Expression of stem cell pluripotency factors during regeneration in the earthworm Eisenia foetida

Abstract

Stem cell pluripotency factors can induce somatic cells to form induced pluripotent stem cells, which are involved in cell reprogramming and dedifferentiation. The tissue regeneration in the earthworm Eisenia foetida may involve cell dedifferentiation. There is limited information about associations between pluripotency factors and the regeneration. In this report, cDNA sequences of pluripotency factors, oct4, nanog, sox2, c-myc and lin28 genes from the earthworm E. foetida were cloned, and quantitative PCR analysis was performed for their mRNA expressions in the head, clitellum and tail. The maximum up-regulation of oct4, nanog, sox2, c-myc and lin28 occurred at 12h, 4 days, 12h, 2 days, and 24h after amputation for 110, 178, 21, 251 and 325-fold, respectively, in comparison with the controls. The results suggest that the tissues are regenerated via cellular dedifferentiation and reprogramming.

Keywords: Cell dedifferentiation; Cell reprogramming; Gene expression; Tissue regeneration; oct4; sox2.