Pellegrini S, Chimienti R, Scotti GM, Giannese F, Lazarevic D, Manenti F, Poggi G, Lombardo MT, Cospito A, Nano R, Piemonti L, Sordi V. Transcriptional dynamics of induced pluripotent stem cell differentiation into β cells reveals full endodermal commitment and homology with human islets.
Cytotherapy 2020;
23:311-319. [PMID:
33246884 DOI:
10.1016/j.jcyt.2020.10.004]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have the capacity to generate β cells in vitro, but the differentiation is incomplete and generates a variable percentage of off-target cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing offers the possibility of characterizing the transcriptional dynamics throughout differentiation and determining the identity of the final differentiation product.
METHODS
Single-cell transcriptomics data were obtained from four stages across differentiation of iPSCs into β cells and from human donor islets.
RESULTS
Clustering analysis revealed that iPSCs undertake a full endoderm commitment, and the obtained endocrine pancreatic cells have high homology with mature islets. The iPSC-derived β cells were devoid of pluripotent residual cells, and the differentiation was pancreas-specific, as it did not generate ectodermal or mesodermal cells. Pseudotime trajectory identified a dichotomic endocrine/non-endocrine cell fate and distinct subgroups in the endocrine branch.
CONCLUSIONS
Future efforts to produce β cells from iPSCs must aim not only to improve the resulting endocrine cell but also to avoid differentiation into non-pancreatic endoderm cells.
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