Recurrent genomic instability of chromosome 1q in neural derivatives of human embryonic stem cells.

ABSTRACT: Human pluripotent stem cells offer a limitless source of cells for regenerative medicine. Neural derivatives of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are currently being used for cell therapy in 3 clinical trials. However, hESCs are prone to genomic instability, which could limit their clinical utility. Here, we report that neural differentiation of hESCs systematically produced a neural stem cell population that could be propagated for more than 50 passages without entering senescence; this was true for all 6 hESC lines tested. The apparent spontaneous loss of evolution toward normal senescence of somatic cells was associated with a jumping translocation of chromosome 1q. This chromosomal defect has previously been associated with hematologic malignancies and pediatric brain tumors with poor

SUBMITTER: Varela C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3266775 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature