Bethesda, MD--Adult stem cells and progenitor cells may not come with a clean genetic slate after all. That's because a new report in the FASEB Journal (http://www.
"Ultimately, we hope to be able to decipher the mechanisms of how stem cells renew themselves as well as how they differentiate," said George L. Sen, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Program in Stem Cell Biology at the University of California, San Diego. "This will in turn allow us to coax these cells to behave in ways that we want to potentially aid in the treatment of tissue degenerative disorders."
Sen and colleagues drew their conclusions by mapping the DNA and histone methylation patterns in stem/progenitor cells and comparing them to differentiated cells. They found DNA and histone methylation "marks" on the promoter regions of differentiation genes in stem cells that prevented the expression of differentiation genes. They also showed that when the proteins used to mark the DNA were removed, stem cells would spontaneously differentiate. In regenerated human skin, the loss of these marks (epigenetic factors) resulted in loss of the stem/progenitor cells in the basal layer of the skin. Over time, the skin no longer regenerated and prematurely differentiated.
"Epigenetics has not replaced classical genetics. It has, however, provided the chemical and biological explanation for short-term, heritable changes that tell cells where their parents have been and where they themselves are going," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. "This study shows that adult stem and progenitor cells, like many human adults, come with baggage from family history that affects how they behave."
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FASEB comprises 24 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB enhances the ability of scientists and engineers to improve--through their research--the health, well-being and productivity of all people. FASEB's mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.
Details: George L. Sen. Remembering one's identity: the epigenetic basis of stem cell fate decisions. FASEB J. July 2011 25:2123-2128; doi:10.1096/fj.11-182774 ;