UTF1 Expression is Important for the Generation and Maintenance of Human iPSCs.

Background: Undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1 (UTF1) is predominantly expressed in pluripotent stem cells and plays a vital role in embryonic development and pluripotency maintenance. Despite its established importance in murine models, the role of UTF1 on human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has not been comprehensively studied.

Methods: This study utilized CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to create UTF1 knockout in human fibroblasts and iPSCs.

Generation and characterization of induced pluripotent stem cell line IITGi001-A derived from adult human primary dermal fibroblasts.

Adult human primary dermal fibroblasts [ATCC (PCS-201-012)] were reprogrammed by transfection of oriP/EBNA-1 based episomal plasmids expressing OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, L-MYC, LIN28 and a p53 shRNA (Okita et al., 2011) to give rise to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These iPSCs expressed core pluripotency markers, maintained normal karyotype, and showed tri-lineage differentiation potential.

Targeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in triple-negative breast cancer by benzylic organotrisulfides: Contribution of the released hydrogen sulfide towards potent anti-cancer activity.

The potent anti-cancer activity of naturally occurring organopolysulfides has attracted wide research attention over the last two decades. Sustained donation of hydrogen sulfide (HS) from organopolysulfides is found to be beneficial for the treatment of several organ-specific cancers. In the present study, for the first time, the mechanism of action for the potent anti-cancer activity of bis(3,5-dimethoxybenzyl) trisulfide 4 against highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) is described.

Tissue-Restricted Stem Cells as Starting Cell Source for Efficient Generation of Pluripotent Stem Cells: An Overview.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have vast biomedical potential concerning disease modeling, drug screening and discovery, cell therapy, tissue engineering, and understanding organismal development. In the year 2006, a groundbreaking study reported the generation of iPSCs from mouse embryonic fibroblasts by viral transduction of four transcription factors, namely, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. Subsequently, human iPSCs were generated by reprogramming fibroblasts as a starting cell source using two reprogramming factor cocktails [(i) OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC, and (ii) OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and LIN28].

An Overview on Promising Somatic Cell Sources Utilized for the Efficient Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) have enormous potential in understanding developmental biology, disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine. The initial human iPSC studies used fibroblasts as a starting cell source to reprogram them; however, it has been identified to be a less appealing somatic cell source by numerous studies due to various reasons. One of the important criteria to achieve efficient reprogramming is determining an appropriate starting somatic cell type to induce pluripotency since the cellular source has a major influence on the reprogramming efficiency, kinetics, and quality of iPSCs.

Generation of cell-permeant recombinant human transcription factor GATA4 from E. coli.

Transcription factor GATA4 is expressed during early embryogenesis and is vital for proper development. In addition, it is a crucial reprogramming factor for deriving functional cardiomyocytes and was recently identified as a tumor suppressor protein in various cancers. To generate a safe and effective molecular tool that can potentially be used in a cell reprogramming process and as an anti-cancer agent, we have identified optimal expression parameters to obtain soluble expression of human GATA4 in E.

An Insight into the Role of UTF1 in Development, Stem Cells, and Cancer.

The curiosity to understand the mechanisms regulating transcription in pluripotent cells resulted in identifying a unique transcription factor named Undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1 (UTF1). This proline-rich, nuclear protein is highly conserved among placental mammals with prominent expression observed in pluripotent, germ, and cancer cells. In pluripotent and germ cells, its role has been implicated primarily in proper cell differentiation, whereas in cancer, it shows tissue-specific function, either as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor gene.

A stimuli-responsive anticancer drug delivery system with inherent antibacterial activities.

We describe a novel class of stimuli-sensitive sulfonium-based synthetic lipids, which exhibit several favorable biophysical properties of phospholipids. The potent sulfonium-based lipid was successfully disassembled by glutathione to release the encapsulated drug molecules in a controlled manner. The cationic lipid also showed lower cytotoxicity against mammalian cells and displayed moderate antibacterial activities.

An Insight into Reprogramming Barriers to iPSC Generation.

Derivation of induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) by reprogramming somatic cells to a pluripotent state has revolutionized stem cell research. Ensuing this, various groups have used genetic and non-genetic approaches to generate iPSCs from numerous cell types. However, achieving a pluripotent state in most of the reprogramming studies is marred by serious limitations such as low reprogramming efficiency and slow kinetics.