2% bovine serum trypsin (Termo Fisher Scientifc, Beijing, China) [28]. albumin (BSA), and then incubated for 1 h at room tem- MEFs were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 15% perature with a mouse anti-γH2AX antibody (1:500; Mil- FBS, 1% non-essential amino acids and 1% penicillin/ lipore, Temecula, CA, USA). Cells were washed three streptomycin [29]. times with PBS containing 0.05% Tween 20, and then incubated with a goat anti-mouse secondary antibody Irradiation (1:800; Abcam) for 1 h in the dark at room temperature. Cells were passaged 1 day before γ-irradiation (4 Gy) with Cells were counterstained with 0.2 mg/mL 4′,6-diamid- a cobalt irradiator (Termo Fisher Scientifc). After the ino-2-phenylindole (DAPI, 1:2000; Sigma, Shanghai, irradiation, cells were immediately returned to the incu- China). Confocal images were acquired and analyzed bator, and cultured for 4 h prior to analyses as described using a TCS SP5 (Leica) microscope equipped with an below. HCX PL 63 × 1.4 CS oil-immersion objective lens. Western blotting DNA extraction To test the phosphorylation level of ATM, cells were Tree types of cells (lv-iPSCs, ci-iPSCs, ESCs) were lysed in ATM lysis bufer [20 mmol/L HEPES (pH 7.4), digested with 0.25% trypsin and re-suspended in gela- 150 mmol/L NaCl, 0.2% Tween-20, 1.5 mmol/L MgCl2, tin-coated dishes. After incubation at 37 °C for 15 min, 1 mmol/L EGTA, 2 mmol/L dithiothreitol, 50 mmol/L supernatants were transferred to 15-mL centrifuge tubes, NaF, 500 μmol/L NaVO4, 1 mmol/L phenylmethylsulfo- and cells were collected by centrifugation at 500g for nyl fuoride, 0.1 μg/mL aprotinin and 0.1 µg/mL leupep- 5 min at room temperature. DNA was extracted using a tin], and centrifuged, as describe previously [30]. QIAamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). In assays of histone modifcation, cells were re-sus- pended in 1-mL triton extraction bufer (TEB) contain- Whole‑genome re‑sequencing ing 0.5% Triton X-100 and 2 mmol/L PMSF, and then Whole-genome DNA libraries suitable for sequencing lysed on ice for 10 min. Te lysates were centrifuged at using an Illumina sequencing platform were generated Zhang et al. Cancer Commun (2018) 38:49 Page 3 of 22 from 1-µg genomic DNA. Te DNA was sheared to Generation of iPSC‑ and ESC‑derived mice approximately 300–500 bp using a Covaris S220 instru- Two cell-stage ICR embryos were electrofused to pro- ment (Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA, USA). A total duce tetraploid embryos, and 10–15 iPSCs and ESCs were of 2× 101-bp paired-end reads were produced using the subsequently injected into the reconstructed tetraploid HiSeq 2000 DNA Sequencer.
Recommended publications
  • N6-Methyladenosine (M6a) Is an Endogenous A3 Adenosine Receptor Ligand
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.21.391136; this version posted November 22, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an endogenous A3 adenosine receptor ligand Akiko Ogawa,1, 2, 3 Chisae Nagiri,4, 13 Wataru Shihoya,4, 13 Asuka Inoue,5, 6, 7, 13 Kouki Kawakami,5 Suzune Hiratsuka,5 Junken Aoki,7, 8 Yasuhiro Ito,3 Takeo Suzuki,9 Tsutomu Suzuki,9 Toshihiro Inoue,3 Osamu Nureki,4 Hidenobu Tanihara,10 Kazuhito Tomizawa,2, 11 Fan-Yan Wei1, 2, 12, 14 1Department of Modomics Biology & Medicine, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. 2Department of Molecular Physiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan. 3Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan. 4Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.21.391136; this version posted November 22, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 5Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.
