Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) derived from human pluripotent stem cells are a promising cell source for drug screening and toxicity tests. Thus, various hepatic differentiating protocols have been developed, leading to a hepatic differentiation efficiency of approximately 90%. However, HLC drug metabolizing ability remains very low compared to human primary hepatocytes. In order to overcome this problem, several alternative methods, such as, co-culture, three-dimensional (3D) culture, bioreactor, nanochip-based, etc., have been developed, but optimization to produce fully functional HLCs is ongoing. Recently, our group reported that repeated exposure of HLCs to xenobiotics can improve the expression of hepatic metabolizing enzymes such as cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). These data suggest that we should develop strategies for differentiating cells into mature HLCs by more closely mimicking in vivo fetal and postnatal liver development. Here, we review the current development of alternative methods for enhancing the drug metabolizing functions of HLCs derived from human embryonic stem cells, human-induced pluripotent stem cells, and mesenchymal stem cells as used for drug screening and toxicity tests.
Bioreactors ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; Glutathione ; Hepatocytes ; Humans* ; Liver ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Pluripotent Stem Cells* ; Stem Cells ; Toxicity Tests ; Xenobiotics

The milk fat globule-EGF-factor 8 protein (MFG-E8) has been identified in various tissues, where it has an important role in intercellular interactions, cellular migration, and neovascularization. Previous studies showed that MFG-E8 is expressed in different cell types under normal and pathophysiological conditions, but its expression in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) during hematopoiesis has not been reported. In the present study, we investigated MFG-E8 expression in multiple hematopoietic tissues at different stages of mouse embryogenesis. Using immunohistochemistry, we showed that MFG-E8 was specifically expressed in CD34+ HSCs at all hematopoietic sites, including the yolk sac, aorta-gonad-mesonephros region, placenta and fetal liver, during embryogenesis. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting and polymerase chain reaction analyses demonstrated that CD34+ cells, purified from the fetal liver, expressed additional HSC markers, c-Kit and Sca-1, and that these CD34+ cells, but not CD34- cells, highly expressed MFG-E8. We also found that MFG-E8 was not expressed in HSCs in adult mouse bone marrow, and that its expression was confined to F4/80+ macrophages. Together, this study demonstrates, for the first time, that MFG-8 is expressed in fetal HSC populations, and that MFG-E8 may have a role in embryonic hematopoiesis.
Animals ; Antigens, CD34/analysis ; Antigens, Surface/*analysis ; Bone Marrow/ultrastructure ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/*cytology ; Liver/embryology ; Mice/*embryology ; Milk Proteins/*analysis ; Placentation ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: Hyperstimulation methods are broadly used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with infertility; however, the side effects associated with these therapies, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), have not been well studied. N-glycoproteomes are subproteomes used for the remote sensing of ovarian stimulation in follicular growth. Glycoproteomic variation in human follicular fluid (hFF) has not been evaluated. In this study, we aimed to identify and quantify the glycoproteomes and N-glycoproteins (N-GPs) in natural and stimulated hFF using label-free nano-liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-quad time-of-flight mass spectrometry. METHODS: For profiling of the total proteome and glycoproteome, pooled protein samples from natural and stimulated hFF samples were selectively isolated using hydrazide chemistry to obtain the total proteomes and glycoproteomes. N-GPs were validated by the consensus sequence N-X-S/T (92.2% specificity for the N-glycomotif at p<0.05). All data were compared between natural versus hyperstimulated hFF samples. RESULTS: We detected 41 and 44 N-GPs in the natural and stimulated hFF samples, respectively. Importantly, we identified 11 N-GPs with greater than two-fold upregulation in stimulated hFF samples compared to natural hFF samples. We also validated the novel N-GPs thyroxine-binding globulin, vitamin D-binding protein, and complement proteins C3 and C9. CONCLUSION: We identified and classified N-GPs in hFF to improve our understanding of follicular physiology in patients requiring assisted reproduction. Our results provided important insights into the prevention of hyperstimulation side effects, such as OHSS.
Chemistry ; Complement System Proteins ; Consensus Sequence ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Follicular Fluid* ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Infertility ; Mass Spectrometry ; Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ; Ovulation Induction ; Physiology ; Proteome ; Proteomics ; Reproduction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroxine-Binding Globulin ; Up-Regulation ; Vitamin D-Binding Protein

OBJECTIVE: Promoter methylation of Bcl-2 family genes in cancer cells were studied to verify possible correlation between DNA methylation pattern of Bcl-2 family members and cancer. METHODS: The genomic DNAs were extracted from different cancer cell lines, HeLa, CaSki and K562, and ovarian cancer tissue from patients. The cytosine residues were converted to uracil by sodium bisulfite treatment. MSP (methylation specific PCR) was performed to determine the methylation status of Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Noxa, and Harakiri promoters. Using primers that distinguish methylated DNA from unmethylated DNA after bisulfite modification of DNA, MSP was conducted to observe the methylation pattern of Bcl-2 family genes in different cancer cells. RESULTS: The promoter regions of Bcl-2 family genes including Mcl-1, Bcl-2, and Noxa were not methylated in cancer cells, whereas the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family gene Harakiri was detected as methylated in the cancer cell lines and hypomethylated in the ovarian cancer tissue. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated the differential methylation profiles of Bcl-2 family genes in cancerous cells, which suggests a possible connection between the methylation pattern of some of Bcl-2 family genes and ovarian cancer.
Cell Line ; Cytosine ; DNA Methylation* ; DNA* ; Humans ; Methylation ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Sodium ; Uracil