AKT signaling is associated with epigenetic reprogramming via the upregulation of TET and its cofactor, alpha-ketoglutarate during iPSC generation.

BACKGROUND: Phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling participates in cellular proliferation, survival and tumorigenesis. The activation of AKT signaling promotes the cellular reprogramming including generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and dedifferentiation of primordial germ cells (PGCs). Previous studies suggested that AKT promotes reprogramming by activating proliferation and glycolysis. Here we report a line of evidence that supports the notion that AKT signaling is involved in TET-mediated DNA demethylation during iPSC induction. METHODS: AKT signaling was activated in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) that were transduced with OCT4, SOX2 and KLF4. Multiomics analyses were conducted in this system to examine the effects of AKT activation on cells undergoing reprogramming. RESULTS: We revealed that cells undergoing reprogramming with artificially activated AKT exhibit enhanced anabolic glucose metabolism and accordingly increased level of cytosolic α-ketoglutarate (αKG), which is an essential cofactor for the enzymatic activity of the 5-methylcytosine (5mC) dioxygenase TET. Additionally, the level of TET is upregulated. Consistent with the upregulation of αKG production and TET, we observed a genome-wide increase in 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), which is an intermediate in DNA demethylation. Moreover, the DNA methylation level of ES-cell super-enhancers of pluripotency-related genes is significantly decreased, leading to the upregulation of associated genes. Finally, the transduction of TET and the administration of cell-permeable αKG to somatic cells synergistically enhance cell reprogramming by Yamanaka factors. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the possibility that the activation of AKT during somatic cell reprogramming promotes epigenetic reprogramming through the hyperactivation of TET at the transcriptional and catalytic levels.

Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived liver buds with chemically defined and animal origin-free media.

Advances in organoid technology have broadened the number of target diseases and conditions in which human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based regenerative medicine can be applied; however, mass production of organoids and the development of chemically defined, animal origin-free (CD-AOF) media and supplements are unresolved issues that hamper the clinical applicability of these approaches. CD-AOF media and supplements ensure the quality and reproducibility of culture systems by lowering lot-to-lot variations and the risk of contamination with viruses or toxins. We previously generated liver organoids from iPSCs, namely iPSC-liver buds (iPSC-LBs), by mimicking the organogenic interactions among hepatocytes, endothelial cells (ECs), and mesenchymal cells (MCs) and recently reported the mass production of iPSC-LBs derived entirely from iPSCs (all iPSC-LBs), which should facilitate their large-scale production for the treatment of liver failure. However, in previous studies we used media originating from animals for differentiation except for the maintenance of undifferentiated iPSCs. Therefore, we developed a CD-AOF medium to generate all iPSC-LBs. We first developed a CD-AOF medium for hepatocytes, ECs, and stage-matched MCs, i.e., septum transversum mesenchyme (STM), in 2D cultures. We next generated all iPSC-LBs by incubating individual cell types in ultra-low attachment micro-dimple plates. The hepatic functions of all iPSC-LBs generated using the CD-AOF medium were equivalent to those of all iPSC-LBs generated using the conventional medium both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we found that this CD-AOF medium could be used in several cell culture settings. Taken together, these results demonstrate the successful development of a CD-AOF medium suitable for all iPSC-LBs. The protocol developed in this study will facilitate the clinical applicability of all iPSC-LBs in the treatment of liver diseases.

Robust detection of undifferentiated iPSC among differentiated cells.

Recent progress in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) technologies suggest that iPSC application in regenerative medicine is a closer reality. Numerous challenges prevent iPSC application in the development of numerous tissues and for the treatment of various diseases. A key concern in therapeutic applications is the safety of the cell products to be transplanted into patients. Here, we present novel method for detecting residual undifferentiated iPSCs amongst directed differentiated cells of all three germ lineages. Marker genes, which are expressed specifically and highly in undifferentiated iPSC, were selected from single cell RNA sequence data to perform robust and sensitive detection of residual undifferentiated cells in differentiated cell products. ESRG (Embryonic Stem Cell Related), CNMD (Chondromodulin), and SFRP2 (Secreted Frizzled Related Protein 2) were well-correlated with the actual amounts of residual undifferentiated cells and could be used to detect residual cells in a highly sensitive manner using qPCR. In addition, such markers could be used to detect residual undifferentiated cells from various differentiated cells, including hepatic cells and pancreatic cells for the endodermal lineage, endothelial cells and mesenchymal cells for the mesodermal lineage, and neural cells for the ectodermal lineage. Our method facilitates robust validation and could enhance the safety of the cell products through the exclusion of undifferentiated iPSC.

Effect of substituents of alloxazine derivatives on the selectivity and affinity for adenine in AP-site-containing DNA duplexes.

Using the DNA duplex containing an AP site (5'-TCC AGX GCA AC-3'/3'-AGG TCN CGT TG-5', X = AP site, N = A, T, C, or G), we have found that 2-amino-4-hydroxypteridine (pterin) selectively binds to guanine (G), and that the enhanced binding affinity for G is obtained by its methylated derivative 2-amino-6,7-dimethyl-4-hydroxypteridine (diMe pteridine). Similarly, among the cytosine (C)-selective ligands, i.e. derivatives of 2-amino-1,8-naphthyridine, a trimethyl-substituted derivative (2-amino-5,6,7-trimethyl-1,8-naphthyridine) selectively binds to C with a strong binding affinity of 1.9 × 10(7) M(-1). In the case of lumazine derivatives, pteridine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (lumazine) binds to adenine (A), and its methylated derivative, 6,7-dimethylpteridine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (diMe lumazine) strongly binds to A with enhanced binding affinity, keeping the same base-selectivity. On the other hand, the benzo-annelated (with phenyl ring, 2.4 Å) derivative of lumazine, benzo[g]pteridine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (alloxazine), can bind to A selectively, whereas its methylated ligand, 7,8-dimethylbenzo[g]pteridine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (lumichrome) selectively binds to thymine (T) over A, C and G. Methyl-substituted lumichrome derivatives show moderate binding affinities for target nucleobases. The changes in the base-selectivity and binding affinities are discussed in detail with respect to the substituents of these ligands, considering hydrogen-bonding patterns, size of AP site and stacking interactions.

A pteridine derivative with electron-withdrawing groups for binding and sensing of nucleobases in AP site-containing DNA duplexes.

A pteridine derivative having electron-withdrawing CF(3) groups, 2-amino-6,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4-hydoroxypteridine (2CF(3)-pteridine), is presented as a candidate for multi-functional fluorescent ligand for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) typing. In solutions buffered to pH 8.0 (I = 0.1 M, at 5 degrees C), 2CF(3)- pteridine can bind to guanine, cytosine and thymine opposite an abasic site in DNA duplexes (5'-TCTGC GTCCA GXG CAACGCACAC-3'/3'-AGACG CAGGT CNC GTTGCGTGTG-5', X = abasic site; Spacer-C3, N = G, C, A, T). For these three nucleobases, the binding of 2CF(3)-pteridine is explained by 1:1 complexation, and the binding affinities are comparable (K(11) / 10(5) M(-1): G: 3.0; C: 1.6; T: 3.3). Binding-induced fluorescence responses are effectively different between guanine and pyrimidines (C, T): the binding to pyrimidines is accompanied by a significant change in the shape of fluorescence spectra. These binding and sensing properties allow a detection of G/T or G/C mutation based on a single fluorescence ligand.