A teratocarcinoma-like human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line and four hESC lines reveal potentially oncogenic genomic changes

The first Swiss human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line, CH-ES1, has shown features of a malignant cell line. It originated from the only single blastomere that survived cryopreservation of an embryo, and it more closely resembles teratocarcinoma lines than other hESC lines with respect to its abnormal karyotype and its formation of invasive tumors when injected into SCID mice. The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular basis of the oncogenicity of CH-ES1 cells, we looked for abnormal chromosomal copy number (by array Comparative Genomic Hybridization, aCGH) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). To see how unique these changes were, we compared these results to data collected from the 2102Ep teratocarcinoma line and four hESC lines (H1, HS293, HS401 and SIVF-02) which displayed normal G-banding result. We identified genomic gains and losses in CH-ES1, including gains in areas containing several oncogenes. These features are similar to those observed in teratocarcinomas, and this explains the high malignancy. The CH-ES1 line was trisomic for chromosomes 1, 9, 12, 17, 19, 20 and X. Also the karyotypically (based on G-banding) normal hESC lines were also found to have several genomic changes that involved genes with known roles in cancer. The largest changes were found in the H1 line at passage number 56, when large 5 Mb duplications in chromosomes 1q32.2 and 22q12.2 were detected, but the losses and gains were seen already at passage 22. These changes found in the other lines highlight the importance of assessing the acquisition of genetic changes by hESCs before their use in regenerative medicine applications. They also point to the possibility that the acquisition of genetic changes by ESCs in culture may be used to explore certain aspects of the mechanisms regulating oncogenesis

A teratocarcinoma-like human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line and four hESC lines reveal potentially oncogenic genomic changes

The first Swiss human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line, CH-ES1, has shown features of a malignant cell line. It originated from the only single blastomere that survived cryopreservation of an embryo, and it more closely resembles teratocarcinoma lines than other hESC lines with respect to its abnormal karyotype and its formation of invasive tumors when injected into SCID mice. The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular basis of the oncogenicity of CH-ES1 cells, we looked for abnormal chromosomal copy number (by array Comparative Genomic Hybridization, aCGH) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). To see how unique these changes were, we compared these results to data collected from the 2102Ep teratocarcinoma line and four hESC lines (H1, HS293, HS401 and SIVF-02) which displayed normal G-banding result. We identified genomic gains and losses in CH-ES1, including gains in areas containing several oncogenes. These features are similar to those observed in teratocarcinomas, and this explains the high malignancy. The CH-ES1 line was trisomic for chromosomes 1, 9, 12, 17, 19, 20 and X. Also the karyotypically (based on G-banding) normal hESC lines were also found to have several genomic changes that involved genes with known roles in cancer. The largest changes were found in the H1 line at passage number 56, when large 5 Mb duplications in chromosomes 1q32.2 and 22q12.2 were detected, but the losses and gains were seen already at passage 22. These changes found in the other lines highlight the importance of assessing the acquisition of genetic changes by hESCs before their use in regenerative medicine applications. They also point to the possibility that the acquisition of genetic changes by ESCs in culture may be used to explore certain aspects of the mechanisms regulating oncogenesis

An effective serum- and xeno-free chemically defined freezing procedure for human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells

BACKGROUND Both human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) bear a great potential in regenerative medicine. In addition to optimized clinical grade culture conditions, efficient clinical grade cryopreservation methods for these cells are needed. Obtaining good survival after thawing has been problematic. METHODS We used a novel, chemically defined effective xeno-free cryopreservation system for cryostorage and banking of hESCs and iPSCs. The earlier established slow freezing protocols have, even after recent improvements, resulted in low viability and thawed cells had a high tendency to differentiate. The medium is a completely serum and animal substance free product containing dimethylsulfoxide, anhydrous dextrose and a polymer as cryoprotectants. The cells were directly frozen at −70°C, without a programmed freezer. RESULTS The number of frozen colonies versus the number of surviving colonies differed significantly for both HS293 (χ2 = 9.616 with one degree of freedom and two-tailed P = 0.0019) and HS306 (χ2 = 8.801 with one degree of freedom and two-tailed P = 0.0030). After thawing, the cells had a high viability (90-96%) without any impact on proliferation and differentiation, compared with the standard freezing procedure where viability was much lower (49%). The frozen-thawed hESCs and iPSCs had normal karyotype and maintained properties of pluripotent cells with corresponding morphological characteristics, and expressed pluripotency markers after 10 passages in culture. They formed teratomas containing tissue components of the three germ layers. CONCLUSION The defined freezing-thawing system described here offers an excellent simple option for banking of hESCs and iPSC

Genetic Predisposition to Long-Term Nondiabetic Deteriorations in Glucose Homeostasis: Ten-Year Follow-Up of the GLACIER Study

Objective: To assess whether recently discovered genetic loci associated with hyperglycemia also predict long-term changes in glycemic traits. Research Design and Methods: Sixteen fasting glucose-raising loci were genotyped in middle-aged adults from the Gene x Lifestyle interactions And Complex traits Involved in Elevated disease Risk (GLACIER) Study, a population-based prospective cohort study from northern Sweden. Genotypes were tested for association with baseline fasting and 2-h postchallenge glycemia (N = 16,330), and for changes in these glycemic traits during a 10-year follow-up period (N = 4,059). Results: Cross-sectional directionally consistent replication with fasting glucose concentrations was achieved for 12 of 16 variants; 10 variants were also associated with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and 7 were independently associated with 2-h postchallenge glucose concentrations. In prospective analyses, the effect alleles at four loci (GCK rs4607517, ADRA2A rs10885122, DGKB-TMEM195 rs2191349, and G6PC2 rs560887) were nominally associated with worsening fasting glucose concentrations during 10-years of follow-up. MTNR1B rs10830963, which was predictive of elevated fasting glucose concentrations in cross-sectional analyses, was associated with a protective effect on postchallenge glucose concentrations during follow-up; however, this was only when baseline fasting and 2-h glucoses were adjusted for. An additive effect of multiple risk alleles on glycemic traits was observed: a weighted genetic risk score (80th vs. 20th centiles) was associated with a 0.16 mmol/l (P = 2.4 × 10$^{−6}$) greater elevation in fasting glucose and a 64% (95% CI: 33–201%) higher risk of developing IFG during 10 years of follow-up. Conclusions: Our findings imply that genetic profiling might facilitate the early detection of persons who are genetically susceptible to deteriorating glucose control; studies of incident type 2 diabetes and discrete cardiovascular end points will help establish whether the magnitude of these changes is clinically relevant

SPECT/CT imaging reveals CNS-wide modulation of glymphatic cerebrospinal fluid flow by systemic hypertonic saline

Intrathecal administration enables central nervous system delivery of drugs that do not bypass the blood-brain barrier. Systemic administration of hypertonic saline (HTS) enhances delivery of intrathecal therapeutics into the neuropil, but its effect on solute clearance from the brain remains unknown. Here, we developed a dynamic in vivo single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) imaging platform to study the effects of HTS on whole-body distribution of the radiolabeled tracer (99)mTc-diethylenetriaminepen-taacetic acid (DTPA) administered through intracisternal, intrastriatal, or intravenous route in anesthetized rats. Co-administration of systemic HTS increased intracranial exposure to intracisternal (99)mTc-DTPA by similar to 80% during imaging. In contrast, HTS had minimal effects on brain clearance of intrastriatal (99)mTc-DTPA. In sum, SPECT/CT imaging presents a valuable approach to study glymphatic drug delivery. Using this methodology, we show that systemic HTS increases intracranial availability of cerebrospinal fluid-administered tracer, but has marginal effects on brain clearance, thus substantiating a simple, yet effective strategy for enhancing intrathecal drug delivery to the brain.Peer reviewe

Immortalized human skin fibroblast feeder cells support growth and maintenance of both human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells

BACKGROUND Feeder cells are frequently used for the early-stage of derivation and culture of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. METHODS We established a conditionally immortalized human foreskin fibroblast line that secreted basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). These cells were used as feeder cells for hESC culture and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell derivation and expansion. This conditional immortalization was performed using lentiviral vector (LV) mediated transduction of Bmi-1 and human telomerase reverse transcriptase genes and the resulting cell line was further modified by LV-mediated transduction of a secreted form of bFGF gene product. Three different laboratories have tested whether this feeder cell line could support the maintenance of four different hESC lines. RESULTS Immortalized fibroblasts secreting stable amounts of bFGF supported the growth of all hESC lines, which remained pluripotent and had a normal karyotype for at least 10 passages. Even at high passage (p56), these modified cells, when used as feeders, could support iPS derivation and propagation. Derived iPS cells expressed pluripotency markers, had hESC morphology and produced tissue components of the three germ layers when differentiated in vitro. CONCLUSION These modified fibroblasts are useful as a genetically-defined feeder cell line for reproducible and cost-effective culture of both hESC and iPS cell

Derivation of 30 human embryonic stem cell lines—improving the quality

We have derived 30 human embryonic stem cell lines from supernumerary blastocysts in our laboratory. During the derivation process, we have studied new and safe method to establish good quality lines. All our human embryonic stem cell lines have been derived using human foreskin fibroblasts as feeder cells. The 26 more recent lines were derived in a medium containing serum replacement instead of fetal calf serum. Mechanical isolation of the inner cell mass using flexible metal needles was used in deriving the 10 latest lines. The lines are karyotypically normal, but culture adaptation in two lines has been observed. Our human embryonic stem cell lines are banked, and they are available for researchers

Selective MicroRNA-Offset RNA Expression in Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Small RNA molecules, including microRNAs (miRNAs), play critical roles in regulating pluri-potency, proliferation and differentiation of embryonic stem cells. miRNA-offset RNAs (moRNAs) are similar in length to miRNAs, align to miRNA precursor (pre-miRNA) loci and are therefore believed to derive from processing of the pre-miRNA hairpin sequence. Recent next generation sequencing (NGS) studies have reported the presence of moRNAs in human neurons and cancer cells and in several tissues in mouse, including pluripotent stem cells. In order to gain additional knowledge about human moRNAs and their putative development-related expression, we applied NGS of small RNAs in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and fibroblasts. We found that certain moRNA isoforms are notably expressed in hESCs from loci coding for stem cell-selective or cancer-related miRNA clusters. In contrast, we observed only sparse moRNAs in fibroblasts. Consistent with earlier findings, most of the observed moRNAs derived from conserved loci and their expression did not appear to correlate with the expression of the adjacent miRNAs. We provide here the first report of moRNAs in hESCs, and their expression profile in comparison to fibroblasts. Moreover, we expand the repertoire of hESC miRNAs. These findings provide an expansion on the known repertoire of small non-coding RNA contents in hESCs.Peer reviewe

Screening ethnically diverse human embryonic stem cells identifies a chromosome 20 minimal amplicon conferring growth advantage

The International Stem Cell Initiative analyzed 125 human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines and 11 induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines, from 38 laboratories worldwide, for genetic changes occurring during culture. Most lines were analyzed at an early and late passage. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis revealed that they included representatives of most major ethnic groups. Most lines remained karyotypically normal, but there was a progressive tendency to acquire changes on prolonged culture, commonly affecting chromosomes 1, 12, 17 and 20. DNA methylation patterns changed haphazardly with no link to time in culture. Structural variants, determined from the SNP arrays, also appeared sporadically. No common variants related to culture were observed on chromosomes 1, 12 and 17, but a minimal amplicon in chromosome 20q11.21, including three genes expressed in human ES cells, ID1, BCL2L1 and HM13, occurred in >20% of the lines. Of these genes, BCL2L1 is a strong candidate for driving culture adaptation of ES cells

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms