Inflammatory genes TNFα and IL6 display no signs of increased H3K4me3 in circulating monocytes from untreated rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Innate immune cells, such as monocytes, can adopt a long-lasting pro-inflammatory phenotype, a phenomenon called 'trained immunity'. In trained immunity, increased cytokine levels of genes, like interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, are observed, which are associated with increased histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) in the promoter region. As systemic IL6 and TNFα levels are increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and monocytes are known to be the primary producers of TNFα and IL6, we hypothesized that 'trained immunity' signals may be observed at these genes in monocytes from RA patients. CD14+ monocytes were isolated from untreated RA patients and paired age-matched healthy controls. H3K4me3, mRNA, protein and serum levels of IL6 and TNFα were evaluated by chromatin immunoprecipitation, reverse-transcription quantitative PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Despite elevated serum levels of TNFα and IL6 in the tested RA patients (P<0.05), ex vivo isolated monocytes displayed similar H3K4me3 levels to healthy controls in the promoter region of TNFα and IL6. Concordantly, mRNA and protein levels of IL6 and TNFα were similar before and after lipopolysaccharide stimulation between patients and controls. Together, with the current number of individuals tested we have not detected enhanced trained immunity signals in circulating monocytes from untreated RA patients, despite increased IL6 and TNFα serum levels.

A novel long non-coding RNA in the rheumatoid arthritis risk locus TRAF1-C5 influences C5 mRNA levels.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate the transcript levels of genes in the same genomic region. These locally acting lncRNAs have been found deregulated in human disease and some have been shown to harbour quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in autoimmune diseases. However, lncRNAs linked to the transcription of candidate risk genes in loci associated to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have not yet been identified. The TRAF1 and C5 risk locus shows evidence of multiple eQTLs and transcription of intergenic non-coding sequences. Here, we identified a non-coding transcript (C5T1lncRNA) starting in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of C5. RA-relevant cell types express C5T1lncRNA and RNA levels are further enhanced by specific immune stimuli. C5T1lncRNA is expressed predominantly in the nucleus and its expression correlates positively with C5 mRNA in various tissues (P=0.001) and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (P=0.02) indicating transcriptional co-regulation. Knockdown results in a concurrent decrease in C5 mRNA levels but not of other neighbouring genes. Overall, our data show the identification of a novel lncRNA C5T1lncRNA that is fully located in the associated region and influences transcript levels of C5, a gene previously linked to RA pathogenesis.

Polycistronic lentivirus induced pluripotent stem cells from skin biopsies after long term storage, blood outgrowth endothelial cells and cells from milk teeth.

The generation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) requires the collection of donor tissue, but clinical circumstances in which the interests of patients have highest priority may compromise the quality and availability of cells that are eventually used for reprogramming. Here we compared (i) skin biopsies stored in standard physiological salt solution for up to two weeks (ii) blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) isolated from fresh peripheral blood and (iii) children's milk teeth lost during normal replacement for their ability to form somatic cell cultures suitable for reprogramming to hiPSCs. We derived all hiPSC lines using the same reprogramming method (a conditional (FLPe) polycistronic lentivirus) and under similar conditions (same batch of virus, fetal calf serum and feeder cells). Skin fibroblasts could be reprogrammed robustly even after long-term biopsy storage. Generation of hiPSCs from juvenile dental pulp cells gave similar high efficiencies, but that of BOECs was lower. In terms of invasiveness of biopsy sampling, biopsy storage and reprogramming efficiencies skin fibroblasts appeared best for the generation of hiPSCs, but where non-invasive procedures are required (e.g., for children and minors) dental pulp cells from milk teeth represent a valuable alternative.

Introduction of a Geminin mScarlet Reporter into H2B-mTurq2 hiPSCs for Live-cell Imaging of Proliferation and Cell Cycling.

We previously generated a doxycycline-inducible H2B-mTurq2 reporter in hiPSCs to track cells and study cell division and apoptosis. To improve visualization of cycling cells, we introduced a ubiquitously transcribed mScarletI-Geminin (GMMN) (1-110) into the previously untargeted second AAVS1 allele. Fusion to the N-terminal part of GMNN provided tightly controlled mScarletI expression during the cell cycle. mScarletI fluorescence increased gradually from the S-phase through the M-phase of the cell cycle and was lost at the metaphase-anaphase transition. The resulting hiPSC reporter line generated, which we named ProLiving, is a valuable tool to study cell division and cell cycle characteristics in living hiPSC-derived cells.

Generation of LUMCi041-A-2: Equipping a PAX3 reporter iPSC line with doxycycline inducible H2B-mTurquoise2 for live cell imaging.

An induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line, in which a H2B-fluorescent protein fusion is temporally expressed, is a valuable tool to track cells and study cell divisions and apoptosis. To this end we introduced a 3rd generation "all-in-one" doxycycline-inducible H2B-mTurquoise2 vector into the AAVS1 locus of PAX3-Venus iPSCs via CRISPR/Cas9. H2B-mTurquoise2 expression is absent but readily induced by doxycycline allowing quantification of cell divisions and imaging of living cells. Besides being a universal reporter in iPSC-based differentiation and toxicity assays, the generated pluripotent and genomically normal LUMCi041-A-2 line is particularly suited to study PAX3-positive stages of development.

Generation of Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva and control integration free iPSC lines from periodontal ligament fibroblasts.

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a very rare devastating heterotopic ossification disorder, classically caused by a heterozygous single point mutation (c.617G>A) in the ACVR1gene, encoding the Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptor, also termed activin receptor-like kinase (ALK)2. FOP patients develop heterotopic ossification episodically in response to inflammatory insults, thereby compromising tissue sampling and the development of in vitro surrogate models for FOP. Here we describe the generation and characterization of a control and a classical FOP induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line derived from periodontal ligament fibroblast cells using Sendai virus vectors.

