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Electromagnetic fields affect transcript levels of apoptosis-related genes in embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells.

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells were used as an experimental model to study the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF). ES-derived nestin-positive neural progenitor cells were exposed to extremely low frequency EMF simulating power line magnetic fields at 50 Hz (ELF-EMF) and to radiofrequency EMF simulating the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) signals at 1.71 GHz (RF-EMF). Following EMF exposure, cells were analyzed for transcript levels of cell cycle regulatory, apoptosis-related, and neural-specific genes and proteins; changes in proliferation; apoptosis; and cytogenetic effects. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that ELF-EMF exposure to ES-derived neural cells significantly affected transcript levels of the apoptosis-related bcl-2, bax, and cell cycle regulatory "growth arrest DNA damage inducible" GADD45 genes, whereas mRNA levels of neural-specific genes were not affected. RF-EMF exposure of neural progenitor cells resulted in down-regulation of neural-specific Nurr1 and in up-regulation of bax and GADD45 mRNA levels. Short-term RF-EMF exposure for 6 h, but not for 48 h, resulted in a low and transient increase of DNA double-strand breaks. No effects of ELF- and RF-EMF on mitochondrial function, nuclear apoptosis, cell proliferation, and chromosomal alterations were observed. We may conclude that EMF exposure of ES-derived neural progenitor cells transiently affects the transcript level of genes related to apoptosis and cell cycle control. However, these responses are not associated with detectable changes of cell physiology, suggesting compensatory mechanisms at the translational and posttranslational level.

Apoptosis↗

Functionally deficient neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonic neural stem cells in vitro.

Embryonic mouse neural stem cells (NSCs) were isolated from E14 mice, multiplied in medium containing epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and plated in laminin-coated wells in basic serum-free neurobasal medium. After 7 days in vitro, approximately 20% of the embryonic mouse NSCs developed into morphologically and biochemically fully maturated neurons, with extensive dendrites and multiple synaptic contacts. However, even after 22 days of culture, none of these neurons developed voltage-dependent sodium-channels characteristic for a functional neuron. Apparently, the morphological differentiation and the electrophysiological maturation of an embryonic mouse NSC into a neuron are independently regulated.

Animals↗

Decatenation checkpoint deficiency in stem and progenitor cells.

The decatenation checkpoint normally delays entry into mitosis until chromosomes have been disentangled through the action of topoisomerase II. We have found that the decatenation checkpoint is highly inefficient in mouse embryonic stem cells, mouse neural progenitor cells, and human CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells. Checkpoint efficiency increased when embryonic stem cells were induced to differentiate, which suggests that the deficiency is a feature of the undifferentiated state. Embryonic stem cells completed cell division in the presence of entangled chromosomes, which resulted in severe aneuploidy in the daughter cells. The decatenation checkpoint deficiency is likely to increase the rates of chromosome aberrations in progenitor cells, stem cells, and cancer stem cells.

Animals↗

Application of the piezo-micromanipulator for injection of embryonic stem cells into mouse blastocysts.

Microinjection of embryonic stem (ES) cells into mouse blastocysts is one of the most important techniques for production of knockout or transgenic mice. However, skillful manipulation techniques and tremendous effort are required for this method. To overcome this difficulty, we applied a piezo-micromanipulator (PMM), which has been used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection in mice and production of cloned mice, for the injection of ES cells into blastocysts. When ES cells were injected by using a conventional method, 91% of the blastocysts were manipulated successfully. Using the PMM significantly (P < 0.01) increased the success rate of ES injection to 97%. The number of embryos manipulated in an hour increased from 9.7 embryos with the conventional method to 27.0 embryos with the PMM method. The injected ES cells did not show any detrimental effects due to a pulse from the PMM. After embryo transfer of the manipulated blastocysts, 39% of the newborns were chimeric mice with the conventional method, whereas 42% of the neonates were chimeric after the PMM method. These results indicate that microinjection of the ES cells into blastocysts is more efficient by the PMM method than the conventional method.

Animals↗

Expression of retinoid X receptors in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells and embryonic stem cells.

The pluripotent mouse embryonal carcinoma cell line P19 provides an excellent model system to study the mechanisms by which retinoic acid (RA) exerts its biological effects. When aggregated and exposed to low concentrations of RA, P19 cells differentiate into neuron- and glial-like cells. The diverse biological effects of RA are mediated by two families of receptors localized in the cell nucleus, the retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and the retinoid X receptors (RXRs). Each family consists of three members designated alpha, beta and gamma. While the patterns of expression of the RARs have been studied in P19 cells, similar data for the RXRs have not been available. We demonstrate here that these receptors are expressed in P19 and are regulated during RA-induced differentiation. We also show that pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells express the RXRs as well.

