title: Human Ocular Epithelial Cells Endogenously Expressing SOX2 and OCT4 Yield High Efficiency of Pluripotency Reprogramming.
abstract: A variety of pluripotency reprogramming frequencies from different somatic cells has been observed, indicating cell origin is a critical contributor for efficiency of pluripotency reprogramming. Identifying the cell sources for efficient induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generation, and defining its advantages or disadvantages on reprogramming, is therefore important. Human ocular tissue-derived conjunctival epithelial cells (OECs) exhibited endogenous expression of reprogramming factors OCT4A (the specific OCT 4 isoform on pluripotency reprogramming) and SOX2. We therefore determined whether OECs could be used for high efficiency of iPSCs generation. We compared the endogenous expression levels of four pluripotency factors and the pluripotency reprograming efficiency of human OECs with that of ocular stromal cells (OSCs). Real-time PCR, microarray analysis, Western blotting and immunostaining assays were employed to compare OECiPSCs with OSCiPSCs on molecular bases of reprogramming efficiency and preferred lineage-differentiation potential. Using the traditional KMOS (KLF4, C-MYC, OCT4 and SOX2) reprogramming protocol, we confirmed that OECs, endogenously expressing reprogramming factors OCT4A and SOX2, yield very high efficiency of iPSCs generation (~1.5%). Furthermore, higher efficiency of retinal pigmented epithelial differentiation (RPE cells) was observed in OECiPSCs compared to OSCiPSCs or skin fibroblast iMR90iPSCs. The findings in this study suggest that conjunctival-derived epithelial (OECs) cells can be easier converted to iPSCs than conjunctival-derived stromal cells (OSCs). This cell type may also have advantages in retinal pigmented epithelial differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; The HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Wai
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.affiliation: The HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China.
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: The HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Weixin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Junwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China.
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Hung-Fat
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China.
authors.forename: Zuguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; The HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Qizhou
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lian
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D065150:Cellular Reprogramming; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C000715467:KLF4 protein, human; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; C527782:SOX2 protein, human; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors