In vitro method for detection of immortalized cells in human retinal pigment epithelial cells.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25871244
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Drug development chemistry; Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Health Sciences (2014-2015); Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation (2013)
• Principal Investigator: Kuroda Takuya 国立医薬品食品衛生研究所, 再生・細胞医療製品部, 研究員 (70648857)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 不死化細胞 / 網膜色素上皮細胞 / 造腫瘍性 / iPS細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), i.e. human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), are able to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types. Thus, numerous attempts have been made to utilize hPSCs in regenerative medicine/cell therapy. However hPSCs have tumorigenic potential. Therefore, residual undifferentiated hPSCs or contamination of the transformed cells in products that would eventually proliferate and form a teratoma is one of the most obvious safety issues to develop cell therapy hPSC-derived products. In the present study, we identified a new immortalized RPE cell marker and developed new qRT-PCR method to detect contamination of human RPE cells with immortalized RPE cells. This qRT-PCR assay can detect as few as 3% of immortalized RPE cells in normal RPE cells. This in vitro qRT-PCR method is expected to contribute to process validation and quality control of cell therapy products derived from hPSCs.

Free Research Field

分子生物学