Tissues Derived From Reprogrammed Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells of the Umbilical Cord Provide an Ideal Platform to Study the Effects of Glucose, Zika Virus, and Other Agents on the Fetus.
The infants of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease. It has been difficult to study the direct effects of maternal hyperglycemia on the fetus because of inaccessibility of fetal tissues. The development of tissues that simulate the function of fetal organs using stem cell technology provides an unprecedented opportunity to study this disorder. Stem cells in the Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord (hWJSCs), possess unique properties that are different from other stem cells. They are primitive, present in large numbers, non-tumorigenic, hypoimmunogenic, tumoricidal, and carry a genetic signature that represents the fetus. They are multipotent but their differentiation into functional pancreatic and cardiovascular tissues has been challenging. We have been able to reprogram hWJSCs from normal and GDM cords into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from which a variety of functional fetal tissues including insulin-producing and cardiovascular tissues could be derived. Such tissues from reprogrammed hWJSCs of normal and GDM cords that physiologically and genetically mimic the fetus of the diabetic or non-diabetic mother are an ideal platform to study the effects of glucose, the Zika virus, and other harmful agents on the fetus. The immature stemness phenotype of hWJSCs, easy accessibility, availability in large numbers without the need for propagation, and lower risk of accumulation of epigenetic mutations make them the most attractive candidate over other umbilical cord cell types for reprogramming. Additionally, some of their beneficial genes may be retained in memory in the iPSCs derived from them. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 437-441, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Chui-Yee
CY
Fong
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Arijit
A
Biswas
Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore.
Walter
W
Stunkel
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.|Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore.
Yap-Seng
YS
Chong
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Ariff
A
Bongso
D000067470:Cellular Reprogramming Techniques; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D008954:Models, Biological; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000378:metabolism*
D005947:Glucose
FETAL TISSUES; GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS; REPROGRAMMING; UMBILICAL CORD; WHARTON'S JELLY STEM CELLS; ZIKA VIRUS