Direct conversion of fibroblasts into urothelial cells that may be recruited to regenerating mucosa of injured urinary bladder

Sci Rep. 2019 Sep 25;9(1):13850. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-50388-6.

Abstract

Urothelial cells play essential roles in protection of urine exudation and bacterial invasion at the urothelial mucosa, so that defect or damage of urothelial cells associated with urinary tract diseases may cause serious problems. If a sufficient number of functional urothelial cells are prepared in culture and transplanted into the damaged urothelial lesions, such technology may provide beneficial effects to patients with diseases of the urinary tract. Here we found that human adult dermal fibroblasts were converted into urothelial cells by transducing genes for four transcription factors, FOXA1, TP63, MYCL and KLF4 (FTLK). The directly converted urothelial cells (dUCs) formed cobblestone-like colonies and expressed urothelium-specific markers. dUCs were successfully expanded and enriched after serial passages using a specific medium that we optimized for the cells. The passaged dUCs showed similar genome-wide gene expression profiles to normal urothelial cells and had a barrier function. The FTLK-transduced fibroblasts were also converted into urothelial cells in vivo and recruited to the regenerating urothelial tissue after they were transplanted into the bladder of mice with interstitial cystitis. Our technology may provide a promising solution for a number of patients with urinary tract disorders.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Cell Line
  • Cystitis, Interstitial / genetics
  • Cystitis, Interstitial / therapy*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology*
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Female
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha / genetics
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Mice
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Skin / cytology*
  • Skin / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transduction, Genetic
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics
  • Urothelium / cytology*
  • Urothelium / metabolism
  • Urothelium / transplantation*

Substances

  • FOXA1 protein, human
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha
  • KLF4 protein, human
  • Klf4 protein, mouse
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
  • Mycl1 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • TP63 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins