Integrative Analyses of Human Reprogramming Reveal Dynamic Nature of Induced Pluripotency

Induced pluripotency is a promising avenue for disease modeling and therapy, but the molecular principles underlying this process, particularly in human cells, remain poorly understood due to donor-to-donor variability and intercellular heterogeneity. Here, we constructed and characterized a clonal, inducible human reprogramming system that provides a reliable source of cells at any stage of the process. This system enabled integrative transcriptional and epigenomic analysis across the human reprogramming timeline at high resolution. We observed distinct waves of gene network activation, including the ordered re-activation of broad developmental regulators followed by early embryonic patterning genes and culminating in the emergence of a signature reminiscent of pre-implantation stages. Moreover, complementary functional analyses allowed us to identify and validate novel regulators of the reprogramming process. Altogether, this study sheds light on the molecular underpinnings of induced pluripotency in human cells and provides a robust cell platform for further studies

Direct generation of human naive induced pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells in microfluidics

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are generated via the expression of the transcription factors OCT4 (also known as POU5F1), SOX2, KLF4 and cMYC (OSKM) in somatic cells. In contrast to murine naive iPSCs, conventional human iPSCs are in a more developmentally advanced state called primed pluripotency. Here, we report that human naive iPSCs (niPSCs) can be generated directly from fewer than 1,000 primary human somatic cells, without requiring stable genetic manipulation, via the delivery of modified messenger RNAs using microfluidics. Expression of the OSKM factors in combination with NANOG for 12 days generates niPSCs that are free of transgenes, karyotypically normal and display transcriptional, epigenetic and metabolic features indicative of the naive state. Importantly, niPSCs efficiently differentiate into all three germ layers. While niPSCs can be generated at low frequency under conventional conditions, our microfluidics approach enables the robust and cost-effective production of patient-specific niPSCs for regenerative medicine applications, including disease modelling and drug screening

Genetic determinants and epigenetic effects of pioneer-factor occupancy

Transcription factors (TFs) direct developmental transitions by binding to target DNA sequences, influencing gene expression and establishing complex gene-regultory networks. To systematically determine the molecular components that enable or constrain TF activity, we investigated the genomic occupancy of FOXA2, GATA4 and OCT4 in several cell types. Despite their classification as pioneer factors, all three TFs exhibit cell-type-specific binding, even when supraphysiologically and ectopically expressed. However, FOXA2 and GATA4 can be distinguished by low enrichment at loci that are highly occupied by these factors in alternative cell types. We find that expression of additional cofactors increases enrichment at a subset of these sites. Finally, FOXA2 occupancy and changes to DNA accessibility can occur in G1-arrested cells, but subsequent loss of DNA methylation requires DNA replication

Dissecting neural differentiation regulatory networks through epigenetic footprinting

Human pluripotent stem cell derived models that accurately recapitulate neural development in vitro and allow for the generation of specific neuronal subtypes are of major interest to the stem cell and biomedical community. Notch signaling, particularly through the Notch effector HES5, is a major pathway critical for the onset and maintenance of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the embryonic and adult nervous system(1-3). This can be exploited to isolate distinct populations of human embryonic stem (ES) cell derived NPCs(4). Here, we report the transcriptional and epigenomic analysis of six consecutive stages derived from a HES5-GFP reporter ES cell line(5) differentiated along the neural trajectory aimed at modeling key cell fate decisions including specification, expansion and patterning during the ontogeny of cortical neural stem and progenitor cells. In order to dissect the regulatory mechanisms that orchestrate the stage-specific differentiation process, we developed a computational framework to infer key regulators of each cell state transition based on the progressive remodeling of the epigenetic landscape and then validated these through a pooled shRNA screen. We were also able to refine our previous observations on epigenetic priming at transcription factor binding sites and show here that they are mediated by combinations of core and stage- specific factors. Taken together, we demonstrate the utility of our system and outline a general framework, not limited to the context of the neural lineage, to dissect regulatory circuits of differentiation