Human iPSC-derived neural stem cells displaying radial glia signature exhibit long-term safety in mice

Abstract Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cells (hiPSC-NSCs) hold promise for treating neurodegenerative and demyelinating disorders. However, comprehensive studies on their identity and safety remain limited. In this study, we demonstrate that hiPSC-NSCs adopt a ra...

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Main Authors: Marco Luciani, Chiara Garsia, Stefano Beretta, Ingrid Cifola, Clelia Peano, Ivan Merelli, Luca Petiti, Annarita Miccio, Vasco Meneghini, Angela Gritti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53613-7
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Summary:Abstract Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cells (hiPSC-NSCs) hold promise for treating neurodegenerative and demyelinating disorders. However, comprehensive studies on their identity and safety remain limited. In this study, we demonstrate that hiPSC-NSCs adopt a radial glia-associated signature, sharing key epigenetic and transcriptional characteristics with human fetal neural stem cells (hfNSCs) while exhibiting divergent profiles from glioblastoma stem cells. Long-term transplantation studies in mice showed robust and stable engraftment of hiPSC-NSCs, with predominant differentiation into glial cells and no evidence of tumor formation. Additionally, we identified the Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Transcription Factor 1 (SREBF1) as a regulator of astroglial differentiation in hiPSC-NSCs. These findings provide valuable transcriptional and epigenetic reference datasets to prospectively define the maturation stage of NSCs derived from different hiPSC sources and demonstrate the long-term safety of hiPSC-NSCs, reinforcing their potential as a viable alternative to hfNSCs for clinical applications.
ISSN:2041-1723