Generation of two induced pluripotent stem cell lines (HIMRi006-A and HIMRi007-A) from Pompe patients with infantile and late disease onset.

Here we present the generation of HIMRi006-A and HIMRi007-A Pompe disease (PD) patient derived human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines. HIMRi006-A represents an infantile onset disease (IOPD) phenotype caused by a homozygous c.307 T > G mutation in the GAA gene. HIMRi007-A is characterized by heterozygous mutations c.-32-13 T > G/c.1716C > G and is associated with an adult onset of disease symptoms (LOPD). Both lines are generated via lentiviral expression of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC. The lines display a typical embryonic stem cell morphology, express pluripotency markers, retain a normal karyotype (46, XX/XY) and have the differentiation capacity in all three germ layers. Altogether, both lines provide a resource tool to the community for future in depth molecular studies of PD pathomechanism.

Generation of two hiPSCs lines of two patients carrying truncating mutations in the dimerization domain of filamin C.

Here we introduce the human induced pluripotent stem cell lines (hiPSCs), HIMRi004-A and HIMRi005-A from dermal fibroblasts of a 48-year-old female (HIMRi004-A) carrying missense mutation that translate to the first described filamin C isoform p.W2710X and from a 56-year-old female (HIMRi005-A) carrying a recently described mutation in the same domain p.Y2704X. Both lines are generated via lentiviral expression of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC. The lines display a typical embryonic stem cell-like morphology, express pluripotency markers, retain a normal karyotype (46, XX) and have the differentiation capacity in all three germ layers. The two lines can be used to elucidate the pathomechanisms of FLNC myofibrillar myopathies and to develop novel therapeutic options.

Generation of two human iPSC lines (HIMRi002-A and HIMRi003-A) derived from Caveolinopathy patients with rippling muscle disease.

Here we introduce the human induced pluripotent stem cell lines (hiPSCs), HIMRi002-A and HIMRi003-A, generated from cultured dermal fibroblasts of 61-year-old (HIMRi002-A) and 38-year-old (HIMRi003-A) female patients, carrying a known heterozygous pathogenic variant (p.A46T) in the Caveolin 3 (CAV3) gene, via lentiviral expression of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC. HIMRi002-A and HIMRi003-A display typical embryonic stem cell-like morphology, carry the p.A46T CAV3 gene mutation, express several pluripotent stem cell markers, retain normal karyotype (46, XX) and can differentiate in all three germ layers. We postulate that the HIMRi002-A and HIMRi003-A iPSC lines can be used for the characterization of CAV3-associated pathomechanisms and for developing new therapeutic options.

Generation of a human iPSC line (HIMRi001-A) from a patient with filaminopathy.

Here we introduce the human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line HIMRi001-A generated from cultured dermal fibroblasts of a 60-year-old male patient with a myofibrillar myopathy, carrying a heterozygous c.4984C > T [p.Q1662X] mutation in the filamin C (FLNC)-gene, via lentiviral expression of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC. HIMRi001-A displays typical embryonic stem cell-like morphology, carries the c.4984C > T FLNC gene mutation, expressed several pluripotent stem cell makers, retained normal karyotype (46, XY) and holds the potential to differentiate in all three germ layers. We postulate that HIMRi001-A can be used for the elucidation of FLNC-associated pathomechanisms and for developing new therapeutic options.

NANOG promotes cancer stem cell characteristics and prostate cancer resistance to androgen deprivation.

Cancer cell molecular mimicry of stem cells (SC) imbues neoplastic cells with enhanced proliferative and renewal capacities. In support, numerous mediators of SC self-renewal have been evinced to show oncogenic potential. We have recently reported that short-hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of the embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal gene NANOG significantly reduced the clonogenic and tumorigenic capabilities of various cancer cells. In this study, we sought to test the potential pro-tumorigenic functions of NANOG, particularly, in prostate cancer (PCa). Using qRT-PCR, we first confirmed that PCa cells expressed NANOG mRNA primarily from the NANOGP8 locus on chromosome 15q14. We then constructed a lentiviral promoter reporter in which the -3.8-kb NANOGP8 genomic fragment was used to drive the expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP). We observed that NANOGP8-GFP(+) PCa cells showed cancer stem cell (CSC) characteristics such as enhanced clonal growth and tumor regenerative capacity. To further investigate the functions and mechanisms of NANOG in tumorigenesis, we established tetracycline-inducible NANOG-overexpressing cancer cell lines, including both PCa (Du145 and LNCaP) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells. NANOG induction promoted drug resistance in MCF-7 cells, tumor regeneration in Du145 cells and, most importantly, castration-resistant tumor development in LNCaP cells. These pro-tumorigenic effects of NANOG were associated with key molecular changes, including an upregulation of molecules such as CXCR4, IGFBP5, CD133 and ALDH1. The present gain-of-function studies, coupled with our recent loss-of-function work, establish the integral role for NANOG in neoplastic processes and shed light on its mechanisms of action.

cis-Active elements of Friend spleen focus-forming virus: from disease induction to disease prevention.

The polycythemic strain of the Friend spleen focus-forming virus (SFFVp) is a replication-defective, acutely transforming retrovirus inducing a bistage erythroleukemia in susceptible mice. The first stage of the disease is an acute polyclonal erythroblastosis induced by the proliferation-promoting effect of gp55. gp55 is expressed from a spliced subgenomic message of SFFVp and stimulates the cellular receptor for erythropoietin. Using a selectable SFFVp that otherwise mimics the specificity of the disease, we demonstrate that the kinetics of the polyclonal expansion depends on the transcriptional strength of the retroviral cis-active elements. By exchanging gp55 for apathogenic genes, we show that SFFVp enhancer and splice signals can be successfully utilized for the development of retroviral vectors mediating very efficient transgene expression in hematopoietic cells. Apathogenic selectable SFFVp-based vectors carrying distinct enhancer alterations are a valuable tool to analyze transcriptional control of leukemia viruses in the absence of oncogenic proteins. Moreover they might have therapeutic potential.