Wnt/BMP Mediated Metabolic Reprogramming Preserves Multipotency of Neural Crest-Like Stem Cells.

Neural crest-like stem cells resembling embryonic neural crest cells (NCs) can be derived from adult human tissues such as the epidermis. However, these cells lose their multipotency rapidly in culture limiting their expansion for clinical use. Here, we show that the multipotency of keratinocyte-derived NCs (KC-NCs) can be preserved by activating the Wnt and BMP signaling axis, promoting expression of key NC-specifier genes and ultimately enhancing their differentiation potential. We also show that transcriptional changes leading to multipotency are linked to metabolic reprogramming of KC-NCs to a highly glycolytic state. Specifically, KC-NCs treated with CHIR and BMP2 rely almost exclusively on glycolysis for their energy needs, as seen by increased lactate production, glucose uptake, and glycolytic enzyme activities. This was accompanied by mitochondrial depolarization and decreased mitochondrial ATP production. Interestingly, the glycolytic end-product lactate stabilized ß-catenin and further augmented NC-gene expression. Taken together, our study shows that activation of the Wnt/BMP signaling coordinates the metabolic demands of neural crest-like stem cells governing decisions regarding multipotency and differentiation, with possible implications for regenerative medicine.

Microbial green synthesis of luminescent terbium sulfide nanoparticles using E. Coli: a rare earth element detoxification mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Rare-earth sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) could harness the optical and magnetic features of rare-earth ions for applications in nanotechnology. However, reports of their synthesis are scarce and typically require high temperatures and long synthesis times. RESULTS: Here we present a biosynthesis of terbium sulfide (TbS) NPs using microorganisms, identifying conditions that allow Escherichia coli to extracellularly produce TbS NPs in aqueous media at 37 °C by controlling cellular sulfur metabolism to produce a high concentration of sulfide ions. Electron microscopy revealed ultrasmall spherical NPs with a mean diameter of 4.1 ± 1.3 nm. Electron diffraction indicated a high degree of crystallinity, while elemental mapping confirmed colocalization of terbium and sulfur. The NPs exhibit characteristic absorbance and luminescence of terbium, with downshifting quantum yield (QY) reaching 28.3% and an emission lifetime of ~ 2 ms. CONCLUSIONS: This high QY and long emission lifetime is unusual in a neat rare-earth compound; it is typically associated with rare-earth ions doped into another crystalline lattice to avoid non-radiative cross relaxation. This suggests a reduced role of nonradiative processes in these terbium-based NPs. This is, to our knowledge, the first report revealing the advantage of biosynthesis over chemical synthesis for Rare Earth Element (REE) based NPs, opening routes to new REE-based nanocrystals.

Cadherin-11 binds to PDGFRß and enhances cell proliferation and tissue regeneration via the PDGFR-AKT signaling axis.

Intercellular adhesion through homotypic interaction between cadherins regulates multiple cellular processes including cytoskeletal organization, proliferation, and survival. In this paper, we provide evidence that cadherin-11 (CDH11) binds to and promotes cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo in synergy with the platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRß). Engagement of CDH11 increased the sensitivity of cells to PDGF-BB by 10- to 100-fold, resulting in rapid and sustained phosphorylation of AKT, ultimately promoting and cell proliferation and tissue regeneration. Indeed, wound healing experiments showed that healing was severely compromised in Cdh11-/- mice, as evidenced by significantly decreased proliferation, AKT phosphorylation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis of dermal cells. Our results shed light into understanding how intercellular adhesion can promote cell proliferation and may have implications for tissue regeneration and cancer progression.

NANOG Reverses the Myogenic Differentiation Potential of Senescent Stem Cells by Restoring ACTIN Filamentous Organization and SRF-Dependent Gene Expression.

