Recent studies on nuclear transfer and induced pluripotent stem cells have demonstrated that differentiated somatic cells can be returned to the undifferentiated state by reversing their developmental process. These epigenetically reprogrammed somatic cells may again be differentiated into various cell types, and used for cell replacement therapies through autologous transplantation to treat many degenerative diseases. To date, however, reprogramming of somatic cells into undifferentiated cells has been extremely inefficient. Hence, reliable markers to identify the event of reprogramming would assist effective selection of reprogrammed cells. In this study, a transgene construct encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the regulation of human Oct4 promoter was developed as a reporter for the reprogramming of somatic cells. Microinjection of the transgene construct into pronuclei of fertilized mouse eggs resulted in the emission of green fluorescence, suggesting that the undifferentiated cytoplasmic environment provided by fertilized eggs induces the expression of EGFP. Next, the transgene construct was introduced into human embryonic fibroblasts, and the nuclei from these cells were transferred into enucleated porcine oocytes. Along with their in vitro development, nuclear transfer embryos emitted green fluorescence, suggesting the reprogramming of donor nuclei in nuclear transfer embryos. The results of the present study demonstrate that expression of the transgene under the regulation of human Oct4 promoter coincides with epigenetic reprogramming, and may be used as a convenient marker that non-invasively reflects reprogramming of somatic cells.

The objective of this study was to analyzed pattern of proteins expression abnormally in cloned bovine placenta. TIMP-2 protein whose function is related to extracellular matrix degradation and tissue remodeling processes was one of differentially up-regulated proteins in SCNT placenta. And one of down-regulated protein in SCNT placenta was identified as vimentin protein that is presumed to stabilize the architecture of the cytoplasm. The expression patterns of these proteins were validated by Western blotting. To evaluate how regulatory loci of TIMP-2 and vimentin genes was programmed reprogramming in cloned placenta, the status of DNA methylation in the promoter region of TIMP-2 and vimentin genes was analyzed by sodium Bisulfite mapping. The DNA methylation results showed that there was not difference in methylation pattern of TIMP-2 and vimentin loci between cloned and normal placenta. Histone H3 acetylation state of the nucleosome was analyzed in the cloned placental and normal placenta by Western blotting. A small portion of the protein lysates were subjected to Western blotting with the antibodies against anti acetyl-Histone H3. Overall histone H3 acetylation state of SCNT placenta was significantly higher than those of normal placenta cells. It is postulated that cloned placenta at the end of gestation seems to be unusual in function and morphology of placenta via improper expression of TIMP-2 and vimentin by abnormal acetylation states of cloned genome.

Although nuclear transfer (NT) techniques are used to clone animals, its efficiency is very low. Moreover, nuclear transfer has resulted in offspring with severe developmental problems, probably due to incomplete nuclear reprogramming. Nuclear reprogramming is characterized by functional modification of the transferred nucleus to allow it to direct normal embryo development with the potential to grow to term. Although the nature of the reprogramming factor(s) in mammals is not clear, various nuclear as well as cytoplasmic components are involved in the processes. In this article we review recent data on factors involved in the nuclear reprogramming of cloned embryos.

Cloning by nuclear transfer in mammals using somatic cells has enormous potential applications. However, somatic cloning has been inefficient in all species in which NT is successful. High abortion and fetal death rates have been observed. These developmental defects have been attributed to incomplete nuclear reprogramming by the somatic cloning process. In this review, we will discuss studies conducted in our labs to understand the nuclear reprogramming process.

