Epigenetic changes of lentiviral transgenes in porcine stem cells derived from embryonic origin

PLoS One. 2013 Aug 19;8(8):e72184. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072184. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Because of the physiological and immunological similarities that exist between pigs and humans, porcine pluripotent cell lines have been identified as important candidates for preliminary studies on human disease as well as a source for generating transgenic animals. Therefore, the establishment and characterization of porcine embryonic stem cells (pESCs), along with the generation of stable transgenic cell lines, is essential. In this study, we attempted to efficiently introduce transgenes into Epiblast stem cell (EpiSC)-like pESCs. Consequently, a pluripotent cell line could be derived from a porcine-hatched blastocyst. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was successfully introduced into the cells via lentiviral vectors under various multiplicities of infection, with pluripotency and differentiation potential unaffected after transfection. However, EGFP expression gradually declined during extended culture. This silencing effect was recovered by in vitro differentiation and treatment with 5-azadeoxycytidine. This phenomenon was related to DNA methylation as determined by bisulfite sequencing. In conclusion, we were able to successfully derive EpiSC-like pESCs and introduce transgenes into these cells using lentiviral vectors. This cell line could potentially be used as a donor cell source for transgenic pigs and may be a useful tool for studies involving EpiSC-like pESCs as well as aid in the understanding of the epigenetic regulation of transgenes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Azacitidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Azacitidine / pharmacology
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Blastocyst / cytology
  • Blastocyst / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA Methylation
  • Decitabine
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Epigenesis, Genetic*
  • Feeder Cells
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Germ Layers / cytology
  • Germ Layers / metabolism
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lentivirus / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology
  • Pluripotent Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Swine
  • Transgenes*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Decitabine
  • Azacitidine

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Next-generation BioGreen 21 Program (PJ0094932013), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.