Cellular senescence as a result of organismal aging or progeroid diseases leads to stem cell pool exhaustion hindering tissue regeneration and contributing to the progression of age related disorders. Here we discovered that ectopic expression of the pluripotent factor NANOG in senescent or progeroid myogenic progenitors reversed cellular aging and restored completely the ability to generate contractile force. To elicit its effects, NANOG enabled reactivation of the ROCK and Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-ß pathways-both of which were impaired in senescent cells-leading to ACTIN polymerization, MRTF-A translocation into the nucleus and serum response factor (SRF)-dependent myogenic gene expression. Collectively our data reveal that cellular senescence can be reversed and provide a novel strategy to regain the lost function of aged stem cells without reprogramming to the pluripotent state. Stem Cells 2017;35:207-221.

Reprogramming Postnatal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes Toward Functional Neural Crest Fates.

During development, neural crest (NC) cells are induced by signaling events at the neural plate border of all vertebrate embryos. Initially arising within the central nervous system, NC cells subsequently undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition to migrate into the periphery, where they differentiate into diverse cell types. Here we provide evidence that postnatal human epidermal keratinocytes (KC), in response to fibroblast growth factor 2 and insulin like growth factor 1 signals, can be reprogrammed toward a NC fate. Genome-wide transcriptome analyses show that keratinocyte-derived NC cells are similar to those derived from human embryonic stem cells. Moreover, they give rise in vitro and in vivo to NC derivatives such as peripheral neurons, melanocytes, Schwann cells and mesenchymal cells (osteocytes, chondrocytes, adipocytes, and smooth muscle cells). By demonstrating that human keratin-14+ KC can form NC cells, even from clones of single cells, our results have important implications in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Stem Cells 2017;35:1402-1415.

Laminin-111 Peptides Conjugated to Fibrin Hydrogels Promote Formation of Lumen Containing Parotid Gland Cell Clusters.

Previous studies showed that mouse submandibular gland cells form three-dimensional structures when grown on Laminin-111 gels. The use of Laminin-111 for tissue bioengineering is complicated due to its lack of purity. By contrast, the use of synthetic peptides derived from Laminin-111 is beneficial due to their high purity and easy manipulation. Two Laminin-111 peptides have been identified for salivary cells: the A99 peptide corresponding to the α1 chain from Laminin-111 and the YIGSR peptide corresponding to the ß1 chain from Laminin-111, which are important for cell adhesion and migration. We created three-dimensional salivary cell clusters using a modified fibrin hydrogel matrix containing immobilized Laminin-111 peptides. Results indicate that the YIGSR peptide improved morphology and lumen formation in rat parotid Par-C10 cells as compared to cells grown on unmodified fibrin hydrogel. Moreover, a combination of both peptides not only allowed the formation of functional three-dimensional salivary cell clusters but also increased attachment and number of cell clusters. In summary, we demonstrated that fibrin hydrogel decorated with Laminin-111 peptides supports attachment and differentiation of salivary gland cell clusters with mature lumens.

JNK regulates compliance-induced adherens junctions formation in epithelial cells and tissues.

We demonstrate that c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) responds to substrate stiffness and regulates adherens junction (AJ) formation in epithelial cells in 2D cultures and in 3D tissues in vitro and in vivo. Rigid substrates led to JNK activation and AJ disassembly, whereas soft matrices suppressed JNK activity leading to AJ formation. Expression of constitutively active JNK (MKK7-JNK1) induced AJ dissolution even on soft substrates, whereas JNK knockdown (using shJNK) induced AJ formation even on hard substrates. In human epidermis, basal cells expressed phosphorylated JNK but lacked AJ, whereas suprabasal keratinocytes contained strong AJ but lacked phosphorylated JNK. AJ formation was significantly impaired even in the upper suprabasal layers of bioengineered epidermis when prepared with stiffer scaffold or keratinocytes expressing MKK7-JNK1. By contrast, shJNK1 or shJNK2 epidermis exhibited strong AJ even in the basal layer. The results with bioengineered epidermis were in full agreement with the epidermis of jnk1(-/-) or jnk2(-/-) mice. In conclusion, we propose that JNK mediates the effects of substrate stiffness on AJ formation in 2D and 3D contexts in vitro as well as in vivo.

