scholarly journals Generation of pulmonary neuroendocrine cells and SCLC-like tumors from human embryonic stem cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 216 (3) ◽  
pp. 674-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huanhuan Joyce Chen ◽  
Asaf Poran ◽  
Arun M. Unni ◽  
Sarah Xuelian Huang ◽  
Olivier Elemento ◽  
...  

Cancer models based on cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) may reveal why certain constellations of genetic changes drive carcinogenesis in specialized lineages. Here we demonstrate that inhibition of NOTCH signaling induces up to 10% of lung progenitor cells to form pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs), putative precursors to small cell lung cancers (SCLCs), and we can increase PNECs by reducing levels of retinoblastoma (RB) proteins with inhibitory RNA. Reducing levels of TP53 protein or expressing mutant KRAS or EGFR genes did not induce or expand PNECs, but tumors resembling early-stage SCLC grew in immunodeficient mice after subcutaneous injection of PNEC-containing cultures in which expression of both RB and TP53 was blocked. Single-cell RNA profiles of PNECs are heterogeneous; when RB levels are reduced, the profiles resemble those from early-stage SCLC; and when both RB and TP53 levels are reduced, the transcriptome is enriched with cell cycle–specific RNAs. Our findings suggest that genetic manipulation of hESC-derived pulmonary cells will enable studies of this recalcitrant cancer.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huanhuan Joyce Chen ◽  
Asaf Poran ◽  
Arun M. Unni ◽  
Sarah Xuelian Huang ◽  
Olivier Elemento ◽  
...  

SUMMARYBy blocking an important signaling pathway (called NOTCH) and interfering with expression of two tumor suppressor genes in cells derived from human embryonic stem cells, the authors have developed a model for studying highly lethal small cell lung cancers.ABSTRACTCell culture models based on directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) may reveal why certain constellations of genetic changes drive carcinogenesis in specialized human cell lineages. Here we demonstrate that up to 10 percent of lung progenitor cells derived from hESCs can be induced to form pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs), the putative normal precursors to small cell lung cancers (SCLCs), by inhibition of NOTCH signaling. By using small inhibitory RNAs in these cultures to reduce levels of retinoblastoma (RB) protein, the product of a gene commonly mutated in SCLCs, we can significantly expand the number of PNECs. Similarly reducing levels of TP53 protein, the product of another tumor suppressor gene commonly mutated in SCLCs, or expressing mutantKRASorEGFRgenes, did not induce or expand PNECs, consistent with lineage-specific sensitivity to loss ofRBfunction. Tumors resembling early stage SCLC grew in immunodeficient mice after subcutaneous injection of PNEC-containing cultures in which expression of bothRBandTP53was blocked. Single-cell RNA profiles of PNECs are heterogeneous; when RB levels are reduced, the profiles show similarities to RNA profiles from early stage SCLC; when both RB and TP53 levels are reduced, the transcriptome is enriched with cell cycle-specific RNAs. Taken together, these findings suggest that genetic manipulation of hESC-derived pulmonary cells will enable studies of the initiation, progression, and treatment of this recalcitrant cancer.


Author(s):  
Dimitris G. Placantonakis ◽  
Mark J. Tomishima ◽  
Fabien G. Lafaille ◽  
Lorenz Studer

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 389-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan R Braam ◽  
Chris Denning ◽  
Stieneke van den Brink ◽  
Peter Kats ◽  
Ron Hochstenbach ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Gertow ◽  
Susanne Wolbank ◽  
Björn Rozell ◽  
Rachael Sugars ◽  
Michael Andäng ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 1527-1527
Author(s):  
Frank Timmermans ◽  
Imke Velghe ◽  
Lieve Van Walleghem ◽  
Magda De Smedt ◽  
Stefanie Van Coppernolle ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are derived from early stage blastocysts and are characterized by the ability to both self-renew and to generate differentiated functional cell types. One of the major challenges in the field of hESC research, is to set up a culture system that drives hESC down a particular lineage fate. To date, studies reporting hematopoietic development have not provided evidence on the differentiation capacity of hESC into T lineage cells in vitro. Material and Methods: hESC line H1 (National Institutes of Health [NIH] code: WA01), Wisconson, Madison, USA) was used (Passage 30–60) in all experiments. The hESC line was kept in an undifferentiated state on MEFs as previously described. OP9 cells and OP9 cells that express high levels of the Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (OP9-DLL1, a gift from J. C. Zuniga-Pflücker, University of Toronto, Canada) were cultured as previously described in MEM-α with 20 % FCS. Results: Our data show that T cells can be generated in vitro from hESC in a robust and highly reproducible manner using the sequential exposure of hESC to the murine OP9 cell line and OP9-DLL1. On OP9 stromal layers, a CD34highCD43dim hematopoietic precursor population is generated that is confined to vascular-like structures, reminiscent of blood islands that emerge during in vivo embryonic development. This precursor population becomes T lineage committed when exposed to OP9-DLL1 monolayers, passing sequentially through a CD34+CD7+ phenotype, a CD4+CD8+ double positive intermediate stage and eventually differentiates into a mature T cells. Polyclonal T cells are generated, cell receptor (TCR) alpha-beta and TCRgamma-delta which are functional based on proliferative capacity and production of cytokines after TCR crosslinking. Conclusion: We show that mature and functional T cells can be generated from hESC using well defined in vitro conditions. This protocol in combination with the recently described induced pluripotent cells may find clinical applicability in tumor immunology.


Hematology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mickie Bhatia

Abstract The most common human cell-based therapy applied today is hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation. HSCs can be defined by two essential properties: self-renewal and multilineage hematopoietic differentiation. These combined HSC properties allow them to differentiate into all blood cell types (multilineage) in a sustained manner for the lifetime of the animal, which requires their ability to make cellular copies of themselves (self-renewal). These features can be tested by transplantation from donor to recipient and provide a functional basis to define and identify HSCs. Currently, human bone marrow (BM), mobilized peripheral blood, and umbilical cord blood (CB) represent the major sources of transplantable HSCs, but their availability for use is limited by both quantity and compatibility. Although increasing evidence suggests that somatic HSCs can be expanded to meet current needs, their in vivo potential is concomitantly compromised after ex vivo culture. Pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) may provide an alternative. hESCs possess indefinite proliferative capacity in vitro, and have been shown to differentiate into the hematopoietic cell fate, giving rise to erythroid, myeloid, and lymphoid lineages using a variety of differentiation procedures. In most cases, hESC-derived hematopoietic cells show similar clonogenic progenitor capacity and primitive phenotype to somatic sources of hematopoietic progenitors, but possess limited in vivo repopulating capacity when transplanted into immunodeficient mice. Although this suggests HSC function can be derived from hESCs, the efficiency and quality of these cells must be characterized using surrogate models for potential clinical applications.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document