Purpose: To evaluate the overall expression patterns of imprinted genes in human embryonic stem cells following long term culture and differentiation.
Materials and methods: Expression levels of 65 imprinted genes determined by PCR array were analyzed in one human embryonic stem cell line (cHES1) following prolonged passaging and differentiation.
Results: Transcripts of 63 imprinted genes were detected in cHES1 cells. Expression levels of all but 5 imprinted genes did not correlate with passage numbers or differ in cells after passage 50 compared with those before passage 50. SLC22A2, SLC22A3, CPA, H19, COPG2IT1 and IGF2 expression were significantly increased in embryoid bodies compared with undifferentiated cells.
Conclusions: The global expression profiles of imprinted genes are generally stable in human embryonic stem cells after prolonged passaging and differentiation.