miR-371-3 expression predicts neural differentiation propensity in human pluripotent stem cells

Area of Science:

• Stem cell biology
• Developmental biology
• Regenerative medicine

Background:

• Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation varies, complicating regenerative medicine and disease modeling.
• Identifying predictive markers for neural differentiation is crucial for consistent hPSC applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify markers predicting neural differentiation behavior in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).
• To investigate the role of miR-371-3 in hPSC neurogenic differentiation and dopamine neuron engraftment.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of 13 hESC and 26 hiPSC lines.
• Quantitative analysis of miR-371-3 expression.
• KLF4 transduction and miR-371-3 suppression experiments.

Main Results:

• General stem cell markers correlated with neural differentiation.
• miR-371-3 expression prospectively identified hESC and hiPSC lines with differential neurogenic potential and dopamine neuron engraftment capacity.
• KLF4 transduction increased miR-371-3, altering neurogenic behavior; miR-371-3 suppression rescued differentiation.

Conclusions:

• miR-371-3 expression level serves as a predictive marker for hPSC neurogenic differentiation.
• miR-371-3 plays a functional role in determining the neurogenic differentiation propensity of hPSCs.