Magnetofection Mediated Transient NANOG Overexpression Enhances Proliferation and Myogenic Differentiation of Human Hair Follicle Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

We used magnetofection (MF) to achieve high transfection efficiency into human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). A custom-made magnet array, matching well-to-well to a 24-well plate, was generated and characterized. Theoretical predictions of magnetic force distribution within each well demonstrated that there was no magnetic field interference among magnets in adjacent wells. An optimized protocol for efficient gene delivery to human hair follicle derived MSCs (hHF-MSCs) was established using an egfp-encoding plasmid, reaching approximately ∼50% transfection efficiency without significant cytotoxicity. Then we applied the optimized MF protocol to express the pluripotency-associated transcription factor NANOG, which was previously shown to reverse the effects of organismal aging on MSC proliferation and myogenic differentiation capacity. Indeed, MF-mediated NANOG delivery increased proliferation and enhanced the differentiation of hHF-MSCs into smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Collectively, our results show that MF can achieve high levels of gene delivery to MSCs and, therefore, may be employed to moderate or reverse the effects of cellular senescence or reprogram cells to the pluripotent state without permanent genetic modification.

Dynamic reporters for probing real-time activation of human fibroblasts from single cells to populations.

Activation of fibroblasts is pivotal for wound healing; however, persistent activation leads to maladaptive processes and is a hallmark of fibrosis, where disease mechanisms are only partially understood. Human in vitro model systems complement in vivo animal models for both hypothesis testing and drug evaluation to improve the identification of therapeutics relevant to human disease. Despite advances, a challenge remains in understanding the dynamics of human fibroblast responses to complex microenvironment stimuli, motivating the need for more advanced tools to investigate fibrotic mechanisms. This work established approaches for assessing the temporal dynamics of these responses using genetically encoded fluorescent reporters of alpha smooth muscle actin expression, an indicator of fibroblast activation. Specifically, we created a toolset of human lung fibroblast reporter cell lines from different origins (male, female; healthy, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) and used three different versions of the reporter with the fluorescent protein modified to exhibit different temporal stabilities, providing temporal resolution of protein expression processes over a range of timescales. Using this toolset, we demonstrated that reporters provide insight into population shifts in response to both mechanical and biochemical cues that are not detectable by traditional end point assessments with differential responses based on cell origin. Furthermore, individual cells can also be tracked over time, with opportunities for comparison to complementary end point measurements. The establishment of this reporter toolset enables dynamic cell investigations that can be translated into more complex synthetic culture environments for elucidating disease mechanisms and evaluating therapeutics for lung fibrosis and other complex biological processes more broadly.

Injectable shear-thinning hydrogels promote oligodendrocyte progenitor cell survival and remyelination in the central nervous system.

Cell therapy for the treatment of demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis is hampered by poor survival of donor oligodendrocyte cell preparations, resulting in limited therapeutic outcomes. Excessive cell death leads to the release of intracellular alloantigens, which likely exacerbate local inflammation and may predispose the graft to eventual rejection. Here, we engineered innovative cell-instructive shear-thinning hydrogels (STHs) with tunable viscoelasticity and bioactivity for minimally invasive delivery of primary human oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (hOPCs) to the brain of a shiverer/rag2 mouse, a model of congenital hypomyelinating disease. The STHs enabled immobilization of prosurvival signals, including a recombinantly designed bidomain peptide and platelet-derived growth factor. Notably, STHs reduced the death rate of hOPCs significantly, promoted the production of myelinating oligodendrocytes, and enhanced myelination of the mouse brain 12 weeks post-implantation. Our results demonstrate the potential of STHs loaded with biological cues to improve cell therapies for the treatment of devastating myelopathies.