    [Show full text]
  • This Thesis Has Been Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for a Postgraduate Degree (E.G
    This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Stabilisation of hepatocyte phenotype using synthetic materials Baltasar Lucendo Villarin MRes University of Edinburgh 2015 This dissertation is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Declaration This thesis is the result of my work and includes nothing that is the outcome of work done in collaboration, except where indicated in the text. The work in this thesis has not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification. Baltasar Lucendo Villarin i ii Abstract Primary human hepatocytes are a scare resource with limited lifespan and variable function which diminishes with time in culture. As a consequence, their use in tissue modelling and therapy is restricted. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) could provide a stable source of human tissue due to their self-renewal properties and their ability to give rise to all the cell types of the human body.
    [Show full text]
  • WO 2012/174282 A2 20 December 2012 (20.12.2012) P O P C T
    (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date WO 2012/174282 A2 20 December 2012 (20.12.2012) P O P C T (51) International Patent Classification: David [US/US]; 13539 N . 95th Way, Scottsdale, AZ C12Q 1/68 (2006.01) 85260 (US). (21) International Application Number: (74) Agent: AKHAVAN, Ramin; Caris Science, Inc., 6655 N . PCT/US20 12/0425 19 Macarthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75039 (US). (22) International Filing Date: (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every 14 June 2012 (14.06.2012) kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ, English (25) Filing Language: CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO, Publication Language: English DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, KR, (30) Priority Data: KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, 61/497,895 16 June 201 1 (16.06.201 1) US MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, 61/499,138 20 June 201 1 (20.06.201 1) US OM, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SC, SD, 61/501,680 27 June 201 1 (27.06.201 1) u s SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, 61/506,019 8 July 201 1(08.07.201 1) u s TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW.
    [Show full text]
  • I REGENERATIVE MEDICINE APPROACHES to SPINAL CORD
    REGENERATIVE MEDICINE APPROACHES TO SPINAL CORD INJURY A Dissertation Presented to The Graduate Faculty of The University of Akron In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Ashley Elizabeth Mohrman March 2017 i ABSTRACT Hundreds of thousands of people suffer from spinal cord injuries in the U.S.A. alone, with very few patients ever experiencing complete recovery. Complexity of the tissue and inflammatory response contribute to this lack of recovery, as the proper function of the central nervous system relies on its highly specific structural and spatial organization. The overall goal of this dissertation project is to study the central nervous system in the healthy and injured state so as to devise appropriate strategies to recover tissue homeostasis, and ultimately function, from an injured state. A specific spinal cord injury model, syringomyelia, was studied; this condition presents as a fluid filled cyst within the spinal cord. Molecular evaluation at three and six weeks post-injury revealed a large inflammatory response including leukocyte invasion, losses in neuronal transmission and signaling, and upregulation in important osmoregulators. These included osmotic stress regulating metabolites betaine and taurine, as well as the betaine/GABA transporter (BGT-1), potassium chloride transporter (KCC4), and water transporter aquaporin 1 (AQP1). To study cellular behavior in native tissue, adult neural stem cells from the subventricular niche were differentiated in vitro. These cells were tested under various culture conditions for cell phenotype preferences. A mostly pure (>80%) population of neural stem cells could be specified using soft, hydrogel substrates with a laminin coating and interferon-γ supplementation.
    [Show full text]
  • Application of Fibrin-Based Hydrogels for Nerve Protection And
    Yu et al. Journal of Biological Engineering (2020) 14:22 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13036-020-00244-3 REVIEW Open Access Application of fibrin-based hydrogels for nerve protection and regeneration after spinal cord injury Ziyuan Yu, Hongru Li, Peng Xia, Weijian Kong, Yuxin Chang, Chuan Fu, Kai Wang, Xiaoyu Yang* and Zhiping Qi* Abstract Traffic accidents, falls, and many other events may cause traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs), resulting in nerve cells and extracellular matrix loss in the spinal cord, along with blood loss, inflammation, oxidative stress (OS), and others. The continuous development of neural tissue engineering has attracted increasing attention on the application of fibrin hydrogels in repairing SCIs. Except for excellent biocompatibility, flexibility, and plasticity, fibrin, a component of extracellular matrix (ECM), can be equipped with cells, ECM protein, and various growth factors to promote damage repair. This review will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of fibrin hydrogels from different sources, as well as the various modifications for internal topographical guidance during the polymerization. From the perspective of further improvement of cell function before and after the delivery of stem cell, cytokine, and drug, this review will also evaluate the application of fibrin hydrogels as a carrier to the therapy of nerve repair and regeneration, to mirror the recent development tendency and challenge. Keywords: Fibrin hydrogels, Spinal cord injury, Topographical guidance, Stem cells delivery, Cytokines delivery, Drug delivery Introduction secondary death of remaining nerves or to enhance the The spinal cord is an integral part of the central nervous compensation of spared circuits function [4–7].