Identification and characterization of collaborating oncogenes in compound mutant mice.

We have used proviral tagging in tumor-prone transgenic mice to identify collaborating oncogenes and genes contributing to tumor progression. This has yielded a series of oncogenes that could be assigned to different complementation groups in transformation: the myc, Pim, Bmi1, and Frat1 complementation groups. Frat1 is involved in tumor progression and appears to function in the Wnt signaling pathway. Overexpression of Fratl confers a growth advantage to transplanted tumor cells in vivo and to cells grown in vitro at high density. Frat1 might exert its activity by impairing the kinase activity of Gsk3beta, which is involved in the degradation of beta-catenin. Pim genes appear to act in tumor initiation and show strong synergism with myc in lymphomagenesis. Overexpression of Pim1 can also overcome some of the proliferative defects caused by defective interleukin signaling supporting a role of Pim1 in cell proliferation. We have applied proviral tagging in compound mutant Emu-myc/Pim1-/-/Pim2-/- mice to identify genes that can complement for the loss of Pim1 and Pim2 and, therefore, are able to synergize with c-myc in lymphomagenesis. A number of new as well as known genes have been found by this "complementation tagging." The latter included c-kit, Tp12, and cyclin D2, suggesting that Pim kinases might act upstream of or parallel to these known proto-oncogenes.

Stem cell self-renewal: lessons from bone marrow, gut and iPS toward clinical applications.

The hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) is the prototype organ-regenerating stem cell (SC), and by far the most studied type of SC in the body. Currently, HSC-based therapy is the only routinely used SC therapy; however, advances in the field of embryonic SCs and induced pluripotent SCs may change this situation. Interest into in vitro generation of HSCs, including signals for HSC expansion and differentiation from these more primitive SCs, as well as advances in other organ-specific SCs, in particular the intestine, provide promising new applications for SC therapies. Here, we review the basic principles of different SC systems, and on the basis of the experience with HSC-based SC therapy, provide recommendations for clinical application of emerging SC technologies.

Pim kinase expression is induced by LTP stimulation and required for the consolidation of enduring LTP.

In animals and several cellular models of synaptic plasticity, long-lasting changes in synaptic strength are dependent on gene transcription and translation. Here we demonstrate that Pim-1, a serine/threonine kinase closely related to Pim-2 and Pim-3, is induced in hippocampus in response to stimuli that evoke long-term potentiation (LTP). Mice deficient for Pim-1 show normal synaptic transmission and short-term plasticity. However, they fail to consolidate enduring LTP even though Pim-2 and Pim-3 are constitutively expressed in the hippocampus and Pim-3 expression is similarly induced by synaptic activity. Thus, expression of Pim-1 is required for LTP. Its level of expression and, consequently, its capacity to phosphorylate target proteins in dendritic and nuclear compartments of stimulated neurons might be a determining factor for the establishment of long-lasting changes in synaptic strength.

Molecular analysis of the T-cell receptor beta-chain repertoire in early rheumatoid arthritis: heterogeneous TCRBV gene usage with shared amino acid profiles in CDR3 regions of T lymphocytes in multiple synovial tissue needle biopsies from the same joint.

To gain insight into the nature of the immune response with respect to accumulation and composition of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire in synovial tissue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we have determined the nucleotide sequence of TCRBV regions transcribed by T lymphocytes derived from synovial tissue. Synovial tissue was obtained by needle biopsies from three different sites of the same joint in two early RA patients. We found that the TCRBV region repertoire among synovial tissue-infiltrating mononuclear cells was heterogeneous when the different biopsies taken from each patient were compared. However, DNA sequence analysis of TCRBV rearrangements of synovial T lymphocytes showed conserved amino acid usage profiles in the CDR3 domains of different TCRBV regions, which exhibited an individual specific character. These CDR3 motifs were not present in paired samples of peripheral blood. The existence of homologous CDR3 amino acid profiles within the TCRBV regions derived from synovial tissue is indicative of an antigen-driven immune response.

Insulin-induced tyrosine dephosphorylation of paxillin and focal adhesion kinase requires active phosphotyrosine phosphatase 1D.

Insulin stimulation of fibroblasts rapidly induces the tyrosine dephosphorylation of proteins of 68 kDa and 125 kDa, in addition to the tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta-chain, insulin receptor substrates 1 and 2, and Shc. Using specific antibodies, the 68 kDa and 125 kDa proteins were identified as paxillin and focal adhesion kinase (pp125FAK) respectively. We have examined whether dephosphorylation of paxillin and pp125FAK requires interaction of the cells with the extracellular matrix. For this, cells were grown on poly(L-lysine) plates, and the tyrosine phosphorylation of pp125FAK and paxillin was increased by addition of lysophosphatidic acid. Under these conditions, insulin still induced the complete dephosphorylation of pp125FAK and paxillin, indicating that this process can occur independently of the interaction of integrins with extracellular matrix proteins. We also studied whether dephosphorylation of pp125FAK and paxillin results from the action of a phosphotyrosine phosphatase. It was found that phenylarsine oxide, a phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, prevented the insulin-induced dephosphorylation of pp125FAK and paxillin. Furthermore, this insulin-induced dephosphorylation was also impaired in cells expressing a dominant-negative mutant of phosphotyrosine phosphatase 1D (PTP 1D). Thus we have identified paxillin as a target for dephosphorylation by insulin. In addition, we have obtained evidence that the insulin-mediated dephosphorylation of paxillin and pp125FAK requires active PTP 1D.