Project description:Cell fate can be directly converted between differentiated cells by lineage reprogramming, thus generating multiple cell types across developmental lineages. However, lineage reprogramming is hindered by incomplete cell-fate conversion with residual initial cell identity and partial functions compared with the native counterparts. Here, we develop a high-fidelity reprogramming strategy, by mimicking the natural cell-fate changing route, thus permitting the production of functionally competent human hepatocytes from another cell type. We first converted fibroblasts into plastic hepatic progenitor-like cells (hHPLCs) and chemically induced them into mature hepatocytes. The molecular identity of human induced hepatocytes (hiHeps) are suggested a terminally differentiated state, resembling primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). Functionally, hiHeps were competent to replace PHHs for equivalent drug-metabolizing activities, toxicity prediction and hepatitis B virus infection. Remarkably, the stably robust expansion of hHPLCs allowed large-scale generation of mature hepatocytes. Our results demonstrate the necessity of taking a reprogramming step for plastic progenitors for efficient cell-fate conversion. This strategy is promising for the generation of other mature human cell types.
Project description:Cell fate can be directly converted between differentiated cells by lineage reprogramming, thus generating multiple cell types across developmental lineages. However, lineage reprogramming is hindered by incomplete cell-fate conversion with residual initial cell identity and partial functions compared with the native counterparts. Here, we develop a high-fidelity reprogramming strategy, by mimicking the natural cell-fate changing route, thus permitting the production of functionally competent human hepatocytes from another cell type. We first converted fibroblasts into plastic hepatic progenitor-like cells (hHPLCs) and chemically induced them into mature hepatocytes. The molecular identity of human induced hepatocytes (hiHeps) are suggested a terminally differentiated state, resembling primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). Functionally, hiHeps were competent to replace PHHs for equivalent drug-metabolizing activities, toxicity prediction and hepatitis B virus infection. Remarkably, the stably robust expansion of hHPLCs allowed large-scale generation of mature hepatocytes. Our results demonstrate the necessity of taking a reprogramming step for plastic progenitors for efficient cell-fate conversion. This strategy is promising for the generation of other mature human cell types.
Project description:Cellular reprogramming using chemically defined conditions, without genetic manipulation, is a promising approach for generating clinically relevant cell types for regenerative medicine and drug discovery. However, small molecule-driven approaches for inducing lineage-specific stem cells from somatic cells across lineage boundaries have been challenging to develop. Here, we report highly efficient reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts into induced neural stem cell-like cells (ciNSLCs) using a cocktail of nine small molecules (M9). The resulting ciNSLCs closely resemble primary neural stem cells molecularly and functionally. Transcriptome analysis revealed that M9 induces a gradual and specific conversion of fibroblasts towards a neural fate. During reprogramming specific transcription factors such as Elk1 and Gli2 that are downstream of M9-induced signaling pathways bind and activate endogenous master neural genes to specify neural identity. Our study therefore provides an effective chemical approach for generating neural stem cells from mouse fibroblasts, and reveals mechanistic insights into underlying reprogramming process. Genome-wide binding of Elk1 and Gli2 was analyzed by CHIP-seq for tdMEFs from day 0 (ciNSLC), day 4 (D4), day 8 (D8) of M9-induced neural reprogramming, and ciNSLCs and pri-NPC.
Project description:Cellular reprogramming using chemically defined conditions, without genetic manipulation, is a promising approach for generating clinically relevant cell types for regenerative medicine and drug discovery. However, small molecule-driven approaches for inducing lineage-specific stem cells from somatic cells across lineage boundaries have been challenging to develop. Here, we report highly efficient reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts into induced neural stem cell-like cells (ciNSLCs) using a cocktail of nine small molecules (M9). The resulting ciNSLCs closely resemble primary neural stem cells molecularly and functionally. Transcriptome analysis revealed that M9 induces a gradual and specific conversion of fibroblasts towards a neural fate. During reprogramming specific transcription factors such as Elk1 and Gli2 that are downstream of M9-induced signaling pathways bind and activate endogenous master neural genes to specify neural identity. Our study therefore provides an effective chemical approach for generating neural stem cells from mouse fibroblasts, and reveals mechanistic insights into underlying reprogramming process. Genome-wide epigenetic changes of H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K27me3, and H3K27ac were analyzed by CHIP-seq for tdMEFs from day 0 (ciNSLC), day 4 (D4), day 8 (D8) of M9-induced neural reprogramming, and ciNSLCs and pri-NPC.