    [Show full text]
  • Download Tool
    by Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for degree of in in the GRADUATE DIVISION of the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO Approved: ______________________________________________________________________________ Chair ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Committee Members Copyright 2019 by Adolfo Cuesta ii Acknowledgements For me, completing a doctoral dissertation was a huge undertaking that was only possible with the support of many people along the way. First, I would like to thank my PhD advisor, Jack Taunton. He always gave me the space to pursue my own ideas and interests, while providing thoughtful guidance. Nearly every aspect of this project required a technique that was completely new to me. He trusted that I was up to the challenge, supported me throughout, helped me find outside resources when necessary. I remain impressed with his voracious appetite for the literature, and ability to recall some of the most subtle, yet most important details in a paper. Most of all, I am thankful that Jack has always been so generous with his time, both in person, and remotely. I’ve enjoyed our many conversations and hope that they will continue. I’d also like to thank my thesis committee, Kevan Shokat and David Agard for their valuable support, insight, and encouragement throughout this project. My lab mates in the Taunton lab made this such a pleasant experience, even on the days when things weren’t working well. I worked very closely with Tangpo Yang on the mass spectrometry aspects of this project. Xiaobo Wan taught me almost everything I know about protein crystallography. Thank you as well to Geoff Smith, Jordan Carelli, Pat Sharp, Yazmin Carassco, Keely Oltion, Nicole Wenzell, Haoyuan Wang, Steve Sethofer, and Shyam Krishnan, Shawn Ouyang and Qian Zhao.
    [Show full text]
  • Family-Based Investigation of the Genetics and Epigenetics of Obesity in Qatar
    Family-Based Investigation of the Genetics and Epigenetics of Obesity in Qatar Mashael Nedham A J Alshafai A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Genomics of Common Disease School of Public Health Imperial College London July 2015 1 Abstract Abstract Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), copy number variations (CNVs) and DNA methylation patterns play a role in the susceptibility to obesity. Despite the alarming figures of obesity in the Arab world, the genetics of obesity remain understudied in Arabs. Here, I recruited ten multigenerational Qatari families segregating obesity, and generated genome-wide SNP genotyping, whole genome sequencing and genome-wide methylation profiling data using Illumina platforms to investigate the role of rare mutations, CNVs, and DNA methylation patterns in the susceptibility to obesity. For the identification of obesity mutations, I first identified candidate obesity regions through linkage and run of homozygosity analyses, and then investigated these regions to detect potential deleterious mutations. These analyses highlighted putative rare variants for obesity risk at PCSK1, NMUR2, CLOCK and RETSAT. The functional impact of the PCSK1 mutation on obesity was previously demonstrated while for the other candidates further work is needed to confirm their impact. For the identification of common obesity CNVs, I performed a genome-wide CNV association analysis with BMI and identified a common duplication of ~5.6kb on 19p13.3 that associates with higher BMI. Moreover, I investigated large (≥500kb) rare CNVs and identified a ~618kb deletion on 16p11.2 in the most extremely obese subject in my samples, which confirms the contribution of the previously reported 16p11.2 deletions to severe obesity beyond European populations.