Proline restores mitochondrial function and reverses aging hallmarks in senescent cells.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of cellular senescence, with the loss of mitochondrial function identified as a potential causal factor contributing to senescence-associated decline in cellular functions. Our recent findings revealed that ectopic expression of the pluripotency transcription factor NANOG rejuvenates dysfunctional mitochondria of senescent cells by rewiring metabolic pathways. In this study, we report that NANOG restores the expression of key enzymes, PYCR1 and PYCR2, in the proline biosynthesis pathway. Additionally, senescent mesenchymal stem cells manifest severe mitochondrial respiratory impairment, which is alleviated through proline supplementation. Proline induces mitophagy by activating AMP-activated protein kinase α and upregulating Parkin expression, enhancing mitochondrial clearance and ultimately restoring cell metabolism. Notably, proline treatment also mitigates several aging hallmarks, including DNA damage, senescence-associated ß-galactosidase, inflammatory cytokine expressions, and impaired myogenic differentiation capacity. Overall, this study highlights the role of proline in mitophagy and its potential in reversing senescence-associated mitochondrial dysfunction and aging hallmarks.

Nanog reverses the effects of organismal aging on mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and myogenic differentiation potential.

Although the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is widely accepted, loss of cell function due to donor aging or culture senescence are major limiting factors hampering their clinical application. Our laboratory recently showed that MSCs originating from older donors suffer from limited proliferative capacity and significantly reduced myogenic differentiation potential. This is a major concern, as the patients most likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease are elderly. Here we tested the hypothesis that a single pluripotency-associated transcription factor, namely Nanog, may reverse the proliferation and differentiation potential of bone marrow-derived MSC (BM-MSC) from adult donors. Microarray analysis showed that adult (a)BM-MSC expressing Nanog clustered close to Nanog-expressing neonatal cells. Nanog markedly upregulated genes involved in cell cycle, DNA replication, and DNA damage repair and enhanced the proliferation rate and clonogenic capacity of aBM-MSC. Notably, Nanog reversed the myogenic differentiation potential and restored the contractile function of aBM-MSC to a similar level as that of neonatal (n)BM-MSC. The effect of Nanog on contractility was mediated--at least in part--through activation of the TGF-ß pathway by diffusible factors secreted in the conditioned medium of Nanog-expressing BM-MSC. Overall, our results suggest that Nanog may be used to overcome the effects of organismal aging on aBM-MSC, thereby increasing the potential of MSC from aged donors for cellular therapy and tissue regeneration.

Cadherin-11 increases tumor cell proliferation and metastatic potential via Wnt pathway activation.

During epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer progression, tumor cells switch cadherin profile from E-cadherin to cadherin-11 (CDH11), which is accompanied by increased invasiveness and metastatic activity. However, the mechanism through which CDH11 may affect tumor growth and metastasis remains elusive. Here, we report that CDH11 was highly expressed in multiple human tumors and was localized on the membrane, in the cytoplasm and, surprisingly, also in the nucleus. Interestingly, ß-catenin remained bound to carboxy-terminal fragments (CTFs) of CDH11, the products of CDH11 cleavage, and co-localized with CTFs in the nucleus in the majority of breast cancer samples. Binding of ß-catenin to CTFs preserved ß-catenin activity, whereas inhibiting CDH11 cleavage led to ß-catenin phosphorylation and diminished Wnt signaling, similar to CDH11 knockout. Our data elucidate a previously unknown role of CDH11, which serves to stabilize ß-catenin in the cytoplasm and facilitates its translocation to the nucleus, resulting in activation of Wnt signaling, with subsequent increased proliferation, migration and invasion potential.

Fibrin hydrogels fortified with FGF-7/10 and laminin-1 peptides promote regeneration of irradiated salivary glands.