Project description:The proteasome is the main proteolytic system for targeted protein degradation in the cell. Its function is fine-tuned according to cellular needs. Inhibition of the respiratory chain impairs proteasome activity, regulation of proteasome function by mitochondrial metabolism, however, is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction reduces the assembly and activity of the 26S proteasome. Defects in respiratory chain caused metabolic reprogramming of the Krebs cycle and deficiency in the amino acid aspartate resulting in reduced 26S proteasome function. Aspartate supplementation fully restored assembly and activity of 26S proteasome complexes. This metabolic reprogramming involved sensing of aspartate via the mTORC1 pathway and the mTORC1-dependent transcriptional activation of defined proteasome assembly factors. Metabolic regulation of 26S function was confirmed in patient-derived skin fibroblasts with respiratory dysfunction containing a single mitochondrial mutation. Importantly, treatment of primary human lung fibroblasts with the respiratory chain inhibitor and anti-diabetic drug metformin similarly reduced assembly and activity of 26S proteasome complexes, which was fully reversible and rescued by supplementation of aspartate or pyruvate. Our study uncovers a fundamental novel mechanism of how mitochondrial metabolism adaptively adjusts protein degradation by the proteasome. It thus unravels unexpected consequences of defective mitochondrial metabolism in disease or drug-targeted mitochondrial reprogramming for proteasomal protein degradation in the cell. As metabolic inhibition of proteasome function can be alleviated by treatment with aspartate or pyruvate, our results also have therapeutic implications.
Project description:The proteasome is the main proteolytic system for targeted protein degradation in the cell. Its function is fine-tuned according to cellular needs. Inhibition of the respiratory chain impairs proteasome activity, regulation of proteasome function by mitochondrial metabolism, however, is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction reduces the assembly and activity of the 26S proteasome. Defects in respiratory chain caused metabolic reprogramming of the Krebs cycle and deficiency in the amino acid aspartate resulting in reduced 26S proteasome function. Aspartate supplementation fully restored assembly and activity of 26S proteasome complexes. This metabolic reprogramming involved sensing of aspartate via the mTORC1 pathway and the mTORC1-dependent transcriptional activation of defined proteasome assembly factors. Metabolic regulation of 26S function was confirmed in patient-derived skin fibroblasts with respiratory dysfunction containing a single mitochondrial mutation. Importantly, treatment of primary human lung fibroblasts with the respiratory chain inhibitor and anti-diabetic drug metformin similarly reduced assembly and activity of 26S proteasome complexes, which was fully reversible and rescued by supplementation of aspartate or pyruvate. Our study uncovers a fundamental novel mechanism of how mitochondrial metabolism adaptively adjusts protein degradation by the proteasome. It thus unravels unexpected consequences of defective mitochondrial metabolism in disease or drug-targeted mitochondrial reprogramming for proteasomal protein degradation in the cell. As metabolic inhibition of proteasome function can be alleviated by treatment with aspartate or pyruvate, our results also have therapeutic implications.
Project description:To identify central protein kinases that potentially promote the maturation, we chemically induced liver progenitor cells (CLiPs) from mouse hepatocytes using a previously established protocol, and profiled the phosphoproteome and proteome of freshly isolated primary mouse hepatocytes (MHs) and ALBUMIN+ hepatocytes (CLiP-Hep) cells. To systematically interrogate the early regulatory events of hepatic reprogramming, we profiled the Phosphoproteome and proteome in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) at 2.25 days (FHH-2.25d) and 5 days (FHH-5d) after infection of lenti-virus encoding three liver-specific transcription factors, FOXA3, HNF1A and HNF4A (FHH). In this analysis, HDF infected with lenti-virus expressing GFP for 2.25 days (GFP) were used as control.
Project description:Fibroblasts can be directly reprogrammed to induced renal tubular epithelial cells (iRECs) using four transcription factors. These engineered cells may be used for disease modeling, cell replacement therapy or drug and toxicity testing. Direct reprogramming induces drastic changes in the transcriptional landscape, protein expression, morphological and functional properties of cells. However, how the metabolome is changed by reprogramming and to what degree it resembles the target cell type remains unknown. Using untargeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and targeted liquid chromatography-MS, we characterized the metabolome of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), iRECs, mIMCD-3 cells, and whole kidneys. Metabolic fingerprinting can distinguish each cell type reliably, revealing iRECs are most similar to mIMCD-3 cells and clearly separate from MEFs used for reprogramming. Treatment with the cytotoxic drug cisplatin induced typical changes in the metabolic profile of iRECs commonly occurring in acute renal injury. Interestingly, metabolites in the medium of iRECs, but not of mIMCD-3 cells or fibroblast could distinguish treated and non-treated cells by cluster analysis. In conclusion, direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into renal tubular epithelial cells strongly influences the metabolome of engineered cells, suggesting that metabolic profiling may aid in establishing iRECs as in vitro models for nephrotoxicity testing in the future.
Project description:Cellular reprogramming using chemically defined conditions, without genetic manipulation, is a promising approach for generating clinically relevant cell types for regenerative medicine and drug discovery. However, small molecule-driven approaches for inducing lineage-specific stem cells from somatic cells across lineage boundaries have been challenging to develop. Here, we report highly efficient reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts into induced neural stem cell-like cells (ciNSLCs) using a cocktail of nine small molecules (M9). The resulting ciNSLCs closely resemble primary neural stem cells molecularly and functionally. Transcriptome analysis revealed that M9 induces a gradual and specific conversion of fibroblasts towards a neural fate. During reprogramming specific transcription factors such as Elk1 and Gli2 that are downstream of M9-induced signaling pathways bind and activate endogenous master neural genes to specify neural identity. Our study therefore provides an effective chemical approach for generating neural stem cells from mouse fibroblasts, and reveals mechanistic insights into underlying reprogramming process.