Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from human renal proximal tubular cells with only two transcription factors, OCT4 and SOX2

J Biol Chem. 2012 Jul 13;287(29):24131-8. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.350413. Epub 2012 May 21.

Abstract

The tubular epithelium of the kidney is susceptible to injury from a number of different causes, including inflammatory and immune disorders, oxidative stress, and nephrotoxins, among others. Primary renal epithelial cells remain one of the few tools for studying the biochemical and physiological characteristics of the renal tubular system. Nevertheless, differentiated primary cells are not suitable for recapitulation of disease properties that might arise during embryonic kidney formation and further maturation. Thus, cellular systems resembling kidney characteristics are in urgent need to model disease as well as to establish reliable drug-testing platforms. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) bear the capacity to differentiate into every cell lineage comprising the adult organism. Thus, iPSCs bring the possibility for recapitulating embryonic development by directed differentiation into specific lineages. iPSC differentiation ultimately allows for both disease modeling in vitro and the production of cellular products with potential for regenerative medicine. Here, we describe the rapid, reproducible, and highly efficient generation of iPSCs derived from endogenous kidney tubular renal epithelial cells with only two transcriptional factors, OCT4 and SOX2. Kidney-derived iPSCs may provide a reliable cellular platform for the development of kidney differentiation protocols allowing drug discovery studies and the study of kidney pathology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cellular Reprogramming / genetics
  • Cellular Reprogramming / physiology
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Kidney Tubules, Proximal / cytology*
  • Kidney Tubules, Proximal / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / genetics
  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / metabolism*
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors / genetics
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3
  • POU5F1 protein, human
  • SOX2 protein, human
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors