title: Programming human pluripotent stem cells into white and brown adipocytes.
abstract: The utility of human pluripotent stem cells is dependent on efficient differentiation protocols that convert these cells into relevant adult cell types. Here we report the robust and efficient differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into white or brown adipocytes. We found that inducible expression of PPARG2 alone or combined with CEBPB and/or PRDM16 in mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from pluripotent stem cells programmed their development towards a white or brown adipocyte cell fate with efficiencies of 85%-90%. These adipocytes retained their identity independent of transgene expression, could be maintained in culture for several weeks, expressed mature markers and had mature functional properties such as lipid catabolism and insulin-responsiveness. When transplanted into mice, the programmed cells gave rise to ectopic fat pads with the morphological and functional characteristics of white or brown adipose tissue. These results indicate that the cells could be used to faithfully model human disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahfeldt
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Schinzel
authors.forename: Youn-Kyoung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hendrickson
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lum
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Camahort
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shay
authors.forename: Eugene P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Clary B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Clish
authors.forename: Rahul C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Deo
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cowley
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mowrer
authors.forename: Heba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Siddiqi
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nahrendorf
authors.forename: Kiran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Musunuru
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Gerszten
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rinn
authors.forename: Chad A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cowan
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D052437:Adipocytes, Brown / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D052438:Adipocytes, White / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D022782:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D022782:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta; C545012:CEBPB protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D047495:PPAR gamma; C416371:PRDM16 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors