Generation of transducible versions of transcription factors Oct4 and Sox2

2008 ◽  
Vol 389 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manal Bosnali ◽  
Frank Edenhofer

Abstract The transcription factors Oct4 and Sox2 are two of the main regulators of pluripotency in embryonic stem cells. Since the importance of non-genetic modification is continually increasing, particularly for therapeutic application of manipulated cells, the aim of the present study was to generate cell-permeant Oct4 and Sox2 proteins for the direct cellular delivery of active proteins. Protein transduction allowing cellular manipulation to circumvent genetic modification of target cells has recently been developed. We present a new expression vector system, pSESAME, that facilitates the generation of transducible proteins. Using pSESAME, both Oct4 and Sox2 were genetically fused with a TAT protein transduction domain that promotes cellular penetration. The recombinant purified Oct4 and Sox2 fusion proteins display DNA-binding properties comparable to their endogenous counterparts, and exhibit cellular entry and the ability to modulate the transcriptional machinery maintaining pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem cells. In a rescue assay we demonstrate that transducible Oct4 and Sox2 fusion proteins can compensate knockdown of Pou5f1 and Sox2, respectively. This study provides powerful tools for the modulation of stem cell properties without genetic interference.

Author(s):  
Ping Huang ◽  
Jieying Zhu ◽  
Yu Liu ◽  
Guihuan Liu ◽  
Ran Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Four transcription factors, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (the Yamanka factors), can reprogram somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Many studies have provided a number of alternative combinations to the non-Yamanaka factors. However, it is clear that many additional transcription factors that can generate iPSCs remain to be discovered. Methods The chromatin accessibility and transcriptional level of human embryonic stem cells and human urine cells were compared by Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify potential reprogramming factors. Selected transcription factors were employed to reprogram urine cells, and the reprogramming efficiency was measured. Urine-derived iPSCs were detected for pluripotency by Immunofluorescence, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, RNA sequencing and teratoma formation test. Finally, we assessed the differentiation potential of the new iPSCs to cardiomyocytes in vitro. Results ATAC-seq and RNA-seq datasets predicted TEAD2, TEAD4 and ZIC3 as potential factors involved in urine cell reprogramming. Transfection of TEAD2, TEAD4 and ZIC3 (in the presence of Yamanaka factors) significantly improved the reprogramming efficiency of urine cells. We confirmed that the newly generated iPSCs possessed pluripotency characteristics similar to normal H1 embryonic stem cells. We also confirmed that the new iPSCs could differentiate to functional cardiomyocytes. Conclusions In conclusion, TEAD2, TEAD4 and ZIC3 can increase the efficiency of reprogramming human urine cells into iPSCs, and provides a new stem cell sources for the clinical application and modeling of cardiovascular disease. Graphical abstract


Resonance ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-180
Author(s):  
Mitradas M. Panicker

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Septian Sumanto Marpaung ◽  
Ayu Oshin Yap Sinaga

The four transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC are highly expressed in embryonic stem cells (ESC) and their overexpression can induce pluripotency, the ability to differentiate into all cell types of an organism. The ectopic expression such transcription factors could reprogram somatic stem cells become induced pluripotency stem cells (iPSC), an embryonic stem cells-like. Production of recombinant pluripotency factors gain interests due to high demand from generation of induced pluripotent stem cells in regenerative medical therapy recently. This review will focus on demonstrate the recent advances in recombinant pluripotency factor production using various host.


Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiwon Ban ◽  
Brian Wile ◽  
Kyu-Won Cho ◽  
Sangsung Kim ◽  
Jason Singerd ◽  
...  

Background: Ventricular cardiomyocytes (CMs) are an ideal cell type for cardiac cell therapy since they are the main cells generating cardiac forces. However, isolating them from differentiating pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) has been challenging due to the lack of specific surface markers. Here we show that ventricular CMs can be purified from differentiating mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) using molecular beacons (MBs) targeting specific intracellular mRNAs. MBs are dual-labeled oligonucleotide hairpin probes that emit a fluorescence signal when hybridized to target mRNAs, allowing isolation of specific target cells by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) with high specificity and sensitivity. Methods and Results: We generated three different MBs (IRX4-1, -2, -3) designed to target specific regions of mRNAs of iroquois homeobox protein 4 (Irx4), a specific transcription factor for ventricular CMs. Among three IRX4 MBs, IRX4-2 MB demonstrated the highest sensitivity and specificity, thus IRX4-2 MB was selected to purify mESC-derived ventricular CMs. Subsequently, IRX4-2 MBs were delivered into cardiomyogenically differentiating mESC cultures and cells showing strong signals from IRX4-2 MBs were FACS-sorted. Flow cytometry demonstrated that 92~97% of IRX4-2 MB-positive cells expressed a marker for ventricular CMs myosin light chain 2 ventricular isoform (Myl2) as well as cardiac troponin 2 (Tnnt2). Importantly, higher than 98% of IRX4-2 MB-positive cells displayed ventricular CM-like action potentials during electrophysiological analyses. These IRX4-2 MB-based purified ventricular CMs continuously maintained their CM characteristics verified by synchronous beating, Ca2+ transient, and expression of ventricular CM-specific proteins. Conclusions: We established a novel MB-based cell sorting system targeting a transcription factor that is specific for ventricular CM to generate homogeneous and functional ventricular CMs. This is the first report to show the feasibility of isolating pure ventricular CMs without modifying host genes, and this platform will be useful for therapeutic applications, disease modeling, and drug discovery.


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