Project description:SOX2 and OCT4, in conjunction with KLF4 and cMYC, are sufficient to reprogram human fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), but it is unclear if they function as transcriptional activators or as repressors. We now show that, like OCT4, SOX2 functions as a transcriptional activator. We substituted SOX2-VP16 (a strong activator) for wild-type (WT) SOX2, and we saw an increase in the efficiency and rate of reprogramming, whereas the SOX2-HP1 fusion (a strong repressor) eliminated reprogramming. We report that, at an early stage of reprogramming, virtually all DNA-bound OCT4, SOX2, and SOX2-VP16 were embedded in putative enhancers, about half of which were created de novo. Those associated with SOX2-VP16 were, on average, stronger than those bearing WT SOX2. Many newly created putative enhancers were transient, and many transcription factor locations on DNA changed as reprogramming progressed. These results are consistent with the idea that, during reprogramming, there is an intermediate state that is distinct from both parental cells and iPSCs.
Project description:SOX2 and OCT4, in conjunction with KLF4 and cMYC, are sufficient to reprogram human fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), but it is unclear if they function as transcriptional activators or as repressors. We now show that, like OCT4, SOX2 functions as a transcriptional activator. We substituted SOX2-VP16 (a strong activator) for wild-type (WT) SOX2, and we saw an increase in the efficiency and rate of reprogramming, whereas the SOX2-HP1 fusion (a strong repressor) eliminated reprogramming. We report that, at an early stage of reprogramming, virtually all DNA-bound OCT4, SOX2, and SOX2-VP16 were embedded in putative enhancers, about half of which were created de novo. Those associated with SOX2-VP16 were, on average, stronger than those bearing WT SOX2. Many newly created putative enhancers were transient, and many transcription factor locations on DNA changed as reprogramming progressed. These results are consistent with the idea that, during reprogramming, there is an intermediate state that is distinct from both parental cells and iPSCs
Project description:SOX2 and OCT4, in conjunction with KLF4 and cMYC, are sufficient to reprogram human fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), but it is unclear if they function as transcriptional activators or as repressors. We now show that, like OCT4, SOX2 functions as a transcriptional activator. We substituted SOX2-VP16 (a strong activator) for wild-type (WT) SOX2, and we saw an increase in the efficiency and rate of reprogramming, whereas the SOX2-HP1 fusion (a strong repressor) eliminated reprogramming. We report that, at an early stage of reprogramming, virtually all DNA-bound OCT4, SOX2, and SOX2-VP16 were embedded in puta- tive enhancers, about half of which were created de novo. Those associated with SOX2-VP16 were, on average, stronger than those bearing WT SOX2. Many newly created putative enhancers were tran- sient, and many transcription factor locations on DNA changed as reprogramming progressed. These results are consistent with the idea that, during re- programming, there is an intermediate state that is distinct from both parental cells and iPSCs.
Project description:Since the initial discovery that OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC overexpression sufficed for the induction of pluripotency in somatic cells, methodologies replacing the original factors have enhanced our understanding of the reprogramming process. However, unlike in mouse, OCT4 has not been replaced successfully during reprogramming of human cells. Here we report on a strategy to do so. Through a combination of transcriptome and bioinformatic analysis we have identified factors previously characterized as being lineage specifiers that are able to replace OCT4 and SOX2 in the reprogramming of human fibroblasts. Our results show that is possible to replace OCT4 and SOX2 simultaneously with alternative lineage specifiers in the reprogramming of human cells. At a broader level, they also support a model in which counteracting lineage specification networks underlie the induction of pluripotency,
Project description:Human fibroblasts can be induced into pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), but the reprogramming efficiency is quite low. Here, we screened a panel of candidate factors in the presence of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC in an effort to improve the reprogramming efficiency from human adult fibroblasts. We found that p53 siRNA and UTF1 enhanced the efficiency of iPS cell generation up to 100-fold, even when the oncogene c-MYC was removed from the combinations. We further demonstrated that by using a novel combination of the four factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and UTF1, iPS cells could be generated at a frequency at least 10 times higher than using the original four reprogramming factors without c-MYC. The iPS cells generated in this work have a similar gene expression profile and differentiation potential as human embryonic stem (hES) cells. In conclusion, two novel supporting factors that increase the efficiency of direct reprogramming have been identified, and a more-efficient method for the generation of human iPS cells has been developed in the absence of the oncogene c-MYC. Keywords: cell type comparison
Project description:The evolutionary origins of the gene network underlying cellular pluripotency, a central theme in developmental biology, have yet to be elucidated. In mammals, Oct4 is a factor crucial in the reprogramming of differentiated cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. The Oct4 and Pou2 genes evolved from a POU class V gene ancestor, but it is unknown whether pluripotency induced by Oct4 gene activity is a feature specific to mammals or was already present in ancestral vertebrates. Here we report that different vertebrate Pou2 and Oct4 homologues can induce pluripotency in mouse and human fibroblasts and that the inability of zebrafish Pou2 to establish pluripotency is not representative of all Pou2 genes, as medaka Pou2 and axolotl Pou2 are able to reprogram somatic cells into pluripotent cells. Therefore, our results indicate that induction of pluripotency is not a feature specific to mammals, but existed in the Oct4/Pou2 common ancestral vertebrate. 16 samples were analyzed Notation: O: stands for OCT4 reprogramming factor from human; o: stands for Oct4 reprogramming factor from Axolotl S: stands for SOX2 reprogramming factor from human; s: stands for SOX2 reprogramming factor from Axolotl K: stands for KLF4 reprogramming factor from human
Project description:Somatic cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells by Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, plus c-Myc. Recently, Sox2 plus Oct4 were shown to reprogram fibroblasts and Oct4 alone to reprogram mouse and human neural stem cells (NSCs) into iPS cells. Here we report that Bmi1 leads to dedifferentiation of mouse fibroblasts into NSC-like cells and, in combination with Oct4, replaces Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc during reprogramming fibroblasts to iPS cells. Furthermore, activation of sonic hedgehog signalling (by Shh, purmorphamine, or oxysterol) replaces the effects of Bmi1, and, in combination with Oct4, reprograms mouse embryonic and adult fibroblasts into iPS cells. One-and two-factor iPS cells are similar to mouse embryonic and adult fibroblasts into iPS cells in global gene expression profile, epigenetic status, in vitro and in bibo differentiation into all three ferm layers, as well as teratoma formation and germline transmission in vivo. These data support that fibroblasts can be reprogrammed into iPS cells by Oct4 alone.
Project description:Somatic cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells by Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, plus c-Myc. Recently, Sox2 plus Oct4 were shown to reprogram fibroblasts and Oct4 alone to reprogram mouse and human neural stem cells (NSCs) into iPS cells. Here we report that Bmi1 leads to dedifferentiation of mouse fibroblasts into NSC-like cells and, in combination with Oct4, replaces Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc during reprogramming fibroblasts to iPS cells. Furthermore, activation of sonic hedgehog signalling (by Shh, purmorphamine, or oxysterol) replaces the effects of Bmi1, and, in combination with Oct4, reprograms mouse embryonic and adult fibroblasts into iPS cells. One-and two-factor iPS cells are similar to mouse embryonic and adult fibroblasts into iPS cells in global gene expression profile, epigenetic status, in vitro and in bibo differentiation into all three ferm layers, as well as teratoma formation and germline transmission in vivo. These data support that fibroblasts can be reprogrammed into iPS cells by Oct4 alone. Total RNAs were isolated from indicated cells and labeled with Cy3. Hybridization was performed once for each sample.