Uncovering the molecular identity of cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) by single-cell RNA sequencing.

Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) generated from human cardiac biopsies have been shown to have disease-modifying bioactivity in clinical trials. Paradoxically, CDCs' cellular origin in the heart remains elusive. We studied the molecular identity of CDCs using single-cell RNA sequencing (sc-RNAseq) in comparison to cardiac non-myocyte and non-hematopoietic cells (cardiac fibroblasts/CFs, smooth muscle cells/SMCs and endothelial cells/ECs).

Sequencing of a Chinese tetralogy of Fallot cohort reveals clustering mutations in myogenic heart progenitors.

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic heart defect, yet the underlying genetic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we performed whole-genome sequencing analysis on 146 nonsyndromic TOF parent-offspring trios of Chinese ethnicity. Comparison of de novo variants and recessive genotypes of this data set with data from a European cohort identified both overlapping and potentially novel gene loci and revealed differential functional enrichment between cohorts.

Trajectory mapping of human embryonic stem cell cardiogenesis reveals lineage branch points and an ISL1 progenitor-derived cardiac fibroblast lineage.

A family of multipotent heart progenitors plays a central role in the generation of diverse myogenic and nonmyogenic lineages in the heart. Cardiac progenitors in particular play a significant role in lineages involved in disease, and have also emerged to be a strong therapeutic candidate. Based on this premise, we aimed to deeply characterize the progenitor stage of cardiac differentiation at a single-cell resolution.

Nrf2 and SQSTM1/p62 jointly contribute to mesenchymal transition and invasion in glioblastoma.

Accumulating evidence suggests that constitutively active Nrf2 has a pivotal role in cancer as it induces pro-survival genes that promote cancer cell proliferation and chemoresistance. The mechanisms of Nrf2 dysregulation and functions in cancer have not been fully characterized. Here, we jointly analyzed the Broad-Novartis Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) multi-omics data in order to identify cancer types where Nrf2 activation is present.

Population and Single-Cell Analysis of Human Cardiogenesis Reveals Unique LGR5 Ventricular Progenitors in Embryonic Outflow Tract.

The morphogenetic process of mammalian cardiac development is complex and highly regulated spatiotemporally by multipotent cardiac stem/progenitor cells (CPCs). Mouse studies have been informative for understanding mammalian cardiogenesis; however, similar insights have been poorly established in humans. Here, we report comprehensive gene expression profiles of human cardiac derivatives from multipotent CPCs to intermediates and mature cardiac cells by population and single-cell RNA-seq using human embryonic stem cell-derived and embryonic/fetal heart-derived cardiac cells micro-dissected from specific heart compartments.