Ionizing radiation, commonly used for head and neck cancer treatment, typically damages the salivary glands, resulting in hyposalivation. The development of treatments to restore this lost function is crucial for improving the quality of life for patients suffering from this condition. To address this clinical need, we have developed an innovative hydrogel by chemically conjugating laminin-1 peptides (A99 and YIGSR) and growth factors, FGF-7 and FGF-10, to fibrin hydrogels. Our results demonstrate that FGF-7/10 and laminin-1 peptides fortified fibrin hydrogel [enhanced laminin-1 peptides fibrin hydrogel (Ep-FH)] promotes salivary gland regeneration and functionality by improving epithelial tissue organization, establishing a healthy network of blood vessels and nerves, while reducing fibrosis in a head and neck irradiated mouse model. These results indicate that fibrin hydrogel-based implantable scaffolds containing pro-regenerative signals promote sustained secretory function of irradiated salivary glands, offering a potential alternative treatment for hyposalivation in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment. These unique findings emphasize the potential of fibrin hydrogel-based implantable scaffolds enriched with pro-regenerative signals in sustaining the secretory function of irradiated salivary glands and offer a promising alternative treatment for addressing hyposalivation in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Radiation therapies used to treat head and neck cancers often result in damaged salivary gland, leading to severe dryness of the oral cavity. In this study, we engineered FGF-7 and FGF-10 and immobilized them into L1p-FH. The resulting hydrogel, Ep-FH, restored irradiated salivary gland functionality by enhancing epithelial tissue organization, promoting the development of a healthy network of blood vessels and nerves as well as reduction of fibrosis.

Inhibition of glutaminolysis restores mitochondrial function in senescent stem cells.

Mitochondrial dysfunction, a hallmark of aging, has been associated with the onset of aging phenotypes and age-related diseases. Here, we report that impaired mitochondrial function is associated with increased glutamine catabolism in senescent human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and myofibroblasts derived from patients suffering from Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. Increased glutaminase (GLS1) activity accompanied by loss of urea transporter SLC14A1 induces urea accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and DNA damage. Conversely, blocking GLS1 activity restores mitochondrial function and leads to amelioration of aging hallmarks. Interestingly, GLS1 expression is regulated through the JNK pathway, as demonstrated by chemical and genetic inhibition. In agreement with our in vitro findings, tissues isolated from aged or progeria mice display increased urea accumulation and GLS1 activity, concomitant with declined mitochondrial function. Inhibition of glutaminolysis in progeria mice improves mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, suggesting that targeting glutaminolysis may be a promising strategy for restoring age-associated loss of mitochondrial function.

Bioengineered Skeletal Muscle as a Model of Muscle Aging and Regeneration.

With age, adult skeletal muscle (SkM) is known to decrease in muscle mass, strength, and functional capacity, a state known as sarcopenia. Here we developed an in vitro three-dimensional (3D) bioengineered senescent SkM tissue using primary human myoblasts. These tissues exhibited the characteristics of atrophied muscle, including expression of senescent genes, decreased number of satellite cells, reduced number and size of myofibers, and compromised metabolism and calcium flux. As a result, senescent SkM tissues showed impaired ability to generate force in response to electrical stimulation compared with young tissues. Furthermore, in contrast to young SkM tissues, senescent tissues failed to regenerate in response to injury, possibly as a result of persistent apoptosis and failure to initiate a proliferation program. Our findings suggest that 3D senescent SkM may provide a powerful model for studying aging and a platform for drug testing and discovery of therapeutic compounds to improve the function of sarcopenic muscle. Impact statement Skeletal muscle (SkM) plays important physiological roles and has significant regenerative capacity. However, aged SkM lose their functionality and regeneration ability. In this article, we present a senescent human bioengineering SkM tissue model that can be used to investigate senescence, metabolic or genetic diseases that inflict SkM, and to test various strategies including novel small molecules that restore muscle function and promote regeneration. One key limitation of two-dimensional cell culture system is the detachment of contractile myotubes from the surface over time, thereby limiting the evaluation of myogenic function. Here we use primary human myoblasts, which exhibit all major hallmarks of aging to mimic the organization and function of native muscle. Using this system, we were able to measure the contractile function, calcium transients, and regeneration capacity of SkM tissues. We also evaluated the response of senescent SkM tissues to injury and their ability to regenerate and recover, compared with "young" tissues. Our results suggest that three-dimensional constructs enable organization of contractile units including myosin and actin filaments, thereby providing a powerful platform for the quantitative assessment of muscle myotubes in response to injury, genetic or metabolic disorders, or pharmacological testing.

Laminin-1 Peptides Conjugated to Fibrin Hydrogels Promote Salivary Gland Regeneration in Irradiated Mouse Submandibular Glands.

