Depletion of embryonic stem cell signature by histone deacetylase inhibitor in NCCIT cells: involvement of Nanog suppression.

The embryonic stem cell-like gene expression signature has been shown to be associated with poorly differentiated aggressive human tumors and has attracted great attention as a potential target for future cancer therapies. Here, we investigate the potential of the embryonic stem cell signature as molecular target for the therapy and the strategy to suppress the embryonic stem cell signature. The core stemness gene Nanog is abnormally overexpressed in human embryonic carcinoma NCCIT cells showing gene expression profiles similar to embryonic stem cells.

Reversine increases the plasticity of lineage-committed cells toward neuroectodermal lineage.

Functional dedifferentiation of lineage-committed cells toward pluripotency may have a great potential in regenerative medicine. Reversine has been shown to induce dedifferentiation of multiple terminally differentiated mesodermal origin cells, which are capable of being directed to differentiate into other cell types within mesodermal lineages. However, the possibilities of these cells to give rise to other lineages have not been examined.