Laser-assisted photoablation of human pluripotent stem cells from differentiating cultures

Due to their pluripotency and their self-renewal capacity, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) provide fascinating perspectives for biomedical applications. In the long term, hPSC-derived tissue-specific cells will constitute an important source for cell replacement therapies in non-regenerative organs. These therapeutic approaches, however, will critically depend on the purity of the in vitro differentiated cell populations. In particular, remaining undifferentiated hPSC in a transplant can induce teratoma formation. In order to address this challenge, we have developed a laser-based method for the ablation of hPSC from differentiating cell cultures. Specific antibodies were directed against the hPSC surface markers tumor related antigen (Tra)-1-60 and Tra-1-81. These antibodies, in turn, were targeted with nanogold particles. Subsequent laser exposure resulted in a 98,9 +/- 0,9% elimination of hPSCs within undifferentiated cell cultures. In order to study potential side effects of laser ablation on cells negative for Tra-1-60 and Tra-1-81, hPSC were mixed with GFP-positive hPSC-derived neural precursors (hESCNP) prior to ablation. These studies showed efficient elimination of hPSC while co-treated hESCNP maintained their normal proliferation and differentiation potential. In vivo transplantation of treated and untreated mixed hPSC/hESCNP cultures revealed that laser ablation can dramatically reduce the risk of teratoma formation. Laser-assisted photothermolysis thus represents a novel contact-free method for the efficient elimination of hPSC from in vitro differentiated hPSC-derived somatic cell populations.