Volume 10.33 | Sep 2 - ESC & iPSC News

ESC & iPSC News 10.33 September 2, 2015

TOP STORY

A Safeguard System for iPSC-Derived T-Cell Therapy
Researchers showed that human immune T-cells rejuvenated using iPS cell techniques effectively reduced the size of tumors in mice, enhancing the safety of iPSC-derived T-cell therapy for eradicating target viruses by including a suicide gene in iPSC-derived T-cells that can be pharmaceutically triggered. [Press release from University of Tokyo discussing online publication in Stem Cell Reports]
Press Release | Full Article | Graphical Abstract

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PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Polycomb Repressive Complex PRC1 Spatially Constrains the Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Genome
Researchers showed that PRC1 functions as a master regulator of mouse embryonic stem cell genome architecture by organizing genes in three-dimensional interaction networks. [Nat Genet]
Abstract | Press Release

Rho-Signaling-Directed YAP/TAZ Activity Underlies the Long-Term Survival and Expansion of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Scientists found that the survival of human embryonic stem cells depends on the small GTPase Rho and its activator AKAP-Lbc. They showed that AKAP-Lbc/Rho signaling sustains the nuclear function of the transcriptional cofactors YAP and TAZ by modulating actin microfilament organization. [Cell Stem Cell]
Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Histone Variant H3.3 Provides the Heterochromatic H3 Lysine 9 Tri-Methylation Mark at Telomeres
Scientists showed that H3.3 is targeted for K9 trimethylation to establish a heterochromatic state enriched in trimethylated H3.3K9 at telomeres. In H3f3a^-/- and H3f3b^-/- mouse embryonic stem cells, H3.3 deficiency resulted in reduced levels of H3K9me3, H4K20me3 and ATRX at telomeres. [Nucleic Acids Res]
Abstract | Full Article

Modeling Human Severe Combined Immunodeficiency and Correction by CRISPR/Cas9-Enhanced Gene Targeting
Using severe combined immunodeficiency patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells and a T cell in vitro differentiation system, researchers demonstrated a complete block in early T cell development of JAK3-deficient cells. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Generation of GFAP::GFP Astrocyte Reporter Lines from Human Adult Fibroblast-Derived iPS Cells Using Zinc-Finger Nuclease Technology
To overcome the difficulties of cell type heterogeneity during the differentiation process from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to astroglial cells (iPS astrocytes), investigators generated homogenous populations of iPS astrocytes using zinc-finger nuclease technology. [Glia] Abstract

Tet-Mediated Imprinting Erasure in H19 Locus following Reprogramming of Spermatogonial Stem Cells to Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) that harbor paternalized imprinting marks, and fibroblasts were reprogrammed to iPSC (SSCiPSC and fiPSC). The SSCiPSC were able to form teratomas and generated chimeras with a higher skin chimerism than those derived from fiPSC. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Dissecting the Role of Distinct OCT4-SOX2 Heterodimer Configurations in Pluripotency
Researchers generated SOX2 mutants that interfere with specific OCT4-SOX2 heterodimer configurations and assessed their ability to generate induced pluripotent stem cells and to rescue embryonic stem cell self-renewal. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Klf2 and Tfcp2l1, Two Wnt/β-Catenin Targets, Act Synergistically to Induce and Maintain Naive Pluripotency
The authors showed that the self-renewal-promoting effect of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is mainly mediated by two of its downstream targets, Klf2 and Tfcp2l1. [Stem Cell Reports] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Design of a Vitronectin-Based Recombinant Protein as a Defined Substrate for Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Hepatocyte-Like Cells
Investigators designed novel substrates consisting of vitronectin fragments fused to the IgG Fc domain. Human pluripotent stem cells adhered to these substrates via interactions between integrins and the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) motif, and the cells maintained their undifferentiated phenotypes. [PLoS One] Full Article

Transcription Factor Competition Allows Embryonic Stem Cells to Distinguish Authentic Signals from Noise
Researchers engineered mouse embryonic stem cells to allow quantitative control over the endogenous mechanism of neural differentiation through a light-inducible Brn2 transgene and monitored differentiation status through a genome-integrated Nanog-GFP reporter. [Cell Syst] Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

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REVIEWS

Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling and the Dynamics of Fate Decisions in Early Mouse Embryos and Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells
The authors summarize the expression and function of Wnt/β-catenin signaling elements during the early stages of mouse development and consider the reasons why the requirement in ES cells do not reflect the embryo. [Semin Cell Dev Biol] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the ESC & iPSC research field.

3rd Annual Cell Culture & Bioprocessing Asia Congress 2015

INDUSTRY NEWS

NIH Awards Nearly $34 Million to UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Center for Clinical and Translational Science $33.59 million over four years to continue the center’s programs advancing translational research. [University of Alabama at Birmingham] Press Release

Ocata Therapeutics Receives SBIR Grant from the NIH’s National Eye Institute to Develop Proprietary Photoreceptor Progenitor Cell Therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa
Ocata Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to fund investigational new drug-enabling preclinical development of Ocata’s proprietary photoreceptor progenitor product for the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa and photoreceptor dystrophies. [Ocata Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

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POLICY NEWS

A New Journal Wants to Publish Your Research Ideas
Do you have a great idea for a study that you want to share with the world? A new journal will gladly publish it. Research Ideas and Outcomes (RIO) will also publish papers on your methods, workflows, data, reports, and software—in short, “all outputs of the research cycle.” RIO, an open-access journal, was officially launched and will start accepting submissions in November. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

In Brief, Papers with Shorter Titles Get More Citations, Study Suggests
They say never judge a book by its cover, but a new study suggests that you may be able to predict the popularity of a scientific paper from the length of its title. [ScienceInsider] Editorial | Report

EVENTS

NEW Targeting Cell Death Mechanisms for the Treatment of Human Diseases
November 9-13, 2015
Suzhou, China

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the ESC & iPSC community.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship – Embryonic Stem Cells, Bio-NEMS, and Tissue Engineering (University of South Carolina)

NEW Laboratory Head – Stem Cell Biology (RIKEN)

Scientist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Development and Pathogenesis of Pancreatic Cancer (University College London)

Postdoctoral Fellow – (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Senior Research Technician – Cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Qu Biologics)

Advanced Research Assistant – Gene Targeting (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

Head of Research – Cellular Operations (Welcome Trust Sanger Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Biophysics (University Paris Diderot)

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