Abstract

Molecular Signatures of Adipose-derived Stem Cells: Potential for Metabolic Reprogramming

Shigeki Sugii, Group Leader/Assistant Professor, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium/Duke NUS Graduate Medical School

Adipose tissue is an expandable and readily attainable source of proliferating, multipotent adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), holding great therapeutic potentials. However, more work is necessary to fully understand biological properties of ASCs and explore novel technology for isolating ASCs in a direction to make them suitable for cell therapy. By comprehensive image-based high content screening, we identified novel cell surface markers, CD10 and CD200, that can predict how well ASCs can differentiate into mature functional adipocytes. Through another study on whole genome-wide gene expression analyses, we identified novel pathways of retinoid metabolism and oxidative stress. High level of retinoic acid negatively affects early stage of adipogenic differentiation of ASCs, which can be reversed by antagonism of retinoic acid receptors. Similarly high oxidative stress associated with ageing or visceral obesity affect ASC’s ability for differentiation, proliferation, migration and/or senescence. Treatment with anti-oxidants was found to be effective in reducing reactive oxygen species and improving these ASC properties. Together I will discuss the potential of using these molecular markers / factors for metabolic reprogramming studies: bioimaging, screening for improved adipocyte quality, or reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.