ABSTRACT: Human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (hESCs/iPSCs) are promising cell sources for cardiac regenerative medicine. To realize hESC/iPSC-based cardiac cell therapy, efficient induction, purification, and transplantation methods for cardiomyocytes should be required. Though marker gene transduction or fluorescent-based purification methods were reported, fast, efficient and scalable purification methods with no genetic modification are essential for clinical purposes but have not been established yet. In this study, we used microarrays to detail the global gene program during cardiac differentiation and to identify cardiac-specific cell surface markers. hiPSCs (201B6) were differentiated toward cardiomyocytes using a modified-directed differentiation protocol (high density culture in RPMI+B27-insulin, sequential administration of Activin A 100ng/mL 1 day, BMP4 10ng/mL+bFGF 10ng/mL 4 days, and Dkk1 100ng/mL 2 days). Beating clusters were first observed at day 8-9 and spread by day 11 after Activin A administration. Cardiac troponin-T (cTnT)-positive cells appeared at day 7-8 after induction and were observed in 30-70% of cells at day 11. qPCR and genome-wide analysis reflected differentiation processes from the undifferentiated state to cardiomyocytes. Rapid downregulation of pluripotent stem cell markers such as NANOG and POU5F1 was observed within 2 days of differentiation. Early and cardiac mesodermal genes (T, MESP1, KDR, ISL1) were expressed during day 2-5, and cardiac genes (NKX2-5, MYH6, MYH7, MYL2, and MYL7) were expressed after day 7. We identified VCAM1 as a cardiac-specific cell surface marker by microarray and flow cytometry. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs; 201B6) were differentiated toward cardiomyocytes (RPMI+B27 medium supplemented d0-1 Activin A, d1-5 BMP4+bFGF, d5-7 Dkk1). RNA was extracted from cells at day 0, day 2, day 5, day 7, day 9, and day 11. Cardiomyocytes appeared after day 7 and reached about 50% of total cells at day 11.
