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Projeto de investigação
DEVELOPMENT OF A CELL-REPLACEMENT THERAPY TO REGENERATE SENSORY HAIR CELLS IN THE MAMMALIAN INNER EAR
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Generation of sensory hair cells by genetic programming with a combination of transcription factors
Publication . Costa, Aida; Sanchez-Guardado, Luis; Juniat, Stephanie; Gale, Jonathan E.; Daudet, Nicolas; Henrique, Domingos
Mechanosensory hair cells (HCs) are the primary receptors of our senses of hearing and balance. Elucidation of the transcriptional networks regulating HC fate determination and differentiation is crucial not only to understand inner ear development but also to improve cell replacement therapies for hearing disorders. Here, we show that combined expression of the transcription factors Gfi1, Pou4f3 and Atoh1 can induce direct programming towards HC fate, both during in vitro mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation and following ectopic expression in chick embryonic otic epithelium. Induced HCs (iHCs) express numerous HC-specific markers and exhibit polarized membrane protrusions reminiscent of stereociliary bundles. Transcriptome profiling confirms the progressive establishment of a HC-specific gene signature during in vitro iHC programming. Overall, this work provides a novel approach to achieve robust and highly efficient HC production in vitro, which could be used as a model to study HC development and to drive inner ear HC regeneration.
Transcriptome profiling of induced hair cells (iHCs) generated by combined expression of Gfi1, Pou4f3 and Atoh1 during embryonic stem cell differentiation
Publication . Costa, Aida; Henrique, Domingos
To gain new insights about the genetic networks controlling hair cell (HC) development, we previously developed a direct genetic programming strategy to generate an inexhaustible supply of HC-like cells (induced HCs, iHCs) in vitro, starting from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC). We found that combined activity of three transcription factors, Gfi1, Pou4f3, and Atoh1, can program ESC-derived progenitors towards HC fate with efficiencies of 55%-80%. These iHCs express several HC markers and exhibit polarized structures that are highly reminiscent of the mechanosensitive hair bundles, with many microvilli-like stereocilia. Here, we describe the experimental design, methodology, and data validation for the microarray analysis used to characterize the transcriptome profile of iHCs at different stages of their differentiation. This approach based on FACS sorting and microarray analysis revealed a highly similar iHC transcriptome to that of endogenous HCs in vivo. The data obtained in this study is available in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (accession number GSE60352).
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Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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SFRH/BD/38461/2007