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Dynamic transcriptomes during neural differentiation of human embryonic stem cells

ABSTRACT: Dynamic transcriptomes during neural differentiation of human embryonic stem cells revealed by short long, and paired-end sequencing In order to examine the fundamental mechanisms governing neural differentiation, we analyzed the transcriptome changes that occur during the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into the neural lineage. Undifferentiated hESCs as well as cells at three stages of early neural differentiation, N1 (early initiation), N2 (neural progenitor), and N3 (early glial-like) were analyzed using a combination of single read, paired-end read, and long read RNA sequencing. The results revealed enormous complexity in gene transcription and splicing dynamics during neural cell differentiation. We found previously unannotated transcripts and spliced isoforms specific for each stage of differentiation. Interestingly, splicing isoform diversity is highest in undifferentiated hESCs and decreases upon differentiation, a phenomenon we call “isoform specialization.” During neural differentiation, we observed differential expression of many types of genes including those involved in key signaling pathways, and a large number of extracellular receptors exhibit stage-specific regulation. These results provide a valuable resource for studying neural differentiation and reveal insights into the mechanisms underlying in vitro neural differentiation of hESCs, such as neural fate specification, NPC identity maintenance and the transition from a predominantly neuronal state into one with increased gliogenic potential

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE20301 | GEO | 2010/03/04

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA125337

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Exposure to lead (Pb) during childhood can result in learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Although described in animal models, whether Pb exposure also alters neuronal differentiation in the developing brains of exposed children is unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of physiologically relevant concentrations of Pb (from 0.4 to 1.9 M-BM-5M or 0 to 40M-BM-5g/dl) on the capacity of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to progress to a neuronal fate. We found that neither acute nor chronic exposure to Pb prevented hESCs from generating neural precursor cells (NPCs). NPCs derived from hESCs chronically exposed to 1.9 M-BM-5M or 40M-BM-5g/dl Pb throughout the neural differentiation process generated 2.5 times more TUJ1-positive neurons than those derived from control hESCs. Pb exposure of hESCs during the stage of neural rosette formation resulted in a significant decrease in the expression levels of the neural marker genes PAX6 and MSI1. Furthermore, the resulting NPCs differentiated into neurons with shorter neurites and less branching than control neurons, as assessed by Sholl analysis. DNA methylation studies of control, acutely treated hESCs and NPCs derived from chronically exposed hESCs using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChipM-BM-. demonstrated that Pb exposure induced changes in the methylation status of genes involved in neurogenetic signaling pathways. In summary, our study shows that exposure to Pb subtly alters the neuronal differentiation of exposed hESCs and that these changes could be partly mediated by modifications in the DNA methylation status of genes crucial to brain development. We analyzed the methylation profile of undifferentiated (n=2 independent experiments) and differentiating (n=2 independent experiments) human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) acutely exposed to losed to lead (Pb) and neural precursor cells derived from hESCs chronically exposed to Pb throughout the neural differentiation process (n=3 independent experiments).

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Dynamic transcriptomes during neural differentiation of human embryonic stem cells

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