Modelling Takenouchi-Kosaki syndrome using disease-specific iPSCs.

Takenouchi-Kosaki Syndrome (TKS) is a congenital multi-organ disorder caused by the de novo missense mutation c.191A > G p. Tyr64Cys (Y64C) in the CDC42 gene. We previously elucidated the functional abnormalities and thrombopoietic effects of Y64C using HEK293 and MEG01 cells. In the present study, we used iPSCs derived from TKS patients to model the disease and successfully recapitulated macrothrombocytopenia, a prominent TKS phenotype. The megakaryopoietic differentiation potential of TKS-iPSCs and platelet production capacity were examined using an efficient platelet production method redesigned from existing protocols. The results obtained showed that TKS-iPSCs produced fewer hematopoietic progenitor cells, exhibited defective megakaryopoiesis, and released platelets with an abnormally low count and giant morphology. We herein report the first analysis of TKS-iPSC-derived megakaryocytes and platelets, and currently utilize this model to perform drug evaluations for TKS. Therefore, our simple yet effective differentiation method, which mimics the disease in a dish, is a feasible strategy for studying hematopoiesis and related diseases.

Macrothrombocytopenia of Takenouchi-Kosaki syndrome is ameliorated by CDC42 specific- and lipidation inhibitors in MEG-01 cells.

Macrothrombocytopenia is a common pathology of missense mutations in genes regulating actin dynamics. Takenouchi-Kosaki syndrome (TKS) harboring the c.191A > G, Tyr64Cys (Y64C) variant in Cdc42 exhibits a variety of clinical manifestations, including immunological and hematological anomalies. In the present study, we investigated the functional abnormalities of the Y64C mutant in HEK293 cells and elucidated the mechanism of macrothrombocytopenia, one of the symptoms of TKS patients, by monitoring the production of platelet-like particles (PLP) using MEG-01 cells. We found that the Y64C mutant was concentrated at the membrane compartment due to impaired binding to Rho-GDI and more active than the wild-type. The Y64C mutant also had lower association with its effectors Pak1/2 and N-WASP. Y64C mutant-expressing MEG-01 cells demonstrated short cytoplasmic protrusions with aberrant F-actin and microtubules, and reduced PLP production. This suggested that the Y64C mutant facilitates its activity and membrane localization, resulting in impaired F-actin dynamics for proplatelet extension, which is necessary for platelet production. Furthermore, such dysfunction was ameliorated by either suppression of Cdc42 activity or prenylation using chemical inhibitors. Our study may lead to pharmacological treatments for TKS patients.

GADD34 inhibits activation-induced apoptosis of macrophages through enhancement of autophagy.

Autophagy is a common physiological function in all eukaryotes. The process is induced by depletion of nutrients including amino acids. GADD34 is expressed following DNA damage, ER stresses and amino acid deprivation. Here, we investigated the effects of GADD34 on autophagy and cell activation in macrophages. The deprivation of tyrosine and cysteine markedly induced the expression of GADD34 in macrophages. LPS stimulation combined with tyrosine/cysteine-deprivation initially activated macrophages, but then shifted to cell death in late phase of stimulation. When LPS stimulation was combined with tyrosine/cysteine-deprivation, a deficiency of GADD34 enhanced cell activation signaling such as Src-family, Erk1/2, p38 MAPK and Akt. In the late phase of stimulation, a deficiency of GADD34 increased apoptosis more than that in wild-type macrophages. Further we found that mTOR-S6K signaling was highly enhanced in GADD34-deficient macrophages compared with wild-type cells when cells were treated by LPS combined with tyrosine/cysteine-deprivation. LC3-II was increased by LPS stimulation combined with tyrosine/cysteine-deprivation. Defective GADD34 reduced LC3-II and autophagosome formation induced by LPS-stimulation and tyrosine/cysteine-deprivation compared with that seen in wild-type macrophages. These results indicates that GADD34 enhances autophagy and suppresses apoptosis stimulated by LPS combined with amino acid deprivation through regulation of mTOR signaling pathway in macrophages.

Recruitment of Gr1(+)CD11b (+)F4/80 (+) population in the bone marrow and spleen by irradiation-induced pulmonary damage.

Radiation-induced lung injury is a kind of sterile inflammation, which may lead to morbidity and mortality. The mechanism by which ionizing radiation activate the immune system is not well understood. In the present study, we have investigated the immunological responses induced by local irradiation-induced damage in mouse lung. The left lungs of C57BL/6 mice were irradiated at a high dose of 100 Gy. The histology of the lungs and spleen showed evidences of alveolar inflammation and congestion at 2 weeks after X-ray treatment. Also, prominent increase in cells expressing the cell surface markers, Gr(+)CD11b(+)F4/80(+) and Ly6C(+) Ly6G(+) were observed 2 weeks after X-ray treatment (100 Gy). Gr1(+)CD11b(+)F4/80(+) cell depletion by clodronate treatment reversed the histological effects and also failed to recruit Gr(+)CD11b(+) cells or F4/80(+) cells caused by irradiation. The origin of recruited Gr1(+)CD11b(+) cells was found to be a mixed resident and recruited phenotype.

Establishment of self-renewable GM-CSF-dependent immature macrophages in vitro from murine bone marrow.

Macrophages play a key role in the innate immune system. Macrophages are thought to originate from hematopoietic precursors or the yolk sac. Here, we describe the in vitro establishment of self-renewable GM-CSF-dependent immature macrophages (GM-IMs) from murine bone marrow (BM). GM-IMs grow continuously in vitro in conditioned medium containing GM-CSF. The immunophenotype of GM-IMs is F4/80(high) CD11b(high) CD11c(low) Ly6C(low). By comparing gene expression in GM-IMs and BM dendritic cells, we found that GM-IMs expressed lower levels of chemokines, cytokines and their receptors. GM-IMs are round in shape, attach loosely to non-coated culture dishes and have a marked phagocytic capacity. These results indicate that GM-IMs are macrophage precursor cells. Following stimulation with LPS, monocyte-like GM-IMs converted to flat macrophage-like cells that tightly adhered to non-coated culture dishes and produced pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-6 and IL-1ß. These results indicated that GM-IMs differentiated to M1 pro-inflammatory macrophages. This was confirmed by stimulation of GM-IMs with IFNγ, an inducer of M1 markers. GM-IMs showed enhanced expression of M2 macrophage markers such as Arg1 and Retnla following stimulation by Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13. When GM-IMs were injected into mice at sites of wounding, wound repair was enhanced. These results indicate that GM-IMs can differentiate to M2 macrophages. When GM-IMs were injected into clodronate-treated mice, they induced resident macrophage proliferation by producing M-CSF. In conclusion we have established self-renewable GM-CSF-dependent immature macrophages in vitro from murine BM, which differentiate to M1 or M2 macrophages.

No immunogenicity of IPS cells in syngeneic host studied by in vivo injection and 3D scaffold experiments.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (IPSCs) open the great possibility to employ patient's own tissue to the previously incurable diseases. However these cells can be used in cell therapy only if they are not rejected when transplanted back into the syngeneic host. We found that the injection of iPSCs derived from different ages of mice into syngeneic C57BL/6 mice produced teratoma and was not rejected. Then we cultured iPSCs and myeloid differentiated iPSCs in three-dimensional porous scaffold and transplanted to C57BL/6 mice and BALB/C mice. After transplantation, we could observe the cell density inside the scaffold increased rapidly in syngeneic mice compared to the allogeneic mice indicating the favorable conditions supporting the growth of iPSCs in vivo. Unlike the allogeneic counterpart, we could not observe few infiltrating T cells inside the scaffold of syngeneic mice. These results contribute to the optimistic view of iPSCs for regenerative medicine in near future.

Characteristics of cardiac aging in C57BL/6 mice.

The specific processes that cause aging of the cardiac tissue remain elusive. C57BL/6 (B6) mice are commonly used for investigating age-related diseases in mammals. We thus sought to evaluate the cardiac aging process in B6 mice. Cardiac tissues from the newborn (B6 NB), 2month-old (B6 2M) and 21-27month-old B6 mice (B6 aged) were used for the investigation. Several age-related cellular processes were evaluated, including telomere shortening, changes in p53 and p16 expression, changes in mitochondria DNA expression and DNA deletion, and alteration of mitochondria. We found that the aging of the B6 mice cardiac tissue is associated with the maintenance of telomere length, increased expression of p53 and p16, mild changes in mitochondrial DNA expression but widespread DNA deletion, and significant alterations of the mitochondrial ultrastructure within the cardiac tissue. The results of our studies suggest that mitochondrial DNA deletions, which affect the mitochondrial ultrastructure, cytochrome C oxidase activity, and p53 expression, are significantly associated with cardiac aging and may be a source of age-related heart failure.