NANOG and CDX2 pattern distinct subtypes of human mesoderm during exit from pluripotency

SummaryMesoderm is induced at the primitive streak (PS) and patterns subsequently into mesodermal subtypes and organ precursors. It is unclear whether mesoderm induction generates a multipotent PS progenitor or several distinct ones with restricted subtype potentials. We induced mesoderm in human pluripotent stem cells with ACTIVIN and BMP or with GSK3-β inhibition. Both approaches induced BRACHYURY+ mesoderm of distinct PS-like identities, which had differing patterning potential. ACTIVIN and BMP-induced mesoderm patterned into cardiac but not somitic subtypes. Conversely, PS precursors induced by GSK3-β inhibition did not generate lateral plate and cardiac mesoderm and favored instead somitic differentiation. The mechanism of these cell fate decisions involved mutual repression of NANOG and CDX2. Although NANOG was required for cardiac specification but blocked somitic subtypes, CDX2 was required for somitic mesoderm but blocked cardiac differentiation. In sum, rather than forming a common PS progenitor, separate induction mechanisms distinguish human mesoderm subtypes

Retinoic acid signaling modulation guides in vitro specification of human heart field-specific progenitor pools.

Acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge Birgit Campbell, Christina Scherb, and Marco Crovella for their technical assistance, Gabrielle Lederer (Cytogenetic Department, TUM) for karyotyping, Dr. Rupert Öllinger (TUM, Germany) for sequencing, Dr. David Elliott for sharing the ES03 and ES03-NKX2.5eGFP cell lines, Drs. Ed Stanley and Andrew Elefanty (MCRI, Australia) for advice in construct design and gene targeting, and Dr. Sasha Mendjan for advice and discussion. This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) (grant 788381 to A.Mo. and grant 261053 to K-.L.L.), the Else-Kroener-Fresenius Stiftung (EKFS, to A.G.), the German Research Foundation (grant GO3220/1-1 to A.G.; Transregio Research Unit 152 to A.Mo. and K-.L.L.; Transregio Research Unit 267 to A.Mo., K-.L.L., and P.G.), the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) (grant FKZ 81Z0600601 to A.Mo. and K-.L.L.; grant 81X3600607 to J.K.), the Fondazione Umberto Veronesi (to G.S.).Funder: German Centre for Cardiovascular ReserachFunder: Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (Else Kroner-Fresenius Foundation); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003042Cardiogenesis relies on the precise spatiotemporal coordination of multiple progenitor populations. Understanding the specification and differentiation of these distinct progenitor pools during human embryonic development is crucial for advancing our knowledge of congenital cardiac malformations and designing new regenerative therapies. By combining genetic labelling, single-cell transcriptomics, and ex vivo human-mouse embryonic chimeras we uncovered that modulation of retinoic acid signaling instructs human pluripotent stem cells to form heart field-specific progenitors with distinct fate potentials. In addition to the classical first and second heart fields, we observed the appearance of juxta-cardiac field progenitors giving rise to both myocardial and epicardial cells. Applying these findings to stem-cell based disease modelling we identified specific transcriptional dysregulation in first and second heart field progenitors derived from stem cells of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This highlights the suitability of our in vitro differentiation platform for studying human cardiac development and disease

The NALCN channel regulates metastasis and nonmalignant cell dissemination.

Funder: Cancer Research UK (CRUK); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000289Funder: American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/100012524Funder: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | NCI | Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (National Cancer Institute Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/100011541Funder: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/100000054Funder: RCUK | MRC | Medical Research Foundation; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100009187We identify the sodium leak channel non-selective protein (NALCN) as a key regulator of cancer metastasis and nonmalignant cell dissemination. Among 10,022 human cancers, NALCN loss-of-function mutations were enriched in gastric and colorectal cancers. Deletion of Nalcn from gastric, intestinal or pancreatic adenocarcinomas in mice did not alter tumor incidence, but markedly increased the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and metastases. Treatment of these mice with gadolinium-a NALCN channel blocker-similarly increased CTCs and metastases. Deletion of Nalcn from mice that lacked oncogenic mutations and never developed cancer caused shedding of epithelial cells into the blood at levels equivalent to those seen in tumor-bearing animals. These cells trafficked to distant organs to form normal structures including lung epithelium, and kidney glomeruli and tubules. Thus, NALCN regulates cell shedding from solid tissues independent of cancer, divorcing this process from tumorigenesis and unmasking a potential new target for antimetastatic therapies

Retinoic acid signaling modulation guides in vitro specification of human heart field-specific progenitor pools.

Cardiogenesis relies on the precise spatiotemporal coordination of multiple progenitor populations. Understanding the specification and differentiation of these distinct progenitor pools during human embryonic development is crucial for advancing our knowledge of congenital cardiac malformations and designing new regenerative therapies. By combining genetic labelling, single-cell transcriptomics, and ex vivo human-mouse embryonic chimeras we uncovered that modulation of retinoic acid signaling instructs human pluripotent stem cells to form heart field-specific progenitors with distinct fate potentials. In addition to the classical first and second heart fields, we observed the appearance of juxta-cardiac field progenitors giving rise to both myocardial and epicardial cells. Applying these findings to stem-cell based disease modelling we identified specific transcriptional dysregulation in first and second heart field progenitors derived from stem cells of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This highlights the suitability of our in vitro differentiation platform for studying human cardiac development and disease

Retinoic acid signaling modulation guides in vitro specification of human heart field-specific progenitor pools

The heart is formed from several spatiotemporally distinct progenitor pools during development. Here they show that modulation of retinoic acid signaling can instruct human pluripotent stems cells into heart progenitors that are useful for studying human development and disease

Bcl11a is essential for normal lymphoid development

Bcl11a (also called Evi9) functions as a myeloid or B cell proto-oncogene in mice and humans, respectively. Here we show that Bcl11a is essential for postnatal development and normal lymphopoiesis. Bcl11a mutant embryos lack B cells and have alterations in several types of T cells. Phenotypic and expression studies show that Bcl11 a functions upstream of the transcription factors Ebf1 and Pax5 in the B cell pathway. Transplantation studies show that these defects in Bcl11a mutant mice are intrinsic to fetal liver precursor cells. Mice transplanted with Bcl11a-deficient cells died from T cell leukemia derived from the host. Thus, Bcl11a may also function as a non-autonomous T cell tumor suppressor gene.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex