Folmes, Clifford D L

Decoding stem cell metabolism has implicated a tight linkage between energy metabolism and cell fate regulation, a dynamic interplay vital in the execution of developmental and differentiation programs. The inherent plasticity in energy metabolism enables prioritisation of metabolic pathways in support of stage-specific demands. Beyond traditional support of energetic needs, intermediate metabolism may also dictate cell fate choices through regulation of cellular signalling and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. The notion of a ‘metabolism-centric’ control of stem cell differentiation has been informed by developmental embryogenesis based upon an on-demand paradigm paramount in defining diverse developmental behaviours, from a post-fertilisation nascent zygote to complex organogenesis leading to adequate tissue formation and maturation. Monitored through natural or bioengineered stem cell surrogates, nutrient-responsive metabolites are identified as mediators of cross-talk between metabolic flux, cell signalling and epigenetic regulation charting, collectively, whether a cell will self-renew to maintain progenitor pools, lineage specify to ensure tissue (re)generation or remain quiescent to curb stress damage. Thus, bioenergetics are increasingly recognised as integral in governing stemness and associated organogenic decisions, paving the way for metabolism-defined targets in control of embryology, stem cell biology and tissue regeneration.

Significance: Metabolism-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and associated oxidative damage have been traditionally linked to impaired homeostasis and cellular death. Beyond the adverse effects of ROS accumulation, increasing evidence implicates redox status as a regulator of vital cellular processes. Recent Advances: Emerging studies on the molecular mechanisms guiding stem cell fate decisions indicate a role for energy metabolism in regulating the fundamental ability of maintaining stemness versus undergoing lineage-specific differentiation. Stem cells have evolved protective metabolic phenotypes to minimize reactive oxygen generation through oxidative metabolism and support antioxidant scavenging through glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway. Critical Issues: While the dynamics in ROS generation has been correlated with stem cell function, the intimate mechanisms by which energy metabolism regulates ROS to impact cellular fate remain to be deciphered. Future Directions: Decoding the linkage between nutrient sensing, energy metabolism, and ROS in regulating cell fate decisions would offer a redox-dependent strategy to regulate stemness and lineage specification. Antioxid. Redox Signal . 21, 1648–1659.

Abstract Mitochondrial diseases display pathological phenotypes according to the mixture of mutant versus wild-type mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), known as heteroplasmy. We herein examined the impact of nuclear reprogramming and clonal isolation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) on mitochondrial heteroplasmy. Patient-derived dermal fibroblasts with a prototypical mitochondrial deficiency diagnosed as mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) demonstrated mitochondrial dysfunction with reduced oxidative reserve due to heteroplasmy at position G13513A in the ND5 subunit of complex I. Bioengineered iPSC clones acquired pluripotency with multilineage differentiation capacity and demonstrated reduction in mitochondrial density and oxygen consumption distinguishing them from the somatic source. Consistent with the cellular mosaicism of the original patient-derived fibroblasts, the MELAS-iPSC clones contained a similar range of mtDNA heteroplasmy of the disease-causing mutation with identical profiles in the remaining mtDNA. High-heteroplasmy iPSC clones were used to demonstrate that extended stem cell passaging was sufficient to purge mutant mtDNA, resulting in isogenic iPSC subclones with various degrees of disease-causing genotypes. On comparative differentiation of iPSC clones, improved cardiogenic yield was associated with iPSC clones containing lower heteroplasmy compared with isogenic clones with high heteroplasmy. Thus, mtDNA heteroplasmic segregation within patient-derived stem cell lines enables direct comparison of genotype/phenotype relationships in progenitor cells and lineage-restricted progeny, and indicates that cell fate decisions are regulated as a function of mtDNA mutation load. The novel nuclear reprogramming-based model system introduces a disease-in-a-dish tool to examine the impact of mutant genotypes for MELAS patients in bioengineered tissues and a cellular probe for molecular features of individual mitochondrial diseases.

Abstract Pluripotent stem cells have been the focus of bioengineering efforts designed to generate regenerative products, yet harnessing therapeutic capacity while minimizing risk of dysregulated growth remains a challenge. The risk of residual undifferentiated stem cells within a differentiated progenitor population requires a targeted approach to eliminate contaminating cells prior to delivery. In this study we aimed to validate a toxicity strategy that could selectively purge pluripotent stem cells in response to DNA damage and avoid risk of uncontrolled cell growth upon transplantation. Compared with somatic cell types, embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells displayed hypersensitivity to apoptotic induction by genotoxic agents. Notably, hypersensitivity in pluripotent stem cells was stage-specific and consistently lost upon in vitro differentiation, with the mean half-maximal inhibitory concentration increasing nearly 2 orders of magnitude with tissue specification. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting demonstrated that the innate response was mediated through upregulation of the BH3-only protein Puma in both natural and induced pluripotent stem cells. Pretreatment with genotoxic etoposide purged hypersensitive pluripotent stem cells to yield a progenitor population refractory to teratoma formation upon transplantation. Collectively, this study exploits a hypersensitive apoptotic response to DNA damage within pluripotent stem cells to decrease risk of dysregulated growth and augment the safety profile of transplant-ready, bioengineered progenitor cells.