Cells (Feb 2020)

NOTO Transcription Factor Directs Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Mesendoderm Progenitors to a Notochordal Fate

  • Pauline Colombier,
  • Boris Halgand,
  • Claire Chédeville,
  • Caroline Chariau,
  • Valentin François-Campion,
  • Stéphanie Kilens,
  • Nicolas Vedrenne,
  • Johann Clouet,
  • Laurent David,
  • Jérôme Guicheux,
  • Anne Camus

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9020509
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 2
p. 509

Abstract

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The founder cells of the Nucleus pulposus, the centre of the intervertebral disc, originate in the embryonic notochord. After birth, mature notochordal cells (NC) are identified as key regulators of disc homeostasis. Better understanding of their biology has great potential in delaying the onset of disc degeneration or as a regenerative-cell source for disc repair. Using human pluripotent stem cells, we developed a two-step method to generate a stable NC-like population with a distinct molecular signature. Time-course analysis of lineage-specific markers shows that WNT pathway activation and transfection of the notochord-related transcription factor NOTO are sufficient to induce high levels of mesendoderm progenitors and favour their commitment toward the notochordal lineage instead of paraxial and lateral mesodermal or endodermal lineages. This study results in the identification of NOTO-regulated genes including some that are found expressed in human healthy disc tissue and highlights NOTO function in coordinating the gene network to human notochord differentiation.

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