2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocyte maturation by DNA integrative free-delivery of key regulators
| Project/Area Number |
20K17078
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
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| Keywords | cardiac maturation / hiPSC-CM / tnni3 / nanomedic / heart / epicardium / hiPSC-EPI |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
We have identified an essential factor gene that strongly suggests being a common denominator of cardiac maturation in both atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes.
Besides, we optimized our iPS Cell-based technology as a reliable tool to recapitulate embryonic cardiogenesis. Some of our identified key factors are found to be confirmed as enhancers of cardiac maturation in terms of metabolic, electrophysiological, and structural maturation. At a protein level, our maturation system seems to achieve levels of adult cardiac troponin close to those shown in adult (human) hearts.
In addition, we have also explored the fundamental biology of the human epicardium to define new biomarkers which define new regenerative subpopulation with promising roles in cardiac maturation.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
The continuous strikes of COVID-19 got the progress of this project ultimately slightly delayed.
Nonetheless, our continuous efforts, endeavor, and commitments as researchers are also playing a pivotal role in keeping ongoing and lead this project to a fruitful end.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The future outline of the work that will be done this year includes the characterization of the molecular mechanisms at a transcriptional level that underlies the process of cardiac maturation during embryonic development and organism adulthood.
In addition, we will apply the Nanomedic technology to deliver key factors involved in cardiac maturation by using this novel DNA integrative-free technology.
Besides, we are still exploring a combined technology to enhance cardiac maturation that includes the usage of hiPSC-derived epicardial cells. To this end, we are characterizing promising biomarkers involved in the epicardial cell lineage definition as well as their implication in the differentiation biology of its derivatives in regards of enhances regenerative potential cardiac maturation.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to COVID-19 outbreak during 2020, many international conferences, collaborations and expected expenses got affected. This year we are aiming to dispose on more flexibility in terms of expenses' usage to get this project completed.
We will be using funds in NGS experiments (such as RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq), equipment acquisition, reactives and development of Nanomedic technology to deliver our maturation factors into hiPSC-CMs.
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