Induction of tissue-specific stem cells by novel transcription factors and/or small-molecule compounds

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19537
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 55:Surgery of the organs maintaining homeostasis and related fields
• Research Institution: University of the Ryukyus
• Principal Investigator: Noguchi Hirofumi 琉球大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (50378733)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: iTP細胞 / YAP / 転写因子 / 低分子化合物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Clinical applications of ES/iPS cells are advancing, but there are still many issues that differentiation efficiency of ES/iPS cells is low. Our group has succeeded in induced tissue-specific stem cells (iTS cells) using the Yamanaka factors. These cells have advantages such as higher differentiation efficiency compared to ES/iPS cells, but there is a possibility of iPS cell contamination during iTS cell production because iTS cells are generated by Yamanaka factors. This study aimed to establish iTS cells without the Yamanaka factors. As a result, (1) YAP gene, (2) three novel genes induce iTS cells, but (3) low molecular weight compounds did not induce iTS cells.

Free Research Field

膵島移植、膵島再生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、「山中因子以外」の因子を用いてiTS細胞を樹立すること成功した。具体的には、(1)YAP遺伝子、(2)新規3遺伝子によるiTS細胞の樹立は可能であった。この2つの樹立方法では、山中因子を使用しないため、iPS細胞の混入の可能性がない。そのため、iPS細胞由来分化細胞の移植の時に問題となる、奇形腫形成を回避することができるため、有用な樹立方法であると考えられる。iTS細胞の特徴として、(a)樹立効率が高い、(b)分化誘導効率が高い、（c)奇形腫形成がない、があるが、今回の研究成果により、さらに安全性が高いiTS細胞の樹立が可能となった。