    [Show full text]
  • What Are IPS Cells? Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Center University of Wisconsin-Madison
    What are IPS cells? Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Center University of Wisconsin-Madison n induced pluripotent stem cell, or IPS cell, How do we know induced pluripotent stem is a stem cell that has been created from an cells can match embryonic stem cells? So adult cell such as a skin, liver, stomach or far, induced pluripotent stem cells appear to Aother mature cell through the introduction of genes exhibit the same key features of embryonic that reprogram the cell and transform it into a cell stem cells: the ability to differentiate from a that has all the characteristics of an embryonic stem blank-slate state to any of the 220 types of cell. The term pluripotent connotes the ability of a cells in the human body, and the ability to cell to give rise to multiple cell types, including all reproduce indefinitely in culture. Because in- three embryonic lineages forming the body’s or- duced stem cells are relatively new, however, gans, nervous system, skin, muscle and skeleton. scientists must compare the cells to those obtained from embryos to assess their charac- What are the advantages of induced pluripotent teristics in detail and ensure that there are no stem cells? significant differences. Bioethics: Induced stem cells have the obvious edge Do induced pluripotent stem cells mean of not having to be derived from human embryos, we no longer need embryonic stem cells? a major ethical consideration. The ability to re- No. It remains to be seen whether repro- program an adult cell to behave like an embryonic grammed cells differ in significant ways from stem cell may also enable scientists to sidestep embryonic stem cells.
    [Show full text]
  • A High-Throughput Approach to Uncover Novel Roles of APOBEC2, a Functional Orphan of the AID/APOBEC Family
    Rockefeller University Digital Commons @ RU Student Theses and Dissertations 2018 A High-Throughput Approach to Uncover Novel Roles of APOBEC2, a Functional Orphan of the AID/APOBEC Family Linda Molla Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.rockefeller.edu/ student_theses_and_dissertations Part of the Life Sciences Commons A HIGH-THROUGHPUT APPROACH TO UNCOVER NOVEL ROLES OF APOBEC2, A FUNCTIONAL ORPHAN OF THE AID/APOBEC FAMILY A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of The Rockefeller University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Linda Molla June 2018 © Copyright by Linda Molla 2018 A HIGH-THROUGHPUT APPROACH TO UNCOVER NOVEL ROLES OF APOBEC2, A FUNCTIONAL ORPHAN OF THE AID/APOBEC FAMILY Linda Molla, Ph.D. The Rockefeller University 2018 APOBEC2 is a member of the AID/APOBEC cytidine deaminase family of proteins. Unlike most of AID/APOBEC, however, APOBEC2’s function remains elusive. Previous research has implicated APOBEC2 in diverse organisms and cellular processes such as muscle biology (in Mus musculus), regeneration (in Danio rerio), and development (in Xenopus laevis). APOBEC2 has also been implicated in cancer. However the enzymatic activity, substrate or physiological target(s) of APOBEC2 are unknown. For this thesis, I have combined Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques with state-of-the-art molecular biology to determine the physiological targets of APOBEC2. Using a cell culture muscle differentiation system, and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) by polyA capture, I demonstrated that unlike the AID/APOBEC family member APOBEC1, APOBEC2 is not an RNA editor. Using the same system combined with enhanced Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (eRRBS) analyses I showed that, unlike the AID/APOBEC family member AID, APOBEC2 does not act as a 5-methyl-C deaminase.