Rad51 is a key component of homologous recombination (HR) to repair DNA double-strand breaks and it forms Rad51 recombinase filaments of broken single-stranded DNA to promote HR. In addition to its role in DNA repair and cell cycle progression, Rad51 contributes to the reprogramming process during the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells. In light of this, we performed reprogramming experiments to examine the effect of co-expression of Rad51 and four reprogramming factors, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc, on the reprogramming efficiency. Co-expression of Rad51 significantly increased the numbers of alkaline phosphatase-positive colonies and embryonic stem cell-like colonies during the process of reprogramming. Co-expression ofRad51 significantly increased the expression of epithelial markers at an early stage of reprogramming compared with control cells. Phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX), which initiates the DNA double-strand break repair system, was highly accumulated in reprogramming intermediates upon co-expression of Rad51. This study identified a novel role of Rad51 in enhancing the reprogramming efficiency, possibly by facilitating mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition and by regulating a DNA damage repair pathway during the early phase of the reprogramming process.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) has long been envisioned as a means for generating patient-specific stem cells to treat a range of age-related diseases. Until now, only three research groups have reported the successful derivation of SCNT-derived pluripotent stem cells (SCNT-PSCs). Our group has shown for the first time that human SCNT-PSCs can be successfully generated using dermal fibroblasts from 35 and 75 year-old males, and also recently established another SCNT-PSC from a patient with disease. However, despite cloning success in these groups, the derivation of stem cell lines from cloned human embryos has proven elusive. So, several approaches for the optimization of SCNT conditions, such as the use of protein phosphatase inhibitors, oocyte activation method and epigenetic regulation have been applied in order to overcome the obstacle. This study reveals mechanistic insights and establishes a promising method for improving human SCNT for regenerative medicine.

Epigenetic regulations including DNA methylation, long noncoding RNAs and histone modification are considered to be involved in many biological processes. Such regulations in general begin with change of covalent bonds on the substrates. Moieties involving the covalent bond include methyl- and acetyl-group, glucose, SUMO and etc. Among them, methyl group-mediated modulation is commonly observed in all three substrates. Mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs) first appear at embryonic day (E)7.25 on the base of the allantois, and then migrate through the hindgut to the genital ridge. Once PGCs reach genital ridge, they become dimorphic, in that female PGCs undergo meiosis whereas male PGCs are mitotically arrested. Meiosis is a germ-cell-specific cell division process through which haploid gametes are produced for sexual reproduction. Before the initiation of meiosis, mouse primordial germ cells undergo a series of epigenetic reprogramming steps including the global erasure of DNA methylation at the 5-position of cytosine (5mC) in CpG-rich DNA. I will discuss role of Ten-to-Eleven translocation (Tet) in DNA demethylation in the process of PGC reprogramming.

X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a process that enables mammalian females to ensure the dosage compensation for X-linked genes. Investigating the mechanism of XCI might provide deeper understandings of chromosomal silencing, epigenetic regulation of gene expressions, and even the course of evolution. Studies on mammalian XCI conducted with mice have revealed many fundamental findings on XCI. However, difference of murine and human XCI necessitates the further investigation in human XCI. Recent success in reprogramming of differentiated cells into pluripotent stem cells showed the reversibility of XCI in vitro, X chromosome reactivation (XCR), which provides another tool to study the change in X chromosome status. This review summarizes the current knowledge of XCI during early embryonic development and describes recent achievements in studies of XCI in reprogramming process.

최근에 체세포 리프로그래밍 기법을 사용하여 체세포에 몇 가지 전사인자(리프로그래밍 인자)를 넣어줌으로써 유도만능줄기세포(induced pluripotent stem cell, iPS)를 만드는데 성공하였다. 유도만능줄기세포는 배아줄기세포와 유사하게 자가재생 할 수 있는 능력이 있으며, 신체의 모든 타입의 세포로 분화할 수 있는 특징을 가지고 있다. 배아줄기세포와는 달리 면역거부반응이 없다는 점과 윤리적인 문제로부터 자유롭다는 장점이 있어 2006년 Ya

포유동물의 초기 발생과정 중 접합체가 전능성이나 다능성을 가지기 위해서는 전반적인 DNA 메틸화를 포함하는 후성 유전학적 리프로그래밍의 복잡한 과정을 거쳐야만 한다. 본 연구팀에서는 공여핵의 후성 유전학적 리프로그래밍 과정을 조사하기 위하여 소 복제수정란에서 메틸화 양상을 분석하였다. 복제수정란의 비정상적인 메틸화 양상이 다양한 반복염기서열에서 관찰되었지만 single-copy유전자들의 염기서열은 정상적인 메틸화 양상을 보여주었다. 전반적으로 복제수정란