Animals↗

BMP-4 induces a Smad-dependent apoptotic cell death of mouse embryonic stem cell-derived neural precursors.

Embryonic ectoderm is fated to become either neural or epidermal, depending on patterning processes that occur before and during gastrulation. It has been stated that epidermal commitment proceeds from a bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4)-dependent inhibition of dorsal ectoderm neuralization. We recently demonstrated that murine embryonic stem (ES) cells treated with BMP-4 undergo effective keratinocyte commitment and epidermogenesis. Focusing on the precise role of BMP-4 in the early choice between neural and epidermal commitment, we show here that BMP-4 treatment of ES cells leads to a dramatic apoptotic death of Sox-1+ neural precursors with concomitant epidermal engagement. In addition, neutralization of the Smad pathway prevents both the BMP-4 apoptotic process and the inhibition of neural differentiation. Our results suggest that, in mammals, BMP-4, as an active inducer of epidermal commitment, interferes with the survival of neural precursors through induction of their apoptotic cell death.

3T3 Cells↗

Strain difference in establishment of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell lines.

For utilization of the mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells for various purposes, it is desirable that the cell lines are established from various sources such as inbred and mutant mouse strains. So far, however, most ES cell lines used in genetic manipulation have been derived from the 129/Sv strain. We have established ES cell lines from blastocysts of the C57BL/6 strain at high efficiency by use of a fibroblast cell line SL10 as feeder cells, and supplementing the culture medium with 5,000 unit/ml LIF. Using such culture conditions, we have also established a number of ES cell lines from the BALB/c, BXSB/MpJ-Yaa and MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mouse strains. Procedure for establishment of ES cell lines had to be modified among the mouse strains, indicating the strain difference. For example, only a few stem cell colonies appeared from the BALB/c blastocysts. Stem cells of the BXSB strain were very sensitive to the trypsinization in subculturing. Most of these cell lines had normal karyotype and produced chimeric mice. Several C57BL/6 cell lines contributed to the germ-line. These results indicate that ES cell lines can be established from various mouse strains, but their characteristics are different among strains.

Animals↗

Isotropic susceptibility shift under MAS: the origin of the split water resonances in 1H MAS NMR spectra of cell suspensions.

Bulk susceptibility variations in a multiphase system such as cultured cells and tissue have two manifestations: a dipolar field component outside the regular heterogenous region which introduces linebroadening, and an isotropic field part which results in a frequency shift. Previous NMR studies have emphasized the utility of magic angle spinning for averaging the dipolar component, particularly if the spins of interest are limited to one phase of a multiphase system such as a sample of liquid with air pockets or glass beads. However, in analyzing spectra from complex multiphase systems, such as cell suspensions and tissues, etc., the isotropic part is often neglected, leading to questionable interpretation of experimental results. The present study demonstrates that under magic angle spinning, the water resonance in NMR experiments of cell suspensions is split into two resolved peaks due to the isotropic susceptibility shift. These two peaks are assigned to a central core of cell free water and an outer cylindrical ring of tightly packed cells in close association with water. A comprehensive theory for this splitting is provided based on a coaxis cylinder model with different susceptibilities. The frequency difference is shown to be dependent on the susceptibility difference and also on the angle of the rotor in the magnetic field. The splitting distance of the two water peaks can be used to measure the susceptibility difference of water in these two phases. The susceptibility difference was measured for three different cell types: 3T3 F442A preadipocyte cells, mouse embryonic stem cells, and human red blood cells.

3T3 Cells↗

Neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells induced by conditioned medium from neural stem cell.

Embryonic stem cells can proliferate indefinitely and are capable of differentiating into derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers in vitro, including the neural lineage. The main objective of this study is to test the effects of neural stem cell conditioned medium on the neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. When cultured in neural stem cell conditioned medium, mouse embryonic stem cells can form floating cell spheres composed of many nestin-positive cells. After trypsinization and growth on gelatin, these embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells can be expanded for more than 3 months without loss of neural progenitor characteristics. Both neuronal and glial cells can be readily generated from these cells under differentiation conditions. Thus, neural stem cell conditioned medium is a highly potent reagent for inducing the development of mouse embryonic stem cells into the neural lineage, especially neural progenitor cells.

Animals↗

M-twist expression inhibits mouse embryonic stem cell-derived myogenic differentiation in vitro.

The mouse M-twist gene codes for a basic helix-loop-helix protein which was shown to be inhibitory for differentiation of myogenic cells in culture. Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells of line BLC6 efficiently differentiating into skeletal muscle cells when cultivated as embryo-like aggregates (embryoid bodies) were stably transfected with the plasmid pME18s-twist containing the M-twist gene under the control of the modified SV40 early promoter SR alpha. Two pME18s-twist-expressing clones showed delayed and reduced skeletal muscle cell differentiation depending on the level of exogenous M-twist expression compared to control cells. By morphological analysis using phase contrast microscopy and hematoxylin-eosin staining, the development of first myocytes and formation of myotubes in embryoid body outgrowths of these clones were found to be delayed for about 3 days in comparison to control cells. Immunofluorescence studies with a monoclonal antibody against sarcomeric myosin heavy chain revealed that myogenic cells appeared in so-called myogenic centers showing a reduced number of myocytes and myotubes in the M-twist-expressing clones. Using RT-PCR analysis the expression of the skeletal muscle determination genes myf5, myogenin, and MyoD as well as muscle-specific genes coding for the gamma-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and the cell adhesion molecule M-cadherin were found to appear with a delay of at least 1 to 4 days in the pME18s-twist-transfected cells during the development of embryoid bodies. We conclude that the constitutive expression of the mouse M-twist gene during ES-cell-derived differentiation has an inhibitory effect on skeletal muscle cell development depending on the level of exogenous M-twist expression.

Animals↗

Expression of Pax4 in embryonic stem cells promotes differentiation of nestin-positive progenitor and insulin-producing cells.

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells differentiate into cells of all three primary germ layers including endodermal cells that produce insulin in vitro. We show that constitutive expression of Pax4 (Pax4(+)), and to a lesser extent Pdx1 (Pdx1(+)), affects the differentiation of ES cells and significantly promote the development of insulin-producing cells. In Pax4 overexpressing R1 ES cells, isl-1, ngn3, insulin, islet amyloid polypeptide, and glucose transporter 2 (Glut-2) mRNA levels increase significantly. The number of nestin-expressing (nestin+) cells also increases. Constitutive Pax4 expression combined with selection of nestin+ cells and histotypic culture conditions give rise to spheroids containing insulin-positive granules typical of embryonal and adult beta cells. In response to glucose, Pax4(+) and wild-type ES-derived cells release insulin. Transplantation of these cells into streptozotocin-treated diabetic mice results in a normalization of blood glucose levels. We conclude that constitutive expression of Pax4 in combination with histotypic cultivation facilitates ES cell differentiation into the pancreatic lineage, which leads to the formation of islet-like spheroid structures that produce increased levels of insulin.

Animals↗

Teratoma formation and hepatocyte differentiation in mouse liver transplanted with mouse embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies.

We previously reported that mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells are capable of differentiating into hepatocytes in cultured embryoid bodies (EBs) and that hepatocytes generate in the recipient liver injected with cultured day-9 EB cells via spleen without the formation of a teratoma. Because ES cells frequently form teratomas in recipient mice, we investigated incidence of teratoma formation when day-9 EBs derived from ES cells were transplanted directly into the subcapsule of mouse liver. In contrast to injection of day-9 EB cells through the portal vein via the spleen, direct subcapsular injection of cultured day-9 EB cells into liver, and even of cultured day-15 EBs, resulted in an high incidence of teratoma in the liver. In teratomas of livers injected directly with day-15 EBs, hepatocytes were detected singly and in clusters. These results imply that undifferentiated cells capable of developing into teratomas exist in cultured EBs, and even in cultured day-15 EBs containing differentiated hepatocytes.

Animals↗

Expression of c-myb in embryonal carcinoma cells and embryonal stem cells.

Mouse c-myb has been implicated in the regulation of differentiation and proliferation of haematopoietic cells. Analysis of the chromatin structure of the promoter region of c-myb in embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells and embryonal stem (ES) cells reveals a DNAse I-hypersensitive site coincident with a site found in c-myb-expressing haematopoietic cells, but absent in murine fibroblasts (which do not express c-myb). EC and ES cells were found to express c-myb mRNA, albeit at a level lower than found in haematopoietic cells. Differentiation of ES cells into embryoid bodies resulted in an elevated level of c-myb expression.

Animals↗

In vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells into glial cells and functional neurons.

