Marfan syndrome is a connective tissue disorder affecting the cardiovascular, skeletal, and ocular systems. Here, we generated and characterized induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines derived from two Marfan syndrome patients with mutations in the FBN1 gene (c.3333C > A and c.8854_8562delinsTATCAC). Both lines exhibited typical iPSC morphology, normal karyotype, undifferentiated states, and trilineage differentiation capacity. These iPSCs serve to enable investigation into the mechanisms underlying Marfan syndrome for therapeutic discovery.
Byron W H Mui, M. Chorsi, Christopher D. Yan et al.· Stem Cell Research· 0 citations
The GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) within the C9orf72 gene constitutes the leading genetic driver of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This fatal neurodegenerative disorder is characterized by the systematic loss of both the upper and lower motor neurons across both the central and peripheral nervous systems. This work describes the successful reprogramming of two human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines originating from two independent ALS patients, both of whom carry a C9orf72 HRE mutation. Validation of the two established iPSC lines confirmed the expression of pluripotency markers, normal karyotypes, and successful trilineage differentiation. Consequently, these lines provide a robust in vitro platform to model ALS and study C9orf72-mediated disease mechanisms.
Dide Wu, A. Kojic, Jay P. Ross et al.· Stem Cell Research· 0 citations
Heart failure is a major clinical and economic burden that afflicts 60 million individuals worldwide. Guideline-directed medical therapies can slow disease progression, but they cannot restore the loss of cardiomyocytes. Over the past two decades, human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based technology has emerged as a leading approach to overcome limited cardiac regenerative capacity, offering a scalable source of functional human cardiomyocytes. The field is now at a pivotal translational stage, as advances in differentiation and tissue engineering have enabled hPSC-based products to enter first-in-human clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the pathophysiological rationale for cell-based therapy in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Then, we examine the preclinical foundations of distinct hPSC-derived product formats, including cell suspensions, epicardial sheets, engineered heart muscle, and cardiac spheroids, each with distinct tradeoffs and translational considerations. We conclude by providing updates on ongoing and recently completed clinical trials, evaluating their safety, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy outcomes.
Byron W H Mui, E. Neofytou, Joseph C. Wu· Cell Reports Medicine· 0 citations