    [Show full text]
  • Stem Cells: the Secret to Change | Science News for Kids
    Stem cells: The secret to change | Science News for Kids http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/stem-cells-the-secret-to-change/ SNK E-Blast Sign-up Privacy Policy Contact Us AA BB OO UU TT SS NN KK CC OO MM PP EE TT EE Who We Are Broadcom MASTERS For Educators Our Sponsors Intel ISEF SSP News & Events Intel STS EXPLORE: ATOMS & FORCES EARTH & SKY HUMANS & HEALTH LIFE TECH & MATH EXTRA SEARCH FOR: HUMANS & HEALTH : BODY & HEALTH Stem cells: The secret to change Unusual, versatile cells hold the key to regrowing lost tissues By Alison Pearce Stevens / April 10, 2013 Related Links Deadly new virus emerges The AIDS virus that vanished Bad for breathing Sleeping in space Going Deeper P. B arry. “Stem cells, show your face.” Science News. August 24, 2008. Neurons created from induced stem cells in Iqbal Ahmad’s lab glow red with fluorescent dye. The neuroscientist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center is researching whether the nerve cells could one day help restore sight to patients S. Ornes. “The 2012 Nobel Prizes.” Science with glaucoma. Once injected in a patient, the nerve cells would work by inserting themselves between the retina and optic News for Kids. Oct. 19, 2012. nerve, restoring signals to the brain. Credit: Courtesy of Iqbal Ahmad Inside your body, red blood cells are constantly on the move. They deliver oxygen to every tissue in every E. Sohn. “From stem cell to any cell.” Science part of your body. These blood cells also cart away waste. So their work is crucial to your survival.
    [Show full text]
  • Emerging Roles of Myc in Stem Cell Biology and Novel Tumor Therapies Go J
    Yoshida Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research (2018) 37:173 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13046-018-0835-y REVIEW Open Access Emerging roles of Myc in stem cell biology and novel tumor therapies Go J. Yoshida Abstract The pathophysiological roles and the therapeutic potentials of Myc family are reviewed in this article. The physiological functions and molecular machineries in stem cells, including embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, are clearly described. The c-Myc/Max complex inhibits the ectopic differentiation of both types of artificial stem cells. Whereas c-Myc plays a fundamental role as a “double-edged sword” promoting both iPS cells generation and malignant transformation, L-Myc contributes to the nuclear reprogramming with the significant down-regulation of differentiation-associated genetic expression. Furthermore, given the therapeutic resistance of neuroendocrine tumors such as small-cell lung cancer and neuroblastoma, the roles of N-Myc in difficult-to-treat tumors are discussed. N-Myc-driven neuroendocrine tumors tend to highly express NEUROD1, thereby leading to the enhanced metastatic potential. Importantly enough, accumulating evidence strongly suggests that c-Myc can be a promising therapeutic target molecule among Myc family in terms of the biological characteristics of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). The presence of CSCs leads to the intra-tumoral heterogeneity, which is mainly responsible for the therapeutic resistance. Mechanistically, it has been shown that Myc-induced epigenetic reprogramming enhances the CSC phenotypes. In this review article, the author describes two major therapeutic strategies of CSCs by targeting c-Myc; Firstly, Myc-dependent metabolic reprogramming is closely related to CD44 variant-dependent redox stress regulation in CSCs.
    [Show full text]
  • Stem Cells in Cancer Therapy: Opportunities and Challenges
    www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget/ Oncotarget, 2017, Vol. 8, (No. 43), pp: 75756-75766 Review Stem cells in cancer therapy: opportunities and challenges Cheng-Liang Zhang1, Ting Huang1, Bi-Li Wu2, Wen-Xi He1 and Dong Liu1 1Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China 2Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China Correspondence to: Dong Liu, email: [email protected] Keywords: stem cell, targeted cancer therapy, tumor-tropic property, cell carrier Received: June 22, 2017 Accepted: August 17, 2017 Published: September 08, 2017 Copyright: Zhang et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 (CC BY 3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. ABSTRACT Metastatic cancer cells generally cannot be eradicated using traditional surgical or chemoradiotherapeutic strategies, and disease recurrence is extremely common following treatment. On the other hand, therapies employing stem cells are showing increasing promise in the treatment of cancer. Stem cells can function as novel delivery platforms by homing to and targeting both primary and metastatic tumor foci. Stem cells engineered to stably express various cytotoxic agents decrease tumor volumes and extend survival in preclinical animal models. They have also been employed as virus and nanoparticle carriers to enhance primary therapeutic efficacies and relieve treatment side effects. Additionally, stem cells can be applied in regenerative medicine, immunotherapy, cancer stem cell-targeted therapy, and anticancer drug screening applications.
    [Show full text]