Specific ZNF274 binding interference at SNORD116 activates the maternal transcripts in Prader-Willi syndrome neurons.

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterized by neonatal hypotonia, developmental delay and hyperphagia/obesity. This disorder is caused by the absence of paternally expressed gene products from chromosome 15q11-q13. We previously demonstrated that knocking out ZNF274, a Kruppel-associated box-A-domain zinc finger protein capable of recruiting epigenetic machinery to deposit the H3K9me3 repressive histone modification, can activate expression from the normally silent maternal allele of SNORD116 in neurons derived from PWS induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). However, ZNF274 has many other targets in the genome in addition to SNORD116. Depleting ZNF274 will surely affect the expression of other important genes and disrupt other pathways. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to delete ZNF274 binding sites at the SNORD116 locus to determine whether activation of the maternal copy of SNORD116 could be achieved without altering ZNF274 protein levels. We obtained similar activation of gene expression from the normally silenced maternal allele in neurons derived from PWS iPSCs, compared with ZNF274 knockout, demonstrating that ZNF274 is directly involved in the repression of SNORD116. These results suggest that interfering with ZNF274 binding at the maternal SNORD116 locus is a potential therapeutic strategy for PWS.

Zinc finger protein 274 regulates imprinted expression of transcripts in Prader-Willi syndrome neurons.

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterized by neonatal hypotonia, developmental delay and hyperphagia/obesity and is caused by the absence of paternal contribution to chromosome 15q11-q13. Using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of PWS, we previously discovered an epigenetic complex that is comprised of the zinc-finger protein ZNF274 and the SET domain bifurcated 1 (SETDB1) histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methyltransferase and that silences the maternal alleles at the PWS locus. Here, we have knocked out ZNF274 and rescued the expression of silent maternal alleles in neurons derived from PWS iPSC lines, without affecting DNA methylation at the PWS-Imprinting Center (PWS-IC). This suggests that the ZNF274 complex is a separate imprinting mark that represses maternal PWS gene expression in neurons and is a potential target for future therapeutic applications to rescue the PWS phenotype.

Lack of ABCG2 expression and side population properties in human pluripotent stem cells.

The multidrug transporter ABCG2 in cell membranes enables various stem cells and cancer cells to efflux chemicals, including the fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342. The Hoechst(-) cells can be sorted out as a side population with stem cell properties. Abcg2 expression in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) reduces accumulation of DNA-damaging metabolites in the cells, which helps prevent cell differentiation. Surprisingly, we found that human ESCs do not express ABCG2 and cannot efflux Hoechst. In contrast, trophoblasts and neural epithelial cells derived from human ESCs are ABCG2(+) and Hoechst(-). Human ESCs ectopically expressing ABCG2 become Hoechst(-), more tolerant of toxicity of mitoxantrone, a substrate of ABCG2, and more capable of self-renewal in basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-free condition than control cells. However, Hoechst(low) cells sorted as a small subpopulation from human ESCs express lower levels of pluripotency markers than the Hoechst(high) cells. Similar results were observed with human induced pluripotent stem cells. Conversely, mouse ESCs are Abcg2(+) and mouse trophoblasts, Abcg2(-). Thus, absence of ABCG2 is a novel feature of human pluripotent stem cells, which distinguishes them from many other stem cells including mouse ESCs, and may be a reason why they are sensitive to suboptimal culture conditions.

Derivation of human embryonic stem cells in defined conditions.

We have previously reported that high concentrations of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) support feeder-independent growth of human embryonic stem (ES) cells, but those conditions included poorly defined serum and matrix components. Here we report feeder-independent human ES cell culture that includes protein components solely derived from recombinant sources or purified from human material. We describe the derivation of two new human ES cell lines in these defined culture conditions.

Recapitulating and Correcting Marfan Syndrome in a Cellular Model.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in FBN1 gene, which encodes a key extracellular matrix protein FIBRILLIN-1. The haplosufficiency of FBN1 has been implicated in pathogenesis of MFS with manifestations primarily in cardiovascular, muscular, and ocular tissues. Due to limitations in animal models to study the late-onset diseases, human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) offer a homogeneic tool for dissection of cellular and molecular pathogenic mechanism for MFS in vitro. Here, we first derived induced PSCs (iPSCs) from a MFS patient with a FBN1 mutation and corrected the mutation, thereby generating an isogenic "gain-of-function" control cells for the parental MFS iPSCs. Reversely, we knocked out FBN1 in both alleles in a wild-type (WT) human embryonic stem cell (ESC) line, which served as a loss-of-function model for MFS with the WT cells as an isogenic control. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from both FBN1-mutant iPSCs and -ESCs demonstrated reduced osteogenic differentiation and microfibril formation. We further demonstrated that vascular smooth muscle cells derived from FBN1-mutant iPSCs showed less sensitivity to carbachol as demonstrated by contractility and Ca2+ influx assay, compared to the isogenic controls cells. These findings were further supported by transcriptomic anaylsis of the cells. Therefore, this study based on both gain- and loss-of-function approaches confirmed the pathogenetic role of FBN1 mutations in these MFS-related phenotypic changes.