Domain-specific biological functions of the transcription factor Gata2 on hematopoietic differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

The generation of mouse hematopoietic stem cells from hemogenic endothelial cells (HECs) in the aorta/gonad/mesonephros region of developing embryos requires a zinc finger transcription factor Gata2. In the previous study, an enforced expression of Gata2 in vitro promoted the production of HECs from mesodermal cells differentiated from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Our research group has previously demonstrated that the enforced expression of Gata2 in ESC-derived HECs enhances erythroid and megakaryocyte differentiation and inhibits macrophage differentiation. However, the manner in which the multiple functions of Gata2 are regulated remains unclear. Mouse ESCs differentiate into various types of hematopoietic cells when cocultured with OP9 stromal cells (OP9 system). Using this system and the inducible gene cassette exchange system, which facilitates the establishment of ESCs carrying inducible transgenes under an identical gene expression regulatory unit, the domain-specific functions of Gata2 were systematically dissected in this study. We determined that the N-terminal (amino acid 1-110) region of Gata2 was an erythroid-inducing region, both the middle (amino acid 111-200) and C-terminal (amino acid 413-480) regions were megakaryocyte-inducing regions. Furthermore, the present data strongly suggest that intramolecular antagonistic interactions between each of these regions fine-tune the biological functions of Gata2.

Efficient production of platelets from mouse embryonic stem cells by enforced expression of Gata2 in late hemogenic endothelial cells.

Platelets are essential for blood circulation and coagulation. Previous study indicated that overexpression of Gata2 in differentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) resulted in robust induction of megakaryocytes (Mks). To evaluate platelet production capacity of the Gata2-induced ESC-derived Mks, we generated iGata2-ESC line carrying the doxycycline-inducible Gata2 expression cassette. When doxycycline was added to day 5 hemogenic endothelial cells in the in vitro differentiation culture of iGata2-ESCs, c-Kit(-)Tie2(-)CD41(+) Mks were predominantly generated. These iGata2-ESC-derived Mks efficiently produced CD41(+)CD42b(+)CD61(+) platelets and adhered to fibrinogen-coated glass coverslips in response to thrombin stimulation. Transmission electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that the iGata2-ESC-derived platelets were discoid-shaped with α-granules and an open canalicular system, but were larger than peripheral blood platelets in size. These results demonstrated that an enforced expression of Gata2 in late HECs of differentiated ESCs efficiently promotes megakaryopoiesis followed by platelet production. This study provides valuable information for ex vivo platelet production from human pluripotent stem cells in future.

GSK3ß inhibition activates the CDX/HOX pathway and promotes hemogenic endothelial progenitor differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells.

WNT/ß-CATENIN signaling promotes the hematopoietic/endothelial differentiation of human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). The transient addition of a GSK3ß inhibitor (GSKi) has been found to facilitate in vitro endothelial cell differentiation from hESCs/hiPSCs. Because hematopoietic and endothelial cells are derived from common progenitors (hemogenic endothelial progenitors [HEPs]), we examined the effect of transient GSKi treatment on hematopoietic cell differentiation from hiPSCs. We found that transient GSKi treatment at the start of hiPSC differentiation induction altered the gene expression profile of the cells. Multiple CDX/HOX genes, which are expressed in the posterior mesoderm of developing embryos, were significantly upregulated by GSKi treatment. Further, inclusion of the GSKi in a serum- and stroma-free culture with chemically defined medium efficiently induced HEPs, and the HEPs gave rise to various lineages of hematopoietic and endothelial cells. Therefore, transient WNT/ß-CATENIN signaling triggers activation of the CDX/HOX pathway, which in turn confers hemogenic posterior mesoderm identity to differentiating hiPSCs. These data enhance our understanding of human embryonic hematopoietic/endothelial cell development and provide a novel in vitro system for inducing the differentiation of hematopoietic cells from hiPSCs.

Efficient production of T cells from mouse pluripotent stem cells by controlled expression of Lhx2.

LIM-homeobox transcription factor Lhx2 induces ex vivo amplification of adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in mice. We previously showed that engraftable HSC-like cells are generated from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells by enforced expression of Lhx2. However, when these HSC-like cells were transplanted into irradiated congenic mice, donor-derived T cells were barely detectable, whereas other lineages of hematopoietic cells were continuously produced. Here we investigated T-cell differentiation potential of the Lhx2-induced HSC-like cells using ESCs carrying doxycycline (dox)-inducible Lhx2 expression cassette. Dox-mediated over-expression of Lhx2 conferred a self-renewing activity to ESC-derived c-Kit(+) CD41(+) embryonic hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), thereby converting them to HSC-like cells. When these HSC-like cells were transplanted into irradiated immunodeficient mice and they were supplied with a dox-containing water, CD4/8 double negative T cells were detected in their thymi. Once the Lhx2 expression was terminated, differentiation of CD4/8 double positive and single positive T cells was initiated in the thymi of transplanted mice and mature T cells were released in the peripheral blood. These results showed that engraftable HSC-like cells with full hematopoietic potential can be obtained from ESCs by the conditional expression of Lhx2.