Mouse embryonic stem cells were induced to differentiate in culture with retinoic acid. Putative precursors of neurons and glial cells (nestin-positive cells) were clearly identified as early as three days after the onset of differentiation. At day 6, neuron-like cells could be clearly identified, either as isolated cells or as cellular networks. Some of these cells were positive for astrocyte- or oligodendrocyte-specific antigens (GFAP or O4 antigens, respectively). Other cells were positive for neuron-specific antigens (cytoskeleton proteins MAP2, MAP5 and NF200, as well as synaptophysin). Some neuronal-like cells were also positive for acetylcholinesterase activity or glutamic acid decarboxylase expression, indicating that ES cells could differentiate into GABAergic and possibly cholinergic neurons. Electrophysiological analyses performed in voltage clamp conditions showed that cell membranes contained voltage-dependent channels. Overshooting action potentials could be triggered by current injection. Taken together, these data provide evidence that embryonic stem cells can differentiate first into neuron-glia progenitors, and later into glial cells and functional neurons, in vitro. This technique provides an unique system to study early steps of neuronal differentiation in vitro.

Animals↗

Development of a novel mouse tk+/- embryonic stem cell line for use in mutagenicity studies.

A tk+/- mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell line, designated 1G2, has been created in which one allele of the thymidine kinase (tk) gene was inactivated by targeted homologous recombination. This line is an analog of the mouse lymphoma tk+/- L5178Y cell line, which is used widely to assess the mutagenicity of chemical agents. Treatment of 1G2 cells with the alkylating agent N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) resulted in a dose-related increase in trifluorothymidine-resistant colonies. Mutant frequencies of 152 and 296 per 10(6) cells were determined for 0.1 and 0.3 mg/ml doses of ENU, compared with a spontaneous mutant frequency of 15 per 10(6) cells. The data indicate that tk+/- 1G2 ES cells may be useful for the creation of a transgenic mouse model for assessing in vivo mutation using an endogenous autosomal gene.

Animals↗

A mouse pluripotent embryonal stem cell line stage-specifically regulates expression of homeo-box containing DNA sequences during differentiation in vitro.

Mouse embryonal stem (ES) cells have been shown to provide a new model system suitable for the analysis of different aspects of murine development. This report gives evidence that ES cell lines are also most useful for the study of developmentally regulated gene expression in vitro. Homeo-box containing genes which are suggested to play a key role in the regulation of differentiation steps occurring during embryogenesis are stage-specifically transcribed in differentiating murine ES cells: (i) A mouse embryonal stem cell line (ES-12957) was isolated and characterized with respect to its differentiation potential. When injected subcutaneously into syngeneic mice, ES-12957 cells formed fully differentiated teratomas representing derivatives of all three germ layers. When allowed to grow in suspension cultures in vitro, the cells followed a reproducible developmental pathway forming complex organized 'embryoid bodies' which resembled mouse early postimplantation embryos. (ii) A mouse DNA sequence with homeo-box homology (MH-121) was isolated and structurally analyzed. Transcription of a 1.7 kb RNA species from this DNA sequence was demonstrated in ES-12957 cells which were differentiated in vitro. A second, previously described homeo-box gene (Mo-10) was also shown to be expressed in ES-12957 cells in a stage-specific manner. A 4-kb transcript could be identified exclusively in RNA of cells which were allowed to differentiate for 9 days. These findings support the suggestion that the homeo-box genes of mammals, like those of Drosophila, may have important functions during embryonic development.

Animals↗

Inducible transgene expression in mouse stem cells.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells serve as a potentially unlimited source of cells and tissues to treat a number of genetic and malignant diseases. The differentiation of these cells into specific cell types is an area of very active investigation. One method of manipulating ES cell differentiation is through the alteration of gene expression. There are a multitude of different methods for expressing a target gene in ES cells, but most are limited in their ability to provide spatial, temporal, and quantitative control of gene expression. These properties are important because many developmentally interesting genes are regulated in at least one of these ways. This chapter will address these limitations through the use of an ES cell line with a doxycycline-inducible transgene system. A characterization of this inducible transgene system will be discussed, as well as the use of this system to develop ES-derived long-term engrafting hematopoietic stem cells. This demonstration is one of many possible uses for this powerful and versatile system.

Animals↗

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell lines established from neuronal cell-derived cloned blastocysts.

We have established mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell lines from blastocysts derived by transfer of nuclei of fetal neuronal cells. These neuronal cell-derived embryonic cell lines had properties that characterize them as ES cells, including typical cell markers and alkaline phosphatase activity. Moreover, the cells had a normal karyotype and were pluripotent, as they were capable of differentiating into all three germ layers. Although they were derived from neuronal donor nuclei, the cells no longer expressed neuronal markers; however, they were capable of differentiating into cells with neuronal characteristics. These results suggest that the clone-derived cells have fully acquired an ES cell character. Thus, ES cells can be derived from embryos resulting from nuclear transfer, which results in reprogramming of the genetic information and acquisition of pluripotency. ES cells established from somatic cell-derived blastocysts could be useful not only as research tools for studying reprogramming but also as models for cell-based transplantation therapy.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