scholarly journals Lipid metabolism in focus: how the build-up and breakdown of lipids affects stem cells

Development ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 148 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Madsen ◽  
Mergim Ramosaj ◽  
Marlen Knobloch

ABSTRACT Cellular metabolism has recently emerged as a key regulator of stem cell behavior. Various studies have suggested that metabolic regulatory mechanisms are conserved in different stem cell niches, suggesting a common level of stem cell regulation across tissues. Although the balance between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation has been shown to be distinct in stem cells and their differentiated progeny, much less is known about lipid metabolism in stem cell regulation. In this Review, we focus on how stem cells are affected by two major lipid metabolic pathways: the build-up of lipids, called de novo lipogenesis, and the breakdown of lipids, called fatty acid beta-oxidation. We cover the recent literature on hematopoietic stem cells, intestinal stem cells, neural stem/progenitor cells and cancer stem cells, where these two lipid pathways have been studied in more depth.

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (11) ◽  
pp. 2174-2181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideo Ema ◽  
Toshio Suda

Abstract The niche microenvironment controls stem cell number, fate, and behavior. The bone marrow, intestine, and skin are organs with highly regenerative potential, and all produce a large number of mature cells daily. Here, focusing on adult stem cells in these organs, we compare the structures and cellular components of their niches and the factors they produce. We then define the niche as a functional unit for stem cell regulation. For example, the niche possibly maintains quiescence and regulates fate in stem cells. Moreover, we discuss our hypothesis that many stem cell types are regulated by both specialized and nonspecialized niches, although hematopoietic stem cells, as an exception, are regulated by a nonspecialized niche only. The specialized niche is composed of 1 or a few types of cells lying on the basement membrane in the epithelium. The nonspecialized niche is composed of various types of cells widely distributed in mesenchymal tissues. We propose that the specialized niche plays a role in local regulation of stem cells, whereas the nonspecialized niche plays a role in relatively broad regional or systemic regulation. Further work will verify this dual-niche model to understand mechanisms underlying stem cell regulation.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 95-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Ito ◽  
Paolo Sportoletti ◽  
John G Clohessy ◽  
Grisendi Silvia ◽  
Pier Paolo Pandolfi

Abstract Abstract 95 Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is an incurable stem cell disorder characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and an increased risk of leukemia transformation. Nucleophosmin (NPM) is directly implicated in primitive hematopoiesis, the pathogenesis of hematopoietic malignancies and more recently of MDS. However, little is known regarding the molecular role and function of NPM in MDS pathogenesis and in stem cell biology. Here we present data demonstrating that NPM plays a critical role in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and the transformation of MDS into leukemia. NPM is located on chromosome 5q and is frequently lost in therapy-related and de novo MDS. We have previously shown that Npm1 acts as a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor in the hematopoietic compartment and Npm1+/− mice develop a hematologic syndrome with features of human MDS, including increased susceptibility to leukemogenesis. As HSCs have been demonstrated to be the target of the primary neoplastic event in MDS, a functional analysis of the HSC compartment is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms in MDS pathogenesis. However, the role of NPM in adult hematopoiesis remains largely unknown as Npm1-deficiency leads to embryonic lethality. To investigate NPM function in adult hematopoiesis, we have generated conditional knockout mice of Npm1, using the Cre-loxP system. Analysis of Npm1 conditional mutants crossed with Mx1-Cre transgenic mice reveals that Npm1 plays a crucial role in adult hematopoiesis and ablation of Npm1 in adult HSCs leads to aberrant cycling and followed by apoptosis. Analysis of cell cycle status revealed that HSCs are impaired in their ability to maintain quiescence after Npm1-deletion and are rapidly depleted in vivo as well as in vitro. Competitive reconstitution assay revealed that Npm1 acts cell-autonomously to maintain HSCs. Conditional inactivation of Npm1 leads to an MDS phenotype including a profoundly impaired ability to differentiate into cells of the erythroid lineage, megakaryocyte dyspoiesis and centrosome amplification. Furthermore, Npm1 loss evokes a p53-dependent response and Npm1-deleted HSCs undergo apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Strikingly, transfer of the Npm1 mutation into a p53-null background rescued the apoptosis of Npm1-ablated HSCs and resulted in accelerated transformation to an aggressive and lethal form of acute myeloid leukemia. Our findings highlight the crucial role of NPM in stem cell biology and identify a new mechanism by which MDS can progress to leukemia. This has important therapeutic implications for de novo MDS as well as therapy-related MDS, which is known to rapidly evolve to leukemia with frequent loss or mutation of TRP53. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 559-559
Author(s):  
Joachim R. Gothert ◽  
Sonja E. Gustin ◽  
Mark A. Hall ◽  
Anthony R. Green ◽  
Berthold Gottgens ◽  
...  