Previous studies demonstrated that salivary gland morphogenesis and differentiation are enhanced by modification of fibrin hydrogels chemically conjugated to Laminin-1 peptides. Specifically, Laminin-1 peptides (A99: CGGALRGDN-amide and YIGSR: CGGADPGYIGSRGAA-amide) chemically conjugated to fibrin promoted formation of newly organized salivary epithelium both in vitro (e.g., using organoids) and in vivo (e.g., in a wounded mouse model). While these studies were successful, the model's usefulness for inducing regenerative patterns after radiation therapy remains unknown. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to determine whether transdermal injection with the Laminin-1 peptides A99 and YIGSR chemically conjugated to fibrin hydrogels promotes tissue regeneration in irradiated salivary glands. Results indicate that A99 and YIGSR chemically conjugated to fibrin hydrogels promote formation of functional salivary tissue when transdermally injected to irradiated salivary glands. In contrast, when left untreated, irradiated salivary glands display a loss in structure and functionality. Together, these studies indicate that fibrin hydrogel-based implantable scaffolds containing Laminin-1 peptides promote secretory function of irradiated salivary glands.

Ameliorating the hallmarks of cellular senescence in skeletal muscle myogenic progenitors in vitro and in vivo.

Senescence of myogenic progenitors impedes skeletal muscle regeneration. Here, we show that overexpression of the transcription factor NANOG in senescent myoblasts can overcome the effects of cellular senescence and confer a youthful phenotype to senescent cells. NANOG ameliorated primary hallmarks of cellular senescence including genomic instability, loss of proteostasis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The rejuvenating effects of NANOG included restoration of DNA damage response via up-regulation of DNA repair proteins, recovery of heterochromatin marks via up-regulation of histones, and reactivation of autophagy and mitochondrial energetics via up-regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Expression of NANOG in the skeletal muscle of a mouse model of premature aging restored the number of myogenic progenitors and induced formation of eMyHC+ myofibers. This work demonstrates the feasibility of reversing the effects of cellular senescence in vitro and in vivo, with no need for reprogramming to the pluripotent state.

Lentiviral microarrays for real-time monitoring of gene expression dynamics.

We developed scalable live-cell microarrays to measure gene expression dynamics in real time and in a high-throughput manner. To this end, we generated dual-promoter lentiviral vectors harboring a transcriptional regulatory element encoding for green fluorescence protein to monitor cell activation in response to exogenous stimuli and a constitutive promoter driving red fluorescence protein for internal signal normalization. Lentivirus preparations were immobilized in a microarray format and after transduction on the array surface target cells were treated with cytokines and interrogated in real time using automated fluorescence microscopy, providing rich dynamic information over a period of several days. Data normalization by red fluorescence intensity eliminated errors due to spot-to-spot variability in transduction efficiency or changes in cell proliferation upon cytokine treatment. These results suggest that the lentivirus microarray can monitor gene expression in real-time and high-throughput manner thereby providing a useful tool for quantitative measurements of gene expression dynamics.

PKC-delta binds to E-cadherin and mediates EGF-induced cell scattering.

EGF is known to affect adherens junctions and disrupt cell-cell adhesion in a variety of carcinomas but the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. Using human tumor epithelial cells overexpressing EGFR we demonstrated that EGF-induced cell scattering was mediated by protein kinase C-delta (PKC-delta). PKC-delta knockdown by siRNA significantly inhibited EGF-induced internalization of E-cadherin into the cytoplasm and blocked cell scattering. EGF phosphorylated PKC-delta at Y311 and ectopic expression of the mutant Y311F prevented PKC-delta binding to E-cadherin and EGF-induced cell scattering. Moreover, depletion of Src using siRNA decreased EGF-induced phosphorylation of PKC-delta at Y311 and blocked scattering. Finally, EGF reduced expression of the tight junction protein, occludin, and this effect was also mediated by PKC-delta through Src. In summary, PKC-delta mediated the effects of EGF on adherens and tight junctions thereby playing an important role in cell-cell adhesion with possible wider implications in tumor metastasis or epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.