Abstract Evidence for the direct lineage relationship between embryonic and adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the mouse is primarily indirect. In order to study this relationship in a direct manner we expressed the tamoxifen-inducible Cre-ERT-recombinase under the control of the SCL-stem-cell-enhancer in transgenic mice (HSC-SCL-Cre-ERT). To determine functionality, HSC-SCL-Cre-ERT transgenics were bred with the Cre-reporter-mice ROSA26R and R26R-EYFP. Flow-cytometric and transplantation studies revealed tamoxifen-dependent recombination occurring in more than 90% of adult long-term HSCs, whereas the targeted proportion within mature progenitor populations was significantly lower. Moreover, the transgene was able to irreversibly tag embryonic HSCs on days 10 and 11 of gestation. These cells contributed to bone marrow hematopoiesis five months later. In order to investigate whether the de novo HSC-generation is completed during embryogenesis, HSC-SCL-Cre-ERT marked fetal liver cells were transplanted into adult recipients. Strikingly, the proportion of marked cells within the transplanted and the in vivo-remaining HSC-compartment was not different, implying that no further HSC-generation occurred during late fetal and neonatal stages of development. These data demonstrate for the first time the direct lineage relationship between mid-gestation embryonic and adult HSCs in the mouse. Additionally, the HSC-SCL-Cre-ERT mice will provide a valuable tool to achieve temporally controlled genetic manipulation of HSCs.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 4755-4755
Author(s):  
John Astle ◽  
Yangfei Xiang ◽  
Anthony Rongvaux ◽  
Carla Weibel ◽  
Henchey Elizabeth ◽  
...  

Abstract De novo generation of HSCs has been described as a "holy grail" of stem cell biology, however the factors required for converting human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) to true hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) capable of robust long-term engraftment have yet to be fully characterized. Two groups have shown that injection of PSCs into immunodeficient mice leads to teratomas containing niches producing hematopoietic progenitors capable of long-term engraftment. Once these hematopoietic progenitors and their microenvironments are better characterized, this system could be used as a model to help direct in vitro differentiation of PSCs to HSCs. Toward this end, we have injected human PSCs into immunodeficient mice expressing human rather than mouse M-CSF, IL-3, GM-CSF, and thrombopoietin, as well as both human and mouse versions of the "don't eat me signal" Sirpa (collectively termed MISTRG mice). These cytokines are known to support different aspects of hematopoiesis, and thrombopoietin in particular has been shown to support HSC maintenance, suggesting these mice may provide a better environment for human PSC-derived HSCs than the more traditional mice used for human HSC engraftment. The majority of teratomas developed so far in MISTRG contain human hematopoietic cells, and the CD34+ population isolated from over half of the teratomas contained hematopoietic colony forming cells by colony forming assay. These findings further corroborate this approach as a viable method for studying human PSC to HSC differentiation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Author(s):  
Yuki Hata ◽  
Junko Kyozuka

Abstract Key message This review compares the molecular mechanisms of stem cell control in the shoot apical meristems of mosses and angiosperms and reveals the conserved features and evolution of plant stem cells. Abstract The establishment and maintenance of pluripotent stem cells in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) are key developmental processes in land plants including the most basal, bryophytes. Bryophytes, such as Physcomitrium (Physcomitrella) patens and Marchantia polymorpha, are emerging as attractive model species to study the conserved features and evolutionary processes in the mechanisms controlling stem cells. Recent studies using these model bryophyte species have started to uncover the similarities and differences in stem cell regulation between bryophytes and angiosperms. In this review, we summarize findings on stem cell function and its regulation focusing on different aspects including hormonal, genetic, and epigenetic control. Stem cell regulation through auxin, cytokinin, CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION-RELATED (CLE) signaling and chromatin modification by Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) and PRC1 is well conserved. Several transcription factors crucial for SAM regulation in angiosperms are not involved in the regulation of the SAM in mosses, but similarities also exist. These findings provide insights into the evolutionary trajectory of the SAM and the fundamental mechanisms involved in stem cell regulation that are conserved across land plants.


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